How can we help you today?

This forum is in read-only mode. Please continue to browse, but replies are disabled for now. Why?
Discussions Question and Answer Forums Electric Scooter, Bike, and Go Kart Modification Forum

converting go kart to electric motor

I'm building a go kart using kartfab plans with parts kit from gopowersports. Which size electric motor kit of yours would I need to power it?

Total expected weight including riders is max 350lbs.

Looking to get approximately 15-20 mph flat ground.

The kit I have came with a 60T 420p drive wheel sprocket and chain and 6" wheels with 14.5" diameter tires. Can I use the sprocket and chain or do I need something else to go with an electric motor?

thanks

A 500 Watt kit would work well for a 20 MPH top speed as long as the go-kart will be used only on flat ground, or for a 15 MPH top speed if the go-kart will need to climb gentle hills.

However, a 1000 Watt kit geared for 20 MPH would provide faster acceleration and be able to climb much steeper hills than a 500 Watt kit would. If a 1000 Watt kit is within budget then that is what I recommend because it will make the go-kart more versatile as far as the types of terrain it can be driven on and the rate of acceleration that the kart will have.

Our 500 Watt motors have sprockets for #25 chain and our 1000 Watt motors have sprockets for 8mm chain. Sprockets for #420 chain are not available for these motors. I ran a top speed gear ratio calculation with a 1000 Watt 3000 RPM motor with 11 tooth sprocket for 8mm chain and here is the result for a top speed of around 20 MPH.

image


We have a 74 tooth sprocket for 8mm chain which is our item number SPR-874. This sprocket would need to be machined to fit the go-kart's existing sprocket adapter, or it could be bolted onto a go-kart sprocket so that machining would not be necessary.


Please let us know your thoughts on all of this and we can take it from there.

I have a similar situation with converting my Schwinn trek bike to a cargo bike. Currently,  I pedal my bike with an approx. 100# fully loaded cart. So total weight is about 300#. I would like to DIY my bike into an e-bike.  I live in New Orleans where the roads are mostly potholes than flat.  I am looking at a 500-watt gear reduction motor kit but I cannot find a kit with a gear reduction on your site. Will a scooter kit with low rpm work as well? Can I switch out a motor on a kit for a gear reduction motor? What would be the best motor kit to go about 10-20 mph?

Hi Nicole, as long as the terrain is relatively flat then a 450 Watt gear motor is good for speeds up to 20 MPH without pedaling. We do not carry any 500 Watt gear motors, however, we do have 450, 600, 650, and 1000 Watt gear motors so we a motor that will work for your project. The larger the motor is, the faster the acceleration will be and the steeper hills the bike will be able to climb without pedaling.

Since most of our customers have needed kits for scooters, go-karts, and beach wagons we do not have very many electric bicycle kits already made, however, we can make changes to an existing kit or make a new kit especially for your project with the exact parts that you want it to have.

If you see a kit that you like and would like to swap its motor out for a gear motor that is also no problem and is something that we can easily do.

Here is an example of a 24 Volt 450 Watt gear motor kit that we have for an electric bike:  


Here is an example of a 36 Volt 600 Watt gear motor kit that we made for a beach wagon, however, it would work equally well on a bicycle and we have a bicycle chain sprocket (item # SPR-B1711) available for the motor in this kit:

KIT-36600-02: https://cart.electricscooterparts.com/36-volt-600-watt-beach-wagon-power-kit-KIT-36600-02


These kits are just a few examples and we can make changes to them or start from the ground up with making a kit for your project.


Please let us know if you have any questions.

Thanks for the information. 

You are welcome.
Login or Signup to post a comment
More topics in Electric Scooter, Bike, and Go Kart Modification Forum
See all 314 topics