AC Propulsion eBox - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The eBox is a conversion of a Scion xB

Scion xB

The Scion xB is a vehicle made by Toyota for the United States market and sold under their youth-oriented Scion brand. It is a box-shaped, 5-door compact hatchback.-First generation :...

vehicle into a battery electric vehicle

Battery electric vehicle

A battery electric vehicle, or BEV, is a type of electric vehicle that uses chemical energy stored in rechargeable battery packs. BEVs use electric motors and motor controllers instead of, or in addition to, internal combustion engines for propulsion.A battery-only electric vehicle or...

produced by the U.S. company AC Propulsion

AC Propulsion

AC Propulsion is a San Dimas, California, USA company founded in 1992 by Alan Cocconi that specialises in alternating current-based drivetrain systems for electric vehicles. Tom Gage is currently the company's CEO. The company produces goods such as electric vehicle drive systems and their top of...

History

AC Propulsion executives announced their intention to convert Scion xBs to battery electric vehicles in October, 2003. Company executives stated that the Scion xB was chosen in part due to its boxy shape which allows for good placement and installation of a battery pack. The availability of a suitable battery was said to be an important step in allowing for the announcement of the program. Suitability requirements included that the battery be widely available ("off the shelf"), in volume, without danger that supply would be cut off or be overly limited. Thousands of lithium-ion batteries, of the 18650 variant, were proposed as suitable for the rechargeable battery system.

The prototype eBox was unveiled in Santa Monica, California

Santa Monica, California

Santa Monica is a beachfront city in western Los Angeles County, California, US. Situated on Santa Monica Bay, it is surrounded on three sides by the city of Los Angeles — Pacific Palisades on the northwest, Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles on the northeast, Mar Vista on the east, and...

on August 18, 2006. The prototype used a battery pack consisting of 5,300 Li-ion cells arranged into 100 blocks of 53 cells each.

The first production eBox was delivered to actor Tom Hanks

Tom Hanks

Thomas Jeffrey "Tom" Hanks is an American actor, producer, writer, and director. Hanks worked in television and family-friendly comedies, gaining wide notice in 1988's Big, before achieving success as a dramatic actor in several notable roles, including Andrew Beckett in Philadelphia, the title...

on February 15, 2007.

Pricing

Estimated cost of this conversion exceeds USD $50,000 in addition to the base vehicle cost (excluding the cost of the gasoline engine, that is replaced in the conversion), while high volume OEM additional cost is projected at about USD $10,000. It appears that high volume production by original vehicle manufactures using AC production components is a goal, with the low volume production being an intermediate step.

AC Propulsion offers the conversion for USD $55,000.

Specifications

Acceleration: 0 to 60 mph in 7.0 seconds.
Top Speed: 95 mph (152.9 km/h)
Range: 140–180 mi (225.3–289.7 km)
Motor: 150 kW AC induction motor
Battery pack
Battery pack
A battery pack is a set of any number of identical batteries or individual battery cells. They may be configured in a series, parallel or a mixture of both to deliver the desired voltage, capacity, or power density...

: 5,088 Li-Ion cells, 355V
Volt
The volt is the SI derived unit for electric potential, electric potential difference, and electromotive force. The volt is named in honor of the Italian physicist Alessandro Volta , who invented the voltaic pile, possibly the first chemical battery.- Definition :A single volt is defined as the...

nominal, 35kWh, 600 lb (272.2 kg)
Battery charger
Battery charger
A battery charger is a device used to put energy into a secondary cell or rechargeable battery by forcing an electric current through it.The charge current depends upon the technology and capacity of the battery being charged...

: On board, 100-250VAC, 50/60 Hz, includes Vehicle to Grid (V2G)
Vehicle-to-grid
Vehicle-to-grid describes a system in which plug-in electric vehicles, such as electric cars and plug-in hybrids , communicate with the power grid to sell demand response services by either delivering electricity into the grid or by throttling their charging rate.Vehicle-to-grid can be used with...

and UPS (generator mode) capability
- Charge rate: up to 20 kW; 30 minutes for 20–50 miles
- Full Charge: 2 hours (fast), 5 hours (normal)
Energy Efficiency: 180 AC Wh/km in typical driving (3.6 kJ/kM)

External links

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