08 01 2020

EV-chassis

It has been our dream for a long time, a chassis full of energy. Now we have built it. Our 2cvE is already driving great and with its 120km range it is perfectly usable for the average motorist. But if you know it can be even more useable, then you want it… 

With our first model, the batteries are fitted where the tank and the spare wheel used to be, more batteries couldn’t be added without losing passenger seats. For a long time we had been playing with the idea of using an unclaimed empty space in the 2cv for more battery cells, the chassis itself. A 2cv chassis has a closed hollow box in the middle, you would like to pour energy into it, but that seems to be impossible …

We would have preferred to reuse batteries, but there is no battery pack that fits into the chassis without disturbing the use below or above it. We tried making a package, just like with all EVs composed of a kind of penlite batteries. Spot welding them to each other turned out to be technically difficult and potentially unreliable and having it done by a reputable company was unaffordable.

This year we met a manufacturer with a new type of battery on the market. Based on lithium-iron phosphate cells, quite energy-dense, so a lot of power with a low weight. And with a 5-year warranty. Even better, they are so compact that they fit within the volume of a chassis. In the original chassis there are some reinforcements in the way and there are some other drawbacks, so we had one made to measure.

The largest portion of the batteries is in the central part of the chassis, a small pack at where the gas tank used to be. The center of gravity is very low and more forward. Great for handling. The weight increases with a maximum of 200 kg, technically perfectly feasible.

We can put enough batteries in it to reach a range of 250km, with 37kWh. But you can also opt for a 32 or 27kWh battery pack, with a 220 or 190km range. All packs can be combined with our fast charger, so you can add one third of the packs’ capacity in 20 minutes, while you drink a cup of coffee yourself. A very useable classic EV.

For more info: info@2cvgarage.nl

Back to overview