Nimh battery replacement cost

List price on the battery pack is $5811.63 (assuming that you could actually buy one).

Interesting to note is that within the life span of the original battery, the whole bike will lose its resale value to well below the cost of a replacement battery, so it becomes a value juggle as to whether or not to replace the battery or spring the difference for a newer machine.

I had to replace an engine on an older Mazda RX7 once, while awaiting the arrival of our new special order Camaro. The engine replacement cost us $2200. After the work was complete, and our new vehicle arrived, I found out the book value on the RX was $970!! I could have come out better to part it out!! :-)

Hopefully your original battery will serve you well enough and long enough that replacing the bike would be a no-brainer, because the e-bike of the future may be light years ahead of what we're riding now!

After you get you use out of the VX-1, I wonder if it is possible to use any 125 volt pack of 20 to 40 AH hour? In other words just drop in 11 each 20 AH Gel Cell pack or Lithium pack of about 125 volts? It seems too complicated do a full real conversion to Lithium packs but I figure any thing is better than parting out and or sitting. It was a heavy scooter with NiMH but 11 Gel Cells would be a nightmare but I noticed Alibaba has Lithium equivalence of the 20 AH Pb version. Also some place in Australia too. http://www.evpower.com.au/-12V-LiFePO4-Batteries-.html

The only problem is using charger on board which is designed for constant current vs Pb of Lithium algorithm. I have been wondering what to do when range falls off myself also. Taking apart all of the plastic to get to pack is a nightmare too. What is your realistic range that is needed? Mine is 5 miles round trip and maybe to to 12 round trip. I charge it at 6 to 7 bars down from full 17 bars. It varies from 24 to 48 miles remaining and I know that is not a realistic number. Let us know how you want to address situation. Some on in Calif. did a Lithium conversion I think Oobflyer? He posted here on V..

Hello Folks,

The use of other batteries / cells in the Vectrix is perfectly feasible if you accept the limitations of the 'new' cells.

Charging is not necessarily a problem. The old ESD charger is actually a constant power charger (C.P.) and also a constant current (C.C.) it is also voltage limited in all charge phases. So, it can easily be adapted to charge other cell chemistries.

The newer Runke charger may soon also be adaptable, but not yet.

Don't you just love that Bloody Vectrix?

The Laird. Telling it like it is, Again.

After you get you use out of the VX-1, I wonder if it is possible to use any 125 volt pack of 20 to 40 AH hour? In other words just drop in 11 each 20 AH Gel Cell pack or Lithium pack of about 125 volts? It seems too complicated do a full real conversion to Lithium packs but I figure any thing is better than parting out and or sitting. It was a heavy scooter with NiMH but 11 Gel Cells would be a nightmare but I noticed Alibaba has Lithium equivalence of the 20 AH Pb version. Also some place in Australia too. http://www.evpower.com.au/-12V-LiFePO4-Batteries-.html

those 12v 20Ah batteries are made by GBS, and are 4 cells loose in a lead acid battery case

I have 25 of them, that will find their way into my NHW10 Prius shortly

Their max current is probably too low for the Vectrix

If you would like a cheap pack, try Headways

a 20Ah pack of those would be enough

Matt

(Sorry for the bad editing on that post, posting on this forum from mobile is rough.)

I could see myself using headways. I need 13 miles one way. 80 headway cells is pricey, but doable under the right conditions. I want to avoid paying more than the 2500 I paid for the bike as was.mentioned. I figure 1500-2k is a reasonable price range. I love my vectrix deeply, and it will always be my.first.love but any more than that and I will have an adulterous affair.with a newer hotter model :)

Matt

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well said :) my vectrix is just like my wife, I can live with her.. :)