All-Electric Honda Insight

Description

Started digging into this project late 2019 and into 2020. I tracked down the original engineers at Azure dynamics to assist in digging up original software for the controller tune parameters. The car is currently running and driving as of October 2020 with insurance and registration. 2nd gear seems to work well for quick acceleration and good top speed. Brakes are improved after upgrading the vacuum pump to one from an electric SmartCar. I've recently gotten the DCDC converter into a second prototype phase and it's time to do some thermal dissipation tests. My batteries are ratchet strapped in the trunk, but I should be able to fit one in the gas tank cutout and maybe one under the hood.

July-2021. This has been a really great project and I have learned so much. I feel like I'm well on my way to making one of the most efficient EVs of all time. I'm leaving in August to start my master's at UC Berkeley and don't have the resources to store this car.

Files

My GUID number.png

This is my GUID. If yours is the same then I'll send you the files you need to edit it's parameters.

Portable Network Graphics (PNG) - 23.69 kB - 09/16/2020 at 15:38

Preview

DMOC445.ccs

All kinds of different .ccs files. It won't work for your controller unless the GUID number matches. You'll brick your controller if it doesn't.

ccs - 123.18 kB - 09/16/2020 at 15:38

Download

WYE.par

BAS Partitur Format - 4.14 kB - 09/16/2020 at 15:38

Download

DELTA.par

BAS Partitur Format - 4.09 kB - 09/16/2020 at 15:38

Download

ccShell-3.1.8.01_setup.zip

Most recent ccShell program.

Zip Archive - 4.94 MB - 09/16/2020 at 15:38

Download

Components

1 × 2003 Honda Insight

1 × Azure Dynamics DMOC 445 Controller

1 × Azure Dynamics AC24LS motor

1 × Old Chevy Volt Battery pack (2013?)

1 × PFC30XDPM Manzanita Micro Charger

Project Logs

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Project Updates 12/1/2020
Adam Curtis • 12/03/2020 at 23:51 • 0 comments

As winter settles into New England, a home-built electric car is going to need a heated garage. But that's not happening, so a battery heating system will have to do! I have a liquid heater from a smart car I bought from EV West along with the coolant pump from that same car. I will use these for now to keep the batteries toasty, and in the spring I will re-route the coolant system so that it can switch between cooling and heating the batteries depending on the weather.
The DC/DC converter is in prototype phase 3 now and will probably stay this way for the life of the car. I missed a few details like the various heights of things, but I think that fuse should work even though it's tilted over...
I updated the throttle cable for a final set of tests before machining the parts from a billet of aluminum. I ended up removing the cable housing and cable from the original throttle and attaching a lighter weight cable and cable housing to the original piece that clips into the fire-wall. I made a hole through an M8 for adjustability (essentially identical to the stock setup, but at the exact right length for my throttle position and with a more flexible cable to accommodate the tighter radius of my throttle pulley, which is on a 320 degree potentiometer. I may upgrade to a potentiometer with a smaller range, something like what you find in the Curtis pot boxes (no relation).
I just got some old wheel covers from a fellow Insight owner, but I haven't had a chance to get a picture with those mounted yet. So here is the best glamour shot I have to date.
"Little Bits" 11/10/20
Adam Curtis • 11/13/2020 at 14:10 • 0 comments

Part of any good EV conversion is falling in love with the vehicle your working on. This Insight was in pretty rough shape and missing a lot of parts, so I've been visiting the scrap yard and slowly fixing or replacing the little things. Cue the makeover montage.

Here's a before and after of my headlight restoration.
HV Box 11/9/20
Adam Curtis • 11/10/2020 at 01:15 • 0 comments

Need to put together a sealed box with all the HV components so they aren't just flopping about in the back. One of my friend's cats nearly steps on 200v last weekend.

I really enjoy modeling parts.

Note on Fuse. Up until now I've been using cheep high current fuses, but these are actually only rated for 32v... I'm going to spring for some A30QS300 made by Ferraz Shawmut and sold at allfuses.com.

The switch is a gigavac BD9523, which I only just now realized is rated for 32v only, so I'll be ordering a higher voltage version.
Project Updates 11/1/20
Adam Curtis • 11/08/2020 at 15:36 • 0 comments

My search for a windshield is still on-going. Also looking for cheap rear wheel covers in blue. My front bumper cover is cracked but I've Frankenstein stitched it back together with Zipties, would like to upgrade that. I have a Silver one, but not sure how well that will paint up with color match.

Balancing battery cells manually using iCharger.

Prototyping the DC DC converter
DC DC converter
Adam Curtis • 11/03/2020 at 02:08 • 0 comments

I've made a working prototype for the DC DC converter using a
DCM4623xD2N17C8y7z chip. It has been set to charge the 12v system to 14volts. I've just added a 10k pot to adjust the output voltage between 12.6-14.4v depending if I want to maintain the lead acid battery, run the lights, or bulk charge it. I've designed and ordered a circuit board, so the next iteration will be cleaner, will use anderson style connectors for the 12v side, enable charging with a key-on signal and will feature LEDs for on and fault states. Additionally there will be an external pot, so I can play around with adjustments from the drivers seat.
Thus far
Adam Curtis • 09/16/2020 at 15:49 • 0 comments

I've been working on this since spring 2020.
-So far I have gotten the motor spinning.
-Written 127 emails and visited the internet of old Solectria groups to track down appropriate .ccs and .par files.
-Then overcome a problem where there was no power and car "stalled" (I disabled the charge error in the DMOC 445)
-Designed and printed a little custom throttle and zip tied it to my pedal
-Strapped batteries in the trunk
-Bled the brakes
-Drove up and down a driveway

View all 6 project logs

Discussions

stardewvalley907 wrote 08/09/2024 at 07:23

The all-electric Honda Insight is a fantastic vehicle for Stardew Valley enthusiasts who appreciate sustainability both in-game and in real life. Just as players strive for an eco-friendly farm, the Insight offers a clean and green driving experience with zero emissions. Its advanced technology and quiet performance make it perfect for peaceful drives, reminiscent of the serene ambiance of Stardew Valley. The car's efficient energy use mirrors the game's focus on resource management. With the Honda Insight, you can extend your commitment to the environment beyond your virtual farm and into your daily commute.
https://stardewvalley-apk.com/

Are you sure? yes | no

Jack Reacher wrote 08/03/2024 at 15:55

Started this all-electric Honda Insight project in late 2019. With help from Azure Dynamics engineers, I got the controller software sorted. As of October 2020, the car is running with insurance and registration. Improved acceleration and brakes, and working on a second prototype of the DC-DC converter. Learned so much by July 2021 and ready for my master's at UC Berkeley in August. Check out https://fixmyspeakeer.com for resources.

Are you sure? yes | no

geminipro913 wrote 07/15/2024 at 15:51

utilize the orginal chevy volt BMS. there are slave models and an expert. presently you can leave the expert and it will run, or get a small and run SIMPBMS as a bms ace https://dgme.info

Are you sure? yes | no

taronadunyo wrote 02/10/2024 at 19:39

You really did a great job to make this electric honda program object. I want to embed it on my webpage. You can see it here: https://generalliabilityinsure.com/counties/ga/

Are you sure? yes | no

techcountryglow wrote 01/25/2024 at 21:46

I'm likewise truly amped up for the capability of your EV transformation. The Honda Understanding is as of now very eco-friendly, so I can barely comprehend how productive it will be as an electric vehicle. I'm likewise anticipating perceiving how your undertaking creates. I want to believe that you can keep chipping away at it in the wake of beginning your lord's program at Berkeley. I really want to embed it with my site page. You can see here:

https://techcountryglow.com/

Are you sure? yes | no

KillerFrost wrote 07/26/2023 at 03:31

Great job on your project! Your dedication and hard work since late 2019 are truly commendable. It's impressive that you tracked down the original engineers and software from Azure dynamics, making significant progress in getting the car up and running smoothly. Upgrading the brakes and the development of the DCDC converter show your determination to enhance the car's performance. Best of luck with the thermal dissipation tests and finding the best battery placement! Keep up the fantastic work!

Are you sure? yes | no

Wes wrote 11/13/2020 at 21:21

For the vacuum pump, check out ACDelco 20804130. This is what GM uses in their hybrids. It's not a large pump, so you'll want a reservoir as well for an EV. Trigger it through a relay. It pulls about 8A @ 12VDC.

Are you sure? yes | no

petestanding wrote 09/19/2020 at 02:39

use the orginal chevy volt BMS. there are slave models and a master. now you can leave the master and it will run, or get a teensy and run SIMPBMS as a bms master

Are you sure? yes | no

Adam Curtis wrote 11/08/2020 at 16:16

Oh boy, I wish I had that stuff! Next time.

Are you sure? yes | no

All-Electric Honda Insight

Description

Files

My GUID number.png

DMOC445.ccs

WYE.par

DELTA.par

ccShell-3.1.8.01_setup.zip

Components

Project Logs

Collapse

Project Updates 12/1/2020

"Little Bits" 11/10/20

HV Box 11/9/20

Project Updates 11/1/20

DC DC converter

Thus far

Discussions

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All-Electric Honda Insight

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Description

Files

My GUID number.png

DMOC445.ccs

WYE.par

DELTA.par

ccShell-3.1.8.01_setup.zip

Components

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