Plug In Supply Max Electric speed now 72 mph ?????

34mph is the maximum speed the car can go when in OEM EV mode (in the US)
52mph is the maximum speed when the car is tricked to thinking it is out of gas.
The max speed is only limited by physics and drive strength when you trick the car into thinking everything is ok with a very overcharged pack (and some other fancy voodoo). Powering up to 70mph in EV mode however will make a turtle race seem exciting. Also above 42mph, the ICE must spin even without gas, so it is more than just dead weight, it is actively trying to eat your joules.

 

I would choose hands down the PICC equipment against the other competitors; they have the best TECHNOLOGY.

 

Still no gen3, and still not UK. Well, can't be long now...

 

Plug In Supply has a great product, but the cost/benefit doesn't make much sense, not that the Enginer or Hymotion kits do either. For the price of the Plug In Supply or Hymotion kits, it makes more sense, to me anyway, to convert a different vehicle to pure EV. I'm planning on that route with my Insight, someday.

 

Financially no EV makes sense right now. It is a passion, not an investment.

 

The Leaf makes a lot of sense in the UK! try paying over $8 a gallon for petrol! I was paying close to $5,000 a year for petrol before switching to the prius. Even after becoming a PHEV it'll be ~$1,800 a year.

 

Hey, that's really a big monetary difference.

 

And to add to that, they have 230V electricity so can get a decent charge rate without any fancy wiring.

 

Ya, a board that takes this 10-12KW conversion to 72mph is a mixed blessing. I would find that the speed over the 52mph that I currently enjoy (in pure EV) to be occasionally useful, though in the long run, probably not an efficient use of electrons.

Scott
Scott's Plug-in Pruis Blog | Converting my 2009 Pruis into a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV)

 

If you look back on the forum threads in December, I posted that I mentioned that I've completed the additional circuitry and software required to spin the ICE for the 70 MPH EV mode.

It's in the product!

 

I will finally begin work on the Gen 3 in a couple weeks. Robb is going to complete the battery pack modification and hand over the car to me

It'll be some time before I'm done with the software.

But rest assured! We're finally starting development on the Gen 3!!

 

Is this the same hack as the PICC's?

 

Cool. And what about sales in the UK? I'll be looking to swap out my current Enginer system for a 10kwh+ 60mph+ system in 2012.

I also didn't like the operating instructions telling you you needed to pull over and shut the car down to exit EV mode, and you must not enter EV mode over 52mph. i believe pEEf's system automagically reverts control to the hybrid ECU once his plugin pack is exhausted, that seems a bit more elegant. i also couldn't really tell form the website whether this system replaces the nimh HV pack or uses a DC converter to boost it?

 

It certainly is! I went from year round average 36.1mpg to 64.0mpg with the prius, and the plugin is currenty in the high 70's. It'll be higher in spring/summer, but not sure just how high yet. it's also still not operating at full capacity.

 

I forgot to mention.

This version of EV mode does not require you to pull over to regain ICE power. The computer automatically enables the ICE when needed.

Looks like the website wasn't updated.. It's in the video though..

pEEf's system replaces the entire battery pack and battery electronics. The PIS system does not replace any component within the vehicle.

It's a much safer system in the rare case that a PIS component should fail, the car will drive as a normal Prius.

 

Similar. It's what pEEf and the Ewerts have done.

Our design allows for normal hybrid operation in the case any component fails. We don't remove the NiMh battery pack or any Toyota computer/ECU.

 

Bravo!...Robb is mailing me the new board this week

Scott

 

Kiet> great news that your are finally on the gen3 trail, ha!
I'm kind of perplexed that such important news, that PICC is no longer alone in the 72mph club, has not been welcomed with more buzz around here and elsewhere on the internets!
But as you say it's was probably a teaser for the moment: http://priuschat.com/forums/prius-p...88262-2011-plug-in-supply-product-teaser.html

Also, could you pls. comment on the BMS system you are using in the kit, is it inhouse or outsourced solution? Given the recent wave of burned conversion EVs around the world, mainly due to charging-BMS accidents, I just have to ask sorry.

Yet, another important question, what about people already having Enginer installed, would it be working with your new controller board only? Imagine scenario: I've got older Enginer batt. pack or his DC-DC converter plus my own diy pack say 4-6kWh and desperately want only upto ~50mph cruising speed PHEV envelope, accelerations done mostly/exclusively in blended/HEV mode. Is it going to be compatible with your new board? I guess there shouldn't be a major problem right? Only limitation being the max. power/current output of Enginer's DC-DC unit available against the desired gliding speed..

Flanina> did you notify your insurance agency and/or undertake some technical inspection for the Enginer addon? I'm asking since in Europe one can expect much more redtape and questioning in case of some unexpected troubles/accident should occur. But UK seems to be pretty easy going in this respect, remember how Nikki destroyed her Prius, it was supposedly covered by the insurance co. without much questions asked, I doubt this would go as smoothly on the continent though (e.g. in DE, AUT).

More importantely, the PIS seems to indicate on their updated homepage they also offer kits, so unlike PICC, which allows only for authorized US based installers, this should be doable across the pond as well.

General comment on the importance of 52-72mph EV mode speeds:
Yes it could be described as "turtles olympics" but that's not set in stone! You can freely accelerate in blended/ICE mode to say upto desired lower highway speeds of ~55-60mph quite swiftly and than turn on the e.juice supply and voila, from now sipping energy only thanks to the PHEV pack while cruising and it should be bellow sucking 100A; similarly when you are driving into a steep hilly zone, again apply more ICE for a while just to pass that terrain obstacle. This strategy has been demonstrated in those videos as well. Yep, it's not 100% EV or according to the traditional HEV hypermiller's bible, but one could be glad for such 95-99% non gasoline driving, plus you have to cycle the ICE components from time to time as well for better durability. Especially, in the rest of the world where $8/gallon and worse is the norm of the day.. not talking about possible oil shocks any day..

 

Wow, lots of questions! I'll try to answer as much as I can!

Yeah, it was a teaser. I'm sending out my board design to the PCB manufacturer on Monday. It's finalized! Current PIS customers can upgrade, they just have to go through Robb. I'm just the software engineer

The BMS that I'm using in my vehicle is the EV Works/Aussie BMS with a MiniBMS head end board. Future PIS(March and beyond) will be using custom inhouse BMS boards.

It actually may present an issue. To make the system "work", it requires both the PIS front controller and PIS engine controller. I used to own an Enginer pack. There's no way that the DC/DC converter can output enough current for sustained cruise at 50 MPH or greater. Not even up to around 40...

I believe Robb is going to open this up to DIYers like yourself... Just contact him about it He's a friendly guy!

If you watch the video on the plug-in supply webpage, you should be able to see me do just that on I-10 in Southern California. I "floored" the pedal to demonstrate that I still have the ability to use the ICE motor. As soon as I no longer required that amount of acceleration, the PIS controllers enabled EV mode and kept the ICE spinning without fuel. It's perfect!