How much weight could you remove from a 240D? - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

bgkast · #16 04-02-2008, 03:52 PM

Probably Lithium Ion, that is what the Tesla Roadster and other new electric cars use.

barry123400 · #17 04-02-2008, 04:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bgkast

Probably Lithium Ion, that is what the Tesla Roadster and other new electric cars use.

I am still hoping we might be able to construct our own cells at some point with enough capacity and other good charactaristics. Commercial 400-500 lb battery units will probably be far too expensive.
China could do it now for the right price and probably are. The string of middlemen and controlling issues will probably make those batteries either too expensive or impossible to obtain for the individual.
We are on the threshhold of really usable battery types for electric cars in the near future I believe.

#18 04-02-2008, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by barry123400

We are on the threshhold of really usable battery types for electric cars in the near future I believe.

Which is what people have been saying for the last two decades.

kerry · #19 04-02-2008, 04:34 PM

15 yrs ago I almost bought a LeCar that had been converted to electric. There was a company in Golden, CO that did a lot of conversions.
That car was very light, yet the range was too short for my commute (26 miles round trip, uphill one way, down the other).
I too think starting with a lighter car is better. I think a fair number of people used to convert the Pontiac Fiero.
There was a guy in CA with a converted Honda which he drove around town strictly on electric and added a trailer with a gasoline or diesel generator for longer trips.

barry123400 · #20 04-02-2008, 04:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ForcedInduction

Which is what people have been saying for the last two decades.

Near future is relative of course. It is just starting to look a little more promising. Todays battery types are getting much closer. I just hope it does not take another decade to really develop and release what is really required.
I have not done the math yet as it still is pie in the sky to some degree. If some of todays battery technology can be combined with three times the capacity at the same weight I think it could be here.
There is probably more commercial pressure now for battery type development than ever before. The quantity of battery research money being spent is greater than at any other time. There are just billions of dollars at stake. This area could result in some of the largest patent cases in history eventually.
It might even be one of those rare cases of a person picking the right company and buying some stock. There should be a lot of money to be made. Thats if you pick right at the right time. So that rules me out.

Mistel · #21 04-02-2008, 05:15 PM

Well, right now there is a company that does conversions with Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) Prismatic batteries. It is expensive, but you can buy a ready made electric car with Lithium batteries.

http://www.lionev.com/Home_Page.html

There is also a guy who is buying batteries from Lionev to upgrade his EV

http://www.evalbum.com/1135

So Lionev has now said that it will sell pre-assembled packs so other people can upgrade their EV's to Lithium.

Even further, Toshiba has started selling some awesome batteries that will make EV's much more practicle. They will be available for EV's in two years, but they are actually selling the batteries right now

http://www.toshiba.co.jp/about/press/2007_12/pr1101.htm

So, I figure it will be just a few years until there will be many choices for good batteries

#22 04-02-2008, 05:20 PM

For all the money you are going to dump into it you could outright buy a new Toyota Corolla or Yaris.

Mistel · #23 04-02-2008, 05:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ForcedInduction

For all the money you are going to dump into it you could outright buy a new Toyota Corolla or Yaris.

I will be taking this approach

http://forkenswift.com/

Hatterasguy · #24 04-02-2008, 07:57 PM

You can buy those electric cars that look like golf carts on steroids. I saw them in FL a lot.

Thats going to be one heck of a project. Just figuring out how to get the power to the ground. Your also going to need to figure out a way to drive the power steering, and power booster for the brakes. You almost need 2 drive motors, than a third under the hood to drive everything else. Than a $5k battery pack to make it all move forward.

I would think a cheap almost zero emissions vehical that would be pretty easy to make would be: Get a gas MB, convert to run on natural gas or propane. Their you go its a normal car with a normal range and you could breath the exhuast.

lietuviai · #25 04-02-2008, 09:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ForcedInduction

What I find odd about that electric W123T is there is still an exhaust pipe.

It's for the Kraut Auspuffer Schlauch that is attached to bottom of the driver's seat.

Cervan · #26 04-03-2008, 03:42 AM

Im planning on extreme weight reduction as well. the seats alone must weigh 50 pounds each. (they do have box springs) Im planning on stripping the entire interior down to the metal. Only reason for doing this. Is to try and get the best fuel econ as possible. Along with an added 20 hp or so (power to weight ratio) Removing the windows and replacing them with plastic will also save you some weight. Removing the doors and replaceing them with plastic would save heaps of weight. The hood and trunk weigh alot too. Im going to be stripping the trim and taking the bumpers off as well (Going to see what the car looks like without them.) Then stitch weld the body to stiffen it up. Put a stiffer sway bar in and then im good to go. Woohoo

t walgamuth · #27 04-03-2008, 07:49 AM

In my quest for quicker autocross times I have weighed some of the components in my 84 280e which should have pretty good equality to the other 123s.

Front seats about 55# each. Rear seat, about 50#. spare tire from 35 to 50 depending on rim and tire. bump strips on the whole car maybe 5 to 10#. Ac compressor...about 15#. Power steering pump about 10#. carpet about 15 # for all of them. Radio maybe 5#. Seat belts about 5# each. Door panels about 5# each. Windows maybe 5# ea. spare cover maybe 3#, trunk liners maybe 2# ea.

You can get out a hundred and fifty pounds pretty easily but after that you will start getting into some fairly important items.

And a 240d with nobody in it will be a lot closer to the 3250 weight than 3800. Options matter of course like sunroof, ac and power windows, ditto automatic tranny. I don't imagine though that the differences will add up to more than 200#.

Also the later ones will be lighter I believe and I would estimate that wouldn't be much more than 100# total....aluminum wheels, air cleaner top, ac mount, and since they were doing those things they probably also did other things that cannot readily be seen as well.

My 280e which does not have ac, sunroof,power windows or radio and without the carpets and no seats except the driver seat and with a steel spare weighs iirc 3250 with bundt wheels, hoosier slicks and h and r spacers on the front....full exhaust too....and a battery that is 2/3 the size of a diesel battery.

Whatever you can do to lighten a 240d will not help much except in around town mileage, and I bet that will be tough to even measure....so don't spend too much on it. Maybe start by removing all the easy stuff and see what effect it has.

Good luck.

Tom W

Brian Carlton · #28 04-03-2008, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

And a 240d with nobody in it will be a lot closer to the 3250 weight than 3800.

Agreed.

A 240D is very close to 3250 lb. empty weight.

The SDL's trip the scales at about 3800 lb. empty weight..........a much larger and more complex vehicle.

LUVMBDiesels · #29 04-03-2008, 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ForcedInduction

What I find odd about that electric W123T is there is still an exhaust pipe.

It also has a small radiator coolant tank under the hood. Maybe it s a very early hybrid??

LUVMBDiesels · #30 04-03-2008, 01:08 PM

You can do what they did on "TOP GEAR" and remove the doors, fenders, hood and trunk lids to save weight. I bet if you replace the hood, trunk, and doors with plexiglass, you can save a lot of weight. Who needs crash protection anyway? Fenders can also be replaced with some flexible skirt that covers the front wheels for aero efficiency

I am guessing that you would also ditch the transmission and just use the torque of the motor to move you -- no need for gears.