Peugeot iOn EV Battery Upgrade In France CATL 93Ah NMC Cell Retrofit Case Study

Case Details

Overview Of Thomas’s Peugeot iOn Battery Revival Project

Thomas from France rescued his ageing Peugeot iOn electric car by swapping its worn out original battery pack with 88 pieces of CATL 93Ah 3.7V NMC lithium ion battery cells. This real world case study shows how an affordable custom battery rebuild can restore and massively extend driving range for older small EV models including the Citroën C Zero and Mitsubishi i MiEV.
Client: Thomas
Location: France
Vehicle: Peugeot iOn Electric vehicle (rebadged Mitsubishi i MiEV)
Project Objective: Replace degraded factory LEV50 battery pack with a higher capacity custom battery system to recover usable driving range
Core Components: 88 units CATL 93Ah 3.7V NMC lithium ion battery cells Battery Supplier: Shenzhen Xiho Energy Technology Co., Ltd.

The Problem Facing Peugeot iOn Owners With Worn LEV50 Battery Packs

Severe Capacity Loss And High OEM Replacement Costs
The Peugeot iOn, Citroën C Zero and Mitsubishi i MiEV were early mass market electric vehicles. After years of operation their factory LEV50 battery packs suffer heavy capacity fade. Thomas’s vehicle only delivered 40–50 km real driving range, which was not enough for daily commutes around French cities like Paris and Lyon.
His original LEV50 50Ah cells lost more than 40 percent usable capacity. Official dealer replacement packs were quoted above 8000 USD, a price higher than the car’s total market value. Thomas needed a practical upgrade solution that fit inside the original battery housing, delivered a minimum 25kWh to 30kWh total capacity, used durable modern NMC battery chemistry and worked with compatible BMS hardware. After researching available options, he chose CATL 93Ah 3.7V NMC lithium ion battery cells for the rebuild. Each cell holds 93Ah nominal capacity at 3.7V. Cell dimensions measure roughly 42mm × 175mm × 85mm with a unit weight of 1.72kg. These cells support over 3000 charge cycles and 5C maximum discharge rate to maintain steady power output and strong acceleration.

Custom 30kWh Battery Pack Build Using CATL 93Ah NMC Cells

88S1P Cell Configuration For Peugeot iOn Retrofit

The engineering team designed a custom battery assembly that fits perfectly within the Peugeot iOn original battery chassis. Thomas’s pack uses all 88 CATL 93Ah 3.7V NMC lithium ion battery cells arranged in an 88S1P series single parallel layout. This setup produces 325.6V nominal voltage and 93Ah capacity to reach approximately 30kWh total energy storage, nearly doubling the original 16kWh factory battery capacity.
Using these cells delivered an 86 percent increase in total pack energy without modifying the stock battery enclosure footprint. Each CATL 93Ah 3.7V NMC lithium ion battery cell stores 344Wh compared to only 185Wh from the old LEV50 cell. This high energy per cell makes the retrofit extremely space efficient.
These CATL cells adopt NMC 811 material chemistry for high energy density and stable power delivery. Electrical specs include 4.25V maximum charging voltage, 2.75V discharge cut off voltage and low internal resistance ≤0.6mΩ for safe and efficient operation. Full project costs including CATL 93Ah 3.7V NMC lithium ion battery cells, matching 88S BMS, busbars, insulation materials and technical assembly guidance fell between 3800 USD and 4500 USD. This cost is less than half the OEM replacement pack price while offering much higher storage capacity. Aftermarket EV technicians can complete this cell swap to push Peugeot iOn driving range past 200km.

Why CATL 93Ah 3.7V NMC Lithium Ion Cells Fit This EV Retrofit

Key Benefits For Peugeot iOn Citroën C Zero And Mitsubishi i MiEV

Higher Energy Density. Each CATL 93Ah 3.7V NMC lithium ion battery cell provides 344Wh energy storage, 86 percent more energy than the LEV50 cell. The upgrade gains large capacity without altering the battery tray size.
Reliable Grade A Cells. CATL ranks among the world’s top lithium battery manufacturers. Our supplied CATL 93Ah 3.7V NMC lithium ion battery cells are Grade A matched units with tightly consistent internal resistance and capacity to keep all cells balanced during operation.
Long Service Life. Rated for over 3000 cycles retaining 80 percent capacity, these cells will power the Peugeot iOn for many years of regular driving.
Suitable Physical Size. Cell dimensions match the available space inside the Peugeot iOn battery tray, 42mm × 175mm × 85mm.
Stable Thermal Performance. The cells perform reliably across wide temperature ranges, adapting well to France’s changing weather conditions.

Battery Pack Installation Process And Final Road Test Results

Step By Step EV Battery Retrofit Workflow Thomas partnered with a professional EV technician to finish the upgrade.

Cell Preparation. All 88 CATL 93Ah 3.7V NMC lithium ion battery cells were voltage matched before assembly in the 88S1P layout. Custom laser welded terminals with M8 studs and M3 screw points fit the original BMS boards.
BMS Setup. An 88S high voltage BMS with passive balancing monitors every cell group. The BMS connects to the Peugeot iOn factory CAN bus to display accurate state of charge on the vehicle dashboard.
Enclosure Assembly. The 88 cells are secured inside the original steel battery casing with custom spacers to prevent shifting, while retaining cooling gaps.
Testing and Calibration. After reassembly the pack goes through full charge and discharge cycles to calibrate the BMS system. Road validation confirmed seamless integration with the car.

Real World Performance Improvements The finished battery upgrade exceeded Thomas’s expectations.

Full charge driving range jumped from 45km to over 200km, turning the Peugeot iOn back into a usable daily commuter vehicle.
Charging performance improved as CATL 93Ah 3.7V NMC lithium ion battery cells accept higher charging current than the old LEV50 cells.
No CAN bridge or man in the middle device required. Only a dealer side battery capacity reset is needed to complete the setup.

CATL 93Ah NMC Pack VS Original LEV50 Battery Pack
Three major upgrades come from replacing the old LEV50 battery with CATL 93Ah 3.7V NMC lithium ion battery cells.

Extended Driving Range. The 30kWh gross pack delivers over 200km real world range, removing range anxiety and making longer trips possible for Peugeot iOn owners.
Strong Cost Efficiency. At 3800 USD to 4500 USD total cost, this retrofit costs less than half an OEM battery replacement while boosting energy storage by 86 percent.
Modern NMC Chemistry. The CATL cells deliver better thermal stability and longer cycle life compared to the ageing LEV50 battery chemistry.

Conclusion
Thomas’s EV retrofit project in France proves that older Peugeot iOn electric cars can get a second life. Replacing degraded LEV50 cells with 88 CATL 93Ah 3.7V NMC lithium ion battery cells unlocks more than 200km dependable driving range for a fraction of the cost of a new EV or OEM battery pack. CATL 93Ah 3.7V NMC lithium ion battery cells are a well suited option for this type of EV conversion, offering high energy density, stable operation and long working life. For Peugeot iOn, Citroën C Zero and Mitsubishi i MiEV owners suffering from shrinking driving range, this cell upgrade solution is practical, affordable and worth considering.

Welcome to contact us:
Shenzhen Starmax Energy Technology Co., Ltd.
WhatsApp/Wechat/Mobile: +86 14704451321
Email: support@szxhbattery.com
Website: www.szxhbattery.com

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