Hybrid car conversion to plug in electric?

Here's a listing of all the hybrids on EV album:
http://www.evalbum.com/type/HYBR

A few of which are hacked PHEVs to add full electric mode with extra batteries.

The following are some links to PHEVs:

Here's a plug in America wiki information page under the EAA: www.eaa-phev.org

If you check out all the sub pages and links from there, they are loaded with pretty much all the details.

Here's a wiki page on plug-in hybrids. Check section 3.4

I think the above mostly geared toward the Toyota Prius. Maybe this is because the Prius has a large enough motor.

It looks to me like the "Prius Plus" is the most well documented open source project started by CalCars and the Electric Auto Association PHEV group. I would consider doing this if I had the Prius and some money.

Here's the page with links to all of the documentation.

I was looking at the battery possibilities for any PHEV. Lead-acid are a cheap option now, but LiFePo4 look much better. I may consider doing some cycle life testing if I can find the right equipment. The thundersky LiFePo4 have a max charge and discharge spec of 3 CA. If they are externally cooled and charge/discharged at 3CA than one could do maybe 1 cycle per hour. The test would take a long time, but this would give some very useful data.

Also, the test could be continued beyond 2,000 cycles for more information.

For my electrification, if I can get 2,000 cycles at 15 miles/cycle than that's 30,000 miles. Depending on the cost of the batteries this would not only be a fun experiment, but it could save some gas money.

Coincidentally, there is an article about PHEVs on npr.org today:
California Company Develops Plug-In Hybrid

There is also a company in Boulder, CO that will convert your Prius to a PHEV for a bunch of money.

Hi Andrew,

Jukka Jarvinen is already in the process of performing this test.
after 18 months he is at 3500 cycles with 60% remaining capacity.
Admittedly the test is on a lfp30 (no longer produced, smallest now is a lfp40).
charge is at 0.3C, discharge at 3C as per specifications.

Join the thundersky discussion list for more information.
Feel free to test yourself, however be warned it will take more than a year to perform.

regards,
Matt

Matt, that's very interesting. Can you link the discussion group?

Hi Andrew,

Here is the link:
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/ThunderSky/message/1200

I think you need to be a member of the thundersky yahoo group to see it though, i cant remember.

In any case, this was Jukka Jarvinens reply to a question someone had asked:

I use 24 pcs of LFP-350 cells in Elcat which has 72V system. You do not need to charge the cells up to 4,2V. Thou it is ok. It just kills the cells faster. 3,8V should be fine to stop charging. I have completed now over 3500 cycles on LFP-30 cell on test bench. Still holding over 50% of original capacity. If we reduce the end of charge voltage to 3,8 capacity loss should not be this high.

Voltage based balancing will do the trick in your case. So BMS is all you need. Clampers from Victor can do it. Dennis can easily chain 2 units to get your batteries behave right. Simple an effective.

At least older LFP cells have capacity problems and internal pole corrosion. Use cells ONLY poles up.

Buy only complete systems if you feel LCPs are the option for you. No tinkering.

-Jukka

Matt