Hymotion/Other Phev Mods - Who's taken the plunge?

[iLLa Prius]

i def wouldnt drop 10k. i mean i can build an upgradeable ev for that. if it made it a phev to where i could drive, say 60 miles just in ev mode, then i would give it a strong consideration. 10k is still steep. its a long time for payoff, plus i dont own a prius yet. so thats like 10k plus the price of a prius on top of it. i might be looking at 25k and up total. im pretty sure i can build my own custom phev for that. there are lots of options for the money, even a pneumatic motor.

[ldxcrunr]

10 k i drive alot of miles a year on average about 32000. that would take ten years at 4.15 a gallon but gas is going up so maybe less time

[Zythryn]

That is completely your choice iLLa.
Personally I am all thumbs when it comes to building my own paper air plane, much less a PHEV.
I also look at it as quite a deal. My last car was a Lexus IS250 (35k). The Prius is basically the same car without the heated seats and with another 25mpg. With the module, it will be comparable in cost and get almost 4 times the gas mileage. For me it is a win

[iLLa Prius]

i feel you. i see how you would look at it like that. i have an is300, my friend who is a dealer was like trade me your IS and buy this new IS350 off me, its loaded. I don't want a 18-20k loan on another gas guzzler. id rather drop 20k on a prius. even more so, id rather build my own prius. i really hate car payments, to me having one is almost like living above my means or having a car i cant afford. i might not be the most mechnically inclined person out there, but i know people what build cars from the ground up. my dealer friend is a sick mechanic. i know a lot about electronics. there are numerous books and forums to buiild your own phev. for a person like me, i have the resources and options. i mean if, you want heated seats, you can find some and install them. technology is getting better and cheaper for EV's. its worth me driving a 1200 corolla to save on gas, before dropping 20k into prius, just so that i can get what i want. hub motors are getting more powerful everyday. an easy hybrid to make when they get a lil more powerful, would to be take a front wheel drive car, put hub motors on the rear. you could drive with the gas to charge the motor batteries, assuming that the hub motors are also generators, as well as using high output alternators. i can find whatever used car i want and convert it. im just really picky about what i choose to spend time and money on, so sometimes its worth waiting. you are correct though, spending 35-45k on a new prius with the module is def worth it and it is very easy, its just not for me at this point.

[Cheap!]

Well I've been driving one for over a year now. It is a lead Acid conversion. 100mpg is very possible or even more, but go just a few miles more than your range and see your mileage plummet. They do work great, but every now an then I have to go further then the range to do something. If I could afford it I would get a 60 mile range on mine, but even then, the Prius is not the best PHEV, it is only the best PHEV we have now.
Doing this type of conversion for saving money is not the right reason. I did mine to reduce air pollution, and to use less foreign oil thereby improving our Energy Independence and increasing our National Security. The fact that I now spend that money in my local economy improving it and our tax base goes mostly unnoticed by many.

If I had to do it all over again, I would! Plug-in cars ROCK!

[iLLa Prius]

yeah, youre right it doesnt seem very cost effective. i have a few future projects planned out. a prius might be one of them. lead acid batteries are just too heavy for most of the ones i have in mind.

[Rascal]

Hey guys..have you seen this site? Contact Us

Frequently Asked Questions

Question:
How much does it cost to convert my Prius to a PHEV?Answer:
Cost will be $9,750, $14,900, or $19,750 depending on the low-speed EV-only range of 8, 16, or 24 miles per charge.Question:
When can I get one?Answer:
We are taking orders and installing systems now. We can also provide batteries and do-it-yourself support for highly qualified individuals in corporate or other institutions.
Question:
Can I install the conversion kit myself?
Answer:
No, unless you are trained and qualified to work with high voltage equipment.
Question:
Can you convert any Prius?Answer:
We can only convert 2004 or newer Prius Vehicles due to the design of the older models.
Question:
Can you convert cars other than the Prius?Answer:
Right now we are converting only Prius vehicles, and will begin development on converting other vehicles next year.Question:
Do you sell converted Prius vehicles?Answer:
We do not sell vehicles. We convert customer owned vehicles. Question:
How long does it take to convert my Prius?Answer:
Our system will be installable in less than 1 day.Question:
Do I take my car to you for conversion?Answer:
Yes, for now. In the future we will be able to install at your site.Question:
How will this affect my warranty?
Answer:
We do not modify the factory control systems or traction battery in any way. After-market modifications should not affect the warranty on any component or system not impacted by the modification.
Question:
What do you change in the car?Answer:
We do not change any original factory components, systems, or settings. We simply add a large battery and our control system which connects the new PHEV battery to the factory battery periodically to keep the factory battery charged up.Question:
Can I drive completely without Gas?Answer:
Yes, at speeds below 34 mph you will be in EV-only mode.Question:
If I cannot stay in EV-only mode, will a conversion still increase my mileage?Answer:
Yes! When you plug-in and charge up with energy for extra miles, it does not matter if you use those extra miles in EV-only mode, or blended into factory mode driving – you still get those extra miles free of gas consumption overall (see “How It Works” section). Question:
How long does it take to charge – is there a faster way?Answer:
Our PHEV-8 system (which has a low-speed EV-only range of 8 miles) will charge in less than 2 hours from a 120V AC source. We have a charger option available that allows you to plug-in to either a 120V or 240V AC source, and will charge about 3 times as fast - in less than 1 hour. Our PHEV-16 system will charge in about 4 hours (or less than 1 ½ hours with the charger option). Our PHEV-24 system will charge in about 6 hours (or less than 2 hours with the charger option.) Question:
I drive long distances – will I benefit from converting my Prius to PHEV?Answer:
The benefits will be less dramatic but still significant when driving longer distances without charging up. For example, driving 100 miles after charging up a PHEV-24 system will increase your mileage by 30%, to 65 mpg instead of non-PHEV mileage of about 50 mpg.Question:
How much does the electricity cost to charge the car?Answer:
Grid produced electricity costs about 2 cents per EV mile depending on your electric rates. Of course, charging with electricity produced by a solar energy system is even better.
Question:
Do I have to plug-in every night – what if I forget?Answer:
You do not have to plug in every night. When your extra battery pack is empty the car operates in factory mode as a normal Prius. Of course the more often you plug in the better your mileage will be.Question:
Are there any benefits at all when driving after my charge is used up?Answer:
Yes! Because you have a bigger battery available, you will be able to recapture more energy during braking and going downhill. Even your factory mode mileage may increase slightly after you use up your charge.Question:
Are the batteries safe?Answer:
We are using NiMH (Nickel metal-hydride) batteries which have a long track-record of safety.Question:
Can I add to the system later?Answer:
Yes. We can upgrade a PHEV-8 to PHEV-16 system, and either to a PHEV-24 system by adding more batteries.Question:
Can the batteries be recycled?Answer:
Yes. Procedures for recycling NiMH batteries are well known and standard practice.Question:
Why are you using NiMH batteries instead of Lithium chemistry batteries?Answer:
Because they are readily available now and have a long track record of safety.Question:
Are you associated with CalCars.org (The California Cars Initiative)?Answer:
Yes. We are partners with CalCars and are working with other CalCars partners to place all control systems into the public domain as EAA-PHEV open source.

[aminorjourney]

@ Cheap!,

What would you say your average mileage range is in boosted MPG? I'm very keen to put Velma through the DIY PHEV route as I've just had to purchase her to replace my EV - whose range, hill climbing ability and speed wasn't up to the work I needed to do

I'm missing the plug already. And I even have two outside power outlets waiting!

[philmcneal]

yea cheap more details would be nice about your setup, i have access to tool just no instructions although the skematics at PHEV eaa is a bit all over the place...

[SVPriusFan]

Originally Posted by Cheap!

Well I've been driving one for over a year now. It is a lead Acid conversion. 100mpg is very possible or even more, but go just a few miles more than your range and see your mileage plummet. They do work great, but every now an then I have to go further then the range to do something. If I could afford it I would get a 60 mile range on mine, but even then, the Prius is not the best PHEV, it is only the best PHEV we have now.
Doing this type of conversion for saving money is not the right reason. I did mine to reduce air pollution, and to use less foreign oil thereby improving our Energy Independence and increasing our National Security. The fact that I now spend that money in my local economy improving it and our tax base goes mostly unnoticed by many.

If I had to do it all over again, I would! Plug-in cars ROCK!

@Cheap - that is very cool! I know the the Hymotion L5 pack is still on the high side dollar-wise (for me), but it is financially doable. I'm a high-tech junkie and love the idea of being able to go up to 1000-1500 miles on a tank of gas (driving around town and within the limits of the L5 pack of course). Not to mention the environmental and energy independence benefits as well...I just can't pass this up

I'm regularly getting 60-65MPG in my car's current unmodified state, and am really excited to see how far I can raise the efficiency with a BREM installed - Whohoo!