Today’s society values fuel efficiency, environmental regulations, and global ecological sustainability. Modern electric automobiles are efficient and fossil fuel-free, which has attracted ecologically conscious vehicle owners worldwide. Electric vehicles (EVs) are attractive to people outside of the environment since electricity is cheaper than all fossil fuels. New EV and electric car conversion markets are booming due to a large number of positive reasons. This post sheds light on key components of electric vehicles and their functions.
Modern electric automobiles are too expensive for most people, and used electric cars are scarce. Therefore, vehicle owners are replacing diesel and petrol engines and gearboxes with batteries and electric motors to convert older cars instead of buying new ones. You should know these facts before changing your automobile to electric. Today, we examine the main components and functions of an electric car conversion to demonstrate how it works. Electric vehicles have quite different processes from petrol/diesel engines.
How do electric vehicles work?
Electric motors power electric vehicles. A high-voltage battery pack powers the motor dependent on accelerator pedal pressure.
When the accelerator pedal of the electrical vehicle is pressed, the following happens:
- As the brain of the operation, the motor controller (inverter) takes input and determines battery pack power needs.
- The motor receives electrical energy from the inverter based on pedal pressure.
- Motors use electromagnets and wire coils to convert electrical energy into rotational energy.
- The motor output shaft revolves in transmission.
- The transmission speeds up this revolution so the axles, differentials, drive-shafts, and automobile move.
Key Component of an Electric Vehicle
Battery Pack
Battery packs are the most important part of EVs. The vehicle’s power and range depend on this largest and most costly component. The battery pack comprises 5 to 25 batteries with hundreds of cells apiece. A customized metal battery box will fit the vehicle’s engine bay and hold the battery pack. For longer range, attach a second battery box in the boot or behind the rear seats.
The battery box contains all electronic pack control and monitoring components. An ignition system turns the automobile on and off by opening and closing switches. The battery management system (BMS) in the battery box monitors voltages, temperatures, and currents when charging and discharging to protect the battery from overheating. This BMS continually sends and receives signals from the charging system and motor controller to optimize battery pack performance.
Finally, an exterior radiator and water pump cool the battery box. This cooling system streams coolants into each battery in the pack to keep them at the same temperature and restrict motor output.
Power Controller/Inverter
The inverter (motor controller) transforms direct current from the batteries to alternating electricity for the motor. Imagine it as the battery-motor link; without it, the motor would always run at maximum speed. Motor controller interfaces to vehicle throttle and battery management system. The battery cooling system keeps coolant flowing through inverters, which use a lot of electricity, especially while driving fast. Finally, during regenerative braking, the electric vehicle inverter converts alternating current to direct current to replenish the battery.
Electric Motor
The motor turns electricity into mechanical energy to propel the automobile. DC and AC motors differ greatly. Most electric car conversions use AC motors since they’re more efficient. A motor is a huge electromagnet that turns owing to magnet attraction and repulsion.
- Gas combustion engines convert less than 40% of electrical energy to mechanical energy, while electric motors convert over 85%.
- Electric motors vary in size and power. A Tesla big drive unit can produce 500 horsepower, while a vintage car’s motor is 120 horsepower.
- The motor spins the gearbox, which might be the original or a single-speed electric power unit. Converting an average classic automobile to electric power requires little manufacturing and simply adapter plates, thus using the original gearbox reduces costs.
- However, mounting a Tesla drive unit across an axle requires specialized half-shafts, differentials, and drivetrains, adding expense.
Charger
A charger transforms grid-supplied AC into DC to charge electric car batteries. Electric car battery chargers must be smarter to charge at the right speed. The automobile has a charger that can charge the batteries at home, at a parking, or at a highway service station. Different charger powers impact how fast an automobile gets charged. If the power supply is too little, even the quickest charger will not charge rapidly.
A wall-mounted charge system, such as one you can install in your house or find at gas stations, can charge a car at 10kWh or more, but a conventional UK plug can only charge at 2-3kWh! Experts suggest installing an electric vehicle charger in your home is always a great idea.
DC/DC Converter
DC/DC converters convert higher-voltage DC power from high-voltage battery systems to 12V batteries needed to run the original 12V system. This system includes lights, wipers, and central locking. After conversion, the automobile doesn’t need its 12V system rewired, which is expensive.
Cooling System
Although electric vehicles are 85% efficient, they still generate some heat, which is typically not excessive. To maintain and optimize components, it is necessary to keep them cold. Battery and motor controller (inverter) cooling are required, however many parts are air-cooled. This thermal system has a tiny radiator, fan, coolant pump, and pipes to circulate coolant. The closed-loop system uses fluid to remove heat from heat-sensitive components.
The following 3 components make up the electric car cooling system:
- Radiator: cools system coolant fluid.
- Coolant removes heat from electric car components.
- Fan: in slow traffic, this component circulates cold air into the coolant.
Charger Port
The charging port is often mounted near the original fuel filler. It charges the high-voltage battery pack straight from the car’s charging system. Electric conversions in the UK and Europe utilize Type 2 plugs, which are standardized to charge at multiple locations without adapters or costly connections. Most people don’t know that UK 3-pin sockets can charge electric vehicle conversions. Although sluggish, this eliminates the need to find a charger. Some battery packs can charge from 0-100% in 8 hours with a standard socket or 4 hours with a wall-mounted charging station.
Concluding Remarks
Electric cars are the future. For electric automobiles to replace gas-based cars, thinking and technology both need to be changed. As technology advances, electric automobiles will become more inexpensive and popular. Electric vehicles have various parts, and most are new to regular vehicle owners, so we hope this information helped! Industry Saga is committed to providing you with all the latest happening in the world of EVs in each and every part of the world.
