Tesla Goblin!

jpr

Well-Known Member
This has been posted about sporadically in the past, but as of a couple weeks ago there's now a video of the Tesla-powered Goblin running and driving! They claim only 1/4 throttle used and uh... that definitely looks faster than my half-throttle. Hopefully more videos are forthcoming - I absolutely wanna see a "full send" pass.


I really wanna know more about this thing though. What's it weigh? How's it compare to an SS/SC donor performance wise? Can you still fit 2 seats with the battery pack and all?

My thinking is it can't be too horrendously expensive as EV's go. You can buy a Tesla drive unit for like $5k. A totalled Leaf goes for a grand or two on Copart. From watching the YouTube videos I know the axle shafts have to be cut down and re-splined, but apart from that how much effort would it be to convert my car to electric? This definitely fits with DF's aesthetic of affordable fun performance.

Yeah I know posting about EV's on a gearhead forum may not be the cool thing to do yet, but I drove a couple Performance edition Teslas last summer and lemme tell ya, knocking a couple thousand pounds out of them would be insane fun.
 

jpr

Well-Known Member
There's a walkaround video!
I'm having a hard time actually hearing anything he's saying, but there are definitely two seats. Awesome!

Jeez, I don't think I've been this excited since I was six and got the Lego Space Shuttle for Christmas.
 

Adam

Administrator
Staff member
Thanks for posting that link. That's actually the Tesla Goblin we helped to build in-house. The owner of the that Goblin reached out to us at the end of 2018 about doing a Tesla Goblin. We knew it would require some major custom fab work so we decided to handle that ourselves. He delivered the drive unit, batteries and other electrical things to us in early 2019.

** Edit: When it left our shop is was not driving. He was handling all of the steps to get from being a roller to being able to drive under its own power. **

It's using a Model S drive unit that goes for ~$12k on EV West. The batteries are from a Chevy Volt and if I recall correctly they came in at $2500.

IMG_20190122_083127.jpg


IMG_20190315_154024.jpg


The final weight when it left our shop was 1702.

It's good to see it getting on the road.

A guy named Jimmy in South Carolina is building a Nissan Leaf powered Goblin. His build will be much more affordable than the Tesla build.
 

Ross

Goblin Guru
The volume is low in the walk around video, but they did mention using 057 controller technology.
057 sells their controller and motor for $8000.
It seats 2 people.
 
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Karter2026

Goblin Guru
A guy named Jimmy in South Carolina is building a Nissan Leaf powered Goblin. His build will be much more affordable than the Tesla build.
Adam, You need to persuade this Jimmy to do a build log or a YouTube of this build
 
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JSATX

Goblin Guru
Such a great way to build but holy **** I bet the Tesla version cost that guy at least $30k.
I have been watching Chevy bolts on copart. If I find one cheap enough I guess ill be ordering another goblin frame haha
 

jpr

Well-Known Member
Bolt seems like a pretty good donor too! Would be fun to have a Bolt/Leaf/Tesla donor comparo =D
 

jamesm

Goblin Guru
Dang it. I already have enough projects... y’all are gonna make me start another one. An ev goblin would be badass.
 

Ross

Goblin Guru
My major question is what the range is. That would be the deal breaker for me.

Nuker-
Because you use your Goblin for long range trips?
Our Nissan Leaf gets 83 mile range, it works fine for everything but long trips. You fill it up daily, not weekly.
99% of my Goblin trips are under 20 miles...with switching over to E85 I probably will get about 120 miles per fill-up. Even on gas I maybe get 200 range.
 

TheNuker

Goblin Guru
Lol.... I put 5k miles on my first goblin in 1 season of driving. I'd go through 2 tanks of E85 in a day. That would be like 4-5 charges.

Do you guys just not go out and have fun?

Nuker-

I also did Kansas City to Dallas and back in 1 day :)
 

Briann1177

Goblin Guru
Ross: I see the resistor.
Kevin: No that's a fuse.

I had no idea what was what either, but that part made me laugh. :)

Great video. Kevin is a sharp guy.
 
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