109V Electric Racing Go Kart QS138 V3 90H with Gear Reduction

[Joemetzler]

Hey! I wanted to share a project that I've been working on, a ~40kW electric go kart. Pushing 400A and sits at 109.2V. Super excited to get this project finished. Using a Kelly LKS96401-8080N, QS138 V3 90H with gear reduction, and Metzev batteries.
Here's my build and test video if you're interested in more:

Not many of these builds on the internet yet! I also made a Facebook group to create a community for E-Karts.
Electric Go Karts | Facebook

 

[The Toecutter]

That thing looks like a lot of fun, as much as I don't get the appeal of racing karts as they are typically built. My issue with racing karts is that the wheels are too damned small, the ground clearance is too low, you don't have enough suspension travel, and there's nothing to cut down wind resistance to help it go faster at higher speeds. They tend to drift instead of handle corners with stability. I do like the fact that it is terrifying, but it is also of limited use off of a race track. For all practical purposes, where could you take this vehicle to reach its top speed without crashing? Can you carve up canyon roads with it? Can you use it in traffic?

I enjoyed watching you do donuts with it. It also takes a LOT of skill to drive these things, so mad respect. I look forward to seeing how this progresses.

That being said, this system has the building blocks that would be appropriate for a DIY microcar. Imagine a 150-200 lb vehicle with this kind of EV drive setup, made to be road legal. 16" DOT wheels all around, hydraulic disc brakes, independent suspension with at least 2" travel on all wheels, and an aerodynamically slippery body that produces just enough downforce to avoid lift but not enough to slow the car down. You only need room for one, and with a roll cage and safety harness, its safety could be "adequate". Get the aerodynamics right, and you'd only need 20-30 Wh/mile to cruise highway speeds and would be able to hold 100 mph on like 5 horsepower. Except you'll have 40 horsepower or more shoved in it, and with the hub motors now available, the possibility of AWD is opened up too.

 

[Joemetzler]

That thing looks like a lot of fun, as much as I don't get the appeal of racing karts as they are typically built. My issue with racing karts is that the wheels are too damned small, the ground clearance is too low, you don't have enough suspension travel, and there's nothing to cut down wind resistance to help it go faster at higher speeds. They tend to drift instead of handle corners with stability. I do like the fact that it is terrifying, but it is also of limited use off of a race track. For all practical purposes, where could you take this vehicle to reach its top speed without crashing? Can you carve up canyon roads with it? Can you use it in traffic?

I enjoyed watching you do donuts with it. It also takes a LOT of skill to drive these things, so mad respect. I look forward to seeing how this progresses.

That being said, this system has the building blocks that would be appropriate for a DIY microcar. Imagine a 150-200 lb vehicle with this kind of EV drive setup, made to be road legal. 16" DOT wheels all around, hydraulic disc brakes, independent suspension with at least 2" travel on all wheels, and an aerodynamically slippery body that produces just enough downforce to avoid lift but not enough to slow the car down. You only need room for one, and with a roll cage and safety harness, its safety could be "adequate". Get the aerodynamics right, and you'd only need 20-30 Wh/mile to cruise highway speeds and would be able to hold 100 mph on like 5 horsepower. Except you'll have 40 horsepower or more shoved in it, and with the hub motors now available, the possibility of AWD is opened up too.

Well these race karts are meant for the track, yes. It is a huge sport, and the karts have been engineered accordingly. This video doesn't really show it, but they actually do handle corners amazingly, similar to F1 cars. The only reason for the drifts is the sheer power of the system I have put on it. I appreciate the response! Yes, this power plant in a car like that would be awesome!

 

[amberwolf]

The only reason for the drifts is the sheer power of the system I have put on it.

And...drifting is fun.

Before I put grippy tires on it, I used to drift the old version of the SB Cruiser in lane changes and around corners if I happened to be riding whenever no one else was on the roads....

 

[Hillhater]

That thing looks like a lot of fun, as much as I don't get the appeal of racing karts as they are typically built. My issue with racing karts is that the wheels are too damned small, the ground clearance is too low, you don't have enough suspension travel, and there's nothing to cut down wind resistance to help it go faster at higher speeds

You need to understand the history and regulatios behind track karts.
they originated in the 1950s as a very cheap, simple , form of racing based on car parks and sections of airfields….using chainsaw and lawn mower engins,..hence costs and speeds were limited.
Strict regulations were established to keep costs low and racing competitive… 100cc motors, no suspension, solid axles, trolley sized 5” wheels, steel only chassis of fixed dimentions , no streamlined bodywork , etc.
whilst many details have changed ..motors, tyres, brakes, etc,…many of the fundamentals have held..solid axle, no suspension, wheel and chassis dimentions, etc etc. this means that you can still race relatively cheaply all the way from local tracks up to international world championship level