Plug & Play Ozdiy Electrical Ute Conversions

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After listening to Jo’s story in regards to the restoration and conversion of Peppermint Pattie, I assumed I might test in with Graeme Manietta at OZDIY to see what he’s as much as lately. He tells me that OZDIY is presently designing options for battery pack upgrades for the Mitsubishi Outlander, Nissan Leaf, and additional enhancements to the i-MiEV. “These are taking on all our time and spare sources proper now,” he mentioned. “The flat pack kits for Mitsubishi Triton utes is our subsequent venture and we’re assembly with grant writers to hunt funding to quick monitor it. We’re beginning the Analysis and Growth quickly with or with out funding.” Will probably be plug & play know-how.

OZDIY is upgrading the batteries of 1st-generation Nissan Leafs from 24 kW to 53 kW. “They need to have the ability to get 300 km of vary.” He’s additionally supplying elements to installers within the European Union who’re doing upgrades. His worldwide clients embody installers in California, Chile, and Auckland, New Zealand.

Packs are being ready for abroad cargo to do upgrades on the Mitsubishi i-MiEV and Minicab. The demand for these packs is growing. Over 50,000 i-MiEVs have been offered within the EU and the USA by way of Mitsubishi, and in addition because the Citroen C-Zero and Peugeot iOn. So, there’s loads of scope for development.

Graeme tells me he has no less than ten years value of labor simply upgrading the Mitsubishi Outlander. Many hundreds have offered all through Australia, the place it has been the one plug-in ute for the final decade. Though the 2024 Outlander comes with a 20-kW lithium-ion battery with a variety of 84 km, the unique one solely had a 12 kW battery. Graeme is upgrading the older Outlanders from a 12 kW to a 18 kW pack.

The Outlander PHEV has obtained many accolades since its introduction in 2001. In 2014, it was the high promoting plug-in car in Europe. “Throughout 2015, the Outlander plug-in hybrid surpassed the Leaf because the all-time high promoting plug-in passenger automobile in Europe. In 2017, the Outlander PHEV topped plug-in hybrid gross sales in Europe, for the fifth yr operating.

“European gross sales handed the 100,000 unit milestone in January 2018, and international deliveries achieved the 150,000 unit mark in March 2018. The 200,000th unit milestone was attained in March 2019. International gross sales reached 250,000 items in Might 2020, and 300,000 items in January 2022. In response to JATO Dynamics, the Outlander PHEV turned the world’s all-time finest promoting plug-in hybrid in December 2018. As of March 2019, the Outlander plug-in hybrid was out there for retail gross sales in 50 nations.”

Graeme’s subsequent venture is the manufacturing of a flat pack conversion equipment to covert the Mitsubishi Triton from diesel to electrical. Nothing can frighten a Triton — particularly whether it is electrical! “The drive system will arrive in a flat pack on a pallet — identical to some other auto accent — like a bull bar. Every little thing is there — all of the electrics — as a lot of the wiring within the battery field as potential. You simply hook into the wiring loom of the automobile.” Plug and play!

He has already used an identical methodology when supplying Australian mines with conversion kits for the Suzuki Sierra. “We despatched them a flat pack and two males working collectively can match it in a day as soon as the petrol elements are eliminated, 2 days if not and the elements eliminated could properly have a 2nd life to maintain one other Suzuki going. Financial system of scale will make it very inexpensive. Buyers very welcome!”

“We see a tsunami of ute conversion coming. We will present an inexpensive equipment. If the ute remains to be in good nick (situation) it may be transformed for half the worth of an electrical ute and it really works higher.” He’s not fallacious in regards to the prices of electrical utes in Australia — the Ford F-150 Lightning transformed to RHD has simply been launched and prices over AUS$200,000.

As I’ve written beforehand, 2024 could be the yr of the electrical ute in Australia, with the JAC T9, the LDV Maxus GST, the Geely RADAR RD6, a Ssangyong (KGM), and a PHEV ute from BYD known as the Shark anticipated to reach this yr. Costs and vary usually are not all introduced. If OZDIY can value their conversion kits competitively, then the brand new entrants may discover some homegrown competitors. Both method, there’s loads of room out there for electrical utes.

At a current automotive convention in Tamworth, New South Wales, Graeme was struck by the thought that as extra electrical automobiles hit the roads, mechanics shall be in search of work. With the addition of some new abilities and a few electrical security coaching, changing automobiles to electrical is figure that they might do — giving petrol and diesel automobiles one other 10 years of life with as an electrical powertrain. Future proofing! Courses could possibly be run for off-grid communities utilizing outdated batteries from the Leaf, the Outlander, and the i-MiEV. “Every little thing has a second life, and the variety of batteries going to landfill is diminished.”

“We may ship a equipment out to the native service station at Wagga Wagga and so they can match it. With a hoist any mechanic can match our kits. Will probably be plug and play in a day. The transformed ute could final one other 10 years.” Graeme may be very constructive in regards to the enterprise alternatives. For reference, Wagga Wagga is inland, about midway between Melbourne and Sydney. Graeme’s level is that you just don’t need to be at a giant metropolis workshop with plenty of further coaching. He’s aiming for a degree of simplicity so {that a} yard mechanic can do the conversion. Australians love tinkering with their automobiles. This could possibly be the following huge venture — make the Kingswood electrical!