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From: Neo on 19 May 2010 06:06
Possible Upgrades for the Prius
=======================

have a plug-in option
increase electric motor power 2x (use lighter rare earth permanent
magnets)
increase traction battery power capacity 2x (use li-ion polymer )
increase ICE power output efficiency by 33% (VTEC + variable cylinder)
increase approximate range of Prius from 600miles to 900miles by
increasing the overall fuel efficiency from 50mpg to 90mpg
(decreasing the fuel tank size and weight at the same time).
An ICE RPM gauge and Electric Motor RPM gauge showing how
hard each is working at a particular speed/acceleration rate.

Lowering the center of mass/gravity of the Prius by 1 inch OR widening
the overall wheel axle by 2 inches while keeping the the current
ground clearance and frontal surface the same
--- to improve the Prius' road handling behavior.

Make the the bumpers, side door panels and side fenders out of high
impact
dent resistance carbon fiber. Bolt the carbon fiber onto a unibody
honeycombed steel frame to make increase rigidity, lower weight,
and increase overally tensile strength.

Make a MPV/Station wagon version of the Prius with
SUV like cargo space and the max passenger/cargo weight capacity

When driving in reverse - there should be an option for a backup
beeper to be heard outside the car (to alert the outside)

switch from optical disk to solid state harddrive based navigation
the navigation unit should allow for user expandable customizable
POI
and customizable voice via flash drive and UsB 2/3 port.

integrate the backup camera screen in the rear view mirror

put ev/eco/power buttons on top of the steering column
Make steering column horn button wider and bigger at the bottom.
Tuck the transmission stick/control closer to the steering wheel
back on the dashboard about 4 o'clock of the steering column

increase the UV and tinting for the side and rear windows(25% -> 40%
tint)
this will reduce the A/C workload and increase fuel efficiency
Used electric Peltier heatpump to assist/replace air conditioner
when operating during all-electric mode/solar panel mode (see
Aptera 2e).
Make adding a roof solar panel an easy upgrade for all prius
(ie. make it an dealer/aftermarket installed option)
The roof solar panel should help keep the traction battery fully
charged
while the Prius is not driven for a long time (e.g. 3 months).
The rear seats should have their own air vents (to heat/cool the
rear).

The dashboard/driver area should have a explicitly designated
safe areas (which will not obstruct airbag deployment)
to place aftermarket GPS units/transmitter/radar detectors.
Put a lip or bottom tray of the the top glove compartment so things
won't slide out
The cabin air filter should be easily replace by sliding in/out
once the bottom glove compartment is open.

An LED should light up the inside the top glove compartment when open.
An LED should light up the inside the bottom glove compartment when
open.
An LED should light up the inside the center console when open
An LED should light up the power window controls on the driver's door
panel
Raise the mirror controls up 3 inches, light it up with an LED

Two fused 110VAC outlet one for the front and one for the rear
Add more strap/tie-down D-latch/rings in the rear cargo bay.
From: Daniel who wants to know on 20 May 2010 01:01
"Neo" <residualselfimage1999(a)gmail.com> wrote in message
news:17479a46-95e2-495f-8878-a85008893a28(a)q13g2000vbm.googlegroups.com...
> Possible Upgrades for the Prius
> =======================
>
> have a plug-in option

OK

> increase electric motor power 2x (use lighter rare earth permanent
> magnets)

They are already NIB

> increase traction battery power capacity 2x (use li-ion polymer )

LI-POs degrade over time not # of cycles. Lithium iron phosphate maybe,
NI-MH is fine. Also would require much more than 2x for PHEV.

> increase ICE power output efficiency by 33% (VTEC + variable cylinder)

IOW make it hit the Carnot limit... good luck there. Besides it already has
VVTi, is Atkinson/Miller cycle, and has a variable compression ratio with a
13:1 expansion ratio. VTEC is a Honda thing.

> increase approximate range of Prius from 600miles to 900miles by
> increasing the overall fuel efficiency from 50mpg to 90mpg
> (decreasing the fuel tank size and weight at the same time).


> An ICE RPM gauge and Electric Motor RPM gauge showing how
> hard each is working at a particular speed/acceleration rate.

This would be nice but remember there are 2 MGs and MG2 is hooked directly
to the wheels via the final drive so its RPM is directly related to MPH

> Lowering the center of mass/gravity of the Prius by 1 inch OR widening
> the overall wheel axle by 2 inches while keeping the the current
> ground clearance and frontal surface the same
> --- to improve the Prius' road handling behavior.

OK?

> Make the the bumpers, side door panels and side fenders out of high
> impact
> dent resistance carbon fiber. Bolt the carbon fiber onto a unibody
> honeycombed steel frame to make increase rigidity, lower weight,
> and increase overally tensile strength.

People complain it is too expensive now and you want to up the cost?

> Make a MPV/Station wagon version of the Prius with
> SUV like cargo space and the max passenger/cargo weight capacity

A hybrid Sienna would be awesome but until they port the Estima hybrid to
the US market it won't happen.

> When driving in reverse - there should be an option for a backup
> beeper to be heard outside the car (to alert the outside)

So wire in a pulsed Sonalert to the reverse/backup lights.

> switch from optical disk to solid state harddrive based navigation
> the navigation unit should allow for user expandable customizable
> POI
> and customizable voice via flash drive and UsB 2/3 port.

This would help.

> integrate the backup camera screen in the rear view mirror

I like the MFD of the NHW20 as-is

> put ev/eco/power buttons on top of the steering column

Reach around the wheel? would unclutter the console though.

> Make steering column horn button wider and bigger at the bottom.
> Tuck the transmission stick/control closer to the steering wheel
> back on the dashboard about 4 o'clock of the steering column

IOW move it back to where it was on the NHW20 before they FUBARed the
interior when they made the ZVW30

> increase the UV and tinting for the side and rear windows(25% -> 40%
> tint)
> this will reduce the A/C workload and increase fuel efficiency

Good

> Used electric Peltier heatpump to assist/replace air conditioner
> when operating during all-electric mode/solar panel mode (see
> Aptera 2e).

Peltiers are very inneficient compared to the current PM rotor electric
scroll compressor system.

> Make adding a roof solar panel an easy upgrade for all prius
> (ie. make it an dealer/aftermarket installed option)
> The roof solar panel should help keep the traction battery fully
> charged
> while the Prius is not driven for a long time (e.g. 3 months).

Would help but one of the safety features is that the HV batt is totally
disconnected via the SMRs when the car is not in READY mode.

> The rear seats should have their own air vents (to heat/cool the
> rear).

There is a vent under the passenger seat but a pair in the B pillars would
help
http://www.tom-morrow-land.com/tests/priusaudio/

> The dashboard/driver area should have a explicitly designated
> safe areas (which will not obstruct airbag deployment)
> to place aftermarket GPS units/transmitter/radar detectors.

Good

> Put a lip or bottom tray of the the top glove compartment so things
> won't slide out

Would help.

> The cabin air filter should be easily replace by sliding in/out
> once the bottom glove compartment is open.

No more often than it gets replaced I think having to empty out the lower
glove box is a good thing, gives you a reason to tidy it up and/or find long
lost things such as loose change.

> An LED should light up the inside the top glove compartment when open.
> An LED should light up the inside the bottom glove compartment when
> open.
> An LED should light up the inside the center console when open
> An LED should light up the power window controls on the driver's door
> panel
> Raise the mirror controls up 3 inches, light it up with an LED

All good, I will add: make every light on the car an LED

> Two fused 110VAC outlet one for the front and one for the rear

And make them have a rating higher than the piddily 150 watts common with OE
integrated inverters. You can pull several KW from the HV ala
www.priups.com
> Add more strap/tie-down D-latch/rings in the rear cargo bay.

No experience.


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