As far back as my memory goes, the last time I could lay my hands on an electric wheeler was during 5th grade. And it might sound ridiculous now, ‘coz it was a 5-incher. Now that I have stumbled upon this rather simple yet reasonably big electric tractor, I have decided to get my hands dirty and also share it with you. And, a better start awaits most of you, as this motor driven Cub-Cadet 582 keeps things quite basic. You need a decent power unit, a powerful motor and of course a Cub-Cadet 582 that (if you’re lucky enough) you might find with a chassis trader. And if the Cub-Cadet 582 is a problem, you can always whack an alternative from a junkyard. The most important aspect of building an electrically driven vehicle is to be privy about the functionality of an automotive. A power unit (either a combustion chamber or an electric motor) drives the wheels. And along the way, you find a driveshaft that connects the power unit to the wheels (and a gearbox, differential, etc.). The challenge is to transmit the power to the wheels while keeping energy losses to a minimum (with a modest electric motor, you can’t afford to lose much).
After you have procured the chassis, you need to look for a powerful and reliable battery unit. The motor comes next. I must also add that an unloaded battery can run a motor limitlessly to a point of blow-up. Hence, in the case of a series wound motor, make sure you aren’t revving out of gear. Weld supports for the motor on your chassis. And, connect the battery to the motor with a sheathed cable harness with relevant ratings. Before you link the motor to the driveshaft, get a proper switch controller for the battery. A decent paint job should take care of all the rust. Perform a test run of your vehicle before you’re all ready to flaunt it.
