UK legal requirements

[Leroy Boyce]

Hello all,

I've some questions, and figured this would be the best place to ask...

I've been pondering building my own electric vehicle a lot recently as I travel only 7 miles to work, and hate using my petrol car (I cycle, but only when the weather is nice!).

I have lots of ideas, but my main concern is keeping it road legal in the UK.

To qualify as a "quadricycle", it has to weigh less than 400kg (without batteries, thankfully), and have a maximum power output no greater than 15kW.

I'm sure quadricycles are tax-exempt, or is that all electric vehicles?

Does anyone know where can I find other specific regulations?

Will I need an MOT test every year?

It will be a one off, so obviously it cannot be crash-tested. Are there legal limits for safety/strength, and how do they enforce them?

(For example, if I happened to theoretically make a vehicle out of wood, would it be road legal (not that I would, of course!)?)

Are there maximum dimensions, other than weight?

Are they allowed on motorways?

Are there any other routes to go, other than the "quadricycle" route?

I can't seem to find any of this information on the net - it's all a bit vague...

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers.

[qdos]

why are you looking at quadricyles? it doesn't have to be a quadricyle to be electric or is it that you don't have a car licence ?

Yes you can drive a quadricyle on a motorway and yes they need MOTs in the same way as a car. ditto the tax

Yes cars have been built out of wood and I think there's one available now in fact but don't quizz me too much over it.

However some examples are the Hustler which was a wooden chassis and body and then there's Marcos and Morgan which are two well known GTs

[Leroy Boyce]

Well, I have a full-licence (I think I mentioned I usually drive to work), but I really want to reduce my motoring costs, and pollutant. As I only live 7 miles from work, I figured an electric car would suit me.

I believed the G-Wiz and Revo are classified as quadricycles, so I just thought that might be an option to go.

Also, if it is a "DIY" car, I was under the impression it would be "easier" to make it road legal, if I ensured it was a quadricycle?

Like I say, I have lots of questions before I start on my project...

[qdos]

OK a quadricyle is not a car it's a halfway house between a car and a motocyle in laymans terms.

If you are building your own from scratch it's no easier building a quadricyle than it is a car. You have to get either through an SVA which is a Super MOT if you like.

To be honest you would be best getting either a quadricyle or a car and simply converting it to electric. If you want to wait a while I will be able to point you to something you can build but you'll have to wait a little while yet

[Leroy Boyce]

The benefit is light-weight is obvious, so that pointed me towards a quadricycle.

I just thought the safety rules were a little less restrictive for them?

If you were building an out-and-out car, then there's all sorts of safety implications, aren't there?

[qdos]

The only implications are to get through the SVA.

I would recommend you look at something like a Cinqucento and converting that as I believe this will be the simplest route for you If you would like a more involved build which will include a lot more paperwork then I'm happy to speak to you . If you want a quadricyle I can supply you with one for conversion too

[Leroy Boyce]

Well, I really wanted to build an EV based on a GRP shell of the "classic" mini.

I've been doing lots of research, but still do not know the safety implications...

Do I need to strengthen the GRP shell?

Do I need to fit a steel subframe?

Would a roll-cage suffice?

Does it need a crumple-zone?

I want to use it every day to work and back, but I doubt I'd go any further than a few miles a day...

[ChrisBarron]

Well, I really wanted to build an EV based on a GRP shell of the "classic" mini.

I've been doing lots of research, but still do not know the safety implications...

Do I need to strengthen the GRP shell?

Do I need to fit a steel subframe?

Would a roll-cage suffice?

Does it need a crumple-zone?

I want to use it every day to work and back, but I doubt I'd go any further than a few miles a day...

You might find more specific information from a mini user group, and there are a lot of those about so you won't be short of contacts.

I looked at fitting a fibreglass front end to my mini, before I sold it. You needed to install bracing between the inner wings and the front of the front subfrom, or the bulkhead to the front subframe, because in removing the steel wings and front panel you remove one of the front subframe supports.

I had it on good authority from a local mini expert with a good Mini based business that there is sufficient strength in the front subframe attachment at the tower tops and the floor, for the front end to be rigid enough, bu tthe bracing is literally the 'belts and braces' of it .

If the GRP body has been homologated in some way or already tested then I imagine you can use it as intended without further bracing. one thing you might want to consider is if you have high load points near heavy batteries, such as loadiung the back seat area with lead acid cells, the fibreglass shell isn't designed for that and some bracing would be required.

The best off-the-shelf stiffener of the shell would be a roll cage, but many insurers won't let you in if you have a roll cage installed, so perhaps some spaceframe type chassis is better there. Such modifications might mean that the insurers then ask you to acquire a certificate of conformity from an engineering company.

In theory you can build whatever you want, and then put the car in for an SVA test, which costs somewhere in the region of £500, maybe a little less, but the SVA testers word is final.

Maybe your best bet is to get in touch with the DfT and ask them for the SVA test requirements. Your car should at least comply with the Construction and Use laws, which are available online, and which lay down things such as the height and spacing of headlights and so on

[qdos]

No you don't need to add a roll cage and no you don't need a crumple zone.

Without wishing to be disrespectful in any way shape or form but with all the questions and 'concerns' you are raising you are best off with a production car and converting that.

It's far too involved to go into here but the issues you raise clearly illustrate you don't basically have a sufficient understanding of how vehicles are built to answer your questions and I strongly recommend therefore you go for a production car with an electric conversion or better still maybe a Honda Insight or Toyota Prius ?

I hasten to add I really am not trying to be rude in any way, shape or form.

[geekygrilli]

Hi Leroy, and welcome.

I have read through the above discussion, and I do agree with qdos here... If you are thinking of building your own EV, you're best off starting with a road legal car, that has passed its MOT recently, you'll then be able to get it up and running fairly easily.

As you mentioned, cost is a major factor, so converting an existing small car is the quickest option. A cinquecento, like mine, is nice and small, and perfect if you're not worried about doing away with the back seat (otherwise the packaging is a right pain in the bottom). I would suggest something like a 106, or and old polo, which has massive boot space, though.

Also...you could convert a commercial vehicle, such as a corsa van, which means you do not need an MOT. But this should not reaaly be a thing to consider, cos and MOT is the bare minimum a car should be to be on the road.

Hope this helps

Best regards

Christopher