My version of Li-ion modules for Toyota/Prius NiMH

Take your time... I'll be here.

I haven't spent enough time in both camps to fully understand the Toyota mindset...
...but if members on other Toyota forums behave like they do here on PriusChat, I think that's the answer.

Based on my experience with the Toyota's hybrid electronics, there isn't much difference between Honda and Toyota hacking from a technology perspective. Honestly, the Prius is easier from a hardware perspective, as the only electrical interface I have to interact with is a single 8p connector, whereas the Insight has quite a few more other signals to spoof/appease.

It's funny because most people think that moving to a serial-based architecture makes things harder, but IMO it makes everything easier... with just three wires on the CAN bus, you can basically do anything. This reminds me of a video Andy did a few years back:

To clarify: Someone from Team Jack thought they were insulting me by branding me with that moniker. I thought it was funny, hence the reason it's now in my signature. Honestly it correctly describes my affinity, so not sure why they thought it would bother me. Bless their heart.

I'm the first to admit I've logged very few hours in the Toyota ecosystem. However, so far my career odometer is around 70k hours, during which time I've become exceptionally good at assimilating, abstracting, and applying knowledge. In other words, my inexperience with Toyotas specifically doesn't really matter much, because with enough experience it doesn't really matter what logo is slapped onto the device you're tinkering in.

For example, even though I'm new to Toyota, I'm probably the only person outside Toyota who has deciphered their gen3+ hybrid serial data bus. tbh it wasn't even that hard, although it did require focus for numerous hours. I'm retired, so I get ~80 hours a week to spend on whatever engineering projects I'm most interested in. Not having deadlines breathing down my neck is both a blessing and a curse, particularly since I'm almost always working on several projects simultaneously. Time is certainly my most limiting factor.

LiBSU only became my primary interest in the last couple weeks. Right now I'm ramping up to 50 hours a week in Toyota Land.

I don't have a concrete answer to your question. Ask me again next year and maybe I'll have more Toyota domain knowledge.

 

Are you intending to place an inline power MOSFET in series with the pack positive?
If so, any out-of-bounds excursion will disconnect the traction battery from the hybrid system, which is a jarring customer experience. We're talking MIL and car dead on the side of the road. That design could meet ISO26262 ASIL-C safety requirements, but it won't be pleasant.

Active balancing is overkill for automotive traction batteries.
Packs in poor health won't benefit much from active balancing.
Packs in good health will stay balanced with C/100 passive balancing (e.g. 50 mA for a 5000 mAh pack).
Active balancing will work, but it's not necessary.

Yes, LiBSU generates every battery parameter, and has absolute control over battery charging/discharging. Specifically, LiBSU can prevent pack current whenever it wants (e.g. cell full, cell empty, too cold, too hot, etc).

Moreover, LiBSU has numerous levers to pull to gradually coax the hybrid system into charging/discharging/idling the pack. This allows LiBSU to force/limit/prevent assist/regen without using the nuclear option (i.e. opening a high power MOSFET). Of course, if the SHTF, LiBSU can open the OEM contactors and assert the MIL, too.