need some help on modifying my prius

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(caliprius83 @ May 16 2006, 09:40 PM) [snapback]256667[/snapback]</div>

1. You still haev to charge the battery some way so you will burn the gas to do the job.

2. The Pottery Barn Principle... "You break it, you own it."


Also, the is some question about just how far you can go in EV mode before the ICE starts just to get/keep the anti-polution bits up to temperature. This is why the ICE runs more (and mileage is lower) in the winter.

 

No, i haven't done it, and i haven't seen anyone post on the site that they had.

Toyota has stated (http://priuschat.com/Latest-on-custom-plug-in-conversion-t19692.html posted most recently) that these types of modifications void the warrenty, which completely turns me off the idea, at least for the next 10 years.

Delivering on the promised mileage: the principle is sound, so long as you can charge the batteries from an outlet (cause otherwise it would be charged from the ICE and defeat the purpose). the question really comes down to your driving habits and conditions. the EV mod will ensure that, so long as you are under 34 MPH, you are running on battery power alone. Above that, however, you would have to modify the software in the computer to keep the ICE from turning on (and i would say thats generally a bad thing)

Is it worth the time/money/effort? That is really a personal decision. It is (potentially) better for the environment (depending on the source of the power that charges the batteries: solar, wind, coal, nuke, etc). It's is also most likely cheaper per mile traveled, but you are shelling out a lot of money up front, which would take a very long time to pay back.

 

There are several people on the verge of introducing (hopefully) a system to do just this. You are best to wait for a turn-key package, IMO, as they will hopefully hash out the warranty implications. I've been researching this quite a bit, and its not as easy as it seems. It will also probably involve reprogramming, or spoofing, the battery ECU, so it will work with a larger pack. A battery pack the size that you are asking for would be huge if it would be NiMh, so the newest Lithium Ion packs seem to be the only answer that makes sense. But, their charging requirements are bound to be very different than NiMh. If you search the web, you can find people who have done/are doing this, and you will see that there are many pitfalls.
Even something as simple as want I want to do, top off the SOC at 60-80% before I start in the morning, turns out to be a complex issues, as the battery ECU is evidently programmed to "learn" about each individual battery, and tailor it's charging pattern/voltage to it. Trickle charging it yourself will mess up that program, from what I'm told. :angry:

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(keydiver @ May 17 2006, 01:57 PM) [snapback]256993[/snapback]</div>

What about trickle charging the battery while it is disconnected from the car computer?

 

I know mrbigh is doing that and working with Norm (eflier, CAN-View guy) and monitor PHEV info on the MFD with CAN-View. u might want to PM them.

Just want to warn you, you MUST be very knowledgeable about working with high voltage and the Prius hybrid system. The OEM battery is 200V, can kill anybody very easily.

 

Hymotion and EDrive are doing Lithium-Ion battery packs that have about 7 times the capacity and weigh around 150 lbs. They are also plug-in capable for charging overnight...

http://www.hymotion.com/
http://www.edrivesystems.com/

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(caliprius83 @ May 17 2006, 09:49 PM) [snapback]257342[/snapback]</div>

Nothing voids the warranty if nothing gets broken.

The ONLY way this helps is to charge the battery from something OTHER than the gas engine. I know a bit about the E-drive systems, and they are performing up to expectations. And they're designed with off-board charging.

That said... I still want a car that is designed with EV mode in mind (Hey, how about a car that is NOTHING but EV mode!?)... not tacked on with the 34mph limit still in place.