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2012 Toyota Prius Plug In modifications

Discussion in 'Gen 1 Prius Plug-in 2012-2015' started by Stevenschu74#?20, Jun 23, 2020.

  1. Stevenschu74#?20

    Stevenschu74#?20 Junior Member

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    I live in Southern California; San Bernadino County, Does anyone know where I can go to get a Modification?? I'd like to Add a 2nd hybrid Battery to my existing one to extend range, if you know of Someone or some place that does it I'd like to know, thanks Steve.
     
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  2. willyag

    willyag Junior Member

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    I'd like to have extended range too but even if it were possible, where would you put it? We've already lost the spare tire because the battery is so big. Then, considering battery management is computer controlled, how would someone change the code to handle the 2nd battery? So to be practical I would just like to find someone who could rebuild the battery to get the original 13 or so mile range back.
     
  3. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    How much has your range dropped?
     
  4. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    any dealer will be happy to mod you into a new prime, triple your range (y)
     
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  5. Willem B

    Willem B New Member

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    Hey there, I don't know them directly but there is a fellow in the San Francisco area (from the last time I knew about it) who is really into this. I don't know anyone in SOCAL but there has got to be. Either way, if you contact Steve from Autobeyours - based in southern Indiana - he knows pretty much everybody in this field and he's super trustworthy and a veritable rock star. He won't steer you wrong.

    I hope this was helpful.
     
  6. Deoc

    Deoc Member

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    The best thing would be to buy a prime that has better range, adding another battery is expensive, complicated, and usually no cost effective, and you will loose the space in the back. If for whatever reason you really need more range you can always buy a ego battery bank/generator and connect the charger to it to charge the car.
     
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  7. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    does it have a windmill?
     
  8. willyag

    willyag Junior Member

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    I'm getting a little over 7 miles. But that gets me to the local Walmarts and Ace hardware and others. Still loving my Prius!
     
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  9. Stevenschu74#?20

    Stevenschu74#?20 Junior Member

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  10. Stevenschu74#?20

    Stevenschu74#?20 Junior Member

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    So 1st; there are many companies that do it, as far as the computer, it's 2020 they already figured that out, I bought a full size spare, where can you put it, several areas, lay flat on top of each other, if you want more room you set them straight up in the back, I've seen youtube Videos where some guys have 5 Batteries and can get 200 plus MPG, I just want to know who Does it out here, I can help you extend your battery range I do all the time, where you from,?
     
  11. willyag

    willyag Junior Member

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    Hey that's great. I had no idea anyone was working on the lithium ion batteries used in the plugin. Any info or links would be much appreciated. I bought mine to last and the nightmare would be to have a perfectly good car junked because the $10,000 battery went bad. I live in Orlando but the car usually stays out of the sun in the carport.
     
  12. willyag

    willyag Junior Member

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    Thanks very much for the info. I'll look up Steve and Autobeyours. Amazing there is always someone who can do what I thought was impossible.
     
  13. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    can you point us to one of the 'many companies that do it'?
     
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  14. Stevenschu74#?20

    Stevenschu74#?20 Junior Member

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  15. Stevenschu74#?20

    Stevenschu74#?20 Junior Member

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    The Biggest Myth about hybrids is it will cost a Ton of money to get another Hybrid Battery, False!!!! Have you been living in the Closet? Just joking but there are Tons of Companies that recondition the battery and give you a 5-10 warranty any where between $500-1000, when your battery starts to go, the cells go bad, all you need to do is replace them, you can even do it yourself for about $300, or here in Ca there are companies that drive to your house and do it for $500, and also Often the Hybrid batteries last as long as the car, it depends on your habits and how you drive also, I just made a 83mi Trip, And I got 74mpg, and that was with Strong 50mph winds hitting the front of my Vehicle, can't wait till there are no winds, and you can reset your hybrid battery so you get the original miles out of it, cause if you notice for example it may have started at let's say 14 miles, now you may be down to only 9 miles, so you need to reset your hybrid battery, takes one very simple trick, I do it all the time, when mine goes down to 10mi, I reset so it goes back to 14mi or 15, don't you want to know, easy, a newborn can do it
     
  16. Stevenschu74#?20

    Stevenschu74#?20 Junior Member

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  17. Stevenschu74#?20

    Stevenschu74#?20 Junior Member

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    DEOC completely Wrong, obviously hasn't done research on adding batteries, it's cheap, effective, otherwise tons of prius owners wouldn't be getting mods like that done, fake news! People please Do research, this is how false rumors get spread!
     
  18. QuantumFireball

    QuantumFireball Active Member

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    Quoting a post, then replying in a separate post is very confusing...
     
  19. willyag

    willyag Junior Member

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    What's confusing me is that you are talking about nickle metal hydride battery replacements for the Prius while the Prius Plugin uses a $10,000 lithium ion battery. So you are wanting to add the much smaller nickle hydride battery in addition to the lithium ion battery you already have? Sounds like a nightmare but good luck with that!
     
    #19 willyag, Jun 26, 2020
    Last edited: Jun 26, 2020
  20. QuantumFireball

    QuantumFireball Active Member

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    Yes, I'm not aware of any third parties providing reconditioning or similar services for Gen 1 Prius Plug-in traction batteries. I think the more important factor is they're not failing in any large amounts - not that anyone here is aware of - so there is no precedent for such a service. It's a totally different battery and chemistry to standard Prius traction batteries.

    And resetting the ECU so it displays a greater range estimate is nothing but a placebo IMO.
     
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