Modification for upgrade battery & mains charger

[George Roberts]

[size=18]I read about this modification kit available from a San Francisco area source. Toyota voided all warranties. Is this true ? Is there a mod coming from Toyota ?

Also, I am in Europe and have never seen an advertisement for Prius in any country, but I know they are available in Greece and actually seen, just one. Driver said it cost over 20,00 Euros. Why no promotion in Europe ?

Why is there no diesel version ? The first hybrid vehicles were the diesel-electric locomotives , now a hundred years old and going strong ?

geovitez@yahoo.com

[DanMan32]

First, the EV issue. There were a couple projects to extend the EV range of the Prius. This was not sanctioned by Toyota, and Toyota explicitly states that making such modifications will void the warranty. Implications of that statement state that adding the EV switch that was not included in NA also voids the warranty, but many of us can't see how Toyota could do that, since all we are doing is adding back a switch that already exists in other markets.

Many in Europe have posted purchasing a Prius in various European countries. You may want to check Toyota's website for your country.

I believe one reason for not having Diesel/Electric hybrid using a PSD is because of how quick the engine must start in order to be seamless. Currently, trains and ships leave the engines on constantly, even when they are not moving. Trains and ships use a series hybrid, and only recently have started using batteries for energy storage. The Prius is a series-parallel hybrid, a hybrid-hybrid if you will, by using a diferential-like transmission. Diesel may be used in the future, but doesn't seem practical in this application. Diesel cars don't fair well here in the states either.

[jtmhog]

I read that the San Fran electric vehicle (EV) mod costs 10K and is supplied by a small company called Energy CS. The correct term for that type of vehicle is Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV). Go to www.evworld .com for more info. DanMan32 calls the power split device (PSD) a differential-type transmission. That's better that what Toyota calls it--continuous variable transmission (CVT). Although the results are similar to a CVT; very few people know what a planetary gear is?

[George Roberts]

Thank you Dan for a very precise and comprehensive answer. Now as to European sales ; I gusess it is simple money arithmetics, most Europeans are driving cars which are getting over 40 mpg and many buy diesels , which are even better and diesel is approx. 15 % cheaper and available everywhere. This does not really answer the restricted sales by mfg. I will simply not accept that almost 6 years into mass production, they can not crank up production especially that they can sell an extra 20+ % market value. Car business is not that good. So, I suspect market manipulation if not a conspiracy. The governments are involved up to their necks. EU could simply demand that by 2007 25% of all production must be hybrid or else they slap an excise tax on 100% of the manufacturer's product line. This is the stick. The carrot is a vehicle tax rebate over the life of the car equal to the total cost differential. That would sure help the balance of payment of France, Italy, Spain, Germany etc.

Oh, well. That is if we were rational human beings. Tonight I say and all chromeplated, brand new, Hummer , with N.Carolina plates, parked on the sidewalk , in front of the most exclusive hotel in Warsaw. I should have hung a sign on it : " Look how big an assh..... an American can be ! "