Thread: Spring F-EV-er
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Old 03-11-2009, 09:59 AM   #3 (permalink)
MetroMPG
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Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: 1000 Islands, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 22,515

Blackfly - '98 Geo Metro
Team Metro
Last 3: 70.09 mpg (US)

MPGiata - '90 Mazda Miata
90 day: 52.71 mpg (US)

Even Fancier Metro - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage top spec
90 day: 70.75 mpg (US)

Appliance car - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage ES (base)
90 day: 52.48 mpg (US)
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Hi Trev-

I temporarily forgot how cold Winnipeg can be! You still have lots of snow!

Do you have a voltmeter yet?

You should start by taking readings on each of the batteries, and researching how best to recharge them depending on their type. It's not good to let batteries sit partially discharged. After topping them up, you might want to set up a load test to see how much capacity they have.

As for their capacity: compare to the ForkenSwift which nominally has 220 AH batteries x 48 volts = a 10.6 kWh pack

4 of those 100 AH batteries @ 48 v = 4.8 kWh

Keep in mind those are "nominal" values and assume the batteries have 100% capacity (they lose capacity as they are used up). Also, since they will be used to deliver current at closer to their 1 hour rating, they won't deliver their rated capacity (hello, Mr Peukert).

They may be OK for testing and for very local trips, and that's fine if it's all you need. You can get a rough estimate of range from a 4.8 kWh pack knowing the vehicle will probably consume roughly .350 kWh per mile.

Also, don't forget you can't use your pack's FULL capacity (essentially draining it to zero) because you'll have no performance near the end of the charge as voltage falls, and draining to the end is not battery friendly. A rule of thumb is to size the pack so you can get your desired range from 50% of its nominal capacity. Moderate (50%) discharges are best for battery longevity.
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Project MPGiata! Mods for getting 50+ MPG from a 1990 Miata
Honda mods: Ecomodding my $800 Honda Fit 5-speed beater
Mitsu mods: 70 MPG in my ecomodded, dirt cheap, 3-cylinder Mirage.
Ecodriving test: Manual vs. automatic transmission MPG showdown



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has launched a forum for the efficient new Mitsubishi Mirage
www.MetroMPG.com - fuel efficiency info for Geo Metro owners
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