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hacking Leaf?

4K views 14 replies 7 participants last post by  JRP3 
#1 ·
Hey Guys -

have anybody tried hacking Leaf yet to add range? I read a few things like http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=37&t=4175 but it seems to be all talk for now. I wonder if someone has done it.

Do you think it would be a good idea to build 300-lb, 40-50-mile extension packs for production EVs?

V
 
#2 ·
Hey Guys -

have anybody tried hacking Leaf yet to add range? I read a few things like http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=37&t=4175 but it seems to be all talk for now. I wonder if someone has done it.

Do you think it would be a good idea to build 300-lb, 40-50-mile extension packs for production EVs?

V
The leafs highway range could be extended 35 miles with a boattail and no additional batteries.

That said there is someone tearing a leaf down to the rails on that same site, can't remember which thread. My guess is most folks don't want to blow a $30k investment to see whats inside and ruin the warranty.

Cheers
Ryan
 
#4 ·
Our Leaf has a Chademo Level 3 port which provides direct DC access to the battery for fast charging. Its possible to boost the range via this charge port but the car has to be in Chademo charge mode which requires it to not be running but on in charge mode. One would have to hack this bit of control logic so that the car could be DC charged while still driveable. If you lift the hood and look two large DC cables go direct to the large DC pins on the Chademo connector, thru a contactor straight into the 24KWhr battery pack.
 
#9 ·
Yes but we are talking about different type of people here I think. I am talking about the type of people who paid $10k+ to get a 5kWhrs added to their Priuses... What I am thinking about is similar service to Leaf owners. If the battery posts are accessible, and you build the aux pack with the same config, AND you prevent charging the aux pack from stock onboard charger (which is a piece of crap anyway), then nobody can ever detect what's going on. Hence no impact on warranty
 
#13 ·
The DIY kits that are $4k or less integrate a buck converter to essentially slowly charge the Prius pack constantly to its the voltage where the car will constantly try to dissipate the pack voltage while driving to allow for additional capacity overhead to not disable regen at the next stop. It doesn't necessarily allow much more EV mode and doesn't actively trigger EV mode like the more expensive packs do, it doesn't turn the Toyota into anything close to a Volt. The more expensive kits however can do that up to a certain speed but then on the highway it has to force the engine to spin with the fuel injectors cut in order to not overrev the motors which is a waste of power. Unfortunately even with $4/gallon gas it would likely take longer than the car will be around to make up for the difference in gas price paid for the more active $10k+ kits not to mention the extra weight added to the back which affects handling and you'd better hope the rest of the car doesn't have a major problem prompting its replacement like an engine problem, trans problem, or collision which would wipe out the benefits of having such a kit with all of the price premium involved. It would take dedication to using less gas, environmental reasons, or just to say you did it for doing something like that to make sense.

[My opinion]As far as hacking the Leaf, I'd say either DIY a different car or wait until the automakers aren't making massive profits while trying to convince early adopters that they aren't getting a good volume deal on these batteries, controllers, motors, and chargers than we are getting or when a higher range car becomes available at your price level or when a used Leaf makes sense do that with.[/My opinion]
 
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