Conversion and performance evaluation of an ICE Go-Kart to an electric vehicle: Electrical and energy performance analysis

The conversion of existing internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles to electric propulsion offers a practical approach to extending vehicle service life while reducing direct exhaust emissions and dependence on conventional fuel-based drivetrains. This study presents the systematic conversion and experimental performance evaluation of an inoperable ICE go-kart into a fully electric vehicle (EV), with particular emphasis on drivetrain design, dynamic performance, electrical behaviour, thermal response, and speed-dependent specific energy consumption. The electric drivetrain was theoretically sized based on aerodynamic drag, rolling resistance, drivetrain efficiency, and battery-energy requirements to achieve a target maximum speed of 50–60 km/h and a minimum operational range of 40 km. The converted system incorporated a brushless direct current (BLDC) motor, a 72 V, 40 Ah lithium-ion battery pack, a motor controller, a Battery Management System (BMS), and a Hall-effect throttle. Replacement of the ICE components with the EV drivetrain resulted in a net component mass reduction of 15 kg. Experimental testing demonstrated a maximum speed of 59 km/h, an acceleration time of 6.9 s from rest to the maximum attainable speed, and an operational range of 46 km per charge, thereby satisfying the predefined design targets. During acceleration, the battery current reached a peak of 65.1 A, while the motor surface temperature increased from approximately 34.2°C to a maximum of 40.7°C during the three-minute full-power test. Speed-dependent measurements from 20 to 59 km/h showed that battery current increased from 15 to 51 A and battery-side electrical power from 1.050 to 3.519 kW, while specific energy consumption increased from 50 to 88 Wh/km. Pearson correlation analysis revealed a strong positive relationship between vehicle speed and energy consumption (r = 0.978, p = 0.004), while linear regression showed a strong association between the two variables (R² = 0.956). The results demonstrate that ICE-to-EV retrofitting can provide a technically viable small-scale mobility platform while highlighting the strong association between operating speed and battery energy demand. The integrated theoretical and experimental framework developed in this study provides useful guidance for the design, performance assessment, and optimisation of low-cost electric retrofit platforms.