A History of GM EV1 Battery
Chemistries

===

Gen1 = Delco (PbA)
+
Gen2 = Panasonic (PbA)
+
Gen3 = Ovonic (NiMH)

===

Here are a few pictures of all three battery chemistry modules
for size comparison.

The EV1 was originally fitted with a Delco manufactured PbA (Lead
Acid) (53Ah) battery that yielded 16.4 kWh and 40 to 60 miles
of range in the 1994 - 1996 period, and was the first OEM module
in the original EV1 production vehicles.

The second generation of EV1 battery was an advanced PbA
(lead-acid) (55Ah) module from Panasonic, model 1260U,
which yielded 18.7 kWh and 60 to 80 miles of range.  The third and
final EV1 module had NiMH chemistries (85Ah), was
manufactured by the Ovonic Energy Conversion Devices organization,
and yielded 26.4 kWh and 80 to 120 miles of range
in the EV1's original configuration.

The Beata Collection is interested in retrofitting several different
battery options for our EV1s (and other period EVs) from PbA
(Lead-Acid) to NiMH (Nickel Medal Hydride) to (LiON) Lithium and
even old-timers like NiFe (Nickel Iron).  Each different
chemistry offers different attributes, from ease of availability
(PbA) to increased life span (NiMH) to superior
range/density (LiON) to, maybe the most interesting, (NiFe) for
outright lifespan.  One of the several obstacles is the physical
footprint of the original OEM EV1 modules.  That footlpring is no
longer manufactured in the US, and tricking the EV1's BPCM
into recognising voltage levels and resistances is
important to continued to use of the OEM charging profiles, i.e.:
keeping the vehicles in an OEM survivor environment.


===


--->  Additional pictures below  <---