New Kits Turn Any Car Into a Plug-in Hybrid (for $10K)

[jpak]

http://www.wrcbtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=8560262

Soon drivers will be able to get at least double the gas mileage of a Toyota Prius hybrid, thanks to a spate of new aftermarket kits that convert any car into a plug-in electric vehicle. But they'll have to pay upwards of $10,000 to do so.

Auto manufacturers are at least a year or two away from launching the next generation of hybrids, called plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), that recharge by plugging into a wall outlet. But battery companies are ready to start selling aftermarket kits within the next few months that convert hybrids, and in some cases regular vehicles, into plug-in electric cars.

A123Systems, an automotive technology company and battery supplier based in Watertown, Mass., is now taking orders on its website for a Hymotion L5 conversion kit, which turns a Toyota Prius into a plug-in electric car. The kit works with Prius model years 2004 through 2008 and adds a special, range-extending lithium-ion battery to the Prius' existing drivetrain.

Using A123's plug-in system, the Prius, which normally runs only short distances at slow speeds on electric power alone, will have added battery power to extend its electric-only range and boost gas mileage to more than 100 miles per gallon. The Prius normally gets an estimated 46 mpg in combined city/highway driving.

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[rusty_parts2001]

1. I'm still waiting for the hover car

[wtmusic]

8. Why is this man smiling? nt

[TheWraith]

10. Here you go.

Yes, it really exists, and it can really fly. Or at least hover--I don't think they've gone from hovering tests to forward flight yet.

[Phred42]

14. This thing has been in the works for a long time

I still have a B&W Brochure from these guys form the early 70's

I hope he makes it work !

[regnaD kciN]

2. You should be more clear...

...and point out that this particular kit will only turn a standard Prius into a plug-in hybrid. There are other companies that hope to make this technology available for regular gas-powered vehicles, but the techniques involved (attaching electric motors to the car's rear wheels) sound dodgy at best. For example, many cars won't allow you to steer unless the (gas) engine is running, so there would have to be a way to defeat that. Also, it sounds like you'd essentially leave the engine off and run the electric motors until the battery power runs out, then start up the gas engine. Anyone want to imagine doing that in traffic?

Finally, I would note that this new kit (for the Prius alone) won't be available until "fall," but, to order one, you need to put down a $1,000 deposit right now. Am I being too cynical to suggest that those deposits are going toward funding the actual design and manufacture of an as-yet uncompleted system, and that, if they don't get it to work after all, the company will simply go Chapter 11, leaving no recourse for those who put down their deposits? God knows we've seen that before.

[skids]

13. Yep, you are being too cynical...

...Hymotion has already shipped product to commercial fleet customers. What's new here is that they've swapped out the old-tech lithiums they were using for A123 nanophosphate batteries (since A123 bought the company) and this is the first time the product is being offered in one-offs direct to the consumer -- before they needed quantity orders and probably service level agreements and such.

A123 is probably not going chapter 11 -- they have plenty of customers among the power tool industry, where their batteries are performing quite dandily. They also had enough class to set up a chump-change operation to sell the cells direct to RC toy hobbyists instead of making it uber-difficult to get a hold of them. I think they know they have a winner of a product so they did it for the PR. The RC folks seem pretty happy with the cells.

[kimmerspixelated]

3. Have you seen this?

waterprocar

www.waterprocar.com/

Check it out!

[regnaD kciN]

4. Dead link...

:shrug:

[Greyskye]

5. Did you mean this?

http://www.watercarpro.com/ The link you gave is dead. :shrug:

I did a few minutes web-search on this. It reminds me of pyramid schemes - there are hundreds of people out there who have created websites which sell the directions on how to do this. I've yet to find any serious, technical reviews.

Smells kind of fishy...

[tinrobot]

6. Mythbusters tested it.

Not a serious technical review, but they said it didn't work.

[Greyskye]

7. While Mythbuster's methodologies are often suspect...

In this case, I'm not at all surprised. Thanks.

[wtmusic]

9. I get the hybrid->plugin part, but *any* car?

"And in some cases, regular vehicles..."

There might have to be an electric motor in there somewhere. :crazy:

[TreasonousBastard]

11. I thought there were already loads of...

conversion kits out there, including aftermarket Prius juicers.

If you've the money and time, you can convert just about anything.

[frog92969]

12. There are, and for less than $10k

I'm looking at some now for my '72 Nova.

Here's one for under $5k + about $1k in batteries-
http://e-volks.com/kit3.html

Not much to it really.