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Open-Source Hardware Platforms for Developing Electric Vehicles

TABBY EVO is the clearest match for a physical open-source EV platform, while OVCS, AV4EV, AGL SoDeV, and Eclipse SDV serve narrower controls, research, or software needs.
Entry279 Date Time5 min MechanicCarCody Team

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If you want to develop a physical electric vehicle from an open design, Open Motors’ TABBY EVO is the clearest match in the available options: its maker describes it as a modular EV platform and says detailed 2D and 3D CAD files are available. Other open projects focus on embedded controls, scaled autonomy research, or vehicle software—not a full-size chassis kit. Choose by the kind of development you want to do, then verify the design, license, package, and local safety requirements before building.

Choose a platform by the job you need it to do

“Open-source EV platform” can mean anything from a physical chassis and powertrain to software intended to run vehicle systems. Those options are not interchangeable:

  • Build or adapt a physical vehicle: TABBY EVO is presented by its maker as a modular electric-vehicle hardware platform.
  • Develop embedded controls on a converted car: OVCS documents a hobby vehicle-controls project built around a converted donor car.
  • Research autonomy on a smaller vehicle: AV4EV is a one-third-scale autonomous electric go-kart.
  • Develop automotive software: AGL SoDeV and Eclipse SDV are software platforms and ecosystems, not chassis kits.
  • Build charging equipment: OpenEVSE concerns EV supply equipment, not the vehicle itself.

If your goal is to construct a full-size vehicle, start by assessing TABBY EVO’s published scope. If you already have a vehicle, or your work is mainly software or autonomy research, the other projects may be a better fit.

TABBY EVO: a physical modular EV platform

Open Motors calls TABBY EVO the evolved second generation of its electric-vehicle platform. The maker says detailed 2D and 3D CAD files are available and publishes an inclusion list spanning the vehicle structure and major electrical systems. The listed components are:

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  • Frame and chassis
  • Front and rear suspension
  • Steering and braking systems
  • Basic controls and CAN-bus cabling
  • Two seats, wheels, rims, and tires
  • Batteries and battery-management system (BMS)
  • Motor and motor controller
  • DC-DC converter and battery charger

This is the maker’s published list, not a guarantee that every present-day package includes the same parts. Check the TABBY EVO product page for the current offer and confirm the exact configuration, delivery terms, and availability directly with Open Motors. The page says the platform is shipping and can be bought online, but those are maker statements; the reviewed material does not establish a current price or independently confirm stock.

Files, license, and reuse

Open Motors states that TABBY is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International and describes it as free for personal, academic, and commercial use. That statement applies to “TABBY” as described on the maker’s page; before reusing a particular design or selling a derivative, inspect the license supplied with those files and check any separate trademark or commercial terms. The published license information is available on the official TABBY EVO page.

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What to establish before committing

A component list and CAD files can help you evaluate a starting point, but they do not establish that a finished vehicle is safe or road-legal. Before purchase or fabrication, identify which design files match the package being offered, what parts you must source or manufacture, and what engineering, inspection, and regulatory requirements apply where you intend to use the vehicle. The reviewed product material does not establish road certification.

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How the other open projects differ

Project Scale and form What it supports Key qualification
TABBY EVO Modular physical EV platform; maker says 2D and 3D CAD files are available Vehicle construction and adaptation Maker says it can be bought online; current price, stock, delivery geography, and exact package are not established in the reviewed material.
OVCS Converted 2007 Volkswagen Polo (OVCS1) and a Traxxas 4WD RC car (OVCS Mini) Embedded vehicle systems, controls integration, radio control, and ROS 2 work A hobby research project, provided as-is without warranty; its repository says it is not road-certified.
AV4EV One-third-scale autonomous electric go-kart Autonomy research, sensing, and manual, autonomous, or teleoperation operation A research vehicle, not a full-size passenger-car platform.
AGL SoDeV Automotive software-defined-vehicle reference platform In-vehicle software architecture and integration The Linux Foundation announced it on 2025-12-05 and planned availability for early 2026; its current release status and supported targets are not verified here.
Eclipse SDV Open-source vehicle-software working group and project ecosystem Vehicle software, specifications, and collaboration Not a physical EV hardware platform.
OpenEVSE EV charging-equipment platform Charging controller, ESP32 Wi-Fi gateway, and web interface Addresses charging infrastructure rather than vehicle development.

OVCS for controls and integration

OVCS is built around Elixir, Nerves, Phoenix, and Flutter. Its repository describes OVCS1 as a 2007 Volkswagen Polo converted to electric with a Nissan Leaf AZE0 drivetrain, Bosch iBooster Gen2, Orion BMS2, and custom controllers. OVCS Mini is a Traxxas four-wheel-drive RC car used for radio-control and ROS 2 work. It is a software-and-integration project rather than an offered chassis kit. The OVCS repository says the project is for hobby research, is supplied as-is without warranty, and is not road-certified.

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AV4EV for scaled autonomy research

A 2024 peer-reviewed paper from a University of Pennsylvania-led research team describes AV4EV, an open-source one-third-scale autonomous electric go-kart with manual, autonomous, and teleoperation modes, sensing, and software resources. The authors estimate construction at approximately USD 12,500 for one kart, including mechatronic systems, and say scaled production could lower that cost. Separately, they estimate around USD 11,000 for the flexible sensing suite and demonstrative software; that estimate varies with user requirements and customization. These are distinct estimates for AV4EV, not TABBY EVO prices or a general full-size EV budget. See the 2024 AV4EV paper.

AGL SoDeV and Eclipse SDV for software development

AGL SoDeV is a reference platform for automotive software, not a vehicle chassis. The Linux Foundation announcement dated 2025-12-05 describes an integration of AGL Unified Code Base with Linux Containers, VirtIO, Xen, Yocto Project, Zephyr, and ELISA. It identified Panasonic Automotive Systems, Honda, and the AGL SDV Expert Group as leads, with Toyota, Mazda, AISIN, and Renesas as contributors, and planned availability for early 2026. That announcement does not verify whether the planned release occurred or which hardware targets are supported now. Check the Linux Foundation announcement for its stated scope and timeline.

Eclipse SDV is a separate Eclipse Foundation working group for open-source vehicle software, specifications, and collaboration. Its listed projects include Eclipse Safe Open Vehicle Core and Eclipse Open Vehicle API. It is relevant if you are developing software rather than building an EV body, chassis, or powertrain. See the Eclipse SDV overview.

OpenEVSE for charging, not vehicle construction

OpenEVSE describes an open-source EV supply-equipment platform with a charging controller, ESP32 Wi-Fi gateway, and web interface. It can be relevant to a charging project, but it does not provide the chassis or drivetrain for an electric vehicle. See the OpenEVSE repository.

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A practical decision checklist

  1. Define the deliverable. Decide whether you need a full-size vehicle structure, a converted-car controls environment, a scaled autonomy testbed, automotive software, or charging equipment.
  2. Match scale and hardware. Confirm whether the project supplies physical components, CAD and documentation, software only, or a research platform. Do not treat the AV4EV estimates as the cost of a full-size build.
  3. Check the actual design and license. For TABBY, compare the specific files and license supplied with your intended reuse; do not assume the maker’s general license statement resolves trademark or derivative-product terms.
  4. Verify the current offer directly. For TABBY EVO, obtain the current price, included parts, delivery scope, and availability from Open Motors before budgeting. The reviewed product page does not establish those specifics.
  5. Plan engineering and compliance separately. Open files or software do not establish roadworthiness. Determine the applicable jurisdiction’s requirements and arrange qualified engineering and testing before any public-road use.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

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