The First Plug-in Camry Hybrid Conversion
#81
09-18-2013, 05:32 AM
Re: The First Plug-in Camry Hybrid Conversion
Hi Smiling Jack,
Thanks for all your posts.....very interesting and informative. I have 2 Camry Hybrids and I am very interested in doing this conversion. The Enginer web site list products for Prius cars only, as far as I can see. Also, I cannot find the web site for Automation Tech. I would appreciate any help in contacting them. Thanks, John
Thanks for all your posts.....very interesting and informative. I have 2 Camry Hybrids and I am very interested in doing this conversion. The Enginer web site list products for Prius cars only, as far as I can see. Also, I cannot find the web site for Automation Tech. I would appreciate any help in contacting them. Thanks, John
#82
09-25-2013, 05:36 PM
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Houston, Texas
Posts: 373
Re: The First Plug-in Camry Hybrid Conversion
Hi Smiling Jack,
Thanks for all your posts.....very interesting and informative. I have 2 Camry Hybrids and I am very interested in doing this conversion. The Enginer web site list products for Prius cars only, as far as I can see. Also, I cannot find the web site for Automation Tech. I would appreciate any help in contacting them. Thanks, John
Thanks for all your posts.....very interesting and informative. I have 2 Camry Hybrids and I am very interested in doing this conversion. The Enginer web site list products for Prius cars only, as far as I can see. Also, I cannot find the web site for Automation Tech. I would appreciate any help in contacting them. Thanks, John
Thanks for the compliments. I am sorry to disappoint, but Automation Tech is out of business and it's Enginer product is out of production and unsupported.
Their add on plug-in unit was a brilliant concept, and when it worked, it certainly delivered big benefits, but it was plagued by reliability and support problems that may have proved too difficult for them to overcome.
In the end, my experience with the Enginer unit convinced me of two things: 1. Plug-in hybrid was really the only way for me to get great fuel economy, and 2. The add on aftermarket unit was really too much trouble and too unreliable.
So, I sold the Camry (without the Enginer unit), and I bought a factory plug-in hybrid (Ford C-max Energi)
Jack
#83
10-03-2013, 07:53 PM
Re: The First Plug-in Camry Hybrid Conversion
In the end, my experience with the Enginer unit convinced me of two things: 1. Plug-in hybrid was really the only way for me to get great fuel economy, and 2. The add on aftermarket unit was really too much trouble and too unreliable.
So, I sold the Camry (without the Enginer unit), and I bought a factory plug-in hybrid (Ford C-max Energi)
So, I sold the Camry (without the Enginer unit), and I bought a factory plug-in hybrid (Ford C-max Energi)
I was getting all excited about this, but the first question that poped to mind was "How reliable is this" after investing 4-5k and you just answered it.
Sounds like an expensive experiment north of $10k with the sale of the car and battery?
#85
05-13-2015, 02:31 PM
Ridiculously Active Enthusiast
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Southern New Mexico
Posts: 1,312
Re: The First Plug-in Camry Hybrid Conversion
I enjoy some of these older post. In 2013 a conversion like this may have cost $4000 to $5000 which some did.
The only problem I see even if the extra battery was trouble free is the added weight. Then the $4000 to $5000 would sure buy lots of gasoline instead of the conversion.
The only problem I see even if the extra battery was trouble free is the added weight. Then the $4000 to $5000 would sure buy lots of gasoline instead of the conversion.
#86
08-04-2015, 11:21 PM
Re: The First Plug-in Camry Hybrid Conversion
I actually have a similar project that I'm trying to put together for my jeep. Making it a plug in EV, but gas when then E* runs out.
I have all of the hardware parts machined but I need to catch up on all of the traction motor, batt, and controller technical stuff to make sure I have it all correct.
Any hoo, might you have any pics of the project?
I have all of the hardware parts machined but I need to catch up on all of the traction motor, batt, and controller technical stuff to make sure I have it all correct.
Any hoo, might you have any pics of the project?
#87
05-11-2022, 07:08 PM
Re: The First Plug-in Camry Hybrid Conversion
This week I made an out of town trip by air. I had a full charge on the auxiliary battery pack starting out.
The Trip to airport on Monday AM (25 mi @ 60 mph+ interstate for 20 of those mi) gave 53 mpg and did not deplete the charge. Summer heat has arrived in Houston; so, the A/C was definitely on.
I estimate that without Enginer system I would have done 40 mpg on this trip using A/C.
On the return trip from the airport on Thursday the aux battery pack charge was effectively depleted 16 miles, or 41 miles, total, including the 25 mi trip out.
For the entire 50-mile round trip (all with A/C) I averaged 50.4 mpg. The difference from the 53 mpg logged on the trip out may well mean that on the final 9 mi of the return trip I got the approximately 40 mpg that I would normally get on this trip with A/C.
Tentative conclusions are
1. The range for effective use of the batteries with this type of trip was 41 miles, somewhat greater than I expected based on my city driving experience.
2. It looks like the unit saved me about 25% of my expected gas consumption for this trip, at over the first 41 miles. It appears that percentage fuel savings will be greatest in city driving - not on the interstate.
The Trip to airport on Monday AM (25 mi @ 60 mph+ interstate for 20 of those mi) gave 53 mpg and did not deplete the charge. Summer heat has arrived in Houston; so, the A/C was definitely on.
I estimate that without Enginer system I would have done 40 mpg on this trip using A/C.
On the return trip from the airport on Thursday the aux battery pack charge was effectively depleted 16 miles, or 41 miles, total, including the 25 mi trip out.
For the entire 50-mile round trip (all with A/C) I averaged 50.4 mpg. The difference from the 53 mpg logged on the trip out may well mean that on the final 9 mi of the return trip I got the approximately 40 mpg that I would normally get on this trip with A/C.
Tentative conclusions are
1. The range for effective use of the batteries with this type of trip was 41 miles, somewhat greater than I expected based on my city driving experience.
2. It looks like the unit saved me about 25% of my expected gas consumption for this trip, at over the first 41 miles. It appears that percentage fuel savings will be greatest in city driving - not on the interstate.
#88
05-11-2022, 07:10 PM
Re: The First Plug-in Camry Hybrid Conversion
I have a 2012 camry hybrid that iget 40+ mph, do you have any larger aux packs now? More than 4kw, maybe 8 kw available?
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