Electric MG TD

[Mark]

I just ran across this.  Have you seen it before?

http://www.wired.com/autopia/2010/08/electric-mg-td-replica/

[Robert J.Smith]

I wonder what the cost was for the conversion? It’s neet tho.

[Paul Mossberg]

Cool. And there is a thread on this car somewhere in the forum.

 

But…it’s only cool until you get to this part:

 

The car has a range of 20 to 25 miles and the batteries take 6.5 hours to recharge. That???s not very far and not very fast, but Small says it???s ideal for a quick summertime jaunt along a country road. Top speed is 55 mph, though Small says it???s a fun car to drive at any speed.

 

Forget about driving from home, I’m not sure that would even make my round trip from hotel to Carlisle show grounds this year!

Paul Mossberg
Former Owner of a 1981 Classic Roadsters Ltd. Duchess (VW)
2005 Intermeccanica Roadster

If you own a TDr and are not in the Registry, please go to https://tdreplica.com/forums/topic/mg-td-replica-registry/ and register (you need to copy and paste the link)

[Dan Rosa]

what a waist of a body and frame   all that time and CASH $$$    Dan

[Mark]

The charge time does not seem bad…IF it had a 200 mile or more range. Otherwise, the range is to small to get out of town, let alone return in one day. I wonder if the body could be fitted with a Toyota Prius for range and reliability.
I d prefer a 400to 500 mile range to be able to either commute for a week or take a road trip.

[Paul Mossberg]

I agree with you MGL.R.

 

Until pure electrics can provide 400 to 500mile ranges, their use is very limited.

 

Tesla Motors promises their “coming soon” Model S sedan will have up to a 300 mile range. But at a price.

 

The base S at $49,900 provides 160 mile range, for $59,900 you get 230 miles and for $69,900 you get the 300 mile range. And performance versions are avaiable up to $97,900, but with no additional range.

 

(All prices are AFTER a $7,500 federal tax credit)

 

The standard charger provides 31 miles for each hour of charge time. There is an optional home charging unit that doubles that to 62 hours per hour of charging. Both units plug into standard 110 and 240 outlets.

 

It all comes down to batteries. Without serious advancements in viable battery technology, we’re stuck.

 

Read an interesting article this week about developments form a company called Envia

 

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/envia-systems-achieves-world-record-energy-density-for-rechargeable-lithium-ion-batteries-2012-02-27

 

http://enviasystems.com/announcement/

 

But even if this becomes production ready, they are talking 300 mile range in a vehicle around $20,000 (in today’s dollars).

 

I’m very ready for a pure electric. I’ve test driven the Tesla Roadster. The instant full torque of electric motors produces incredible acceleration. But $120,000 for a minimalist vehicle with a 120 mile range? Forget it!

 

I do about 200 miles per day on my daily driver. There is no pure electric avaiable that would work for me. I wish there was!

Paul Mossberg
Former Owner of a 1981 Classic Roadsters Ltd. Duchess (VW)
2005 Intermeccanica Roadster

If you own a TDr and are not in the Registry, please go to https://tdreplica.com/forums/topic/mg-td-replica-registry/ and register (you need to copy and paste the link)

[edward ericson]

I bought Bridget with the idea of converting her like that car. Did a little research & found a number of Beetle conversions with lead acid batteries, guys claiming top speeds around 60 and ranges in the 40-50 mile neighborhood. I figured the lighter ‘glass body would only help, and Bridget’s price was a bit less than I’d expect to pay for a similar vintage stock Bug.

So I bought her and got on this forum while I continued my research. Got as far as making a deal with my boss–he’d pay for a wrap with the paper’s logo and fork over some $ for the electrics.

Started doing the final budget work & got scared off. Looked like I could get her up and running for about $8500 in parts, but would need some welding and a bit more fabrication than I was at first counting on. This was before the upgraded brakes. And the more I learned about range, the more I lost faith. The homebuilds getting a legit 60 miles were using LiFePo batteries–about triple the cost of lead acid–at about 120 volts and up. The AGM lead acids recommended
for these car were double the weight and cost I’d first supposed, and
those were delivering maybe 30 miles, maybe 40 on a charge under ideal
conditions. Getting that many batteries in Bridget’s smaller frame was looking like a bigger challenge than I had reckoned.

My commute is just under 19 miles; it was going to be real tight, at best.

So I shelved it and left the ICE in place.

Here she is today at my work p-lot. Couldn’t resist on a day we hit 67 downtown.

The more we burn dinosaurs the more winter days we’ll get like this. I have mixed feelings about that….

I think an honest 100 mile EV range and a 6-7 hour charge can be a game changer, if the vehicle is otherwise roomy enough and reasonably priced (and weatherproof, with heat, A/C etc). Most trips are well under 50 miles. It’s not too big a deal to get a bus or train, or rent a car to take a road trip.

[Bill Gould]

I also toyed with an EV conversion and, like Ed, decided the numbers just aren’t there yet. 

1981 Lafer TI
1600 cc Type 1 engine

[Author]

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