Peter
Member
Back on topic: I wanted an electric A2 and now I've got one!
My initial idea was to convert an A2 (with a budget of around 10k). In June I found an A2 in Belgium with a broken timing belt (so the AUA/BBY engine was total loss) for € 350 and took it home on a trailer. I removed the engine, fuel tank and exhaust and in parallel started to discuss the approval process with the RDW (Dutch registration authority). Soon it became clear that I wouldn't be able to get the converted car registered unless either:
- I would use components that are used in cars that are registered already (so get a damaged Nissan Leaf or similar)
- I would have to submit the car to an extensive (and expensive) homogation process without any guarantee of success.
End of August a converted A2-EV was offered for sale on the German "kleinanzeigen" website - the car had problems in the battery pack and possibly in the controller-engine areas so no test drive... Then again, it was only € 6k and again I rented a trailer and took the car to the Netherlands. This car was converted by LE Mobile (Swen Streubel) together with Bosch Leipzig back in 2011. These guys have done several conversions but LE Mobile doesn't seem to exist anymore. The Belgian A2 was completely stripped and sold in parts (delivering over € 1k ;-)
The A2e has done appr. 65k kms with its BBY engine and 40k kms electrically, mainly while being used for 5.5 years by the Stadtwerke (city authorities) Leipzig. Because the car was registered in Germany, the registration in NL was no problem: this week the RDW has issued the Dutch registration. The German registration mentions specifically what engine (Azure AC24LS) and controller (Azure DMOC445) are used in the car, as well as the reinforced rear springs. The Dutch registration however only mentions "fuel: electricity" so if need be, I can change whatever I want without having to have the car inspected again (larger capacity battery pack, more powerful motor/controller, ...).
The car runs off 86 LiFePO4 cells (3.2 Volts, 60 Ah) in series, which results in about 300 Volts, 17 kWh capacity and 200 kg weight. LE Mobile specifies a range of 120 kms and a top speed of 75 mph. All subsystems are in place: an electrical heater (4 kW), electrical airco pump, a small vacuum pump to support the brake booster, a 900 W DC/DC convertor and a CANbus simulator controlling the rev counter to display power in/out the battery (regenerative braking is supported). The clutch has been removed but the gearbox is still there.
The 12V battery was moved to the engine compartment. The HV battery pack is in two boxes: behind the rear axle (62 cells) and under the rear seats (24 cells) and no luggage space is lost.
The first phase of my project is getting the battery pack healthy again: last year 11 of the 86 cells have been replaced, but after that the car has hardly been used and consequently the battery pack was not charged. The BMS reported only 14 active cells (voltage over 2.5 V) and the built-in charger could not do its job: a LiFePO4 cell that is charged presents a resistance to the charger, so the empty cells in the pack never get charged.
I took the whole battery pack out and started charging all the individual cells. This is quite a job: charging 86 cells with 3..4 chargers took 2 weeks. The process of charging and daily measuring voltage per cell suggests another 10..15 cells do not hold charge properly and need replacement.
In the coming 2 weeks I will be "gross balancing" the battery pack (ensuring all cells are fairly close in voltage) before the battery can be installed in the car again. Hopefully the built-in charger can then take over the final balancing and I can start looking at the engine/controller.
So only partly a DIY conversion but I expect to have my A2e running by the end of the year and for less than €10k.
To be continued!
My initial idea was to convert an A2 (with a budget of around 10k). In June I found an A2 in Belgium with a broken timing belt (so the AUA/BBY engine was total loss) for € 350 and took it home on a trailer. I removed the engine, fuel tank and exhaust and in parallel started to discuss the approval process with the RDW (Dutch registration authority). Soon it became clear that I wouldn't be able to get the converted car registered unless either:
- I would use components that are used in cars that are registered already (so get a damaged Nissan Leaf or similar)
- I would have to submit the car to an extensive (and expensive) homogation process without any guarantee of success.
End of August a converted A2-EV was offered for sale on the German "kleinanzeigen" website - the car had problems in the battery pack and possibly in the controller-engine areas so no test drive... Then again, it was only € 6k and again I rented a trailer and took the car to the Netherlands. This car was converted by LE Mobile (Swen Streubel) together with Bosch Leipzig back in 2011. These guys have done several conversions but LE Mobile doesn't seem to exist anymore. The Belgian A2 was completely stripped and sold in parts (delivering over € 1k ;-)
The A2e has done appr. 65k kms with its BBY engine and 40k kms electrically, mainly while being used for 5.5 years by the Stadtwerke (city authorities) Leipzig. Because the car was registered in Germany, the registration in NL was no problem: this week the RDW has issued the Dutch registration. The German registration mentions specifically what engine (Azure AC24LS) and controller (Azure DMOC445) are used in the car, as well as the reinforced rear springs. The Dutch registration however only mentions "fuel: electricity" so if need be, I can change whatever I want without having to have the car inspected again (larger capacity battery pack, more powerful motor/controller, ...).
The car runs off 86 LiFePO4 cells (3.2 Volts, 60 Ah) in series, which results in about 300 Volts, 17 kWh capacity and 200 kg weight. LE Mobile specifies a range of 120 kms and a top speed of 75 mph. All subsystems are in place: an electrical heater (4 kW), electrical airco pump, a small vacuum pump to support the brake booster, a 900 W DC/DC convertor and a CANbus simulator controlling the rev counter to display power in/out the battery (regenerative braking is supported). The clutch has been removed but the gearbox is still there.
The 12V battery was moved to the engine compartment. The HV battery pack is in two boxes: behind the rear axle (62 cells) and under the rear seats (24 cells) and no luggage space is lost.
The first phase of my project is getting the battery pack healthy again: last year 11 of the 86 cells have been replaced, but after that the car has hardly been used and consequently the battery pack was not charged. The BMS reported only 14 active cells (voltage over 2.5 V) and the built-in charger could not do its job: a LiFePO4 cell that is charged presents a resistance to the charger, so the empty cells in the pack never get charged.
I took the whole battery pack out and started charging all the individual cells. This is quite a job: charging 86 cells with 3..4 chargers took 2 weeks. The process of charging and daily measuring voltage per cell suggests another 10..15 cells do not hold charge properly and need replacement.
In the coming 2 weeks I will be "gross balancing" the battery pack (ensuring all cells are fairly close in voltage) before the battery can be installed in the car again. Hopefully the built-in charger can then take over the final balancing and I can start looking at the engine/controller.
So only partly a DIY conversion but I expect to have my A2e running by the end of the year and for less than €10k.
To be continued!
Last edited: