Best source of EIG 20 Ah cells?

[jonescg]

Now, I realise that this whole sub-forum could just be a wish list of things like 900 Wh/kg batteries, 12 kW/kg motors and the like...

But I may or may not be considering an electric car build. It may or may not involve a 1989 Honda CRX - the most lightweight and aerodynamic chassis around. I may or may not have the car in the bag, but we'll see come Sunday .

Anywho, this is all based on the prospect of one day electrifying my wife's (hopefully soon to be) car And I'd prefer to use the most convenient size format cells with the best energy density. A123s are cheap, but not quite energy dense enough for me to consider. So where do you buy EIG cells? And can you buy them or are they doing an A123 and not selling to me?

I've written to them via their website, but I fully expect to get ignored.

Any experiences here worth sharing?

Cheers,
CHRIS

[amberwolf]

Supposedly Sangesf had a source for them, but never said who it was before he disappeared. If you can find out who it was, you might get them that way.

Otherwise, I don't know where you can get them (I've found ads for them in google searches now and then, but being ebay and alibaba I suspect strongly that they are not what they say they are, especially as I have seen pics of the real ones and they don't look the same or have anything like the same markings).

If you DO find a source, I would be interested in them, too (though I'm sure they're way out of my "budget" ).

[voicecoils]

You can contact them directly. I don't know of any retailers/resellers.

Are the A123s really not energy dense enough? I would have thought if 6kWh can fit in a 250cc bike, 12kWh+ could fit super easily in a hatch.

What sort of range or 'spirited' driving capabilities are you after?

[jonescg]

Thanks for the information Abraham! Amberwolf - I'll let you know if I get any bites. My budget is highly limited (perhaps as limited as yours) however the conversion will depend entirely on whether or not I can win the auction. And if I get another 3 year contract for next year, but first things first

I did get a response from the company and a quote is being prepared

As for what do I expect this vehicle to do, I figure I will stuff it with as many watt-hours as I possibly can. If I can find a cell which does the job 20% better I will take it. I have planned for an additional 110 kg worth of batteries, so about 18 kWh on board. I also plan on using an AFM140. This way I can simply unbolt it and stick it in the race bike for the weekend!

So the plan goes.

[jonescg]

Poo. I lost my auction on the CRX. Too bad I was outbid by about $2000 Oh well, I hope some ricerboy is happy with their awesome machine.

Will repost back on the cells next week

[jonescg]

Hi all,
Mike got back to me with a price for under 1000 cells; $73 a cell, excluding shipping customs and GST.
I will find out what the >1000 cell price is.


Right after my heart starts beating again

[voicecoils]

How are those chubby A123 20Ah's looking now at $25/cell delivered?

[jonescg]

Just as distant as the EIGs, but a little closer

However, think about how A123s went from expensive unobtainium to bargain basement cheapo in less than 3 years. By the time I am ready to do a car conversion they will hopefully have suffered the same fate

Oh, I have almost signed on the dotted line for another CRX in better condition than the one in Sydney. And its in Adelaide so the 2 day drive back home isn't so crazy. I'd prefer it if someone could check it out first, but it's the right price!

[voicecoils]

Oooh, nice you found another one.

Here's another uncommon but quite nice CdA car: http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/darwin-cbd/cars/2001-honda-insight-hybrid/1002007681
I've wanted one since they first came out, now they're getting rare!

The A123s on the greymarket are cheaper then the best hobbking deals, $0.28/Wh + postage. Bargin basement as you say, compared to the Mavizen prices (ie the closest thing to retail price).

I think the only reason A123 are cheap now is they are effectively being sold as garbage e-waste and the company is on the rocks. Their chemistry is not the be-all and end-all & the energy density leaves something to be desired. But, compared with Thundersags and Deadways they're vastly better.

When this generation of greymarket A123's finally kick the bucket in a few years, think of the awesome cells we'll be able to buy then! NMC may even be old news.

[Nuts&Volts]

$73 isn't too bad for quality brand new top of the line cells. That is a little less than $1/Wh and is cheaper than comparable Kokam cells which were $1/Wh in the FFR Trike group buy and cost more on a single cell basis.

I am contacting EIG about there 40Ah cells and will let you know what sort of price I am quoted for those cells.

You should also try contacting Zero about either buying cells or packs, who knows if they will be interested at all. Mission Motors also using EIG cells for the packs they design and sell.

-Kyle

[jonescg]

EIG are being very coy about their bulk purchase price. I have pestered them three times now in reply emails about the price break on more than 1000 cells but they still won't answer the question (the Koreans are a very polite bunch of folks).

I suspect they would prefer it if we all placed individual orders and paid the $73 / cell premium, rather than attempt any group-buy discounts. Still, as Kyle said it's not a bad price for the latest technology. I will be happy to wait until I have the finds to buy them, and by then they will be much cheaper. Shipping, customs and GST is still a killer

Oh, I am now the proud owner of a 1989 Honda CRX

Looking forward to a trip to Adelaide to collect it. How many cells can you fit in an 800 kg hot hatch?

[Rodney64]

Two projects on the go.

[boostjuice]

You should also try contacting Zero about either buying cells or packs, who knows if they will be interested at all.

-Kyle

They are filling this niche, id love to know prices of someone would like to get a quote......

http://www.zeromotorcycles.com/powertrains/

[jonescg]

Probably not the best thread to add this to, but I think the following idea might work quite nicely:



I don't know the exact tab dimensions, but I have estimated 30 mm wide and 0.25 mm thick. Since the pouches are 7.2 mm thick I was thinking a 15s2p board. Each brass block is 8 mm tall and 6 mm thick. It is tapped to M4 so I can tighten down with stainless screws, probably countersunk phillips head. I thought about getting balance traces made up, but this way I can mix and match depending on where I want the pack terminal to end up (opposite side allows for a return pack beside this one).

The copper plates would be made from 1.6 mm plate (plenty of cross-section there). And if I wanted balance leads I can just put a ring-lug under one of the screws.

I should order a few cells to see how it goes... Then wonder what I'm going to do with a 13 kg, 2.2 kWh battery pack

[Kin]

I hope this thread isn't too old to be bumping,

but is there any thread comparing the EIG NMC to the Lg Chem NMC? I just went through a bunch of NMC threads with glee and desire, but I realize still to wait.

I saw a post by LFP where he simultaneously praised LG Chem and EIG, so I really am confused :p, but I didn't find anything more specific.

[...]

This is much cheaper than ~$0.40 for LG chem (Volt), but then again, the LG chem cells are capable of twice the power, much less sag, super-safe, and a huge 5-digit cycle life.

If you could get the EIG pack from a Hyundai, you would be a very happy man as well. Tier1 top notch quality stuff.

[Gregory]

Hi Chris, just want to throw my name in here as a MAYBE, POSSIBLY , thinking about a motorbike conversion and looking for battery options - the bonus being shipping would be split.
( I started looking at the grey CALB cells)

Let me know how you progress with this.
Greg