openinverter forum

Hi all,

i can`t get rid of the idea that the converted Lexus gs450h could be the ultimate family long range EV. I went through Damien`s videos, as well as the related wiki page. Upon these, taking over the gearbox and getting mg1&2 working seems quite straight forward. Weel done for all who contributed to it!

Next step of the conversion would be ensuring that no warning light are shown on the dashboard and all safety and comfort electrical gismos are working. This could be reached via CAN messages and I see that several people started this process. Now my question comes: is there anyone who succeeded with it? Is there a source where I can get the necessary arduino sketch and other necessary info to sort out the car`s electronics?

Best regards,
Tibor

Do you mean hacking the GS450h to make it run as a pure EV? This can possibly be done but you'll only have a range of about 5km before the battery is low.

sfk wrote: ↑Thu Feb 04, 2021 6:22 pm Do you mean hacking the GS450h to make it run as a pure EV? This can possibly be done but you'll only have a range of about 5km before the battery is low.

If you come through Damien`s videos on the subject, you find that by removing the ice from the gs450h and ading Damien`s board to the inverter, the can becomes a potent EV - yes, you need to add a measurable battery and a charging device. However, my question is on how to get rid off all the can-related trouble which comes up once you remove the ice.

This gets asked quite a lot and the answer is the same : someone just needs to get in there and do it. To the best of my knowledge so far no one has.

Yeah, this is something that would take a significant amount of research to achieve. Many car functions would need to be emulated - start button, shift position, etc, and many systems will rely on accurate feedback from both the engine and the HV system (ABS, cruise, etc).

Bear in mind that this car has brake by wire and (to a point) steer by wire.

This would require someone with a working GS450h and a significant amount of time to reverse engineer. Of course, once you do the conversion, you lose the opportunity to go back and find the fix for any issues which come up (without buying a second car).

You'd need to find someone who wants to do this project anyway and collaborate, do this yourself, or fund this research by someone else.

Even with the engine removed and Li-Ion packs in place of the original pack, you'd struggle to get a meaningful range from the GS.

So many people start this and dont finish it the can sniffing seams to be to much for everyone.
Understanding can is something i would like to learn (i have a basice idea)
I have a running driving gs450h will need help teach me how to snuff can and emulate things

Tiborx8 wrote: ↑Sat Feb 06, 2021 10:23 am

sfk wrote: ↑Thu Feb 04, 2021 6:22 pm Do you mean hacking the GS450h to make it run as a pure EV? This can possibly be done but you'll only have a range of about 5km before the battery is low.

If you come through Damien`s videos on the subject, you find that by removing the ice from the gs450h and ading Damien`s board to the inverter, the can becomes a potent EV - yes, you need to add a measurable battery and a charging device. However, my question is on how to get rid off all the can-related trouble which comes up once you remove the ice.

Before removeing the ICE you make some canlogs. Of the time it was happy.
That's your starting point.
Then the next step is to do a MIM on the MCU now you know what it sends.
Now you replay only those ID's of the MCU of your recording.
If the car is happy now you have enough data to proceed taking the engine out.
If its not happy you have work todo by reconnecting the MCU and figure out whats missing etc.

What can help is haveing access to diagnostic software of generic type and of the OEM of the car.

EV_Builder wrote: ↑Tue Aug 03, 2021 8:51 pm
Before removeing the ICE you make some canlogs. Of the time it was happy.
That's your starting point.
Then the next step is to do a MIM on the MCU now you know what it sends.
Now you replay only those ID's of the MCU of your recording.
If the car is happy now you have enough data to proceed taking the engine out.
If its not happy you have work todo by reconnecting the MCU and figure out whats missing etc.

What can help is haveing access to diagnostic software of generic type and of the OEM of the car.

I assume MCU is Motor Control Unit? What is MIM?

Would it be possible to keep the ICE and add a 600V+ battery to the DC bus terminals? I want a full plug in hybrid out of my highlander hybrid and not be limited to what the boost converter can provide.

PacEmaker wrote: ↑Fri Aug 06, 2021 11:59 am

EV_Builder wrote: ↑Tue Aug 03, 2021 8:51 pm
Before removeing the ICE you make some canlogs. Of the time it was happy.
That's your starting point.
Then the next step is to do a MIM on the MCU now you know what it sends.
Now you replay only those ID's of the MCU of your recording.
If the car is happy now you have enough data to proceed taking the engine out.
If its not happy you have work todo by reconnecting the MCU and figure out whats missing etc.

What can help is haveing access to diagnostic software of generic type and of the OEM of the car.

I assume MCU is Motor Control Unit? What is MIM?

MCU = Motor Control Unit ..
MIM = Man In the Middle ..

With canbus you don't know who sends to who and who needs what information. aka its a big broadcast show
So in order to get that info you place a device between a device and the bus.

If you compare a Toyota/Lexus hybrid car (e.g. GS450H) with a regular car (for convenience an E65 like Damien's ex car) with converting it to a full EV. Would a hybrid car be easier, the same or more difficult to convert?
I can imagine there are two possibilities:
1. You can modify/hack the the EV-only capabilities, reducing the problems with eliminating the ICE.
2. The integrated hybrid control part adds another layer of difficulty because the car wants to control the hybrid transmission AND the ICE. Then you remove the ICE and mimic its signals to control the hybrid transmission. However, then the car AND the ZombieVerter VCU both want to control the transmission. I can imagine this will cause problems.

Or can you force the car into ICE only mode? I guess not because the "eCVT" will still need to be controlled to maintain a certain speed.