PHEV kit on a 2001 prius. Advice needed please

[glyndwr]

Hi all,

I live in the UK in south wales, and am considering the purchase of a used 2001 prius with 55000 miles covered.

These cars now sell in the uk for around £2000, and was also considering the install of a PHEV system to aid in the running costs.

With fuel at the moment in the UK at £1.40 per litre, it is time to find an alternative to fuel. Hence my interst in a hybrid with a plug in kit fitted. I am technically qualified, i have a degree in mechanical engineering and a good knowledge of electrics, but very little on electronics.

I can get hold of a Lexus RX450 battery pack (4 batteries in total) 288v dc, as a donor battery system, any help or advice as to other parts / charger required would be very helpull.

My usage is nearly all local roads, journeys of less than 30 miles, rarely getting over 50mph. Most daily journeys less than 10 miles return.

I would hope to do most if not all journeys on full EV mode, therefore taking away the fuel expense.

Additinally, i have a 4kw solar panel roof mounted system so i do generate a large amount of my home electricity too, to help in the total fuel saving.

Thanks in advance for any help given in my quest to get the prius on a plug in system.

best regards, Glyndwr.

[cproaudio]

You picked a poor candidate for plugin hybrid conversion. The only kit that works on a 2001 Prius is the Enginer kit. Had you picked a 2004 or newer, you'll have more choices of conversion kits such as Plugin Supply, Plug In Conversion Corp, Hymotion and Enginer. PiS and PICC would be the best choice because they allow pure EV driving and regen back into the add on pack.

[GrumpyCabbie]

Hello and welcome

Is the 2001 Prius a genuine UK model (with a rectangular rear number plate) or a grey imported Japanese model (with smaller, squarer rear number plate)?

You might want to contact a member on here called Flaninacupboard (don't ask about his name!?! lol) who has converted his gen3? Prius with an 'enginer' ev kit. He has a wealth of experience both good and bad (traumatic importation from USA) and may be able to shed light on any questions you may have. Note that there are some shortcomings to the engier kit - it isn't really for your average Joe but an engineer such as you could have fun with it.

Check out the following links in the mean time;

http://www.enginer.us/
http://www.enginer.us/products/conversion_kit.php

and especially this one;

4kwh Enginer GenIII PHEV in UK

[glyndwr]

Hi grumpycabbie,

there are a few available, some jap imports and others uk spec, the jap has lower mileage, uk one has around 100k miles on it. Are the jap imports spec way off the uk spec in relation to batteries, would have thougth they were the same, but then again, maybe not.
Thing is now, these care are relatively cheap to buy 2nd hand now, and a mod with old batteries from a donor car may be ok to do with out spending an absolute fortune.
I havent purchased the car yet, as i am weighing up all the options. I would really like the new total ev cars, but they are way too expensive for me, being a carer for my disabled child.
I could purchase a small 1.4 hdi diesel in the short term, whilst the fully ev cars become available cheaper at a price i could afford, the these diesels will do an ave of 60mpg, but its still fuel.
The 2nd gen prius 2004 on are around £5000 to buy, abit too much for me.

I`ll check out those links you gave now, thanks for the heads up.

Best regards, Glyndwr

[quote=GrumpyCabbie;1460155]Hello and welcome

Is the 2001 Prius a genuine UK model (with a rectangular rear number plate) or a grey imported Japanese model (with smaller, squarer rear number plate)?

You might want to contact a member on here called Flaninacupboard (don't ask about his name!?! lol) who has converted his gen3? Prius with an 'enginer' ev kit. He has a wealth of experience both good and bad (traumatic importation from USA) and may be able to shed light on any questions you may have. Note that there are some shortcomings to the engier kit - it isn't really for your average Joe but an engineer such as you could have fun with it.

Check out the following links in the mean time;

[glyndwr]

Hi cpraudio

thanks for your input,

please may i enquire the main difference between the gen1 and 2 models in relation to the plug in kits. Thanks.

Originally Posted by cproaudio

You picked a poor candidate for plugin hybrid conversion. The only kit that works on a 2001 Prius is the Enginer kit. Had you picked a 2004 or newer, you'll have more choices of conversion kits such as Plugin Supply, Plug In Conversion Corp, Hymotion and Enginer. PiS and PICC would be the best choice because they allow pure EV driving and regen back into the add on pack.

[GrumpyCabbie]

Originally Posted by glyndwr

Hi grumpycabbie,

there are a few available, some jap imports and others uk spec, the jap has lower mileage, uk one has around 100k miles on it. Are the jap imports spec way off the uk spec in relation to batteries, would have thougth they were the same, but then again, maybe not.

The difference between the grey import Japanese models and the official Prius UK models are like the differences between chalk and cheese. They look very similar but that's about it.

The original Japan only Prius was built 1997-2001 and was almost like a test bed or mule model to test the technology before its release to the rest of the world in 2001. These first cars are known as NHW10's and used D cells (similar to the type you in a portable radio!). The NHW11 is the model officially exported to world markets and uses a battery system similar to the later Prius.

Check out the following wiki link;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_Prius_(XW10)

The NHW10 has many short comings that were corrected in the later NHW11 export model. All service equipment is Japanese based and in Japanese! You might be able to resurrect a faulty one with your electronic expertise and they can be obtained for £600.

If you're still after a cheap electric car to assist your green lifestyle then have you considered a second hand Aixam electric? OK, it's on the small size but they're cheap. One for sale on ebay for £4,000 if of interest?

2008/58 Aixam Mega City Electric Car | eBay

[glyndwr]

Hi grumycabbie,

many thanks for your input. The link and the info is very useful, i will indeed stay away from an inport armed with that information.

I have looked at the aixam, but to be honest, i am not on a green crusade, (i wish i could honestly say i was, but i`d be telling a porkie lie)

Its purely a cost saving crusade. I live on (and hate to admit) on income support based cares allowance as i have a disabled child who is wheelchair bound and totally dependant on others for everything. In the last 4 years we have seen our disposable income be eroded very quickly witht he hike in all fuels, diesel, gas and electric. The solar install does beneft us, but in addition with the feed in tarriff payment heps with the gas bill payment.

The car fuel i cannot get away from, If this project cannot happen due to cost, then i`ll probably put it off to a time where i can afford it, or go totally green with the new style electric vehicles being released now, like the nissan leaf etc... but that,ll have to be 2nd hand and much cheaper.

In the mean time i may have no option but to go for a small polo 1.4 tdi or 206 1.4 hdi as these are quite cheap to buy now (less than £2000) and will do around 60 mpg.

I`ll have to research more on this subject, but reading alot on here, the project does come with many headaches from charging and maintaining balance in the battery packs

Thnaks.

[aminorjourney]

Just as a side...

You're more than welcome to come along to the next BEVOB meet in Bristol. Lots of folks there with lots of different plug-in cars!

Nikki.
(Link to BEVoB below)
BEVoB - February 12, 2012 | Facebook