Any EV teams? Post here about your build (if you want) and contact me!

Hell yeah guys! I'm trying to get a Nissan Leaf on track in 2026, but it would involve swapping in a Cobalt SS subframe+powertrain.. so I'd basically be going the other way (EV->ICE) ... admittedly much easier than what you are trying to do. The first hurdle that I think might already be a stoppage is getting a thumbs up from Pagel, and I've only received one response that seems to be more 'no' than 'yes'... still waiting to hear back on clarification.

Have you talked to him yet? Unfortunately, I'm worried that if a team that has build 4 Lemons cars and multiple space frame chassis cars can't get a thumbs up for an ICE conversion, I'd be curious how easily you'll be able to get the go-ahead here. I love the idea of someone trying to score those million nickels, but figured it wouldn't hurt to double check if you've contacted Pagel.

Yeah I also think he's just busy, but most of the time I hear back from him on the same day.

The issue comes in with swapping subframes since that skirts the line of frame modification. I would argue that they're still OE crash structures and not tube frames, but I'm a bit surprised how much scrutiny this straight-forward swap may see. For all good and valid reasons, safety has become stricter, but it unfortunately makes it harder to modify and make weird things. I don't want to thread-jack, but just wanted to bring it up to make sure that you don't go through all this effort just for it to get shot down.

Appreciate it! I'm awful about that kinda stuff, but I'll try my best! You as well.

I'm not doing an EV for Lemons I really wanted to do an EV swap for a daily but battery cost makes it not worthwhile IMO (not for the range id want)

I'm really curious: are you planning on charging every time your battery is low or are you trying to engineer a crazy way to hot swap batteries?

And how would you charge in a timely manner (either the vehicle or the removed battery)  you need like 40a 220 for a level 2 charger but for racing id think even that's not fast enough.  Do you have a generator with serious punch or what?  I live in Seattle and I don't recall charging stations at the ridge.  I dunno what pacific has but...

There are so many safeties in the battery systems I imagine swapping would be quite difficult to make fast, but that would be so cool!

Salish Sea EV: Yes, but I believe (completely guessing... I have a cobalt subframe, but *shockingly* I don't know anyone with a Leaf to take measurements) it would be a lot harder to shoehorn an engine+turbo into the leaf subframe than just swap over the whole subframe. I'd argue safer as well since everything will be located and mounted as god intended. Totally makes sense that you can keep the stock subframes... it's much easier replacing a big thing with a small thing, than the other way around haha. Lol that would epic...or I can make a volvo powered tesla, and you can make a tesla powered volvo? Bottom 10% of the field here we come! But in reality I want a leaf, it's one of the cars that I hate too much not to own.

Zacks: If you're interested in EV swapping ~2025-2026, PM me if you'd want leaf bits. The Leaf battery is worthless, but people use the Leaf powertrain quite often when doing EV conversions. I think the few EV teams out there hot swapped batteries... there just isn't a practical way to charge during a pit stop and it'd be nice to monitor cell health/repair battery packs offline. I'm starting to fairly regularly see charging stations get installed at tracks here in CA... I can't imagine WA is too far behind. I'm curious if you can use those chargers to charge your batteries by tricking them into thinking it's a car and not just a battery pack? And even if you can... I would be curious if track staff would even let you do that.

I briefly looked into trying to get the million nickels and realized I'm not smart enough to pull it off.. but if you haven't already found them, these may be helpful:
I found this video from the 25hrs of thunderhill on quick swapping batteries: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29LGfllk5Qo&t=142s
team duff beer (no idea how to find them) has done an EV before: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKXihJJINL4

Thanks! I'll shoot you a PM, I doubt it'll be worth it though (there are complete/running Leafs here for $1500).

I'm leaning towards the LNF turbo ecotec because it's the same engine as what's in my DF Goblin... having several cars at my house, its always nice being able to share spares or probe a working car to find out why your other one isn't working. A Honda odyssey powertrain did cross my mind, but also something about having a turbo in an EV chassis really gets me going. Also, everyone knows that highly strung out forced induction engines are the key to reliability lol.

Re re bottom 10%.. I guess what I mean is you WILL be broken during the first several races when fusing different cars together. They'll be quick, but it's mind blowing how quick you'll go from top 10 to 100th place when your stuck in the paddock.

for the wagon, id think that a battery tray could be loaded from the back, then at a pit stop, you would wheel in an engine hoist, pull the whole tray out the back, move aside, and wheel in the next tray with a separate hoist.

Plug it in and away you go.

Heck done right it might be faster than a fuel stop.

Hey Salish,

I commented on your YouTube video a while back.

Your build is interesting and ambitious. I will enjoy following along.

Good luck,

Troy