Variable frequency drive

[Cyberfuturist]

I know this is a long shot.. but I'm considering building a electric UTV. I've sourced the batteries, the AC induction motor and the chassis, now I need a "accelerator". A variable frequency drive to control the power to the motor. I can find these, but nothing that can vary as fast as a "gas pedal". Anyone know where I can get this?

 

[Dids]

I know this is a long shot.. but I'm considering building a electric UTV. I've sourced the batteries, the AC induction motor and the chassis, now I need a "accelerator". A variable frequency drive to control the power to the motor. I can find these, but nothing that can vary as fast as a "gas pedal". Anyone know where I can get this?

AC? You also need an inverter. But why not stay DC and use Pulse Width Modulation for speed control?

 

[ajdelange]

That's exactly what a variable speed drive does. In a modern motor vehicle the so called 'AC' motors are connected to controllers that make it possible to control them as if they were DC motors i.e. by effectively separately controlling field and torque. OP isn't likely to find what he is looking for because what makes BEV's the miracle they are is the sophistication that goes into those controllers which are set up to match the vehicle dynamics. Thus there is probably no off the shelf unit that will do the job satisfactorily. Go to a VFD manufacturer, promise future orders of thousands of drives and he may be willing to undertake the design of inverters that meet the requirement.

 

[Shumby]

seriously look into ABB controls. I use VFDs daily for controling drilling rig equipment. we use a joystick to control speed and it is fast as you want to program it within the limitations of the motors.