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Rainbow Prius Hybrid Powered by Lithium!

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Accessories and Modifications' started by jacktheripper, Dec 24, 2019.

  1. royrose

    royrose Senior Member

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    You have opened the door to questions, so I'll keep asking. Are manufacturers of EVs and plug in hybrids using LiFePO4 batteries? If not, why not. If the technology is available to an independent developer like yourself, you would think that vehicle manufacturers would use it.

    Edit: I've been reading about it via Google. It looks like there are some trade offs that might affect manufacturers choices.
     
    #21 royrose, Dec 25, 2019
    Last edited: Dec 25, 2019
  2. Rmay635703

    Rmay635703 Senior Member

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    Having a lithium battery that follows the nimh curve would allow you to oversize it to about double the capacity and have a short plug in range if an interceptor were developed.

    too bad really, Prius has always deserved a drop in plug in device without all the hassle
     
  3. jacktheripper

    jacktheripper Active Member

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    sorry man, PIP use regular lithium-ion battery.
    regular lithium-ion battery has better power density but require very strict battery management system to keep batteries in check.
     
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  4. jacktheripper

    jacktheripper Active Member

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    Hi Mike, I have worked with Peter Perkins (expert in hacking Honda hybrid).
    Unlike Prius, different Honda hybrid require different "physical hardware" to convert the CAN bus signal, Google "Peter Perkins honda insight".
     
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  5. jacktheripper

    jacktheripper Active Member

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    LiFePO4 is heavier and less energy-dense, but much safer and last much longer.
     
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  6. Rmay635703

    Rmay635703 Senior Member

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    short answer is that automotive companies really only start using a certain tech until it has been around 25 years and only after some other industry uses it a while.

    LIFEPO4 is too young still
     
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  7. PriusCamper

    PriusCamper Senior Member

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    Which is why Tesla is now many, many years ahead of their competition because they're more like a software company where you ship the product as its earliest unfinished version and send out software upgrades that fix problems and optimize as you go... The rest of the auto industry is entirely antiquated in that regard and come the next economic downturn, there's going to be some big names in car making that will be no more.
     
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  8. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    Totally agree with the advance fixes - Tesla's LCD screens are failing because the eMMC memory inside the MCU Media Control Unit ceases after a certain amount of reads and writes. These memory NAND chips are turned on and off rapidly for binary data, although fast to respond and smaller than typical computer RAM, life span is limited and must be replaced.

    Replacement part- $1,700 to $1,800
    Labor - $165/hr.
    E-Waste disposable pile - growing by the minute

    UPDATE: Tesla Cars Have A Memory Problem That May Cost You A Lot To Repair
     
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  9. StarCaller

    StarCaller Senior Member

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    I'd rather use some antiquated, reliable stuff than paying to be the guinea pig for some company /
     
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  10. PriusCamper

    PriusCamper Senior Member

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    Do you still use a flip phone too?
     
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  11. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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  12. StarCaller

    StarCaller Senior Member

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    says the one with a 13 year old prius.... :whistle:
     
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  13. PriusCamper

    PriusCamper Senior Member

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    At least I'm ok with and understand the entire basis upon which my two year old phone is built upon and don't live in denial of the dozens of corporations using me as a guinea pig...
     
  14. J1050

    J1050 New Member

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    Wow, the car looks great! I'm excited about your battery project and will be looking out for updates! (y)
     
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  15. Civiceg94

    Civiceg94 Member

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    I would love a bigger and stronger battery so my plug in could give me more miles to the charge
     
  16. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    Smaller battery and higher amp hour are on my wish list. Bigger would undo my MPGs.
     
  17. Civiceg94

    Civiceg94 Member

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    If we could get the size of a tesla module it would be great. They look smaller and have more punch in power.
     
  18. PriusCamper

    PriusCamper Senior Member

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    This is also why the shift from ICE to hybrid is way easier than Hybrid to all electric.

    When Tesla first started building electric cars they built the vehicle on a lotus chassis, which failed all the crash tests because you can't just mount a bunch of batteries on a chassis that wasn't designed for it in the first place.

    In other words, you have to build a chassis that's designed to the exact load and distribution of the battery pack and Tesla has done such a good job at that, it's routinely given the highest crash test ratings.

    Meanwhile all the other major auto makers have all their money tied up in long term chassis tooling for non-battery pack carrying crumple zones / crash test designs.

    The amount of long-term investment required to create a proven chassis for long-range all electric vehicles is a huge driving force in auto maker resistance to building all electric... The only issue greater is that they sell four times as many parts in an ICE car compared to an electric car. And that's a really dangerous economic ship to downsize and not sink in the process... That's the reason why Toyota is so adamant about hybrids being the solution of the future and not electric cars.
     
  19. vvillovv

    vvillovv Senior Member

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    I think the same idea was on the mind of almost everyone that owned a PiP 5 years ago. See the 5 year old thread here at PC with a title something like "What do you want in the next gen Prius Plugin" ... I'll see if I can find it and post the link.
    Looking to the future: what hybrid should toyota build next? | PriusChat
    I thought there was another thread too.

    Scangauge will work in both Honda and Toyota Hybrids. But, programming many of the more meaningful hybrid gauges is required in most cases. There are codes for some well known ones here in an old thread and » ScanGauge II
     
    #39 vvillovv, Jan 2, 2020
    Last edited: Jan 3, 2020
  20. mjoo

    mjoo Senior Member

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    I'm interested especially if the battery has lower internal resistance than NiMH allowing faster charging and more regen braking. It also depends on capacity, price, and how easy it is to find replacement battery modules.