New Kits Turn Any Car Into a Plug-in Hybrid

[Scrittibear]

New-Kits-Turn-Any-Car-Into-a-Plug-in-Hybrid: Personal Finance News from Yahoo! Finance

"Soon drivers will be able to get at least double the gas mileage of a Toyota Prius hybrid, thanks to a spate of new aftermarket kits that convert any car into a plug-in electric vehicle. But they’ll have to pay upwards of $10,000 to do so.
Auto manufacturers are at least a year or two away from launching the next generation of hybrids, called plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), that recharge by plugging into a wall outlet. But battery companies are ready to start selling aftermarket kits within the next few months that convert hybrids, and in some cases regular vehicles, into plug-in electric cars."


---Well I am wish I could afford to do this!!! Hymotion's got it going on.....


Scrittibear

[zak.kapoor]

Toyota salesman had warned me about this kit. Installing this kit will void the factory warranty.



Even though I like the product, I will rather wait for a 2010 plugin Prius.

[GCBloke]

Interesting...

... However, without the ability to switch to full-electric for x-miles on start-up, I don't really see how this will help extend the gas-mileage of a current Prius. I know my first 4-5 miles are at 25mpg or so and the battery is being recharged during this time due to the ICE use.

Am I missing something here?

[Sheepdog]

GCBloke, No I dont think you are missing a thing. It's all about hydrocarbons into the air and not so much at this point about saving you any money or gas. Unless of course you only work a few miles from home! In Florida, NOBODY works that close to home anymore. a 200 mile battery charge would take me easily to work and home with stop off for groceries on the side. But anything less and I'm burning gasoline.

[mrg]

Originally Posted by Scrittibear

New-Kits-Turn-Any-Car-Into-a-Plug-in-Hybrid: Personal Finance News from Yahoo! Finance

"Soon drivers will be able to get at least double the gas mileage of a Toyota Prius hybrid, thanks to a spate of new aftermarket kits that convert any car into a plug-in electric vehicle. But they’ll have to pay upwards of $10,000 to do so.
Auto manufacturers are at least a year or two away from launching the next generation of hybrids, called plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), that recharge by plugging into a wall outlet. But battery companies are ready to start selling aftermarket kits within the next few months that convert hybrids, and in some cases regular vehicles, into plug-in electric cars."


---Well I am wish I could afford to do this!!! Hymotion's got it going on.....


Scrittibear

The article says about half of the conversion would have problems. That is a little scary for a none electrical guy like me. The possible loss of factory warrantee, will keep me from being the first kid on the block to do the conversion.

But I don't see where it would take 8 years to make up the $10,000 added cost at $4.00 plus per gallon cost of gasoline. How often will we have to change the oil, since we would not be putting very many miles on the gas engine. Wouldn't there be added resale value to consider. Like the Prius is getting for being a hybrid? I actually made money when I sold my 2004 Prius when I figured the saving of the gas. And that was before the gas prices really went up.

[stevecaz]

"Any plug-in hybrid, whether created using an aftermarket conversion kit or built by a major automaker — like General Motors’ Saturn Vue Hybrid expected for 2009, and Chevrolet Volt expected in 2010 — would cost roughly 2 cents per mile to run, compared with about 10 cents per mile for a traditional car, says Philip Gott, director of automotive consulting at research firm Global Insight.
It would take 8 years to pay off the $10,000 premium of an electric system driving 40 miles a day and saving 8 cents per mile, Gott says, which is longer than most people want to own a car. "But people buy these things to make an environmental statement," he says."


10 cents per mile for an average car??!!! Is this new math?

At 25 mpg for the average car in fuel alone at $4.10 gallon it is 16.4 cents per mile. And thats not counting oil change costs, more frequent brake pad changes, etc that are associated with an average ICE car (and not counting wear/tear, depreciation, and insurance also but lets assume those equal between electric and ICE cars for now).

Philip Gott is a total idiot, or rather I hope he was just misquoted.

[Fibb222]

Originally Posted by mrg

The article says about half of the conversion would have problems.

The person quoted in the article, Art Spinella, has a history of saying erroneous things, many against the Prius and hybrids in general. He has claimed that the Prius is less environmentally friendly than a Hummer. He is basically a shill for the status quo seekers in Detriot.

see Prius vs. HUMMER: Exploding the Myth

These after-market hybrid conversions are sound and for those that want to spend the money, they are a great thing.

[jdenenberg]

Originally Posted by stevecaz

"10 cents per mile for an average car??!!! Is this new math?

Our Prii are currently running at about 9 cents per mile .

JeffD

[bruceha_2000]

Originally Posted by mrg

But I don't see where it would take 8 years to make up the $10,000 added cost at $4.00 plus per gallon cost of gasoline.

If the electricity was free, $10,000 at $4/gallon will buy you 125,000 miles at 50 MPG. If you drive ~16,000 miles per year, it would take 8 years. Now, add the cost of the electricity (13.5 cents per KWH here). How many KW does it take to drive a 'modified' Prius 125,000 miles?

Thanks anyway. I'll wait until Toyota does it as part of the product, it won't add $10K to the cost. Plus, they will HAVE to give us an EV switch AND allow at least 50 MPH in EV

[SVPriusFan]

Originally Posted by Fibb222

The person quoted in the article, Art Spinella, has a history of saying erroneous things, many against the Prius and hybrids in general. He has claimed that the Prius is less environmentally friendly than a Hummer. He is basically a shill for the status quo seekers in Detriot.

see Prius vs. HUMMER: Exploding the Myth

These after-market hybrid conversions are sound and for those that want to spend the money, they are a great thing.

I'm on the list, happy to be an early adopter and looking forward to having my L5 pack installed in October. Art Spinella can spout all the Pro-Detroit BS he wants...it won't change my mind about getting the Hymotion mod one bit. I'm not concerned about the "pay-back" period, I think it is cool to be among the first to have a 100-150mpg PHEV!