AC Propulsion eBox

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The eBox is a conversion of a Scion xB vehicle into a battery electric vehicle produced by the U.S. company AC Propulsion.

AC Propulsion eBox

Manufacturer	AC Propulsion
Production	2007-present
Predecessor	AC Propulsion tzero
Class	Mini MPV
Body style	Mini MPV, 5-door compact hatchback
Layout	Front-engine, Front-wheel drive
Platform	Toyota Scion xB
Engine	3-phase, 4-pole AC induction
Wheelbase	2499 mm / 98.4 in.
Length	3944 mm / 155.4 in.
Width	1689 mm / 66.5 in.
Height	1641 mm / 64.6 in.
Ride height	130 mm / 5.1 in.
Track	1455 mm / 57.3 in. (front), 1430 mm / 56.3 in. (rear)
Curb weight	1383 kg / 3050 lb
Top Speed	153 km/h / 95mph
Fuel capacity	35kWh
Related	AC Propulsion tzero Tesla Roadster
Designer	AC Propulsion, Toyota

1 History
2 Pricing
3 Specifications
4 References
5 External links

[edit] History

One of the events at which company executives made announcements of their intention to do Scion xB conversions was an October 2003 event recorded in pictures and commentary on the Electrifying Times website. Company executives stated that the Scion xB was chosen in part due to its boxy shape which allows for good placement and installation of a battery pack. The availability of a suitable battery was said to be an important step in allowing for the announcement of the program. Suitability requirements included that the battery be widely available ("off the shelf"), in volume, without danger that supply would be cut off or be overly limited. Thousands of Lithium Ion Batteries, of the 18650 variant, were proposed as suitable for the rechargeable battery system.

The prototype eBox was unveiled in Santa Monica, CA on August 18, 2006. The prototype used a battery pack consisting of 5,300 Li-ion cells arranged into 100 blocks of 53 cells each.

The first production eBox was delivered to actor Tom Hanks on February 15, 2007.

[edit] Pricing

Estimated cost of this conversion exceeds USD $50,000 in addition to the base vehicle cost, while high volume OEM additional cost is projected at about USD $10,000. It appears that high volume production by original vehicle manufactures using AC production components is a goal, with the low volume production being an intermediate step.

[edit] Specifications

For more details from the manufacturer, see: http://www.acpropulsion.com/ebox/specifications.htm

Acceleration: 0 to 60mph in less than 7 seconds

AC Propulsion eBox (rear view)

Top Speed: 95 mph / 153 km/hr

Range: 140-180 mi. / 225-290 km

Charger: On board, adapts to various mains supply voltages and frequency, includes Vehicle to Grid (V2G) capability

Charge Rate: 17.5kW, 30 minutes for 20-50 miles

Full Charge: 2 hours (fast), 5 hours (normal)

Battery Pack: 5,088 Li-Ion cells, 35kWh, 650 lb

Fuel Efficiency: 122 Wh/km, non-standard driving cycle^[1]

Coefficient of drag: 0.35

[edit] References

^ Stefano Paris (2006-08-18). First Peek Inside the eBox. Google Video. Retrieved on 2007-03-29. “(5' 30") 196 Wh/mi was "the cumulative from San Diego to [the Santa Monica, CA unveiling of the prototype]".”