Swindon opens orders for EV powertrain
Engine and component manufacturer Swindon Powertrain has opened the order book for the production version of its compact, ready-to-install ‘crate’ EV powertrain, which it says is ideal for electric vehicle conversions, including light commercial applications.
Swindon Powertrain, which started out in business maintaining Formula 1 engines in the 70s and early 80s, says customers can now order the High Power Density (HPD) EV system from its website, with deliveries starting in August.
The 80kW production unit is even smaller and lighter than the concept, making it suitable for van applications as well as for sports, recreation and classic car conversions.
The HPD 80kW ‘crate’ motor is said to be suitable for OEMs, niche vehicle manufacturers, electric car conversion companies as well as enthusiast home mechanics. Options for cooling, inverters and limited slip differential are available.
Devised as a response to the lack of compact engineered EV systems available to enthusiasts and smaller OEMs, Swindon Powertrain has refined and improved the HPD’s specification since it was first announced six months ago.
Weighing only 49.9kg including lubricants, the HPD system features a brushless, permanent magnet motor, transmission, open differential and one metre of cabling. The package size is now just 441mm x 384mm x 228mm.
With multiple installation points and now with the ability to site the inverter and cooling packs separately, as well as being waterproof, the HPD offers more flexibility to fit in a wide range of vehicles, says Swindon.
Enquiries to date have come from OEMs, low volume manufacturers, classic car enthusiasts through to sports car and ATV recreational vehicle owners.
Two inverter options, depending on battery voltage, are available, though customers can also use their own. Dependent on the tyre size and top speed requirement, buyers can decide between two no-cost gear ratio options using Swindon Powertrain’s online free-to-use calculator.
Swindon Powertrain registered over 400 requests for more information in the weeks after announcing the HPD project in 2019, with pre-orders taken and a number of OEMs committing to further R&D projects, including one for a hybrid e-axle application.
“It’s now easier than ever for anyone to convert a car, truck or even quad bike to electric,” said Swindon Powertrain managing director Raphaël Caillé.
“HPD is a new, properly engineered system with a year’s warranty… Despite the challenges the world faces, it’s a credit to the skills and resourcefulness of the engineers and suppliers in the UK automotive and motorsport industry that deliveries will start this August, just one month later than we originally stated.”
