Another Electric MG F

[LrBen]

It's something I'll probably consider in the future. Keep an eye out for something about to go to the scrapyard due to engine failure. I can swap the subframes across so as long as the shell is reasonable that's all I need.
For now I'll keep what I have and lend my voice to the group trying to get the DVLA see reason. While I can swap back to an earlier model easy enough it would certainly be better for everyone in the long run if we can easily convert post 2001 cars.

My next conversion is a 1972 Leyland 255 tractor, so I'm also itching to make a start on that. Promised myself I would only do one electric project at a time!

[Rob Bell]

I'm currently wondering about fitting a e-motor and batteries to the front of the car to make a Hybrid along the lines of the MG TF 200HPD concept - so my question is actually DVLA related: as a 1996 MGF, converting and registering as an EV is straightforward. How are the DVLA handing electric/ petrol hybrids on these cars? Or is that not a "thing"?

[Rob Bell]

PS - I'll move this thread to technical - I think it'll get more views there

[LrBen]

I'm currently wondering about fitting a e-motor and batteries to the front of the car to make a Hybrid along the lines of the MG TF 200HPD concept - so my question is actually DVLA related: as a 1996 MGF, converting and registering as an EV is straightforward. How are the DVLA handing electric/ petrol hybrids on these cars? Or is that not a "thing"?

Hybrids are an interesting question. Since yours is pre 2001 that does make full EV conversion easier. But converting to hybrid is a rarity for me. Might just be a case of doing it and finding out. Since you are not removing anything just adding something it might be easier.

[Rob Bell]

Thanks Ben - is there anyone at the DVLA who is helpful and are contactable to discuss such plans? (might be a rhetorical question!)

[LrBen]

I'm afraid the terms DVLA and helpful don't work in a sentence. I find it next to impossible just to send an email to them.

So for now they seem to be asking every single conversion to be inspected(even my 1987 farm quad bike conversion), this is free and it's just to see if you require an IVA or not. That's about the point at which you will find out, until then they won't commit to an answer either way.

I would suspect you would probably end up needing an IVA for the modifications to the front body. However I'm not 100% sure and it would be a bit of a gamble at the moment.

[Reckless Rat]

It's a bit like that here in France. "The answer is "No" now what's the question?"

If you don't want to be disappointed then don't ask.

[talkingcars]

Sort of related - we have just spent a week driving 400 miles around Minorca in a Ford Puma baby SUV that said it was a hybrid but the only hint I got that it had an electric motor at all was the occasional electrical symbol that appeared on the dash when cruising, and that it managed 45mpg. I meant to pop the bonnet for a nose but forgot.

[LrBen]

Finally got the wheels spinning!
https://youtu.be/_sfsCuZ4oic

A few niggles to sort out but nothing major. Hopefully get the suspension gassed up next week and some fluid in the brakes then I can give it a drive around the yard.

[talkingcars]

A bit of a tease, I look foward to more....

[LrBen]

So allot happened since that last post. Got the wheels spinning and everything back on the car. Drove around the farm to find power severally lacking with lots of inverter cut outs. Short story is that there is still a bit of rather intricate tuning that needs to be done with this inverter and firmware to drive this particular motor.

So I gave up on that idea and replaced the inverter with an Outlander Inverter to match the motor. The upside of this is that it can be run with simple canbus messages. It's also smaller, so I brought the charger back to the rear of the vehicle so I can use the original fuel filler as a charge socket.

Just needs an MOT then it's good to go. Did some playing around in 1st gear today, not full throttle. Normal driving will be done in 2nd gear, which is a similar ratio to the transaxle the Outlander motors uses in original form. Top speed of about 90mph in theory in that gear. I can actually change gear while driving at the moment as there is no regen on the motor yet. So I can come off the throttle and change gear if needed.

https://youtu.be/QRbp56PAPQY

[talkingcars]

Good luck with the MOT.

[LrBen]

Bit of an update on this. It's pretty much completed, or at least road worthy. Been driving it for a few months now and ironed out allot of small issues.

It's a really fun car to drive. I keep in 2nd gear almost all the of time. 1st gear if I need to pulled out into a busy junction as I can get up to 30mph pretty damn quick in 1st gear. Changing up on the go is alright, but changing down doesn't really work. 2nd gear gets me from 0mph-legal limit in pretty quick time though.

It's a bit of a harsh ride, although improved recently by getting the airlocks out of the suspension system. I think most of that is now down to the polybushed suspension. I'm not a big fan of Polybushes but I couldn't find a rubber set anywhere.

Range wise I'm still pushing the boundaries. The battery is also still balancing slowly so my range will increase as time goes on. Currently comfortably on around 25 miles, although I think 35-40 should be possible. In theory it should be between 40 and 50 miles. A slow onboard charger makes longer trips unfeasible. But it does 90% of my journeys. One day I might add in CCS fast charging.

Overall, I actually wouldn't recommend an MGF to convert just yet, unless you can get very creative with battery placement. With the currently DVLA rules around cutting and drilling you are really limited in where batteries can go. I think it maybe possible to get a good amount in the engine compartment above the motor, by moving the inverter and charger out, possibly into the petrol tank area. But it would make plumbing a little harder.

[EllsoJo]

Congratulations on a successful outcome. Is the small tractor still your next project, or further refinement of the F?

[nigelandjo]

You'll have to bring it along to one of our pub meets when we're close by. It will be interesting to see.

[LrBen]

Congratulations on a successful outcome. Is the small tractor still your next project, or further refinement of the F?

Small tractor is the current focus right now, unless anything comes up with the MG that stops it driving. Had a few little niggles with the battery but nothing major so far. Had some thoughts on changing the VCU for the same one I will use in the tractor and the next project. It's an open sourced VCU for EV conversions and would make adding in fast charging easier. It's also just a general improvement over my attempt to design one.

Did a another trip today, biggest journey so far at 29 miles and got decent fuel economy out of it. There was probably another few miles left in the tank, but I think for now I have found a comfortable limit of 30 miles. In theory that was just over half of the battery capacity, but they are second hand batteries, getting on for over 5 years old and not balanced just yet.

You'll have to bring it along to one of our pub meets when we're close by. It will be interesting to see.

I'm thinking I might drop into Dobbies on the 19th at least for a quick chat since that's close to me. Wouldn't be able to make the pub meet there as I'll still be charging 3 hours later currently!