Electric – Nissan Figaro Electric Conversion

Progress Updated – 28th September 2020. Member, James Brown shares a video of the first Test Run which includes the Speed Test, Torque Test and Reverse & Regeneration Braking Test. The finished design is now undergoing testing with the new engine mounts and driveshafts. Next, he will be installing the drive system into the Figaro and after some drive tests, the next step will be fabricating battery boxes and installing a charger.

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Today, everyone seems to be talking about electric vehicles and many Figaro owners are obviously wondering if it’s possible to convert the car to electric? The wish to travel in silence, produce zero emissions whilst saving money on fuel is becoming more and more viable as battery technology improves.

Below we have featured three conversions and provided links so you can learn more about the complexities of the conversion.

Builder: James Brown

Country: England

Website: https://www.fig-leaf.org

Date: March 2020 (Start)

Name: Fig Leaf

Range: 120 Miles (Target)

Charge Time: Pending

Battery Type: Lithium

Mission: The aim of Project Fig-Leaf is to convert our Figaro into an inspiring classic electric vehicle using components from the Nissan Leaf. By making this conversion straight forward and affordable, we want to encourage future conversions to update the Figaro for the 21st century.

How the Fig Leaf will work

While all EVs vary significantly in design, there are some characteristics that they all have in common: They all use a method of storing energy (usually a high voltage battery). They all use motors to convert the battery’s stored energy into motion. They all need a controller (or inverter) to deliver the energy from the battery to the motor(s). Finally, they all need a way of recharging their battery.

In the case of Fig-Leaf, the battery will be stored in the boot. While this means you’ll need to find somewhere else to put your luggage, the weight distribution on the car will be a lot more balanced, meaning it should handle a lot better and brake more effectively.

You can see that the Leaf’s electric motor delivers energy to the front wheels in just the same way that the Figaro’s engine would. It’s actually much simpler as the electric motor uses far fewer moving parts and it is a lot more efficient, quieter, powerful and far more reliable. To give you an idea, the Leaf motor provides over 100bhp and over 200ft/lb of torque producing a top speed of around 82mph.

​The motor gets its power from the inverter. This takes the direct current (DC) energy stored by the battery and converts it to an alternating current (AC) signal. The inverter also receives position information from the motor as it rotates so it can time this signal correctly, a bit like the valve timing on the Figaro’s petrol engine.

Unlike the Figaro’s engine, the Leaf motor delivers its maximum torque from a standstill. This means that whether you are pulling out from a junction or joining the main road, the Fig-Leaf will be able to accelerate when you really need it to. But the more power you demand and the faster you drive (cars create a lot of drag at higher speeds), the less efficient your car becomes and the quicker you will drain the battery.

When the car is fully charged, the aim will be for it to travel around 120 miles.

Just like filling up a petrol car, your battery will eventually need to be recharged. Like most EVs, the Fig-Leaf will have a built-in charger which will take power from an AC or DC source to charge the battery. Most modern EVs also use DC fast charging methods like CHAdeMO and CCS and this will be available for the Fig-Leaf at a later date.

Builder: Gary Klyne

Country: United States

Website: https://youtu.be/R2TKA-wze_c

Date: July 2019 (Start)

Range: Farthest to date – 89 miles, but haven’t done single-trip, full-to-empty test yet.

EV Motor: Netgain HyPer9 144 dual-shaft AC Electric Motor

Motor controller: Netgain X144 with chill plate

Transmission: Stock Figaro 3-speed automatic transaxle, typically left in 2nd gear

Throttle control: Used Prius hall effect pedal Maximum motor efficiency: 94.9% Maximum torque: 220 Nm Horsepower: more than stock Figaro 0-60: faster than stock Figaro

Battery: 6 used Tesla 5.3kW modules from a 2013 Model S with 30,000 miles on the odometer. Usable voltage range: 90 – 148 volts

Battery Management System (BMS): Orion 2 with Wi-Fi monitoring

On board charger: Elcon HK-J-H198-46 with J-1772 EVSE

Wall charger: JuiceBox Pro 40 Amp @ 220 volts with Wi-Fi monitoring

HV cables: 2/0 flexible welding cable wearing prisoner orange insulation jacket

DC converter: Meanwell HRP-600-12. 53 Amp/12 Volt output Pack

Cooling: Used Tesla 12V water pump with Nissan radiator fluid Module

BMS tap boards: Stealth EV Charge rate: 20 miles per hour @ 30 Amp Empty to Full charge: about 6 hours (includes balancing)

Extras: Upgraded rear coil over suspension for a Nissan Silvia handles the 350lbs of battery weight.

Initial problems: The biggest hurdle is designing and fabricating the bell housing plate and motor coupler for the torque converter connection.

Tip: get a good machine shop and be willing to pay extra for faster service. Motor controller and BMS configuration documentation is sparse and highly experimental. One wrong setting can severely affect performance. Loose connections and poor soldering can also wreak havoc.

Pros: Quicker off the line and faster response while in motion. Much quieter than a stock Figaro. No more stinky car exhaust or leaking fluids (unless you didn’t get a good seal on your cooling lines). Your spouse will get the exercise they need when you run out of charge and they get to push.

Cons: Range anxiety is a real challenge, especially in the beginning when you have nothing to compare expected results to. Wiring is complicated. One wrong connection and the car won’t move. There is no instruction manual for your exact build.

Watch Video

 

Builder: Speedwell (Osaka Electric Car)

Country: Japan

Website: http://www.speed-well.jp/contents/gravure/no039/

Date: March 2011

Name: EV Figaro

Range: 50km to 100km

Charge Time: 8 Hours

Battery Type: 200 V Lithium

Description: The stylish Figaro was built by specialty company Speedwell. Make your dreams and hopes come true with in-house technology. At Speedwell, we will pursue the values ​​of Figaro, and we will provide stylishly tailored Figaro to all of Japan. Beautiful electric car high-quality genuine leather seat that creates a high-quality space. Product specification (planned) enjoy riding and watching. We are committed to the wiring colour around the motor, the arrangement of control amplifiers and batteries, and pursued a primitive EV conversion that is beautiful and full of charm. No compromises are allowed in the interior, and the seat and lining will be redesigned with the finest leather. In addition, colour order is possible, and finish is given with favourite interior colour.

Note: No pricing was issued at the time of publication and we are not aware if any cars being sold

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