Everybody has listen that Vectrix is testing the new lithium batteries. If not, you can read it HERE:
I’ve read somewhere that a replacement kit is being prepared for a symbolic price but I doubt that… At this stage Vectrix can’t tell anything because it must sell the large storage of NiMH batteries…
My question is: Is it possible to replace the current NiMH with the new ones?
From my point of view, it could be possible but some tuning is required since the replacement of the current NiHM batteries (90Kg) will drop the weight in half.
So, for the same volume and voltage, lithium batteries will push the bike’s weight from 230kg to 185kg.
Another issue is the charger. Can the actual be reprogrammed to charge a new type of batteries? Seems possible to me since the last firmware changed some issues on the charger…
What’s your opinion?
JP
Of course it's possible, but it will be expensive. First of all you need the batteries. Then you need a decent BMS, with voltage monitoring of each cell and capable of interacting with the charger and controller. Both the controller and charger should be possible to reuse though, as long as pack voltage is fairly close to the NiMH pack. Then finally one obstacle is that the market might be limited, since relatively few Vectrix:s will have been sold when the litium option is launched in 2009 or 2010. So the engineering cost is split on potentially very few buyers. If Vectrix corp should sell it as an upgrade, price could come close to what one paid for the bike in the first place. Or the user community will re-engineer the complete electrical system and hack a replacement kit together.
For now, my plan is to baby the NiMH pack and make it last as long as possible. When time comes for a replacement, hopefully litium cells and BMS are dead cheap.
Yes. I'll do that also... Let's give time to time...
Rumor has it, it should be possible and it will be offered next year or in 2010. The price tag should be kept affordable in that you give back the old battery for GP to re-use materials.
If the charger is re-programmable and flexible enough, it doesn't seem impossible to me.
I only hope they will make the option to replace the full weight of batteries, with larger Ah capacity in order to expand range (I sorely need it)
The replacement, if possible, will only increase autonomy about 15%. That's because the weight of the lithium batteries is about half but the volume is the same. So, you get longer distance because the bike becomes lighter. Also the voltage o the lithium batteries is more stable and only drops at the end.
Ouch... that hurts! :)
Anyway 15% is better than nothing: it would suffice to come home to my new location (I'm about to move) without pushing each time :)
Isn't Lithium battery higer in energy density than NiMh (I mean both in terms of W/kg and W/liter?)? If yes then in the same "size" there should fit more Ah/volts than in NiMh, or not?
Regards