engine/transaxle weight for 86-90 MR2?

[madderscience]

Hello-

first time poster here.

I'm considering an 86-90 MR2 for an EV (electric vehicle) conversion.

I am trying to determine what the stock engine+transaxle weight is for this vehicle.

Put another way, how much does the car shell (body, interior, wheels) weigh?

I have found some information suggesting the curb weight is about 2300lbs (1050kg) but no information on the drivetrain weight.

Any information would be appreciated!

Thanks

Brian

[tHa kNiGHt FaLL]

wha kinda conversion...?

you talking hybrid...?

or ISA (integrated starter alternator)...?

either way the opening stages of this are pigs... great cars but no performace...

[madderscience]

Im talking a full electric conversion. NO gas engine.

(and yes, I understand fully the performance, weight, and range limitations)

My goal is a practical around-town commuter. It will be a 2nd car. With the motor/battery combinations I am looking at it should have performance adequate for normal driving situations, and a conservative range estimate of 40 miles at freeway speeds.

I am still investigating a few car models, but the 86-90 MR2 is near the top of the list, along with a couple models from H****. I am looking at small, lightweight 2-seaters with very good aerodynamic drag. The MR2 is very good on all counts for this. Extra points for being a sporty car (unlike something like a geo) The mid-engine design may also have some advantages as far as weight distribution when it comes to installing the batteries and such.

I did find a listing of engine/transaxle weights online after making my post that included the MR2, (link below) but the weight quoted must have been for a short block with no transaxle because it seems low at 225lbs. Is this right?

http://www.bacomatic.org/%7Edw/txt/engfyi.htm

Thanks,

Brian

[DjJester88]

I got this information from www.wikipedia.org, this is what was read as follows:



The small and light MR2, designated AW11, was perhaps something no one had expected from any of the Japanese car manufacturers, known for their economical and practical cars. The two-seat MR2 was definitely not practical as a family car, but the design criteria were different from that of most previous cars. The most important features of the AW11 were its light body (as low as 2,200 lb in Japan and 2,350 lb in the US), superior handling and relatively powerful, small-displacement engine. Thanks to these features, the AW11 is considered by many to be very enjoyable to drive. Its behavior mimics that of highly expensive supercars and is easy to control and nimble in its movements. Toyota's cooperation with Lotus during the prototype phase can be seen in the AW11, and it owes much to Lotus's legendary sports cars of the 1960s and 1970s.

[hachi-rocu]

Curb weight is the weight of the car without out driver and with a full tank of car I believe.

That being said the weight on the sticker in the door is right

[tHa kNiGHt FaLL]

full electric... from what i've seen you get about 80 miles for an 8 hour charge... i imagine it must be expensive...

[madderscience]

I figure the conversion will cost me about $7k or so on top of the cost of the original vehicle ($1000-2000).

as for charging the batteries, electricity is about $0.05 per kwH where I live. one gallon of gas has 33.2Kwh of equivalent in it, and costs $3.oo or so. so that's $0.10 per Kwh. But it takes 4-5 times as much gas to do the same amount of work in a car because the gas engine and driveline is so much less efficient than an electric drivetrain.

Of course things do wear out over time and that costs something too. (both engines and batteries) but overall the TCO for an electric car is actually very competitive to gas.

The big drawback with todays (affordable) EV techology is the limited range. That I can deal with for an around-town car.

-brian

[toyotaspeed90]

you're in seattle.... you can find an mk1 with a blown motor in decent shape for $500 or less....

225lbs seems a little low..... but i don't think it's over 300..... the C series trans is around 70#.....