Jerryrigeverything channel…electic Hummer.

[Bob StevensonParticipant @bobstevenson13909]

For those who have not seen this, the 'jerryrigeverything' youtube channel is currently featuring an interesting project to convert a 1995 US Army 'hummer' into an electric truck.

The man behind both channel and project is the formidable and urbane Zack Nelson who used the videos to explain and argue his design decisions and methods. Zack is not really a techy by nature but is very enthusiastic about his project which he is talented about explaining so that everyone watching can follow and undrstand.

Linked here is the third video in which he shows the new motor and ancillaries which he is going to build into the hummer…the conversion will offer several times the power and many times the torque of the diesel original. The earlier vids where he was stripping the hummer are easily found but the project is now at a stage where many people here will find it very interesting. This is about one mans quest to educate himself by researching online and then working essentially single-handed to build something interesting and very practical despite apparently having little previous 'motor-mantling' experience.

[Bob StevensonParticipant @bobstevenson13909]

interesting project to build electic conversion

[Jeff DaymanParticipant @jeffdayman43397]

I can think of few vehicles that would be a worse candidate for conversion to electric power – unless the objective is youtube clicks and/or getting noticed by US TV "reality" car shows.

Any Toyota or Nissan full size FWD pickup truck style vehicle would be much more suitable, with very strong frame structure and body on the Toyotas particularly. No worries with either make about auxiliary systems like HVAC and ABS. These auxiliary systems are really bad on the Hummers, also Hummers are notorious for having very heavy wheels and other unsprung weight – yet these parts are mounted on very weak structures, and payload is quite low compared to vehicle mass. Lots of issues on Hummers with mixed steel and aluminum body panels without sufficient electrical isolation – corrosion bubbling under the paint where dissimilar materials meet can be seen on most Hummers still existing. Fuel consumption is very heavy on all models, and operator / passenger comfort is nonexistant in all but the H3 (civilian only) model. Hummers (civilian versions particularly) are monuments of bad vehicle design. Sure, the military version passed the military performance spec tests, but these tests are designed to make sure it can handle many kinds of terrain without damage or operator injury. Meeting the spec does not guarantee a good vehicle design with ALL factors considered. Just my opinion.

[V8EngParticipant @v8eng]

A stretched Hummer EV springs to mind for weddings etc etc.

I know nothing about Hummers but certainly see plenty of stretches going to race meetings etc.

Edited By V8Eng on 11/08/2021 21:39:47

[Bob StevensonParticipant @bobstevenson13909]

Race meetings…pfft!…..Here in Essex stretched Hummers often carry groups of naked women frolicking in the jaccuzzi.

more seriously, the 'jerryrig' project is a fair attempt to scratch build a multi terrain electric truck using avaiable technology….it's worth a look!

[Nick WheelerParticipant @nickwheeler]

Posted by V8Eng on 11/08/2021 21:35:26:

A stretched Hummer EV springs to mind for weddings etc etc.

I know nothing about Hummers but certainly see plenty of stretches going to race meetings etc.

Those are usually the H2 Hummer, which is a rebody of the big Chevy truck.

Very different to the military H1 featured in the video!

I think small cars make the most sense for electric conversions; something like a Rover 100 would be a good choice for lots of reasons: it's light, the subframes would allow for plenty of battery space, it's old enough not to have any electrical systems to actually work the car, cheap etc etc.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

May have been easier to go for GMC's own electric Hummer EV

[noel shelleyParticipant @noelshelley55608]

I have made alsorts of things in my life BUT an EV is not on the list ! Working voltages of 1000v DC, and the low internal resistance of Lithium batteries along with the recharging issues and range even for a commercial product do not impress me. It is unlikely I would be able to build something that would improve on the available EVs.

YES, I know rural Norfolk is not only backward, I live in a village where there is only 2Ph 415V and anywhere is a long way off ! Clocking up 600 miles in a day in the car( Weymouth and back ) I can do on a tank full of renewable fuel and I can carry fuel for 1000 Miles. For city use the EV has much to recommend it but for normal country use in winter you may be lucky to to get into 3 figures in mileage ! The heater will half your range ! Noel

[V8EngParticipant @v8eng]

Posted by Bob Stevenson on 12/08/2021 07:22:02:

Race meetings…pfft!…..Here in Essex stretched Hummers often carry groups of naked women frolicking in the jaccuzzi.

 

more seriously, the 'jerryrig' project is a fair attempt to scratch build a multi terrain electric truck using avaiable technology….it's worth a look!

Yes I found the video interesting not something I would even consider trying (Electrifying Hummers).

I might be a bit too old to be of interest to ladies in jacuzzis as well!

Edited By V8Eng on 12/08/2021 11:03:02

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

Lots of issues on Hummers with mixed steel and aluminum body panels without sufficient electrical isolation – corrosion bubbling under the paint where dissimilar materials meet can be seen on most Hummers still existing. Fuel consumption is very heavy on all models, and operator / passenger comfort is nonexistant

Inspired by the Landrover then

[Nick Clarke 3Participant @nickclarke3]

¦ Inspired by the Landrover then

40 years ago and more I looked after a number of vehicles for a stables including a lwb truck cab landrover series II.

A previous butcher had replaced the line of rivets down the length of each side with those of a disimilar metal – steel I presume. I have to presume because there were no rivets there just a row of holes filled with white powder you could fit your little finger in.

MOT failure and virtually irreparable without welding small patches over each hole (and there are lots!) either side and re-rivetting or replacing the both rear loading bay sides.

It was switched to off road use only after that.

Edited By Nick Clarke 3 on 12/08/2021 13:10:03

[V8EngParticipant @v8eng]

Smaller Electric Vehicles are available.😉

Edited By V8Eng on 12/08/2021 14:08:20

[pgk pgkParticipant @pgkpgk17461]

Posted by noel shelley on 12/08/2021 10:20:38:…
I live in a village where there is only 2Ph 415V and anywhere is a long way off ! Clocking up 600 miles in a day in the car( Weymouth and back ) I can do on a tank full of renewable fuel and I can carry fuel for 1000 Miles. For city use the EV has much to recommend it but for normal country use in winter you may be lucky to to get into 3 figures in mileage ! The heater will half your range ! Noel

Myths need to be dispelled. While I agree EV’s aren't cheap to buy their running costs are (at the moment). My Tesla has been superseded by models with greater range but even in winter I’d expect 220+ miles at motorway speeds with the heater on and some reserve for traffic incidents etc
Your journey example would be a comfy ride to Norton park near Salisbury… need to pee by then anyway… 30-40 min top-up gets me to Weymouth and back to Norton park (unless there's somewhere convenient to plug in at destination). Essentially, 3 tankfuls of electrons. I’d start with a full 100KWH from home and plan 2 top-ups of 80KWH each total £65'ish or near enough 10p per mile.

As to the hummer project – the size, weight and poor aerodynamics mean he'll be lucky to get 150 miles range at speed. But that's not why he’s building it – it's to have fun, prove something and get video hits.

pgk

[mgnbukParticipant @mgnbuk]

I’d start with a full 100KWH from home and plan 2 top-ups of 80KWH each total £65'ish or near enough 10p per mile.

That isn't much cheaper per mile than my Hyundai i30 diesel – at current £6 per Imperial gallon for diesel & the car's usual average of 55mpg, that is 10.9p per mile. I would have to do a lot of miles to save the difference in initial purchase price of a Tesla ! And I have a genuine 550 mile range per fill, regardless of the weather.

Maybe the proposed £18K hatchback Tesla with a estimated range of 250 miles will make electric cars more viable for normal drivers – £40+K for a Tesal Model 3 is just not do-able for me, I'm afraid.

Nigel B.

[Robert Atkinson 2Participant @robertatkinson2]

Hmm, a couple of comments,

He just happened to have a custom built step down gear box, coupling machining and transfer gearbox to hand?
He does not know the difference between torque and power. A stalled electric motor my produce full torque but it's not providing any power and does not produce full power at low speeds. Yes I know a wheeled vehicles low speed performance and accelleration is dependent on torque, and EV's have a huge advantage in that respect, but it's still not "full power"
BTW a litihum battery weighs about 24 times the weight of diesel to give the same amount of energy. This is a serious limitation for long-range heavy vehicles. If you converted a 18 ton truck with a 300l fuel tank to an EV with similar range you would need about 7 tons of batteries. with a typical diesel 18T truck weighing about 8.5T empty, even when you take the engine out that does not leave a lot for cargo……

Robert G8RPI.

[pgk pgkParticipant @pgkpgk17461]

How about a 4tonne pack for 500 mile range at 0.5WH/mile

Tesla Semi

https://insideevs.com/news/525765/tesla-semi-payload-comparable-diesel/

pgk

[Mike PooleParticipant @mikepoole82104]

The answer to running electric fork lift trucks for 22 hours a day was to exchange the battery when it got low. It was a few minutes work to drive into the battery bay and swap batteries. Exchangeable batteries has been kicked around but doesn’t seem to have any adopters. I doubt the manufacturer’s would be capable of agreeing a standard battery pack or even a range of standard packs or modules.

Mike

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

Posted by pgk pgk on 12/08/2021 16:17:13:

How about a 4tonne pack for 500 mile range at 0.5WH/mile

……..

Surely the decimal point wrong somewhere, if the truck was doing 30mph that would be a 15W motor, even 15kW would seem too small to me

[pgk pgkParticipant @pgkpgk17461]

Posted by duncan webster on 12/08/2021 17:36:24:

Posted by pgk pgk on 12/08/2021 16:17:13:

How about a 4tonne pack for 500 mile range at 0.5WH/mile

……..

Surely the decimal point wrong somewhere, if the truck was doing 30mph that would be a 15W motor, even 15kW would seem too small to me

oops! 500WH/mile. My Tesla runs at around 275WH/mile in the summer at 50mph. The model3 will be about 225WH/mile at 50 mph.

pgk

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