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Old 05-05-2023, 11:40 AM   #137 (permalink)
Isaac Zachary
High Altitude Hybrid
 
Join Date: Dec 2020
Location: Gunnison, CO
Posts: 2,075

Avalon - '13 Toyota Avalon HV
90 day: 40.45 mpg (US)

Prius - '06 Toyota Prius
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Quote:
Originally Posted by redpoint5 View Post
I wonder how feasible it is to DIY a LiFePO4 replacement?

Pre-inflation, I was finding 32700 cells with 7.2 Ah capacity for dirt cheap. Something like $4 each.

62 of those in series gives 200v and 1.4kWh, which is slightly more than a standard prius battery, and it would cost $250.
These guys seem to have figured out how to make LiFePO4 work in Toyota hybrids. Basically every block of 12 NiMH cells are replaced by 5 LiFePO4 cells. The max and min voltages seem to coincide nicely. The only problem I see with this setup is cold weather as freezing temps can kill a LiFeO4 battery. But they do put a BMS in each block of 5 cells. I guess if you can follow their design than you could make a DIY LiFePO4 battery that would work.

https://projectlithium.com/
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