Check out what's being reported over at EVworld right now: http://www.evworld.com/view.cfm?section=ar...cle&storyid=859 EnergyCS reckon that by "early 2006" they will have their Plug-in Prius upgrade option for sale "between $10,000 to $12,000". Valence reckon the batteries will last 8-10 years. Sales will begin in California only. Escape, Lexus and Highlander hybrids next in line to get the plug-in options. 8) If people buy them, Toyota could be more prepared to bring forward release of their own plug-in hybrids!
OUCH, 10k outweighs the mileage beneift overly, UNLESS the state or federal Gov't would pay for it or let you claim it on your taxes....
high purchase of these new batteries might make electric cars possible again. The major drawback with the old ones was range. There are electric cars now that can go 200 miles if not more. this new battery system that Valence designed ( it was him right? ) charges a lot faster and is all around a lot better.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(unique2006\";p=\"96167)</div> $10k is definitely a lot of cash that won't be made up for with gas savings! But hopefully the pioneers and early adopters will be buying this for other reasons, and should help bring the cost of these conversions down. With a high volume market the price should approach a $2-3k price premium over a standard Prius. <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(unique2006\";p=\"96167)</div> This is great for Valence too, as several years down the line they'll be able to say to manufacturers "Hey, our EV batteries have been on the road for years!"
As always, the central dilemma is that the benefits (and the consequences) of the decisions we make about the kinds of cars we drive go primarily to society as a whole rather than to the individual driver. That's why car buyers need to make their voices heard both in the marketplace and in an organized fashion to get the cars we need -- including legislative steps incentivizing producers and buyers. Some companies are taking the lead: see http://www.calcars.org/kudos.html for info on Hyperion Solutions' employee benefits, etc. We do think Toyota could make money selling plug-in hybrids for $2-$3,000 more than hybrids, and at that price there would be a payback to the individual driver.
I would do it for $3k, but $10k is too much. Maybe the Govt will offer subsidies for it. It would be perfect for me since I only travel about 35 miles a day. Heck I would only use gas on my long cross country trips. Now $10k for the upgrade and a solar charging station would make me consider it.
We need to differentiate between electric and plug-in hybrid cars. The plug-in Prius is already known as Prius Plus. We could shorten that to prius+. I am sure that no matter how much progress is made in battery performance, electric vehicles will never come back because they were so impractical the first time around. Only certified tree-huggers owned them. If Toyota supplied the prius+ the cost differential would probably be in the 3-5K range and with a tax credit of 2-3K, the pay-back period would be around 3-5 years--very reasonable. And with Toyota, there would be no warranty problems. What we need is an on-line list of several thousand names of potential buyers and send it to Toyota to encourage them to sell the prius +.
I would not mind taking my car in to a dealer for an upgrade but will not be buying a new car for awhile seeing as how I just got this one 3 mo ago. (not to mention all the dynamat extereme and huber optik i put on the car already)
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mystery Squid\";p=\"96657)</div> It has already, just depends where you live! (BTW, we also pay $34,000 for a stock Prius!)
Let's see... $5 a gal. For me that would be about $40. I was paying $80 to fill my disel F250. Gas would have to increase to $8-$10 for me to pay $10k on that system.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(clett\";p=\"96672)</div> It has already, just depends where you live! (BTW, we also pay $34,000 for a stock Prius!) [/b][/quote] LOL, you Euro folks have it tough!
compare the 10K to trading in for a new prius which may also cost you 10K and still not get 100+ mpg. I bought a used 05 prius and added the 10 Kw $12K plug-in system. It's better than a 2012 Prius plugin from Toyota t $48K. I can and do go 30-35 miles all electric at up to 52 mph and charge at night off peak. I also have solar so it's like free no pollution fuel.
That's awesome. Did you install it yourself? Are there going to be issues in getting your car serviced regularly?
