Has anyone disassembled a Smart Fortwo Battery for cells

[WilliamRandol]

So I am now the proud owner of a Smart ForTwo battery pack. Seemed like a great deal to get some good cells for cheap. I was wondering if anyone has any experience breaking one of these open. It looks like this is going to be quite the chore. It looks like there are two plastic trays that hold the batteries. these appear to clip together and then were melted together in a few areas around the edge. The tough part appears to be the 6 metal mounting blocks (one at each corner and one on each side at the center) that are glued to both trays. The glue seems rather strong I am guessing it is an epoxy. If anyone has any experience opening something like this your advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

 

[WilliamRandol]

So I have stared the deconstruction of the battery pack.

They did NOT want this thing to come apart. Each battery is glued into the trays on both ends. So far the best way I have found to extract them is one or two at a time. Make sure you are ready for a lot of work if you embark on a project like this. But at less than $1 a battery it may still be worth it.

 

[fechter]

Wow, that does look like a lot of work. Very similar to a Tesla pack.

It would be handy if there was a way to preserve chunks of it that were usable without having to strip it down to individual cells. Any markings on the cells?

 

[WilliamRandol]

No, no markings at all on the cells. But I understand they are Panasonic cells. I imagine also like the ones in a Tesla and probably do not have any protection circuits.

My goal is to break it down for an electric bicycle.

 

[999zip999]

Wow lot"s of work. I would get a few https://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=87434 To play around with. Maybe 4 kits . Just for anything packs.

 

[WilliamRandol]

Cool yeah, I was hoping to do a no solder/weld pack so I have the option to change it later.

 

[999zip999]

I haven't ordered mine yet but this would be for a lower amp draw battery for my girlfriend or such it wouldn't be for the demands of my bike.
Where you at ?

 

[WilliamRandol]

Do you think I would need a solder/weld solution for a bike... it is one of the 1000w wheel kits from amazon... I have successfully tested it with some lead acid batteries. But they don't have the capacity for my commute to work.

I am in Denver.

 

[WilliamRandol]

Here is the bike with the super nice lead acid pack.
My neighbor was throwing it out. So far I have only invested about $600 (including the $300 for the pack I am disassembling) in the bike.

 

[999zip999]

? 36v - 52v as 60v caps in the controller ?. What is it ? Just how many cells did you get ?

 

[999zip999]

Your order should include gaskets for the positive end sleeves after the gasket then see if it fits in those snap-together plastic holders. Then make a 10s 6p to a 14s 6p pack. With sense wires for a cell checker 6s or with fits maybe 5s. You can start as the human bms. Leave the sense wire even with a bms. Those kits should be in the us by now. Battery kits.

 

[WilliamRandol]

I got 330 cells. The are naked cells so I need to make sure they are not touching. Or I need to get heat shrink. I am thinking of building either a 13s or 14s pack.

 

[redilast]

I got 330 cells. The are naked cells so I need to make sure they are not touching. Or I need to get heat shrink. I am thinking of building either a 13s or 14s pack.

If you use a battery cell holder then naked might be fine. But if they are going to be close together you must use heatshrink to prevent shorts.

 

[Hillhater]

Wow, that does look like a lot of work. Very similar to a Tesla pack.
Any markings on the cells?

i thought Tesla did make these first series Smart EV packs.
Later Smarts use pouch cells from the Mercedes battery plant.

 

[999zip999]

If no bms go with 6p or larger so you can use and understand the pack you made with the controller you got get a C.A.. And sense wires and monitor bms or not. Marry it yout first pack just yours without bms. No giving it to little brother or mother to use you monitor. Did I say your responsible. Check and match cells before each step. Befroe. Make a balance pack to start it will not magically balance itself a bms is not mint to balance a bunch of mismatched cells you build from same Matched cells. All the same. The EZ way.
Great learning experience. They are Hot be careful.

 

[Monstarr]

Wow, that does look like a lot of work. Very similar to a Tesla pack.
Any markings on the cells?

i thought Tesla did make these first series Smart EV packs.
Later Smarts use pouch cells from the Mercedes battery plant.

Yes, i thought the same.
AccuMOTIVE made the 17 kWh battery for 3th gen Smart EV. I am not sure about the current 4th generation.

Tesla helped out also with the batteries and drivetrain for the first electric B-series. But they were not sold in large numbers afaik.

 

[Hillhater]

AccuMotive is a par of the Mercedes group and continue to make cells/packs for the Smart.
https://electrek.co/2017/05/22/daimler-battery-gigafactory-electric-vehicles/

 

[Monstarr]

AccuMotive is a par of the Mercedes group and continue to make cells/packs for the Smart.
https://electrek.co/2017/05/22/daimler-battery-gigafactory-electric-vehicles/

I know , it is a joint venture and they use very interesting technology for the cells.
https://chargedevs.com/newswire/daimler-acquires-two-key-german-battery-firms/

Edit: oh yeah i see, 4th gen Smart EV has larger capacity battery but also from AccuMOTIVE. Thought they changed.