Does anybody have any mpg results after a couple years of the Nexcell lithium battery swap for a gen 2? Considering that in 5 years for my prius.
what's the condition of your gen 2 04? Might have something to do with, what you might be able to expect in 5 years from now. Why not hit up the owner of Nexpower for the DrPrius report from his 04.
I bit the bullet and bought my pack last month because it was available. Staying ahead of price increases and supply chain constraints on lithium seems like a good now and a great idea tomorrow. I consistently read 50+mpg with increased power and AC performance.
Can someone in cold weather report on sub freezing performance / start ups and cold weather mpg? Anyone willing to drive in PWR mode and give us mpg and performance report? Freezing temps are coming to certain regions and would be good to see how well they perform.
If I do I'll let you know. I'm afraid to get one though because of fear of damage from the cold. I don't think any 2nd gen Prii have PWR mode.
I have the lithium battery in my car for two years already and I live in the high desert. The temps here range from low teens to triple digit temps. I have been starting my car the last few days and the temps where 22-27F I still get 50-60mpg Check out my profile for the lithium link
I'd be intrested in anyone that lives in a cold area as well. It's been around -15°F the past few mornings with a high today of around 20°F, and it will continue to be that way until March with temps possibly as low as -40°F. The NiMH batteries don't seem to mind, but I would be concerned about anything lithium.
Do you have any type of reporting gear on your setup to capture battery temp data? I'm literally working with PriusCamper right now to explore options for a battery heater to use on the Lithium setup. It feels like a robust addition to make sure the pack thrives in all conditions and lives a good long life.
Dr. Prius app tracks battery temps and charging / discharging amps. Will be good to track what happens in frigid temps. In the next few weeks the coldest frigid subzero weather is about to bomb the US. It would be good to know how well the pack performs without any assistance other than the Toyota hybrid system doing its work. This is the only way we know what limits it can take and if the Toyota hybrid system and self heating process will make the pack usable in frigid conditions. Anyone who does not want to risk their new pack getting cold weather damage should not try this. But we should gather the data so we know the limits and the effects. Live weather tracking. Like past years almost the entire US will be freezing. https://www.windy.com/-Temperature-temp?temp,44.024,-98.350,4
It will behave no differently then the NiMh OEM Battery. All Hybrid Battery behavior related to temp will be the exact same whether it's NiMh or Project Lithium because all behavior is ECU regulated. It's true that the battery chemistry of the Project Lithium Battery is slightly less ideal for cold... but the Battery ECU and Hybrid Control ECU are what dictates the amperage output and charge level based upon temperature... not the Battery itself. Just drove my 2009 Gen 2 Prius with Project Lithium in it yesterday in 10°F weather... Maximum amperage output and charge were throttled to about 1/3rd because of the cold temps... but the exact same thing happens with OEM NiMh because that's all regulated by the Hybird Control ECU based upon the temperature parameters Battery ECU is transmitting. Once the Hybrid Battery begins to warm up... the Hybrid Control ECU begins to ease charge and discharge restriction upon it. At about 55°F and up... Maximum Amperage output of 120 amps is allowed so you will get maximum acceleration. Between 77-104°F (ideal operating temp range) Maximum charge of 100 amps is allowed so you will get maximum regenerative braking. It is purely the Battery ECU and Hybrid Control ECU that determine how the Hybrid Battery behaves... not necessarily the Hybrid Battery itself. We will see how my Project Lithium Battery holds up in frigid Wisconsin temps this Winter... so far so good.
It's very similar in the Primes Lithium battery as well. much like how @TheLastMojojomo describes above. Many new Prime owner asking why their EV miles drop noticeably when temps start to drop into the freezing zone. And it's not easy to explain all the details of how and why. I monitor battery temp with DrPrius and other sensors with Hybrid Assistant and TPMS using Tire Assistant apps.
