Voltron-Evo; jonescg's new electric race bike

Post by **Bluefang** » Tue, 24 Dec 2013, 02:37

Well hopefully you dont need a extra rider to get the race going. This little black bike wont cut it. 30kw and voltage speed limited is not going to cut it against that sort of power, i wouldnt just be slow i would be dangerous

Hopefully if all goes well with selling the bike in the new year i ll be able to field a much faster bike, more straight line orientated but should be able to go round a track fast. Got to build up a brain board for Lebowski's chips first if that works out the way i think it should...awesomeness.

Will be great to see how your bike goes with all the goodies you are throwing at it

Post by **tsport100** » Fri, 27 Dec 2013, 05:15

Is it possible to get a break down of that "$11,000 landed price tag" for the EVO Motor?

Post by **jonescg** » Fri, 27 Dec 2013, 05:30

Motor was 5750 GBP (about AUD$8000 at the time)
Shipping was 710 GBP (about AUD$1200 at the time)
Customs, GST and assorted rip-off fees were about AUD$600.

They say they won't sell one-offs any more, but I reckon if you twist their arm and flash the cash you can buy one.

Post by **tsport100** » Fri, 27 Dec 2013, 05:46

Thanks for the prompt reply.

I'd heard they were around $6k before shipping so just curious how the price had almost doubled.

Interesting to compare that with $14k for the Yasa, was that also the expected landed price?

Just doing a bit of market research... I get a steady stream of inquiries for motors http://bit.ly/JeOJI6 although I don't sell one-offs either.

Post by **jonescg** » Fri, 27 Dec 2013, 16:20

It was probably 6000 GBP; if it was dollars I would have got one much sooner. Best price I had offered on the YASA was ~9000 GBP before shipping or customs. Both motors are way overpriced, but both companies are trying to get something back from their R+D investment. Can't blame them really. The EVO motor is used in hybrid buses, and their merger with GKN should result in their production prices falling steadily.

So you have an axial flux induction motor ready to go? I was wondering when we'd start to see them on the market.

Post by **jonescg** » Mon, 27 Jan 2014, 04:01

Minor update on Voltron-Evo. The tank cover is starting to take shape. Urethane foam coated in bog, sanded to the shape I want. Or at least a shape that's easy to pull a mould from.

The rear brakes are done!

All I need to do now is pull it all apart and get it painted. Then once painted I can put it all back together and mount the brakes. While disassembled I can get some sprockets made up for the front. I found I can get 44 tooth Ducati sprockets. With a 17 tooth on the front I can probably gear it for ~240 theoretical top speed, which is probably about 215 in reality. Plenty for most racetracks

Post by **GRMarks** » Tue, 28 Jan 2014, 04:07

wow Chris have fun sanding! At least its better than sanding fiber glass.

Many hours of work ahead of you.

Post by **jonescg** » Tue, 28 Jan 2014, 04:31

I hate all parts of the fibreglassing process, but I hate the glassing bit the most. That's why I'm handing it to someone else to do. I'll just get the shape right and seal it, then they can to the rest.

Post by **jonescg** » Sat, 01 Feb 2014, 22:20

Hey everyone,

I have some exciting and terrifying news. Katherine is pregnant! Yes, we're expecting a baby to change our lives forever in early October. Terrifying because I don't have job, but hopefully that will change very soon.

It also means that Voltron Evo will no longer be the first recipient of what little money I earn. That's going to have to go towards baby supplies and accessories. Granted we're going to borrow a bunch of baby stuff to save some money, but we are probably going to have to move somewhere slightly bigger with more distance between us and the neighbours. Ideally cheaper too. My angle grinder is pretty annoying, but only for a few minutes a day. Not all day... and night.

So I thought I might put some photos up of the progress to date, and list everything that needs to be done.

In order of most pressing -

1. Get the fibreglass fairings repaired and tank cover made. This means paying a firm $150 to paint the plug in two-pack urethane paint and polish to a glassy finish. Then I will take it to Glen and get a mould and final part made. I will get KiM (AussieJester) to join the cuts I have made to the fairings so it fits around the bike.

2. Get the frame painted. I will just go with an acrylic paint once the rust-proofing primer has been applied. The fairings don't need to be painted, but the frame will only continue to rust if I don't get onto this.

3. While the frame is apart, I can take the motor down to WA Gears and get a couple of front sprockets splined. Danny Ripperton has kindly offered to make me an alloy rear sprocket, but I can also buy a Ducati 44 tooth rear which would be pretty close to an ideal ratio (17:44, top speed of 220 km/h or so). An RK chain is about $250

4. Source and install a radiator for the bike. I don't have a lot of room, but any liquid cooled sports bike is bound to work in this case. As long as the wheel doesn't flex into the radiator under hard braking, I can make it work. The motor's continuous power is rated to 75 kW at 55'C coolant. The inverter can handle 90'C coolant - so I am confident about putting them on the same loop. I will also need a 12 lpm pump rated to 110'C for pumping coolant around the bike.

5. Place an order for ~540 LiPo cells about 5 weeks before I need them. This is about $6500. I can build the packs pretty quickly once they arrive - perhaps a week's work.

6. Place an order for a PM150DZ inverter.

7. Wire up the 12 V loom. This is pretty straight forward and affordable, but I will need to have the bike re-assembled to do it properly. I'll have it so disconnecting any component is easy. Things like the throttle, motor sensor wires, ignition start, precharge and ON features through the inverter... all needs some thought but nothing too crazy. I might start looming this out now.

So there you go. If I started a Kickstarter/Indegogo do you think there would be much support? I have no perks to offer except taking the finished product for a ride. There would be nothing to gain financially by helping me get this bike on the track, but you would surely see some decent racing. The first race of the season is June at Queensland Raceway, and if they don't have at least 5 bikes there won't be a series. So it's more than just my bike riding on it...

Interesting times ahead.

Post by **BigMouse** » Sun, 02 Feb 2014, 03:48

Congrats on the good news!

I too received good news today which puts a stop to any new projects (and re-prioritizes existing ones).

Post by **jonescg** » Sun, 02 Feb 2014, 03:51

Either you're having babies or you're moving back to the USA... Or both

Post by **Coulomb Racing** » Sun, 02 Feb 2014, 06:28

Congratulations Chris and Katherine on the exciting news, hope you're ready for long and sleepless nights.

If there are any cheap, hands on jobs you'd like help with or I can do for you please let me know Chris, I want to see your bike running and after all your help it's the least I can do.

James

Post by **GRMarks** » Sun, 02 Feb 2014, 17:53

Congratulations Chris (and Katherine whom I have never met) on your exciting news.

Will we really see the bike finished now?

Glenn

Post by **jonescg** » Sat, 15 Feb 2014, 01:02

Just a couple of photos showing the mock-up of the inverter and how it sits relative to the shock linkages. I might fill it with sandbags to get the weight roughly similar for determining shock absorber parameters.

Fairing clamps work a treat. 3D printing for the win!

The plug is looking nice and smooth now. Time to get busy with the glass.

And time to get a job...

Post by **jonescg** » Mon, 10 Mar 2014, 04:40

A minor update on life, and the bike.

The same day I posted here last, Katherine miscarried. It was very sad as we were both beginning to get excited about it. Still, we move on. The first few months of this year have been a real rollercoaster, but we're coping. Hey, it can only get better right?

I also had the offer of a two year contract in Canberra, but it was in Academia which I was hoping to avoid. In the end, I got a weeks work on the DSV Skandi Singapore doing maintenance on the ROV systems. I had an absolute blast and I really can't wait to get back on the ship. So some money has started to flow into this bike again.

Electrikhana had kept me pretty busy until now, so it's good to be able to relax a bit and focus on the bike for a bit. For now, here are some photos of the bike in it's newly fibreglassed glory, including the completed tank plug. A cover is being made this week, and the frame will be painted too. I managed to find a CBR929 shock will fit inside the subframe without fouling the inverter, but it needs a new linkage. I will arrange for a couple to be laser cut.

The cells have been ordered thanks to a very generous offer by a fellow AEVA member, and the Rinehart inverter is on its way from the USA thanks to Sutho at Sungear. At this rate the bike will be ready for testing in May, and ready to race by June!

Post by **GRMarks** » Mon, 10 Mar 2014, 17:04

Hi Chris

wow that is really sad news, sorry to hear it. Sounds like times have been tough. I know exactly how you feel, when you say things can only get better. But I would not tempt fate because things could actually get a lot worse.
Since I started my electric bike conversion, my father died, I got divorced (project had a bit to do with it) my ex got major custody of the kids (and she is an unfit mother (I think)) so thats was lots of money down the drain on lawyers and court, it left me in debt after they gave everything to my ex (because I had such a good job), I lost my job (am still out of work) and my girl friend is on the edge of walking out (cos I have no job).
I took about 3 months off after loosing my job because I just really needed to have a mental break and there is not much activity over Christmas anyway. I cleared my debts with the redundancy and took a gamble that I would be able to get some kind of job. CentreLink told me to go away for 10 months due to the redundancy. Now I am relying on family and a plan to re-skill myself in the end of this month.
But things could be a lot worse because I still have all my stuff and a roof over my head. When I get a job I will actually be better off than I have been for a long time. It's kind of all or nothing.

Anyway enough about life, lets go to a happy place and talk electric motor bikes

Great to hear your bike is back on track (pun intended).
I don't know if you know the answer but is it law that farings must have a see through windscreen? Every faring seems to have one, but I don't know if it just for looks or required?

Best of luck on the job front

Glenn

Post by **jonescg** » Mon, 10 Mar 2014, 17:15

Wow, Glenn that sucks. Many a life has been ruined by the Family Court. I hope you can get into something that is both rewarding and pays the bills. I'm lucky that I don't have any debts and the relationship is solid, but yeah, things can change rapidly.

As far as I know the windscreen needs to be translucent, but it need not be clear.

Post by **pottz** » Thu, 13 Mar 2014, 03:13

You'll rarely find a screen on a race bike that is tinted or anything but clear.
Simply because you need to be able to see through it easly when tucked in trying to spot a brake marker at silly speeds.

Also like to send condolences for what you and your wife have been through. It must be tough.
It is however great to hear about the job and see the updates of the bike rolling in. Keep them coming. Well done findin a shock that fits too, that will hopefully save a bit of a headache.

Post by **jonescg** » Sun, 30 Mar 2014, 20:45

Couple of updates:

Cells have arrived thanks to a very generous donor! Time to start building that 620 V battery.

I have also bled the brakes. It was a mess, but I got it eventually. I will need to find some decent pads worthy of a race track, and fresh fluid since this batch was a bit old.

The radiator has been sized up too. It's not huge, but I don't have a lot of room between the front fender and the frame, so this should be adequate for bumping the motor's continuous power rating up to about 80 kW. I just need to mount a small pump down in the bellypan.

Frame is being painted kangaroo paw red tomorrow, and once done I can start to reassemble the bike for hopefully the last time (for a while).

Post by **pottz** » Fri, 06 Jun 2014, 17:41

So now the bike has been unveiled, where is the latest pics and details of all the many many hours of work you have put in lately?

The bike is looking brilliant, I know the hours you have put in and the sacrifices made to get this going. Again bloody well done mate. Your a true inspiration to any man with a shed.

This is true grass roots racing where a guy can build a bike in the back yard with help and support from some great people and compete in the nation's highest level. Thanks for allowing me to be a part of it.

Post by **jonescg** » Fri, 06 Jun 2014, 18:46

Alright alright

Still more work to do on the front end, but it's looking sharp

Post by **Sutho** » Fri, 06 Jun 2014, 18:57

Bike is looking great Chris! Can't wait to see what that drive train can do on the track.

Post by **jonescg** » Sun, 08 Jun 2014, 03:03

Had a great day doing some testing this afternoon - many thanks to Coulomb racing for hooking us up wit some track time. Bike is actually doing very well. If wheelstands are any indication... Will put some more information / photos and video up later, but we're testing again at Wanneroo tomorrow before the weather sets in. We NEED taller gearing!

Post by **Coulomb Racing** » Mon, 09 Jun 2014, 02:50

You're more than welcome Chris for the track time yesterday. Let me know if you need track time again soon, much support and admiration for your work among all the motorsport guys at the centre! Sorry I wasn't able to get it for you for free yesterday.

190-195 kph half way down a 600m reasonably low grip straight is crazy!!

Post by **Adverse Effects** » Mon, 09 Jun 2014, 03:22

Coulomb Racing wrote:190-195 kph half way down a 600m reasonably low grip straight is crazy!!

sounds like fun to me LOL