Aussie PHEV kit: $9,500 intro price -- $5K in 2007.

[skids]

That's progress, I guess... by the time the dreaded "battery replacement" comes along (boogaboogabooga!) might as well get one of these instead.

Initially, the Hymotion PHEV kit will cost US$9500 for a Ford Escape or Toyota Prius, and will be sold only to Government and fleet owners but with volume production driving pricing down, a target price of US$5000 is expected by the time the kit becomes available to the public 12 months from now. The advantages of PHEV include better fuel economy, fewer visits to gas station, lower fuel costs, less pollution and longer range in all-electric mode - the solution for spiking gas prices, CO2 emissions and dependence on imported oil. Hymotion currently has systems available for Toyota Prius, Ford Escape Hybrid and Mercury Mariner Hybrid with systems under development for Lexus RX400h, Toyota Highlander Hybrid and Toyota Camry Hybrid.

http://www.gizmag.co.uk/go/5252/

[Dead_Parrot]

1. What's the expected cost of a Prius batt?

Assuming it's out of the warrenty time, that is. Any ideas?

[skids]

3. The latest figure as of a year or so ago...

Was in the $3k to $4k range. But that's purely hypothetical -- noone's had to do it yet.

[rfkrfk]

2. let's look at the numbers

article writes. 'seven times the capacity'.
Prius has one kw-hour of capacity. I guess that means,
one plus six , sums to seven, so they add six kw-hr.

milage is typically 3 to 4 miles per kw-hr, so 25 miles
is about right.

that much capacity, from old fashion lead-acid batts,
could be bought for USD 600, 9k seems kinda steep,
although there are other advantages to li-ion.

I just don't trust anything when they
don't talk about the batteries.

keep in mind that the reason there are virtually no
electric cars, is opposition from Greens,
opposition from tax hungry state gov'ts,
and the issue of (federal) crash safety concerns

[Massacure]

4. And the fact that they take forever to charge and don't go very far.