OEMtek Turns Hybrids into Plug-in Hybrids
by Michael Graham Richard, Gatineau, Canada on 02.20.08
OEMtek can turn your Prius hybrid into a plug-in hybrid. Concretely, this means adding a battery pack in the spare tire trunk of the car (without removing it) to extend the battery capacity* of the vehicle. The 9 kWh BREEZ battery can be recharged from the grid and is composed of standard-size cylindrical lithium-phosphate cells and can give the Prius an all-electric range of 30-35 miles (48-56 kilometers) per full charge. This increases fuel economy to 90 miles per gallon on the first 47 miles on the highway, and more than 150 mpg in low-speed urban driving for about the first 30-35 miles. OEMtek has been getting 125 mpg in combined driving during their own test (~7000 miles in 90 days).
Electricity from the grid in most of the U.S. might be dirty, but even with that factor taken into consideration, it would be better to plug in than to burn gasoline according to Tesla's white paper (pdf). And as the grid gets cleaner, the cars that get energy from it get cleaner.
OEMTEK’s core pack technology includes multiple safety systems, both passive and active, that monitor the level of charge and current of the battery cells. [...]Initially the OEMtek product will only be available in California, where more than 500,000 Toyota Prius vehicles have been sold. [...] OEMtek plans to offer plug-in conversions of Ford’s Escape hybrid SUV in late 2008.
The company already has 300 battery packs from Valence Technology, and they have announced that they would get 600 more modules. They are planning to do about 100 conversions per month by the end of 2008.
It's a small number, but you have to start somewhere, and it's a good educational tool to familiarize people with plug-in hybrids; people are always afraid of what they don't know, just like they were at first with hybrids.
Prices for the BREEZ pack are still high, though. Expect between 12,000 and 15,000 for a conversion.
*For those who are curious, the un-modified Prius has 1.2 kWh of battery capacity.
::OEMtek, ::Valence Technology to Supply Additional 600 Li-Ion Modules to OEMtek for PHEV Conversions
See also: ::CalCars, ::BYD F6DM: Will the First Plug-In Hybrid be Chinese?, ::GM's Chevy Volt Price Goes Up; Stereo, Wipers to Blame
Plug ins from car companies will certainly be less expensive, but if you consider how many 50k vehicles are on the streets in Cali, the price of a Prius + conversion isn't that bad.
"but if you consider how many 50k vehicles are on the streets in Cali, the price of a Prius + conversion isn't that bad."
I'm always amazed at the number of people who drive $40-50k gas guzzlers, yet say solar hot water heating and solar photo voltaic are "too expensive"
$30k gets you a nice safer, more fuel efficient mini van and money to buy something else.
I wonder how much weight that adds to the car. Especially when some PHEV conversions do far less than this one claims, if you generally drive long distances, it's presumeably possible that this could reduce the overall mileage.
I don't know of course, I'm just speculating, but it certainly is possible.
"I wonder how much weight that adds to the car. Especially when some PHEV conversions do far less than this one claims, if you generally drive long distances, it's presumeably possible that this could reduce the overall mileage."
I'm not sure, but the reason why this one is more effective than others probably has to do with the type of batteries. Li-ion have more energy density than NiMH.
And TOYota is planning on a PHEV Prius with a whopping 8 miles all electric. When is the general public going to smack them in the face and stop buying the current model, refuse to even consider the upcoming joke of a PHEV, and send TOYota packing? Probably when the Volt comes out. Not that I like any of the big 3, but I just assume give my money to the company which makes the next big "Prius" leap of faith.
Or, I'll just buy the 08-09 Jetta TDI Sportwagen. I'll take 50mpg on the highway, a real car with real performance, and the space of a wagon. Then I'll run home made biodiesel and thumb my nose at all you dopey fossil fuel burning, C02 belching Prius owners. :D
Look for a similar solution from A123 systems due out later this year. Unless it's out already? For the weight concious, their nanophosphate tech is pretty light...
Willy- Toyota isnt planning on selling a PHEV with an 8mile electric range-thats where they are now, an 8 mile range isnt worth any kind of premium that im sure a PHEV Prius would cost. They still have time to get the number higher (hopefully much higher) much like the Volt isnt ready and they've already admitted it wont have the range they originally planned and it will cost more. Both are hoping that continued progress will make a PHEV and/or REEV economically viable by 2010.
As for why theyre stuck at 8 mile range- Toyota has to consider safety, warranties, emissions etc that aftermarket conversions dont. The current battery tech they use wont charge or discharge completely in order to preserve the life of the batteries. Lithium batteries arent as safe as NiMh (although some companies seem to have solved that problem- i doubt they would just hand over that technology to Toyota or anyone without major compensation). Also alot of these conversions compromise the emission control systems- they may burn less gas- but they spew more crap into the environment- again all factors that any manufacturer has to consider- but aftermarket....not so much.
I wish one of these companies would actally get something to market. Personally, I am also waiting for the A123 system. Safety is important and I want something that can be recycled.
My only concern is that I am going to get in an accident after having it installed. :( Murphy's law.
"Then I'll run home made biodiesel and thumb my nose at all you dopey fossil fuel burning, C02 belching Prius owners. :D"
Hello,
So you can make biodiesel w/o fossil fuels?
Please let the rest of us biodiesel makers out there know how you do because you seem to be the only one!
Thanks
Willy also consider that the Plug-In kit from Toyota will be a very cheap option, compared to aftermarket kits above 10k$.
Another misconception is that a EV-8 will only travel you 8 miles.
- Coasting = no power usage, slowing down to red lights, for traffic, for a stop sign
- Regenerative breaking = gaining 10-15% of the power that was used to move
When on the highway, the Prius powertrain is providing more power than what the car needs to maintain 55Mph or 60Mph - so the batteries get recharged. Rather quickly.
From a red (1/8) to full green bars, only 10 - 15 minutes at highway speeds are required.
So imagine a 5 mile commute to the highway, EV-8 almost drained. Then highway 15+ minutes, EV-8 recharged. Off the highway to final destination, 4 miles.
There will be sufficient charge to make it back to the highway to recharge the batteries.
Or plug-in at work - most likely not practical.
On the highway, once the batteries are full (green) the Prius alternates between EV & Gas mode to save some fuel.
In my personal case, I can get to work w/o using the highway, and less than 8 miles one-way.
I can plug-in at work.
So imagine my daily commute produce Zero pollution, other than the power plant.
Controlling emissions at the power plant is easier and "greener" than controlling millions of cars.
So a 25k$ (new) Prius with 12$K EV-30 kit, is actually overkill for most people.
Unless you want to eliminate gas usage even on the highway - meaning driving no more than 50Mph in the left lane. Something I personally hate.
I'd rather use a little gas and be left or middle lane.
So for me, I'm looking at today's price, a EV-8 kit for less than 5k$.
I'll be in a position to buy that in 2010 - which means battery prices will have dropped dramatically.
Which means gas prices will have increased dramatically.
So I got a car to be ahead of the curve.
The Prius is so fast - because of the EVT transmission (no gear ratios) that on roads & highways, I'm even ahead of the pack.
IOW, power performance is amazing. Today's Prius is not like first generation from five years ago.
only the wealthy, gadget freeks, celebs & extreem greens will pay premium prices for these over priced plug ins. as for me, i'll wait till they come out with an ultra clean diesel that gets 60 mpg while improve the environment & re-couping my investments a lot quicker.