Conversion to plug-in: NOT WORTH IT?

It doesn't make any sense, at 38km/h, you'll be slapped with a ticket for withholding traffic anyway. A piggyback PHEV system will continuously be topping up the traction battery leading to massive charge/discharge cycles - ruining the NIMH traction battery lifespan

What you really want is a ultracapacitor that replace the traction battery and a li-ion based battery system that is always making sure the ultracapacitor is always nearly fully charged

 

I said 'average 38km/h', really... how did you miss that? You make bold assumptions and unqualified claims. Again I ask you to quantify your statements, "massive" how big is massive? For example; is it a small 40% SOC delta or a massive 5% SOC delta, do you see the problem if you don't quantify words like 'massive'.

Ultra-capacitors would be used if they were cheap but they are not. I am not even going to start on the legal issues of changing the traction battery, suffice to say you need to get each type of vehicle re-certified, for control and safety.

 

I'm saying ideally a PHEV conversion kit should be paired with an ultra-capacitor to drive the electric motor. Realistically, this is not possible for the Prius as a engineering hack.

PHEV conversion kits maintains higher SOC on the traction battery = Higher charge cycles - result in premature battery failure

Galaxy Nexus ?

 

Sorry, but FUD...

From personal experience using the PIS kit: PIS system supplies energy (when Li pack has it available) when Traction battery SOC is between 53% and 61%. This is an 8% swing in SOC allowed by their system. Traction battery failure occurs due to Depth of discharge (SOC too low: < 40%) and/or heat issues (air temp > ~110F for long periods).

The Prius will cycle the ICE to keep it above 40% SOC...as long as you're not out of gas.

To avoid heat issues (the major cause of Traction battery failure)...run the AC when the weather gets hot.

 

Guys please, this discussion does not make sense. I got help from the stimulus money (Florida government) more than three years ago for my Prius conversion. It works great. It was at that time 10K, I put from my pocket half of it. I really don't care to "break even", that is brainwash. If your cousin goes right now and buy a Ford "whadafocus" in 20K or whatever and starts going to the pump twice a week, when is He going to break even?? Why an electric car owner has to break even? Why Tesla buyers are paying 70K for it? How much is a BMW, super gassoler?? When do they break even? I had been at 1000 miles every tank of ten gallons or less, the car has NO maintenance. I am very happy. How much for happiness??

 

Ummmm.... no!

 

I have good news and I have bad news. The bad news is, if someone can't afford the conversion they may desire, and look for, reasons not to get one. The good news is: If you have the money and you want one, there are some very good reasons to buy the Engineer kit, which I shall now enumerate.

The reasons given for not buying a kit (basically that its not economically viable) can also be applied to not buying a Prius in the first place. A used Prius will sell for around 8 grand and you'll get 50 MPG. But you can buy a regular car, same year, same quality, that gets 25 MPG and you will only pay about 4 grand. So one is paying $4,000.00 to double their mileage. Now how long until you recoop your investment? Sound familiar?

So people that buy a Prius are paying 4 grand (or more) to double their mileage. Obviously there must be some reason that people on this forum have done that. So, why not do that again? Pay another 4 grand and go from 50 to 100 MPG. Makes sense to me.

The math that shows you have to drive 100,000 miles before you recoop you expense is not correct as it fails to consider the real world situation, which is...

It is not as if you have 4 grand sitting in the bank and it will be used for nothing except gas. It is going to get spent. If married, the wife decides the kids need new shoes, she needs new clothes, mother in law is coming for Thanksgiving; $300.00 is needed for groceries for the big feed....etc, ad infitum. If not married, it goes to make the girlfriend happy....you get the idea. It will get frittered away. In the mean time you are still getting 50 MPG and spending money to fill you tank at that rate.

If however, you INVEST that 4 grand into the conversion, it does not get frittered away. and IMMEDIATLY you begin to feel the benefit. Now you are buying half as much gas from day one. After 100,000 miles it is paid for. Some people will hit the 100,000 mark within 2 or 3 years - if you drive as much as I do. After that, the investment just keeps on paying.

Even if you don't keep the car for 100,000 miles you still benefit. Lets say you drive it 50,000 miles and sell it. You advertize it as having the conversion and as getting 100 MPG. Your price it high based on that. Like, 3 or 4 grand higher. People will pay. I once bought an old Mercedes diesel for $650.00, added a veggie oil conversion kit for $1200 and sold the car for $5,000. People will pay for novelty, especially when it works. So you get your money back, or most of it, on top of the fuel savings which you will enjoy from day one.

And then there is the emotional benefit: The fun of telling and showing people that you modified your car to get 100 MPG. You drive along and look at your average MPG reading of 99.9 MPG, and you smile at how smart and wise you are. You get the pleasure of driving 1000 plus miles on a tank. You can feel secure that if something happens in this crazy world that sends gas through the roof, you have prepared yourself as well as possible.

 

Some will, some won't.
I personally won't touch a vehicle that has been "screwed with" in any way except cosmetic.

 

... and a Toyota dealership wouldn't touch a "Engineer" modded Prius either.
Basically, it's a liability to the next owner- you're better off removing it prior to selling.

 

You have a 2004 Prius with an Engineer Kit and this is your first post? Not to mention you revived a pretty dead post...

 

engineer is oob.

 

[/QUOTE]

You have a 2004 Prius with an Engineer Kit and this is your first post? Not to mention you revived a pretty dead post...[/QUOTE]

No, don't have the Engineer Kit yet. Its on my wish list. Just bought my prius last week.

I wouldn't be selling my 04 Prius to a dealer. And if the private individual didn't want it, another would and if not, I could put it in my next Prius

OOB ? Out of Business? There website is up.

 

Bisco is odd.

 

You have a 2004 Prius with an Engineer Kit and this is your first post? Not to mention you revived a pretty dead post...[/QUOTE]

No, don't have the Engineer Kit yet. Its on my wish list. Just bought my prius last week.

I wouldn't be selling my 04 Prius to a dealer. And if the private individual didn't want it, another would and if not, I could put it in my next Prius

OOB ? Out of Business? There website is up.[/QUOTE]
really? let us know how that works out for you.

 

I encourage you to give me a call before you go to far down this road.
Enginer did go out of business. There is much more to the story since then.

The similar system that exists now costs more and you would be a pioneer if you purchase one.

If you have the money to spend, I can help explain what options are available and the costs. It depends on what you are looking for and your expectations from an add on system.