Great series of videos on the Fiat 500e. I've driven a 500e for more than three years in Saskatchewan, Canada and believe me, the battery heater is very much needed in the winters we get here. I now own a used EV dealership and sell Fiat 500es, Chevy Bolts and Nissan Leafs. Thanks for this series. It makes me all the more knowledgeable to talk technical to my customers.
SDI cells needs the pretension to not break internally from swolloving , The datasheet specifies the force the cells need to be under. The cells are identical to what is in a BMW i3 and they come in 120Ah versions.
Can you or someone tell me what the actual C rate is for these cells? I have both fiat and the bmw packs with these and im calculating for a diy pack for golf cart use..
@@fathergratwick I can't post links here, so google this: "Samsung SDI 94 Ah battery cell full specifications" there are different discharge rates depending SOC and temperature. but roughly 3C for 30 Seconds and 4C for 5 seconds. So not super high power cells. But they have high energy density and last a long time.
Thanks very much for all these Fiat 500e teardown videos! I have a question for you: As the world's leading expert on the 500e outside of Fiat, do you happen to know either A) the part number for the voltage converter that converts the main battery voltage to the 12v system to charge the lead acid, or B) do you have any info about a rating for continuous amperage through that unit? I'm trying to figure out if it'd be safe to draw any significant 12v power through that voltage converter for a long time, or if it'd easily overheat.
@@theevolvingworld the issue rn is the car doesnt have power in interior but customer stated the just replaced 12v battery. The recall has been done to it about the software up since online it shows no unrepaired recalls
@@novawagon559 It wouldn't be able to put out that kind of voltage, if it was damaged. You can pull off the orange covers & check each cell. They should all be equal at 4.06v.
@@novawagon559 A healthy 12v battery is essential, so the car can boot up properly. I hope when say "battery module" you mean a 5 cell module. There are 97 cells in the 500e pack. Voltage should be in the 320-390v range.
It's a shame that Fiat never updated the battery with higher capacity, or added a DC fast charge as an option. Everyone says it's one of the most fun to drive EVs out there, but Fiat didn't really stand behind it like they should have (The CEO even famously asked people NOT to buy the car because Fiat lost something like $20,000 on each sale). Anyway, looks like the tide has turned because the Europe-only version for this year has both of those things: Greater range and DC fast charge. I guess maybe the price drop of lithium in the past couple of years has made the car more viable, but because Fiat has not done well in the US they have pulled out (Sort of. They still are the parent company of Dodge/Chrysler).
If only they made truly compelling cars here. Nobody knows of the best of fiat's existence here, the 500 Abarth. They didn't market their vehicles well here what so ever. The 500x was very awesome but also under-marketed and under-powered compared to the mini countryman S model counterpart.
Do you still have plans to utilize the 500e motor and controller? I recall that it seemed like you were going to swap it into another vehicle but the dry test of the system outside the vehicle failed. You suggested also you might pick up a custom harness and more.
Absolutely NOT! The point is cells come in all different shapes & sizes. The 18650 cell was the highest capacity per size & weight.in it's day. But, that was around the 2005-2015 era. Things have improved & continue to improve faster than ever before in the EV battery space.
@@theevolvingworld ha, thanks. Stupid question I guess. I thought you were saying that they were comparable density and the 18650 was the new tech. My apologies. What cells are the new and improved standard in 2022?
In your deconstruction video you indicated that the cooling is only on the bottom of the battery. After taking it apart did that end up being the case? I assume the sides of the battery case also contact the bottom and conduct the head down from the sides to the bottom. Any feedback?
In Ep. #7 I showed the whole pack being disassembled. Some modules are mounted horizontally & others are vertical. Of each of the 97 individual battery cells, only the bottom comes in contact with a chill plate. Sometimes even sharing the same plate on both sides.
Yes you can charge an individual 5 or 6 cell module as a whole. I've recently done this myself to balance the modules out while creating a new pack for my current EV conversion project. Go to eBay or Amazon & search for a 10-30v 0-10A bench power supply - you can adjust the knob to set exactly the voltage & charging speed.
@@theevolvingworld Thank you very much for the reply i needed the PDRN selector and negative battery connector but if they are in use i can search elsewhere maybe i get lucky . Most importantly i needed some advice too . kindly send me a mail of you can . Thanks !!
I have this vehicle. Currently battling Fiat to replace this battery. They don't want to, and the cost is $29,000 for a new battery. The battery is covered under a flimsy 40k mile warranty but they want to replace the PIM (power inverter module) first which cost $8400. What does the PIM look like? There's a recall on that part but just for software, not for hardware. If that doesn't fix the issue then fiat will replace the $29000 battery.
Sorry to here about the issues with your 500e. Checkout the Teardown series I show the Inverter/controller (A.K.A. - P.I.M.) On the 500e, this unit is combined with the DC to DC charger which keeps the 12v battery charged up. It should be covered under warranty & or as a Recall item. Don't pay anything. Might be best to get a '17 500e for $8k or something else entirely.
@@theevolvingworld I had a Honda Fit EV for 5 years before I picked up this Fiat 500e. The Fiat 500e was a great car- only put 8k miles on it during the year and a half I had it before it shut down on me in the middle of traffic with this propulsion system error. I reached out to local Fiat dealerships and none of them can service it. I had to drive over and hour away to find one that could fix it. They took over a month to diagnose the issue and tell me the battery needed to be replaced. Then at the last minute they're saying it's not the battery (which is $29k) but the PIM module which they want to bill me $8,400 for. Apparently all the parts for this car cost more than Lamborghini parts. I'll look through your videos again to see if I can grasp what this part looks like 😂
@@Vandetta187 Did you get a solution through the dealership? I know someone that is having the same problem and curious to know if the dealership ever fixed it.
I'm playing with some wires in the Fiat 500e and I thought this might be useful for you: cardiagn.com/2013-fiat-500-except-500e-service-repair-manual-wiring-diagram/ The 500e stuff is at the bottom.
Tesla looks decades ahead? They use the cheapest 18650 cells designed in the 90’s lol. Hyundai has the most advanced batteries and even those are 20 year old tech now...
*Energy density is what matters. Tesla is clearly ahead but putting two form factors side by side doesn't prove that. The 500e is clearly a compliance car. The chassis has so much wasted space and never gained updated cells as the came to market. i3 is a good example where it evolved over time and even offers an upgrade path for older models.
![I.N "HALLUCINATION" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/n5B5q1Hwt_U/mqdefault.jpg)
Great series of videos on the Fiat 500e. I've driven a 500e for more than three years in Saskatchewan, Canada and believe me, the battery heater is very much needed in the winters we get here. I now own a used EV dealership and sell Fiat 500es, Chevy Bolts and Nissan Leafs. Thanks for this series. It makes me all the more knowledgeable to talk technical to my customers.
SDI cells needs the pretension to not break internally from swolloving , The datasheet specifies the force the cells need to be under. The cells are identical to what is in a BMW i3 and they come in 120Ah versions.
Regarding the swelling: Exactly!
Can you or someone tell me what the actual C rate is for these cells? I have both fiat and the bmw packs with these and im calculating for a diy pack for golf cart use..
@@fathergratwick I can't post links here, so google this: "Samsung SDI 94 Ah battery cell full specifications" there are different discharge rates depending SOC and temperature. but roughly 3C for 30 Seconds and 4C for 5 seconds. So not super high power cells. But they have high energy density and last a long time.
I really liked your idea of later using the battery to power your house.
You think you can use multiple of these to power a small home with solar panels?
im confused? you eliminated the proper compression how is this better?
Does anyone know the discharge C ratings for these cells? I can't find any info for max continuous and peak discharge ratings.
Nice work, I didn’t see these videos until recently... I am using the same batteries for my projects.
Thanks. Yes, they are nice modules to work with. Most of them are installed in my lightweight sports car I'm building.
what is the cell composition on these? mine have no stickers on them to tell you which lithium type...thanks
Has anyone looked at dropping 93ah or 120ah sdi batteries back in to replace those 64ah?
Thanks very much for all these Fiat 500e teardown videos! I have a question for you: As the world's leading expert on the 500e outside of Fiat, do you happen to know either A) the part number for the voltage converter that converts the main battery voltage to the 12v system to charge the lead acid, or B) do you have any info about a rating for continuous amperage through that unit? I'm trying to figure out if it'd be safe to draw any significant 12v power through that voltage converter for a long time, or if it'd easily overheat.
I wanted to know how to know how to check each individual battery module to know if its good the voltage on 1 is 20.3v on a 5 cell
Each cell has a nominal rating of 3.75v & at full charge is 4.115v. 20.3v on a 5 cell module would be about 90-95% SOC.
@@theevolvingworld thank you for the quick reply. So is that the only info i would need to know that the entire battery module is good?
@@theevolvingworld the issue rn is the car doesnt have power in interior but customer stated the just replaced 12v battery. The recall has been done to it about the software up since online it shows no unrepaired recalls
@@novawagon559 It wouldn't be able to put out that kind of voltage, if it was damaged. You can pull off the orange covers & check each cell. They should all be equal at 4.06v.
@@novawagon559 A healthy 12v battery is essential, so the car can boot up properly. I hope when say "battery module" you mean a 5 cell module. There are 97 cells in the 500e pack. Voltage should be in the 320-390v range.
what year fiat 500e is this? I have seen another 500e main battery pack video and it was shaped completely different.
First generation of the "500e" was a U.S. only model produced 2013.5 - 2019. The specific car featured in the series was a 2015.
Duuude!! You got it open!!
At the end, so does that mean if you place say 1000 of those little round 3.5v batteries, the fiat would have more capacity than as designed?
It's a shame that Fiat never updated the battery with higher capacity, or added a DC fast charge as an option. Everyone says it's one of the most fun to drive EVs out there, but Fiat didn't really stand behind it like they should have (The CEO even famously asked people NOT to buy the car because Fiat lost something like $20,000 on each sale). Anyway, looks like the tide has turned because the Europe-only version for this year has both of those things: Greater range and DC fast charge. I guess maybe the price drop of lithium in the past couple of years has made the car more viable, but because Fiat has not done well in the US they have pulled out (Sort of. They still are the parent company of Dodge/Chrysler).
If only they made truly compelling cars here. Nobody knows of the best of fiat's existence here, the 500 Abarth. They didn't market their vehicles well here what so ever. The 500x was very awesome but also under-marketed and under-powered compared to the mini countryman S model counterpart.
Do you still have plans to utilize the 500e motor and controller? I recall that it seemed like you were going to swap it into another vehicle but the dry test of the system outside the vehicle failed. You suggested also you might pick up a custom harness and more.
Does that 18650 cell also have the same AH capacity as the SDI cell you compared?
Absolutely NOT! The point is cells come in all different shapes & sizes. The 18650 cell was the highest capacity per size & weight.in it's day. But, that was around the 2005-2015 era. Things have improved & continue to improve faster than ever before in the EV battery space.
@@theevolvingworld ha, thanks. Stupid question I guess. I thought you were saying that they were comparable density and the 18650 was the new tech. My apologies. What cells are the new and improved standard in 2022?
In your deconstruction video you indicated that the cooling is only on the bottom of the battery. After taking it apart did that end up being the case? I assume the sides of the battery case also contact the bottom and conduct the head down from the sides to the bottom. Any feedback?
In Ep. #7 I showed the whole pack being disassembled. Some modules are mounted horizontally & others are vertical. Of each of the 97 individual battery cells, only the bottom comes in contact with a chill plate. Sometimes even sharing the same plate on both sides.
HI john i have been swapping these cells for the last 17 years not destroying the case. Using a hydraulic press
And is it possible to charge 1 battery module separate and if so whats charger should i be using
Yes you can charge an individual 5 or 6 cell module as a whole. I've recently done this myself to balance the modules out while creating a new pack for my current EV conversion project. Go to eBay or Amazon & search for a 10-30v 0-10A bench power supply - you can adjust the knob to set exactly the voltage & charging speed.
hi can u send me a link for this battery
Hello to you all, can somebody please let me know where I can buy one battery pack module of 6 cells TYPE A in the States??
eBay has worked for me. I bought two 5 cell modules (one A & one B) for my PAO EV project.
Hello , Do you still have some parts from this teardown that you are willing to sell ?
All parts from this teardown series have either been sold or are in use in new projects.
@@theevolvingworld Thank you very much for the reply i needed the PDRN selector and negative battery connector but if they are in use i can search elsewhere maybe i get lucky . Most importantly i needed some advice too . kindly send me a mail of you can . Thanks !!
I thought you were going to take apart one of the modules to see if the cells were replaceable?
I have this vehicle. Currently battling Fiat to replace this battery. They don't want to, and the cost is $29,000 for a new battery. The battery is covered under a flimsy 40k mile warranty but they want to replace the PIM (power inverter module) first which cost $8400. What does the PIM look like? There's a recall on that part but just for software, not for hardware. If that doesn't fix the issue then fiat will replace the $29000 battery.
Sorry to here about the issues with your 500e. Checkout the Teardown series I show the Inverter/controller (A.K.A. - P.I.M.) On the 500e, this unit is combined with the DC to DC charger which keeps the 12v battery charged up. It should be covered under warranty & or as a Recall item. Don't pay anything. Might be best to get a '17 500e for $8k or something else entirely.
@@theevolvingworld I had a Honda Fit EV for 5 years before I picked up this Fiat 500e. The Fiat 500e was a great car- only put 8k miles on it during the year and a half I had it before it shut down on me in the middle of traffic with this propulsion system error. I reached out to local Fiat dealerships and none of them can service it. I had to drive over and hour away to find one that could fix it. They took over a month to diagnose the issue and tell me the battery needed to be replaced. Then at the last minute they're saying it's not the battery (which is $29k) but the PIM module which they want to bill me $8,400 for. Apparently all the parts for this car cost more than Lamborghini parts. I'll look through your videos again to see if I can grasp what this part looks like 😂
@@Vandetta187 Did you get a solution through the dealership? I know someone that is having the same problem and curious to know if the dealership ever fixed it.
I'm playing with some wires in the Fiat 500e and I thought this might be useful for you:
cardiagn.com/2013-fiat-500-except-500e-service-repair-manual-wiring-diagram/
The 500e stuff is at the bottom.
That does not cover the high voltage stuff at all.
battery sizes matters , tesla looks decade ahead
& priced accordingly. A $7K used Tesla doesn't exist.
Tesla looks decades ahead? They use the cheapest 18650 cells designed in the 90’s lol. Hyundai has the most advanced batteries and even those are 20 year old tech now...
*Energy density is what matters. Tesla is clearly ahead but putting two form factors side by side doesn't prove that. The 500e is clearly a compliance car. The chassis has so much wasted space and never gained updated cells as the came to market. i3 is a good example where it evolved over time and even offers an upgrade path for older models.
@@healthyhuman2360 you couldn't be more wrong ...
Elaborate