Before ConversionRemoving the EngineMotor and Battery RacksRear Battery Insulation
OwnerChris Simon
LocationMinneapolis, Minnesota United States map
WebWebPage
Vehicle2001 Ford Focus
The conversion began on March 29, 2008. I selected a car from the current Millennium since I plan to keep it a while and the Minnesota winters can be hard on vehicles. I began driving it as my daily commuter in March, 2009.
Upgrade to Lithium batteries completed in August, 2012.
MotorAdvanced DC FB1-4001A Series Wound DC
9 inch motor with auxiliary rear shaft
Drivetrain5-speed manual transaxle with clutch and a lightened flywheel.
ControllerCurtis 1231C-8601
Large heatsink mounted on the bottom with 12V fan to keep it cool.
Batteries88 GBS 100 AH LiFeMnPO4, 3.20 Volt, Lithium Iron Phosphate
Total weight of batteries is around 580 lbs, saving 500 lbs over the original lead-acid batteries!
System Voltage141 Volts
ChargerElcon 144V 3 KWatt
Power factor corrected switching charger that runs on 120VAC or 240 VAC.
At 240 VAC it provides about 10 miles of range for every hour of charging.
Heater1500 W solid state heater (more of a warmer, really) mounted in existing heater core area, driven off the pack voltage.
This is Minnesota so I also have a preheater on a times thermostat to heat the car when plugged in. I also have automatic battery heaters that run on 110 VAC.
DC/DC ConverterMeanwell HRP-600-12
The original Iota 55A power supply started developing problems after 6 years, so I bought the Meanwell power supply and it's been working for over a year.
Instrumentation180V Voltmeter and a 500A Ammeter that measures battery current.
Orion BMS continually monitors each cell and the total pack.
I have a Android 5" tablet on the dash that displays current, voltage, SoC, etc. using the Torque App.
Top Speed70 MPH (112 KPH)
Fast enough for my daily commute, including freeway driving.
AccelerationA bit less acceleration than with the stock ICE.
Range75 Miles (120 Kilometers)
Lithium batteries provide a significant increase over the range with lead-acid batteries. My commute is 12 miles each way for a total of 24 miles per day. With enough range to run errands or go a second time without charging.
Watt Hours/Mile300 Wh/Mile
I get just under 300 WH/Mile for my commute which is half city and half freeway. This is the energy as measured FROM THE OUTLET. This improved dramatically with the switch to lithium batteries.
EV Miles
Start:85,600 Miles (137,730 Kilometers)
Current:107,300 Miles (172,645 Kilometers)
Total:21,700 Miles (34,915 Kilometers)
 
    As of 1/27/2015
Seating Capacity2 in front, 3 in rear. (Batteries have been kept out of the passenger compartment.)
Curb Weight3,300 Pounds (1,499 Kilograms)
Original car weight was measured at 2,620 lbs, with 1,600 lbs. in front. After the conversion the front to rear balance is almost exactly 50-50. Added stronger springs in front and rear.
TiresContinental Conti-Contact Pro.
Conversion Time8 months to get it on the road for initial testing. A few more months to finish it enough for daily driving.
4 months to switch over to Lithium batteries.
Conversion CostAbout $12,000 spent on parts for the original conversion.
About $12,000 for the Lithium battery pack upgrade with BMS.
Getting the flywheel hub and transmission adapter designed and built was the most challenging and time consuming part of the project.
I drove about 9,000 miles on lead-acid batteries and about 13,000 miles since the switch to Lithium.

code by jerry