1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

The Hybrid Convertible Project Prius v

Discussion in 'Prius v Technical Discussion' started by Bill the Engineer, Aug 8, 2014.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
Page 38 of 48
  1. Bill the Engineer

    Bill the Engineer Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2013
    1,048
    2,278
    467
    Location:
    At the beach in Delaware...
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    I am HOPING that some bright electrical engineer (not me, I'm a mechanical engineer) somewhere realizes that EVERY Prius on the road can be made into an ultra-high mileage vehicle using Tesla battery technology and some reprogramming of computer chips. Think Plug-in conversion on steroids. Elon Musk, are you listening?

    When that comes to pass, the Firebrid will be transformed into a PHEV. I already will have the perfect location for the charging cable plug.

    [​IMG]

    Bill the Engineer
     
    #741 Bill the Engineer, Jan 1, 2017
    Dylan Doxey, sfv41901, Raytheeagle and 1 other person like this.
  2. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace 2025 Camry XLE FWD

    Joined:
    Nov 1, 2016
    11,801
    11,363
    0
    Location:
    Central Virginia
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    XLE
    A great way to repurpose the original fuel filler port.
     
    #742 Prodigyplace, Jan 1, 2017
    Bill the Engineer likes this.
  3. Bill the Engineer

    Bill the Engineer Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2013
    1,048
    2,278
    467
    Location:
    At the beach in Delaware...
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    CAD files approved. I have a ship date for the emblems!

    [​IMG]

    Bill the Engineer
     
    #743 Bill the Engineer, Jan 3, 2017
    alanclarkeau, Prodigyplace and Raytheeagle like this.
  4. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    110,164
    50,060
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    'can be made'?(n)
     
    #744 bisco, Jan 3, 2017
    Bill the Engineer likes this.
  5. Bill the Engineer

    Bill the Engineer Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2013
    1,048
    2,278
    467
    Location:
    At the beach in Delaware...
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    Being made!
     
    #745 Bill the Engineer, Jan 4, 2017
    Raytheeagle and Prodigyplace like this.
  6. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    110,164
    50,060
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    let me try again. can you explain this in more detail to this non engineering ignoramus? not the charging plug location.:cool:
     
    #746 bisco, Jan 4, 2017
    Bill the Engineer likes this.
  7. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace 2025 Camry XLE FWD

    Joined:
    Nov 1, 2016
    11,801
    11,363
    0
    Location:
    Central Virginia
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    XLE
    Since you initially did not quote, Bill thought you were referring to his custom part order.
     
    #747 Prodigyplace, Jan 4, 2017
    Bill the Engineer likes this.
  8. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    110,164
    50,060
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    exactly. i would like more info on how a prius can be made into an ultra high mileage vehicle.(y)
     
    #748 bisco, Jan 4, 2017
    Bill the Engineer and Prodigyplace like this.
  9. Bill the Engineer

    Bill the Engineer Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2013
    1,048
    2,278
    467
    Location:
    At the beach in Delaware...
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    OK... please realize that I will be trying to describe an application of technology that does not yet exist, but could.

    A number of companies have (or have had) aftermarket conversions to make a standard Prius into a Plug-in Prius. Those conversions by-and-large make use of the available technology and components at that time. (The Prius v wagon has the standard voltage hybrid system of a Gen-III Prius.) These conversions make use of specialized add-on electronic components custom tailored to the batteries used. The limiting factor for the range of these conversions is the total storage capacity of the batteries.

    The batteries that drive the Tesla automobiles that are presently available have a much, much greater storage capacity than any of the batteries used in the aftermarket conversion kits. The physics is still the same though. In theory, adapting Tesla style batteries into an aftermarket Plug-in Prius kit could extend the all-electric range to something similar to the range of a Tesla. Afterward, the gasoline engine would take over for more conventional driving Prius style.

    In the future, I fully expect additional improvements to the batteries will be developed to shrink their physical size, increase their storage capacity or both. I hope somewhere along the way that a system like I am describing comes along when I am ready to update the Firebrid.

    Toyota Team please take note.

    Bill the Engineer
     
    #749 Bill the Engineer, Jan 4, 2017
    bisco and Prodigyplace like this.
  10. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    110,164
    50,060
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    okay, i have no idea what you are talking about, but i'm interested.:) are you saying that the physical size of the tesla 300 mile battery is less than 12 times the size of the prime 25 mile battery?
     
    #750 bisco, Jan 4, 2017
    Bill the Engineer likes this.
  11. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace 2025 Camry XLE FWD

    Joined:
    Nov 1, 2016
    11,801
    11,363
    0
    Location:
    Central Virginia
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    XLE
    Right. Basically more energy in the same space as the Prime battery.
     
    #751 Prodigyplace, Jan 4, 2017
    Bill the Engineer likes this.
  12. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    110,164
    50,060
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    how much more?
     
    #752 bisco, Jan 4, 2017
  13. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace 2025 Camry XLE FWD

    Joined:
    Nov 1, 2016
    11,801
    11,363
    0
    Location:
    Central Virginia
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    XLE
    #753 Prodigyplace, Jan 5, 2017
    sfv41901 likes this.
  14. Felt

    Felt Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 4, 2009
    1,624
    604
    0
    Location:
    Mountain West
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    I will admit .... I have not read all 38 page of this discussion.

    Only one quick question .... Isn't the Tesla battery attached beneath the floor?
     
    #754 Felt, Jan 5, 2017
  15. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace 2025 Camry XLE FWD

    Joined:
    Nov 1, 2016
    11,801
    11,363
    0
    Location:
    Central Virginia
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    XLE
    Bill is using a Prius v chassis and will locate the battery under a raised back seat (for the dog). He is concerned that the trunk on the convertible is prone to leaking. His profile picture shows the Firebird body on the Prius v chassis in his garage.

    The Plugin / Tesla discussion is very new, just on this page (38) starting at post 741 at the top
     
    #755 Prodigyplace, Jan 5, 2017
    Felt and sfv41901 like this.
  16. Felt

    Felt Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 4, 2009
    1,624
    604
    0
    Location:
    Mountain West
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Prodigyplace - Thanks - I should have read several pages back and I would have understood.

    BYW, I wish PriusChat gave us more choices ....
    Like
    Thanks
    I agree

    So often "Like" just not express what is appropriate.
     
    #756 Felt, Jan 5, 2017
    sfv41901 likes this.
  17. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace 2025 Camry XLE FWD

    Joined:
    Nov 1, 2016
    11,801
    11,363
    0
    Location:
    Central Virginia
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    XLE
    No problem at all. I read most of this as a lurker before I bought my Prius and joined PC.
    I did not know if you were referring to the project or the recent plug-in discussion so I tried to answer both questions.
    The original Firebird had round gauges and Bill hoped to use a round Lexus hybrid gauge but he could not connect it to the Prius v. I have pointed our some other round Toyota Hybrid gauges that may work rather than hacking the dashboard for the long thin Prius v dash gauge.
    We enjoy a wide range of views here.
     
    #757 Prodigyplace, Jan 5, 2017
  18. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    110,164
    50,060
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    it feels weird, talking while bill isn't here.:p
     
    #758 bisco, Jan 5, 2017
  19. Bill the Engineer

    Bill the Engineer Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2013
    1,048
    2,278
    467
    Location:
    At the beach in Delaware...
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    I'm not all here anyway... o_O

    Bill the Engineer
     
    #759 Bill the Engineer, Jan 5, 2017
    sfv41901 and bisco like this.
  20. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace 2025 Camry XLE FWD

    Joined:
    Nov 1, 2016
    11,801
    11,363
    0
    Location:
    Central Virginia
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    XLE
    I see that the 85 KwH weighs 1200 lb. The battery is made up of many individual cells, so perhaps it could be reconfigured to fit different areas.
    I am not sure of the size but here is an interesting teardown video.
    Tear down of 85 kWh Tesla battery pack shows it could actually only be a 81 kWh pack [Updated] | Electrek

    We need to give Bill time to find the rest of himself :LOL:
     
    #760 Prodigyplace, Jan 5, 2017
    Last edited: Jan 5, 2017
    sfv41901, Bill the Engineer and bisco like this.
(You must log in or sign up to post here.)
Page 38 of 48
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.