I Spent $4000 Rebuilding the Twike and Immediately Crashed It

Summary

The transcript details a lengthy process of restoring and upgrading an electric Twike three-wheeled vehicle. It begins with replacing the unsafe lithium battery pack with a new custom 9 kWh pack with proper cell monitoring. Other upgrades include dual voltage charging, a new rear window, fixing paint and canopy issues, brake light repairs, a new rear cargo shelf, and more. Despite underestimating the time and cost required, which ended up totaling around $4500, the meticulous restoration process results in a much improved Twike that is ready for future video filming.

Takeaways

• 😀 Robert restored a 3-wheeled electric vehicle called a Twike
• 🚗 The Twike had issues with the battery, steering, brakes, etc that Robert fixed
• 🔋 Robert built a new, safer 9 kWh battery pack for the Twike
• ⚡ The Twike has a top speed of 60 mph but the steering is very twitchy
• 😨 On the first test drive, Robert crashed the Twike into a ditch
• 😅 The crash was caused by Robert's butt inadvertently locking the steering
• 🛠 Robert spent way more time and money restoring the Twike than planned
• 🎥 The script is for a video Robert already filmed showing the Twike restoration
• 📅 The video script refers to events happening in the past, present and future
• 🏁 After many trials, the Twike restoration is finally complete

Q & A

What was the initial problem with the Twike that needed fixing?

The Twike had issues with the canopy seals needing resealing and reattachment. The rear window had also been removed by the owner to get better access to the components in the back.

What was the main problem with the existing Twike battery pack?

The main problem was that it did not have a proper battery management system (BMS). This meant there was no individual cell monitoring or balancing. Without a BMS, the cells could get dangerously overcharged.

Why did the owner decide to build a new battery pack for the Twike?

Even if the original pack had not been damaged, the owner likely would have built a new one anyway since the original design was unsafe without a proper BMS.

What capacity and voltage is the new Twike battery pack?

The new pack is 9kWh capacity with a nominal voltage of 36-38V (configured as a 98S pack).

What charging system components were added or replaced on the Twike?

A new BMS system was added with satelite units and master control unit. A new 2.5kW Thunderstruck Motors charger was also installed, along with a J1772 charge port.

What drove the cost overrun of the Twike restoration project?

In addition to the $900 spent on new battery cells, around $3000 was spent on the BMS and charging components. More was also spent on new wiring, switches, the rear window, canopy work, etc. The total came to around $4500.

What happened to cause the owner to crash the Twike on its first test drive?

The steering tiller unexpectedly locked up. When the owner tried to brake, he realized his shoelaces were tangled in the bike chain, preventing him from braking. In a panic, he improperly activated the e-brake, failing to stop the vehicle before crashing.

How did the owner determine what caused the tiller to lock up?

Upon reviewing footage of the incident, the owner realized that by twisting in the driver's seat, his butt had pressed down the tiller lock button, locking the steering in place.

What final testing did the owner need to complete after finishing the restoration work?

The owner still needed to fully charge, discharge, and cycle the new battery pack, and validate proper functioning when integrated with the Twike's existing computer systems.

Was the extensive restoration work financially worthwhile for the video content produced?

No, the owner estimated both the restoration costs and the value of the resulting video content likely did not outweigh the amount of money and time invested in the project.