Watch Rich Rebuilds Fail at Building an EV Side-by-Side

Sometimes builds don’t go according to plan. The Rich Rebuilds YouTube channel is in the process of converting an Argo 6x6 amphibious ATV into an EV amphibian, and started this week with big plans to get the thing moving with a spare electric motor. But progress ground to halt after stripping the Argo of its tired gas drivetrain.

First, a couple of the Argo’s myriad drive chains decided they had had enough and let go. That left the rig in five-wheel drive and made steering nearly impossible. Added to that, getting the electric motor to interface with the standard drivetrain meant finding a custom length chain. Then, the electric motor controller went bad. That meant no matter how many batteries were thrown at it, the thing was essentially bricked.

Then, with a new controller in hand and verified to work, things took a much more final turn. It turned out that the motor itself is bad, which sets the project back till a new one can be sourced. That won’t be terribly easy, as space in the Argo is tight and it needs to retain its seaworthiness even with all that current on board. Check out the calamity at the link above.

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