Our Latest Conversion: elEVen
The team's latest vehicle aims to travel 200 miles on an 11-minute charge. The elEVen is a battery-electric conversion of the Ford CD3 platform, used in the Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan and Lincoln MKZ. The team began work on the vehicle in July 2009, removing the factory powertrain to make room for an electric motor, custom chain drive and a lithium-ion battery pack. The battery is the heart of the elEVen, consisting of lithium iron-phosphate cells donated by A123Systems. These batteries have an extremely low internal resistance, making them ideal for rapid recharge: the main technical hurdle that this project sets out to explore.
Mission
To demonstrate an electric vehicle with performance and convenience on par with conventional cars.
Motivation
The first step to mass adoption of electric cars is building one that meets the expectations of mainstream cars. The time required to charge an electric vehicle compared to the time of a gasoline fill-up remains an obstacle. It takes a pioneering research project to demonstrate the potential of new battery and electric drive technologies, which will become feasible as costs are brought down by large-scale manufacturing.
Timeline
- June 2009 – Components for the conversion arrive and the design process begins
- July 11th, 2009 – pre-production Mercury Milan Hybrid chassis arrives in our shop
- July 12th – August 29th: Vehicle converted to EV, first design iteration
- August 30th, 2009 – First successful test drive
Vehicle Design Objectives and Specifications
| Objective | Component Specifications | |
| Range | 200 miles | Battery Pack: > 60 kWh |
| Recharge Time | < 11 minutes | Charging system: 350 kW |
| Performance | < 9 sec 0-60 mph time | Motor: 3-Phase AC Induction. 180 kW peak, 130 kW continuous |
| Aesthetics and Acceptability | Acceptable for main-stream audience and use | Conversion Vehicle: popular mid-size sedan platform |
Components
Battery Pack
First design iteration: 20kWh A123 prototype battery pack, consisting of 2,700 A123 26650 cells.
Ultimate goal: 60kWh custom-built battery pack, consisting of 7,875 A123 26650 cells.
Motor and Motor Controller
250-horsepower, 3-phase AC induction motor, originally built by Northrop Grumman for a 16.5-ton electric transit bus (Donated by SatCon). The motor can accelerate the elEVen from 0 to 60 miles per hour in under 9 seconds, with a top speed of 100 miles per hour.
Conversion Vehicle
The elEVen is a battery-electric conversion of the Ford CD3 platform, used in the Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan, and Lincoln MKZ. The team will modify the tires, suspension, motor control logic, and aerodynamics to achieve the efficiency needed for a 200-mile range.
Charging System
The charging system is the single most high-power component of the vehicle; for the final vehicle design, over 350kW will be needed to recharge the 60kWh pack in 10 minutes.
Become a Sponsor
The team is actively seeking new sponsors of all levels to fund the elEVen project via component donations and financial support. By becoming a sponsor you can support EV research, education, and demonstration at MIT, while gaining valuable promotion for you and your company. For more information about sponsorship opportunities, please contact the EVT Treasurer at evt-treasurer@mit.edu. More information, including a list of our current sponsors, is available here.
