Hi there Vectrix maniacs around the world.
My Vectrix is reaching yet another milestone (or should I say kmstone? :D). It's a couple of days away from 80.000 kms (thats about 50.000 miles for the anglo-saxon folks), and Fuel Free Motos decided to give her a little present.
Fuel Free Motos found a way to keep their Premium costumers happy, and, at the same time have important data about their converted Vectrix scooters. How? Simple! Let's take a look.
Hey! What's that? A nice logo of o scooter in my android? What happens if I open it? Well, this:
This is the new tool FFM has developed to help their costumers and have info about their converted scooters. Here it is:
The kit is a small box (it's the size of a pack of cigarretes, but it's still a prototype. The final version should be the size of a small matchbox), and an android cell phone. They lay on top of the certificate I received for most kms in a 2 wheel machine, in the recent portuguese Electric Vehicle Meeting that gathered 200 EV's in Lisbon! Not bad for a small (and poor) country.
The box has a microSD card (up to 64Gb), canbus and bluetooth. The APP, for android, has lots of useful information, and can save the users a lot of money and headaches. How? Easy. Most packs start to fail because of a single (black sheep) cell. What if you could monitor them at all times? Yep, you guessed it. Now you can:
Cell tab. Individual cell voltage, in a grafic format, with the low cell in yellow and the high in red. Temperature of the 4 pack modules also available.
Pack tab. Same info in values. Again high and low cells highlighted.
Charge tab. A fantastic new feature that allows you to change the charging power with the touch of your magic finger. You can also change de "fuel tank" size.
MC tab. information about IGBT and condensor temperatures, tension and current.
Scooter tab. General information such as battery type, kms/miles, speed and time/date.
Log tab. Info about the log. It accepts a SD card up to 64Gb, and each hour of data uses about 1Mb. It will last a long time!!!
That's it. An easy and user friendly way to be safe about your pack.
Have fantastic electric rides!!!
Hi,
Is it working on all vectrix or just ones customized by FFM ?
Regards
Hi oley,
It's just for FFM Premium Costumers. And it's still a prototype. Only 3 are working right now.
But it's a fantastic tool. Have been using it for a week and the info you get leaves you very assured that every cell is working as it should.
A must!
Congratulations, the FFM people must know some secrets, or at least, some little-known information.
FFM should offer their experience/knowhow to the the 'unreliable' electric scooter companies (imo, most of them).
BTW, people who ride electric scooters should get a payoff in that they will be healthier --- not subjected to the smog that "follows" and "catches up" the gas scooters at the next stoplight. When I rode my 50cc Super 9 (top speed, over 85KPH, and uphill climbing speed 77KPH), I would shut off the motor, 20 yeards from the stoplight, to avoid breathing in the smoke/fumes.
So, in cities like Naples, Italy, electric scooters may someday be mandated, if the allegedly-corrupt government can be persuaded. People in Naples are dying from two-stroke scooter-smog.
In Vancouver, there is only Motorino (E-Ride) left in business. They are good guys, there, and have good products. The other e-cycle companies have folded because of reliability, mostly.
The total cost-per-mile of electric scooters are several times more than the gas scooters, generally. However, the health benefit of owning an electric scooter is "priceless". Health cannot be compromised. A book worth reading is "Lives Per Gallon".
Just a word on the BMW Evolution-C: For such a price, more than 5 already-expensive Gogoro electric scooters. I would have expected flawless design and implementation, not the type of "junior mistakes" found on the Thailand-made Z-6 electric scooter. From what I see, BMW had at least two similar design flaws, unless BMW expected their riders to ride the Evolution-C just on perfectly dry weather. Just my opinion.
Cheers!
Hi Sugarstorm,
I was reading through this post and are a bit puzzled. From your previous posts your scooter has 102 NiMH batteries with nominal voltage of 1.2 volts in it and some A123s glued to the outside of the battery box. The app is indicating 40 cells. Where is your Vectrix pack of 102 batteries indicated? The Vectrix NiMH battery has batteries that reverse when run down and would benefit by being monitored. These NiMH batteries also overheat when reversed or overcharged. How is this app showing the voltage or temperature of your Vectrix battery?
Hi there,
Sorry.
Forgot to inform everybody that I coverted to lithium im March. My bad.
Now the pack is a normal Li+, with 40s GP45Ah cells:
The A123 pack is still in there to help, on top of the other cells:
I have a total of 51.9Ah, more that enough for may daily life. It's a Li++. 100kms of real world range. Maybe a bit more if I'm careful. Fantastic!