Did anyone convert the Prius C to a plug-in hybrid?

There was a whole thread about this but it turned into arguments regarding Enginer's credibility. I really want to have a plug-in system installed but I need to hear testimonials.

 

no one has ever converted a C to a plug in. there is one thread here where a guy named jeremy claimed he started the process of installing a piskit, but then he fell off the face of the earth.

 

Here is the thread where Enginer's credibility was questioned:
Enginer PHEV Conversion. | PriusChat

And I agree with bisco. No Prius C has ever been converted or else we would have heard about it..

 

Given it's current "warm up" requirement before allowing EV power , there would be little gained by convering a Prius C to a "plug in" IMO because 99% of the time when starting a trip the battery is *already full* and my ICE is still churning away for minutes/miles on end because you're starting a trip with a cold ICE engine that the C's CPU feels compelled to warm up. Would would having plugged my Prius C overnight have accomplished? One bar more of charge on a battery that the car's CPU isn't letting us use anyway????
however...

Since our cars are basically drive-by-wire, and that wire is talking to a CPU that in turns powers the car, it seems like a software update could be use to "tune" the algorithms that govern the ICE/electric decision making. I'm wondering if anyone has explored this reprogramming? that might enable a plug-in mod to actually gain something, and might even allow folks without a plug-in mod to get better MPG assuming it's not neccessary to "warm up" that ICE prior to EV driving.

 

A plug-in C would have a much larger battery. That's the only reason to do this type of mod. The ICE might come on for warm-up, but you could run in EV after that and use the larger battery for extended EV range.
Depending in the size if the HV battery, you could go for 20, 40 or 60 miles in EV

 

As long as you use your current battery. I rarely ever deplete the one I have, so my bigger battery would just be a waste of space, unless I could remap the electric motor for more power... which would be possible with the larger battery, but not sure about software. I know our current motor can generate much more power than what it's putting out, it just doesn't because of our small batteries.

 

A larger battery at the same voltage will give you better EV range. Yes, you would need to tweak the systems
controls to make it a true plug-in, but the new MG2 is more robust and better suited for plug-in use when compared
to previous versions of the design. The overrun design will allow higher MPH than any of the older versions.
They just won't design one because it would get the best eMPG on the planet.


I drove the C-Max Energi with it's 7.6 kWH battery. I was able to drive over 18 miles on a 70% charge.
If they put a 7.6 kWH battery in the C and made it a plug-in, I bet you could get over 60 miles, EV only.
I live in a mountainous area and can regen a battery past full capacity very easy. I was able to regen the C-Max battery
past the hybrid level and back into the EV only stage. I gained back 5 miles of EV only mode into the battery pack. I love the idea of possibly driving around here for the day and never use more than a gallon of gas, if that.

They can design a large capacity battery to whatever voltage they choose. It's the battery kWH rating that add's the EV benefit. The larger the kWH the longer you can run in EV only mode.
I like the idea of an HV battery having two stages of use. After the first (EV) stage is depleted, you run it in the hybrid mode with regen as you do now. If you can add back enough voltage, the EV stage is available to the capacity you add back. The Ford also had an EV mode later button.
You can put the car into EV later to save stage 1 to maximize EV only use. Say you want to run the freeway from home on your trip. Save the EV mode where you'll gain maximum use off the freeway during the city part of your trip.
Or, you can blend it in auto mode just like we do with the Toyota's. The HV battery capacity is the key. Power to weight ratio's can be a factor, but if you had even a 4.1 kWH (same as the PIP) battery in the C, I bet you could get over 100 MPG's

 

Great info. Any idea why carmakers like Toyota don't offer this from the get-go? Added cost?

 

1) they do, it's called pip.

2) plug in C would have a hatch full of batteries. that's why the c max is so large on the outside with such small hatch volume.

 

As battery technology has gained ground, the latest Lithium battery is still very large when you get into
the higher kWH range. The additional cost of it being a lithium is pretty steep. Now add-on a larger
capacity and your looking at $5 to $7K. The C-Max Energi has a 7.6 kWH lithium battery.

 

Nissan has a price for a refurbished 24kwh battery. $7,300. I guess they figure that with greater supply, they will be able to drop the price of the batteries they are making.

 

I bet a battery that big new would be about double

 

pluginsupply has some options, pricy though.

 

welcome to pchat mpg101! all the best with your c!

 

I would have thought that the state of charge of the battery when you arrive home each day would depend on the terrain covered immediately before parking the car at home - our Prius C usually only has two bars on it when we take off each morning, so we get about 1km (with a short but sharp downhill for 50 m) before the ICE kicks in for a short spell and if there could be some extra battery on tap we could go further in Ev mode - but any plug-in would have to be charging extra batteries to be effective.
I would love to be able to add some extra EV cruise capacity to my Prius C - still love the car as it is though...

 

welcome to priuschat andrewcc! all the best!

 

Plug-In Supply Do It Yourself (DIY) Plug-In Conversion Kits - Assembly and Installation Instructions | Prius C

Plug-In Supply Do It Yourself (DIY) Plug-In Conversion Kits - Assembly and Installation Instructions | Prius C

there are some pics of C installation from plug in supply. I was thinking to use their parts, but I changed the project.

checked with plug in supply. all you need is

1) front controller $350
2) rear controller $350
3) double contactor $800 - not sure if I can use DIY one for their controller. DIY one should cost $300 for two high Volt high Amp contactors.
4) battery pack. plug in supply told me will need 205V battery pack for Prius C. not sure why need 205V, the HV battery on C is about 144Volt.
will need at least 60ah battery pack. it will draw 60 amp to 150 amp to charge the HV battery to make the electric motor run more.

3.2V 60ah cell - 192W each cell
64 cells to make 205V pack. 12.2KW package. usable 9840W
C has 0.9KW HV battery. usable W is about 540W. usually I can run it about 2 miles low speed.
9840W/540W = 18.22 X 2 = 36.44 E miles.

if my math is correct.
24kWh on Leaf = about 80miles range, acceleration by motor too. it will use more Watt.

5) some high Volt high amp cable. that is all.


now I am starting working on E-Wheel project.

Cheap DIY plug in system? decide to go with e-trailer | PriusChat

 

I joined this forum just to follow this thread. As much as I WANT to believe that getting an $8k conversion package, I feel like it's just not worth the money yet. Maybe battery/fit will come down in price once we start seeing the Tesla 3 and the GM Bolt?