“CO2 LES”

Converting A Gas Powered Corolla Wagon into an Electric Family Hauler

By Sten Mander

Overview

• Part 1: The car selection process

• Part 2: Removing the gasoline components

• Part 3: Power to manual steering conversion

• Part 4: Installing the motor

• Part 5: Rear batteries and charger

• Part 6: Instrumentation

• Part 7: Brakes and suspension

I need a light carthat is large enough

to take two kids in car seats to school…

Part 1: The Car Selection Process

I chose a 1991 Toyota Corolla station wagon with a good body and a clean interior.

Then I installed a tow bar so I could tow the car home after the engine was removed.

I have driven the car about 500 miles.The odometer is now at 195,000.

Next, the engine and all the gasoline parts needed to go.

Part 2: Removing the Gasoline Components

The Casa Grande Auto Tech class removed the engine, gas tank and exhaust system.

This is the 4- cylinder gasoline engine out of the car.

The stock exhaust system weighs about 20 pounds.

Then I towed the car home and put it in my garage.This is what the engine compartment looked like.

Part 3: Power to Manual Steering Conversion

I had to replace the power steering rack with a manual steering rack because there is no

engine to turn the pump.

This is what the stock power steering pump and rack looks like out of the car.

The manual steering rack (above) has a shorter and narrower pinion gear…

compared to the power rack (below).

Compare the two steering yokes:The manual rack yoke (above)

and the larger diameter power rack yoke (below).

Compare the 2 steering shafts:The power rack shaft is shorter (top).

The manual rack shaft is longer (bottom).

The biggest problem I had with the power steering swap was finding this cover for the manual rack.

Part 4: Installing the motor

This is the 8-inch D and D motor, coupler and adapter plate from Wilderness Electric Vehicles.

Ack! The adapter plate that came with the kit was rough and warped!

Ack! The coupler that came with the kit wobbled because it was not welded straight!

The first step to installing the electric motoris making a model.

I got the idea for my car from another Toyota Corolla wagon conversion I saw on EV Album.com.

John Balon, my neighbor, made this fixture to find the exact middle of the new adapter plate.

It was super difficult. Thanks John!!

For my 47th birthday, I worked on the car with Rob at JRL Machine for 12 hours at $100/hour! Yowza!!!

Ack! The original transmission leaked oil and made a grinding noise going into second gear

so it had to be rebuilt.

The lower cross member is in the way, so half the adapter plate is bolted to the trans-axel…

Cross member

…and the other half of the adapter plate (a flange) is bolted to the motor before the motor is installed.

Notice the direct motor coupler, no clutch.

Flange

Rob at JRL Machine cutting

a notch in the motor holder for my floor

jack.

I made a special motor holder for my floor jack. The motor weighs about 100 pounds!

Installing the motor does not even require the removal of the wheels!

The motor adapter is held in place while it is bolted in. Notice the clear heater hoses.

The motor is bolted to the trans-axel. Next, the motor end plate will hang from the stock motor mount.

Stock motor mount

This is the 8-inch motor installed at both ends before the steel was powder coated.

Notice the MES 120V DC heater and 8-inch motor are installed. The front battery rack mount is being

attached to the motor end plate.

The motor end plate is made of

heavy, ¼ inch steel.

We call it “Nevada.”

Here is Rob at JRL Machine

holding the finished motor end plate.

Fitting the front battery rack.Ack! The front batteries won’t fit

because the heater hoses are in the way

This shows the black pre-molded heater hoses and the 8-inch motor after the steel parts were powder coated.

Part 5: The Rear Batteries and Charger

Before installing the rear battery rack, I had the spare tire tub sprayed with Rhino Liner to protect it from any

acid that may drip.

After the Rhino Liner was sprayed and the charger installed, I ran a PVC conduit for the welding cable from

the engine compartment to the spare tire tub.

The PVC plastic conduit for the welding cable enters the spare tire tub from the front, underneath the floor.

A galvanized steel battery rack is installed over the coated spare tire tub and bolted to the car in 10 places!

Batterycharger

The next layer is the bottom of the battery box, made of ¾ inch thick Star Board plastic.

The bottom of the battery box has a drain so any acid that drips can be rinsed outside the car.

Sten is covering the stainless steel battery hold-down tubing with a layer of heat shrink rubber to protect it

from corrosion.

Eight rear batteries are secured with six 3/8 stainless steel rods and two pieces of 1 inch square coated stainless steel tubing.

This is the rear battery compartment complete and ready for the cover. Approximate weight: 775 pounds.

This is a close up of the Quick-charge 120V charger.

The is a rain proof marine charging outlet rated at 120V 30A.

The Watts-Up Pro data logger keeps track of hours, Kilowatt hours, Volts, Amps and even dollars!

Part 6: Instrumentation

This shows the temporary dash board. From the left: motor Amps, motor RPM, speedometer, odometer and motor temperature.

The console has a battery indicator and a volt meter. The car goes about 2 1/2 miles for each bar and it charges at 136 Volts.

Part 6: Brakes and Suspension

This is the MES vacuum pump for the brake booster. The car weighs 3200 pounds and really needs power brakes!

This is the current engine compartment. Eventually, the wiring will be covered with black flexible loom.

Vacuumpump forthe brakebooster

The Spring-Works in Santa Rosa made the 900 pound over weight springs for the rear of the car.

Ernesto at Bosh Automotive is removing the stock springs with a spring compressor.

Compare the new spring (top) to the stock spring (bottom).

The new spring fitted in the rear of the car at Bosh Automotive.

My son Erik and the Corolla with the new springs installed before the 660 pounds of batteries and the 100 pound battery rack and platform were installed.

The top of the rear wheel arch

was 28 inches high!

Erik Mander and the Corolla with the new springs and the batteries installed. The top of the rear wheel arch is now 25 inches from the ground, down 3 whole inches!

For every 14 miles I drive the electric car, I save $3.00 in gas compared to driving my truck.

Design and Build Team Members

1. Tow Bar: Road Master, Or

2. Engine Removal: Casa Grande Auto Tech, Ca

3. Brake Vacuum Pump & Heater: Metric Mind, Or4. Original Conversion kit: Wilderness Electric Vehicles, Ut

5. Manual Steering Rack: Truck world USA, Ca

6. Adapter Plate Modifications: John Balen, Ca

7. Machine Work: JRL Machine, Ca8. Galvanized Battery Racks: Beauchamp Welding, Ca

9. Undercoating: Rhino Lining

10. Star board and Charging Outlet: Fred Fritz Electronics, Ca

11. Batteries and Welding cable: Battery Systems, Ca

More Team Members

12. Custom Rear Springs: Spring-works, Ca

13. Spring Installation: Bosh Automotive, Ca

14. Transmission Rebuild: Trans-man, Ca15. Motor and Controller upgrade: Electric Vehicles of America, NH

16. State of Charge Gage : KTA Services, Ca

17. Safety Concepts : Chris Jones, Ca

18. Heinemann Safety Breaker: EV Parts, Wa19. Instrumentation: Westberg Manufacturing, Ca

20. Final Assembly Inspection: Tony Travis, Ship Shape Marine, Ca

21. Strong Helpful People: John Shribbs, Todd Creighton, Ca

22. Other Conversions: www.evalbum.com