Plug-in Supply $6,095 plugin kit DIY

Discussion in 'Prius, Hybrid, EV and Alt-Fuel News' started by Flying White Dutchman, May 8, 2008.

  1. clett
    Re: pluginsupply 6095 dollars plugin kit DIY

    EV up to 52 mph - any comments on that one anyone?
  2. hill
    Re: pluginsupply 6095 dollars plugin kit DIY

    Wow! I'm going to do my homework right now!
  3. morpheusx
    Re: pluginsupply 6095 dollars plugin kit DIY

    yeah that's what I'd like to know about, I thought EV was limited to 34 MPH regardless.
  4. patsparks
    Re: pluginsupply 6095 dollars plugin kit DIY

    I could half my commute fuel spend from $1600 per year to $800 but that means it would take 7.6 years to pay for excluding interest and electricity cost.
    I think I can get more from a 1 kV PV array on my house roof for the same out of pocket cost.
  5. DaveinOlyWA
    Re: pluginsupply 6095 dollars plugin kit DIY

    now what is the stats, timeframe, performance and cost of the LiPO4 's ?

    well, since the Bonneville Power admin has reinstated the kickback that we used to enjoy, my electric rates are back to where they were at 5¼ to 7¼ cents per kwh. so the very small cost the drive my Zenn has gone down 2.2 cents per kwh or about 30%

    a larger battery controller would allow a higher speed in EV since current EV speeds are limited by software to prevent overheating of the system. i am assuming they have designed safety features to prevent this and it sounds like a much more invasive mod than the hymotion, so waranty issues would be a thing to look at.
  6. efusco
    Re: pluginsupply 6095 dollars plugin kit DIY

    Plug-In Supply Inc of Petaluma CaliforniaBattery chemistry: Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) or Lead Acid (PbA).
    Expected battery life: 11+ years for LiFePO4, 2 years for PbA.

    System weight: 150 lb for Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) and 360 lb for Lead-Acid (PbA).
    Battery Pack Mounting Location: under rear cargo deck on top of spare tire. Battery box lifts up on springs to access spare tire.
    Capacity: 5kW
    Voltage: 256 VDC
    Charge time: 6 to 8 hours from any 110 VAC / 15A outlet.
    On-board charger mounts under front seats or in cargo area.
  7. efusco
    Re: pluginsupply 6095 dollars plugin kit DIY

    So with the LiFePO4 it looks like very similar specs as with the Hymotion/A123 set up. But I don't see a price for the Li set on the site.

    Anyone want to contact them and ask about a group buy price?
  8. DaveinOlyWA
    Re: pluginsupply 6095 dollars plugin kit DIY

    ok....2009... ya... everyone will have it by then... definitely sounds good, but Toyota will be offering an OEM version in less than a year by then.

    it does get me excited though. now more than ever, there are so many "promises" out there for real options. some have to pan out... i cant wait to see who comes out on top of all this.
  9. efusco
    Re: pluginsupply 6095 dollars plugin kit DIY

    I sent an e-mail.
  10. efusco
    Re: pluginsupply 6095 dollars plugin kit DIY

    And got a less than enthusiastic reply:

    Evan, I can give a 10% discount to EAA members. Not sure what the Li price will be. Probably close to Hymotions price. Robb


    Here's the page to join EAA ($40)
  11. efusco
    Re: pluginsupply 6095 dollars plugin kit DIY

    Another e-mail when I asked him to send me an update when they had pricing for the Li pack...

    I hope to start selling the Li system in August. It will have several features Hymotion does not have like: 1. You keep your spare tire. 2. Three mode operation: stock Prius, Toyota EV (32 mph) and PIS EV (52 mph max). 3. Open source.
  12. DaveinOlyWA
    Re: pluginsupply 6095 dollars plugin kit DIY

    well this is promising. shorter EV range, but more flexible in its operation is a HUGE selling point and the range at 16 miles is at the border of what i need it for...very interesting. i guess now all we need is a price...
  13. Pinan
    Re: pluginsupply 6095 dollars plugin kit DIY

    This is interesting:

    "Electric Vehicle mode means gas engine does not start. To exit this mode car must be brought to a stop, turned off then restarted. Car restarts in normal Prius mode.
    Range in EV mode: 16+ miles per charge. Depends on terrain and driving style.
    Max speed in EV mode: 52 mph.

    ~~
    Funny that you have to stop the car, then restart to exit EV mode. Kinda inconvenient. Is this how they all will be?
  14. DaveinOlyWA
    Re: pluginsupply 6095 dollars plugin kit DIY

    inconvenient, ya a little, surprising? not really. to attain speeds beyond the programmed limit of the system, a completely new bootup would be one way to do it. whole new software set. since so much of everything that controls the Pri is tied together, it would be a mess of workarounds to get over the 34 mph EV limit.

    i dont see it as much of a hurdle to be honest with ya. know your route, look for a stop sign or light in about the right area... in my situation there are many to choose from. pulling over to engage this is not something i think would be necessary very often, although they dont address what happens if you simply come to the end of your range. that would be a question to ask...

    does going from EV to normal require a shutdown also when EV has exhausted its range? or does it happen automatically?. i would think the latter... if not, i guess you could switch over when you coast to a stop on a discharged battery pack
  15. efusco
    Re: pluginsupply 6095 dollars plugin kit DIY

    My commute is just under 15 miles and I should be able to plug in at work...so this would get me darn close to a AEV commute. In the winter I might need to use the ICE some, but dang this would be sweet since there are times I need to go up to about 45mph (downhill only).
  16. TheForce
    I think the 52mph EV mode simulates the gas out situation. Correct me if I'm wrong. This might not be healthy for the Prius if used a lot not to mention this may void some warranties on certain parts of the car.

    The lead acid batteries is another issue I have with this conversion right now. I don't want to replace the batteries every few years. Not to mention the weight of the things.

    Another thing is the cargo floor cannot be used with these boxes right? Unless they made some changes I don't know about. I think I would need the floor.

    Having access to the spare is a plus.

    How is this thing secured? Just with springs? What would keep it from flying out the back and into the back of your head in a crash? I hope there is some kind of locking mechanism to keep the thing from flying up in an accident.

    If they was offering LiON now for about the same cost as the Hymotion pack and had the same or more distance/KW I think I would cancel my order with Hymotion and order this one. The main reason would be the ability for the extra batteries to capture regen. But after thinking about it I think I only remember getting about %68-%69 SOC max one or two times out of normal driving conditions. The only time I ever been able to capture more than that was with a force charge. Plus its open source and DYI. I love to support open source and DYI. :D
  17. nerfer
    For an oil-free option, this would be great for me. I can get to work 3 miles away at <32 mph and on all-electric. But with today's gas prices, I'd only be saving $200/year (2000 miles/year all-electric replacing 37 mpg commute * $3.70 = $200), so if I was worried about break-even point, that would be a long, long time. Even if I assume my longer trips would benefit from this, it would still be hard to justify. That's the problem with justifying buying anything for a 3-mile commute (except a bike, but my 1995 bike is still working fine).
  18. Flying White Dutchman
    there is also th option to get it with out the pba batteries
    and look for cheaper maybe better batteries!!
    or if you commute is only 7 mile to and 7 miles back and you can plug it at work you only need half the battery capacity!
  19. NoMoShocks
    It will be shocking if Toyota doesn't come out on top, considering their marketing advanges bundling the plug-in feature with Prius. I want my system fully integrated (no extra displays hanging around) and $10 K is more than 1/3 the price of a new Prius. I am wondering if 123 is a little too late with their release and they should concentrate on making a pitch to Toyota to buy their batteries.

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