I didn’t read the 450 page bailout, but I assume the tax credits for Hybrid Cars are for plug in Hybrids only? So, 2008 and 2009 Prius owners are out of luck?

My wife and I own a 2008 Prius and love it. But, our eyes will be on a new Prius plug in 2010 or maybe the 2011 model with Lithium Ion battery technology + solar option. We live in Los Angeles with year round sunny conditions and it would be really cool to park it on the street while it charges… Most of our trips are less than 10 miles when running around town…

The first automaker that can have a plug in that can compete with my current PRIUS on quality and price will get my check. That is if the range and mpg is greatly improved.

I graduate in 2010 so this will make a sweet graduation present for myself.

With $7,500 tax credit, I better be getting a huge salary job when I get out.

What about conversions?

The credit is a base $2,500 plus $417 for each kWh of battery pack capacity in excess of 4 kWh, to a maximum of $7,500 for light-duty vehicles; $10,000 for vehicles with gross vehicle weights of more than 10,000 but less than 14,000 pounds; $12,500 for vehicles with a GVW of more than 14,000 but less than 26,000 pounds; and $15,000 for any vehicle with a GVW of more than 26,000 pounds.

Phaseout of the credit is to begin after the total number of qualified PHEVs in the US sold after 31 December 2008 is at least 250,000.

Qualifying vehicles must have a battery pack with at least 4 kWh of capacity—a provision that will preclude the inclusion of the first generation of Toyota PHEVs as well, potentially, as other lower all-electric range plug-ins.

$1Billion Plug-In Incentives Will Speed Auto Industry's Transformation

btw, the poll's answers are missing some options, such as Likely, Unlikely. So I didn't vote.

Hmm,

I wonder how fast Toyota can make the Plug-in Prius 5KWH ? The Hymotion L5 pack is 5 KWH. So, it seems doable, but probably not with Japanese battery technology alone.

Selling a new 2009 Prius with the Hymotion battery may qualify for the tax credit. It has to be titled as a new vehicle with the Hymotion battery installed by the dealer before it is titled to the owner.

Doing a conversion Hymotion battery on a used Prius won't qualify.

4 of the locations that install the Hymotion battery are Toyota dealers, so they could easily selling a 2009 PHEV Prius Hymotion as a new vehicle.

According to an inital review, this would likely qualify for at least $2,500 of tax credits on a 2009 tax return.

It really depends on how the IRS interprets the legislation.

You'd be much better off putting those PVs on the roof of your house, rather than on your car. The surface area of a car is too small, and seldom oriented optimally to catch the sun. And whenever parked in the shade it would get no sun. A PV-equipped car kept in full sun all day long would only get enough juice for an additional mile or so, whereas a big solar array on your home could power your car and your house.

I'm curious whether those Toyota dealers installing Hymotion PHEV kits in Priuses will honor the original Toyota warranty. Toyota has said such installations void the warranty.

AND, regarding all the junk attached to the bailout, Solar PV tax credits got a GIANT boost. Prior to the new legislation, you'd only get a paltry $2,000 tax credit. Now, it's the same as the business investment level, ie; a FLAT 30%. Woo hoo! Just in time ... our 7.2KW worth of PV panels will be on line in just a few more days! Photos to follow.

Now if you STILL can't even afford panels discounted to $13K - $20K ... not to worry! There are a BUNCH of companys that'll install 'em for FREEEEE. They'll compute your monthly power consumption, and lease them back to you for the cost you'd normally pay for electrircity. So no more excuses ... get out there, install 'em and get ready to power your EV when they arrive. We can ALL be as smug as Darell

I wonder how much tax credit you would get if you have that Hymotion battery installed in your old Prius.

I wouldn't go THAT far...

Your 7.2KW solar plant is a huge investment. How many panels did you put up, 24?? Please email your photos. My wife and I have a home in Los Angeles and another one in Phoenix, so we never lack from plenty of rays. I researched a small wind turbine to augment our home power, but zone restrictions don’t allow it.

Have you ever heard of a company called, Sunrgi? Please take a look at this company. Their solar company sounds too good to be true. They claim to be in the works of a system that will generate power at .05 per kwhr!! I know concentrators work to enhance any solar panel, but this generates lots of heat and this can cut down the life or cause problems with existing PV panels. They claim to have solved the problem by safely removing the excess heat. They claim to generate a lot more power than existing PV’s in a much smaller package. Anyway, check out their website, it’s pretty interesting reading…

http://www.sunrgi.com/index.html

40 "SunPower" panels ~ 20 on the S.W. facing side, and 20 on the N.E. facing side, each rated at 225 watts AC. Here's what they look like up close and personal . . . no silver dots, to unnecessarily add to 'the-look':



The 2 inverters aren't yet installed, and the other side not seen in this picture (facing N.E.) isn't yet finished ... just the S.W. facing side so far.



Regarding Sunrgi? ... notice what the "Sunpower" add states on the side of their storage bin? ... the most efficient? Sunpower makes panels rated up to 235 watts, but most all of those contracts go to Europe, where folks "get it" when it comes to power value. I'd start there.




Find out what sungri charges per panel, and what their products are rated at ... get the rating in AC, as many companies try and rate them in DC because it sounds higher.

Lastly, for those who are contemplating on running out and buying a system (in stead of doing a leaseback) ??

WARNING:
(free tax advice ... I just read the parts of the 451 pages of bail-out legislation that pertain to the solar tax credit)

The new legislation WILL NOT go into effect until Jan 1st ! ! Beware! What that means to us personally is we can't put our system "on-line" until that date ... or we kiss the 30% tax credit goodbye. For us, that's appx $20,000 dollars. We'll wait thankyouverymuch. It does go into effect for many of the other credits though.

Zip - Zilch - Zero - Nada - Goose egg. Sorry

Sungri products are not available at this time for home or even commercial use. I think they are in the proof of concept phase and it will not be available until 2009 at the earliest. If their claim is true, they will come out of the gate running… I’m currently getting burned in the stock market this year, but startup companies like this give me hope for the future of American solar companies.

I’m really happy for you and your family on going solar. Most people wring their hands together saying how expensive it is, but electrical costs have skyrocketed here in California so it makes a lot of sense to me. Solar energy is abundant and the cleanest technology out there. Keep us informed on how you like it, Thanks!!

Cool. Now. Does this plugin credit have that AMT crap in it? Just curious.

I think thats a poor assumption. The only PHEV from Toyota we have any definite numbers on are the test beds, built from '08s with 2 stock battery packs which come in around 2.6kWh. There is no reason to think this looks anything like the final configuration to be used on the '10s. Toyota has in general been talking about lowish range PHEVs to start, but I think it highly unlikely they won't target 4kWh to take advantage of this credit. Given the amount of time, money, and research Toyota has put into this area already doing so should be fairly trivial. In NimH they could probably pull off a ~PHEV12 for less than $2500. If they can offer PHEV12 for no additional cost to the consumer, I can't imagine they won't go for it. 4kW of their existing NimH modules would weigh 196 lbs, plus some overhead for the pack itself. Thats probably about as big as you'd want to go before changing over to Li-ion, but should be very feasible. The rule of thumb on Li-ion is more or less half the weight per kWh, but twice the cost.

Rob

No - The plugin tax credit (not a rebate ... you have to owe enough income tax to offset the tax credit) doesn't go away if taxpayers fall under the purview of alternative minimum tax. Heck, I was surprised to find a tax credit (for hundreds) for other stuff too ... like high efficiency central AC heat pumps, and washing machines! And since we bought one of those front loaders a few months ago, that's another woo hoo!

Toyota objected to the original bill that had a minimum 6 kwh battery. They do not seem to be objecting to the 4 kwh provision. I suggest that may mean that the first Prius PHEV will have at least a 4 kwh battery and less than a 6 kwh one.

I do find it slightly amusing (and sad) that the Republicans who wouldn't sign the bill the first time around, lined right up once it was laden with $250B of pork

Rob

It's especially confusing when the Republican Presidential Candidate vowed to veto the first bill that came across his desk that was laden with pork, yet he still signed this one?

Anyway, this tax credit will go a long way towards encouraging early adopters to buy PHEVs.

I only wish that the credits also applied to conversions.