Toyota has made no announcement yet as to when consumers will be able to buy a plug-in hybrid Prius. But Prius owners with $4,000-$10,000 to spare can convert their Priuses to plug-ins themselves or with the help of a number of available kits.
Image: Toyota
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Dear EarthTalk: I understand that Toyota is planning to sell a plug-in Prius that will greatly improve the car’s already impressive fuel efficiency. Will I be able to convert my older (2006) Prius to make it a plug-in hybrid vehicle?
-- Albert D. Rich, Kamuela, HI
Toyota is readying a limited run of a plug-in Prius, which can average 100 miles per gallon, for use in government and commercial fleets starting in 2009. Toyota will monitor how these cars, which will have high efficiency lithium ion batteries that haven’t been fully tested yet, will hold up under everyday use.
Essentially, a plug-in version of the Prius reverses the roles of the two motors under the hood. The regular Prius relies more on its gas engine, switching to (or combining) use of the electric motor in slow traffic, to maintain cruising speed, and when idling or backing up. The car doesn’t need to plug in because its battery stays charged by the gas motor and by the motion of the wheels and brakes. The plug-in will primarily use its electric motor, allowing commuters to go to and from work every day fully on the electric charge, saving the gas engine for longer trips that exceed the distance the car can go on electricity alone.
Toyota has made no announcement yet as to when consumers will be able to buy a plug-in; that depends largely on the results of the field test of the fleet version. But owners of a current or past model don’t need to wait. Those with automotive mechanical skills can convert their Priuses to plug-ins themselves.
“The conversion is an easy DIY [do-it-yourself] project that you can do for about $4,000, if you choose to use sealed lead acid batteries,” says Houston-based Jim Philippi, who converted his Prius last year, using instructions he downloaded for free from the Electric Auto Association’s PriusPlus.org website. Philippi recommends that DIYers consult Google’s RechargeIT.org as well for useful background information.
For those less inclined to a DIY, several companies now sell readymade kits (some also have kits for converting Ford Escape Hybrid SUVs). Ontario-based Hymotion sells plug-in kits for Prius model years 2004-2008 for around $10,000 via contracted distributors/installers in San Francisco, Seattle and elsewhere. Other providers include Plug-In Conversions Corp., Plug-In Supply, EDrive Systems, Energy Control Systems Engineering Inc. and OEMtek. All typically work with select garages that specialize.
One potential worry about conversions is whether or not Toyota will honor the warranty that came with the original vehicle. The California Cars Initiative (CCI), which has converted several hybrids to plug-ins for research and demonstration purposes (sorry, they’re not for sale), says the carmaker needs to clarify the matter, since hybrid cars typically have four or five separate warranties. There is legal precedent, CCI says, that modifications cannot completely void warranties—only the part(s) affected by a retrofit.
If you’re looking to convert, keep in mind that such a move is not about cost-savings, as it will take some time for fuel savings to justify the upfront cost of even a DIY. Most people interested in such a conversion are doing it for the sake of the environment, not their pocketbooks.
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8 Comments
Add CommentIf we are moving towards electric cars are we going to be able to plug them up in places besides our home? How long are the charges going to last? With more cars going to electricity wont that increase the use of electricity which would mean more coal burnt which is simply another fossil fuel wasted? Is the increase in your electric bill going to be less than your monthly gas expenditure?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisMuch as I like the idea of the Chevrolet Volt, I'm concerned with scalability. One hundred people plugging in their cars at night is a feel good story. One hundred thousand people plugging in their cars will require a beefed up electrical grid and a new nuke plant.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisSo how will converting a prius from gasoline power to coal power help the environment? Another loony idea? Numbers please.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisEven if it means a strain on electrical power grids its a step towards reducing dependency on fossil fuels and shifting the industries to more sustainable alternatives with fewer health risks. Increase use of electricity doesn't necessarily have to be reflected in the burning of coal.... but maybe if the governments of the free world would step up and work for their people rather than the corporations lining their pockets and implement laws, shifting the power production to ways less detrimental to the health of their people.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this$4000 conversion? Even with $4 gallon gas that's 1000 gallons of gas. Will the Prius last that long, will the conversion parts? I know the batteries wont. What is the real world MPG, 50? It would take you 50,000 diving miles to recoup that investment at face value if you NEVER used gas during that time and never replaced the batteries. The ultra green movement is still a long con game where only the manufactures make money, and the public loses money and the enviro stil get hurt.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisWhat a joke. We don't have enough electricity to power cars on a large scale and we won't built more nuclear plants. Sounds like a politicians at work somewhere!
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThe point of a hybrid car is that the gas engine generates electricity which the car uses to run at low speeds. Electricity from the grid (plugging into a wall socket) is dirty and expensive, even though it looks like it is clean when you drive the electric car around. The problem is that the 62% of the world’s electricity comes from coal-fired power plants and coal burning power plants. The burning of coal is the leading cause of air pollution and it accounts for more than 1/3 of the world’s annual CO2 emissions. So, why are we pushing electric cars as being “green” when they are not?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisPlug in Prius's can be supplied power from a clean source, "Solar Power". As we speak, thousands of acres of solar power panels are being place into service. As the next president gets his agenda started, this process will will accelerate into millions of acres. We CAN have clean power. Currently my home is completely powered by "WIND POWER" which CPS. our local power company provides.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisHenry M. Hansen, San Antonio TX.