Bolt/Spark Battery Swap?

[MtnCowboy9]

I have been think about what it would take to get the battery Pack from a salvaged Bolt and put them in my Spark. Think about it, They are both 3.75V cells and 400V Motors. But he Amp Hours for my Sparks cells are 27 and the Bolts are 55. If you could fit even half the Battery pack into the spark you'd probably more than double your range.
Just a thought. Here is the article I read that got me thinking of making a LONG range Spark...


https://cleantechnica.com/2016/09/03/ch ... e-another/

[SparkE]

No - ain't gonna happen. Silly idea.

[NORTON]

Half that pack would be half the voltage, unless you took apart every cell group, reengineered the BMS and TMS and all the SW related to the drive system and charge system.
The full size pack is too wide and long to place within the cabin of the Spark, so.....

You've seen the pictures of the Bolt pack, so....
Mount that big ol'pack on a roof rack!!

Two bigazz wires, two coolant hoses, some smaller wires connecting the pack to the car's systems and Bob's Your Uncle!!
Should be easy !!!

[JPL]

Here is at example of someone installing better batteries to a S-10 Electric pickup truck

https://www.summet.com/blog/leaf-truck/

Never stop dreaming

[TheLondonBroiler]

Half that pack would be half the voltage, unless you took apart every cell group, reengineered the BMS and TMS and all the SW related to the drive system and charge system.
The full size pack is too wide and long to place within the cabin of the Spark, so.....

You've seen the pictures of the Bolt pack, so....
Mount that big ol'pack on a roof rack!!

Two bigazz wires, two coolant hoses, some smaller wires connecting the pack to the car's systems and Bob's Your Uncle!!
Should be easy !!!

I was thinking more along the lines of strapping the pack to the bottom, somehow extending the hubs and.......monster truck tires! How could it not work?!? There's not much a few million dollars and unlimited highly skilled labor can't accomplish.

-End joking along with Norton.
-
Begin response to thread author.

It's nice to dream once in a while, but having realistic expectations is always good. I've seen the entire guts of a leaf put into a vw bus, including battery, but it had the space to accommodate. The spark ain't got the space without making it a 2 seater, redesigning the battery enclosure, modifying the suspension, and software.

I think we can realistically hope for someone incorporating near identical pouch cells with greater density, essentially rebuilding a pack with 24kwh usable energy. Even that, is likely never to happen, but I could be wrong.

[NORTON]

...
-End joking along with Norton. ..

Agreed.
I was always considering an EV conversion since before there were factory made EV's.
At some point I realized there was no way to even buy the parts to do a conversion for less than buying a used Spark EV.
EV heat! EV efficient AC. Onstar communication with the car. No EV conversions have these things.
(I owned a Volt along the way.)
Plus how many EV conversions have full TMS to heat and cool the battery pack?
I'm afraid the days of backyard EV tinkerers is over....

[fox]

I want to scrap the spark and put the entire system into something really cool like a delorean!

[CSW]

I think we can realistically hope for someone incorporating near identical pouch cells with greater density, essentially rebuilding a pack with 24kwh usable energy. Even that, is likely never to happen, but I could be wrong.

NOW that would be nice, a spark with just a better battery in same space as current battery, like 24kwh, or dare to dream to 30kwh??

[drsurd]

If you find a way let me know. I love the spark EV and would love it even more with a 200 mile range!

If we get a few users together maybe we can hire a 'fabricator' to do it?

I'm at 30,000 miles with my 2014 L2. No sign of diminished capacity Would love to drvie my Spark
forever. I'm on the list for a T3 but I really don't need the T's added cost if I can get added range
in the Spark for about $6000. Might be doable in a few years...it will be a good business down the road
I think...but so many warranty issues...needs to come from the OEM...fat chance of the ICE companies
really going in on EVs for another decade...

[CSW]

If solid state batteries ever get ramped-up to mass production it just may be doable.... Just need the battery & maybe some software and the spark will be doing 180+ miles easy.