CCS/SAE Conversion

[Isrev]

I'm buying a 2012 i-MiEV that doesn't have CHAdeMO compatibility, I saw some people wanted to add CHAdeMO compatibility to their i-MiEVs but nothing about going to CCS/SAE, I was wondering (hoping) someone else has had this idea and was smart enough to collaborate with me to get these things compatible with the modern progression of EV fast charging. I don't have experience with electric cars but I've read what I can and I've rewired cars before (granted, it was a 96 Mustang and 97 F. Aspire, but it still counts!)

[coulomb]

I don't have experience with electric cars but I've read what I can and I've rewired cars before (granted, it was a 96 Mustang and 97 F. Aspire, but it still counts!)

It doesn't count for high voltage, high current DC wiring; that's a little different, and the danger level is quite high.

I don't want to totally discourage you, but please post any plans here before attempting anything. We don't want another "Plasma Boy" (the White Zombie owner, not the Disney comic character).

Edit: re-reading that true story, I note that some of the precautions (e.g. re acid and hydrogen) refer to the battery technology of the day: lead acid. That doesn't apply to today's lithium batteries. Water is still the best defence against a battery fire, despite lithium and water not working well together. There is little exposed lithium in a lithium battery, and extinguishing the plasma is by far the most important thing. Dry sand is even better, but you're more likely to have water available in an emergency.

[jalovick]

Hi,

Even though it's not i-MiEV specific, there is work being done over at the Open Inverter forum to repurpose a BMW i3 LIM, which is the module that managed CCS charging on a BMW i3 and can be had for a couple of hundred dollars, to be controlled by an Open Inverter VCU.

In theory, based on that work, it could potentially be adapted to work on an i-MiEV.

Info is available here:
- WiKi - https://openinverter.org/wiki/BMW_I3_Fa ... LIM_Module
- Thread - https://openinverter.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1196

Note that this should only be attempted if you have the skill to do so, such as HV training and a knowledge of CAN bus and programming.

Jamie

[Don]

If quick charging is at all important to you, then I would limit any potential iMiEV purchases to cars which are already ChaDeMo equipped - This will be the quickest, safest, most cost effective way for you to end up with a car which can be quick charged

As a side note, I've had a pair of DCQC equipped iMiEV's for about 8 years now and neither of them has ever been quick charged even once - I sure would not miss it if neither of them had that capability, but I bought them used and since there was little to no difference in the price of used cars with or without this feature, I only looked at cars which had it . . . . because those cars also came with other features which I did want