The 100 MPG Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid
(Page 2 of 3)
Oct. 2, 2008
By Todd Kaho
Power outlets at offices and in parking garages would allow plug-in hybrid drivers to top-off their vehicles while they are at work, thereby doubling the daily all-electric range of the vehicles. If you live close enough to where you work, you might never need gas.
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Plug-in Progress
Toyota is testing prototypes of the plug-in Prius in the United States, Japan and France. Additional studies are underway at the University of California at Irvine and at the University of California at Berkeley. These programs are charged with researching consumer expectations of plug-in hybrids. The goal is to determine the sweet spot in the mix of cost, electric range, battery size and charging time to make the best plug-in Prius possible.
Currently, battery price is a major obstacle. Toyota says that plug-in batteries demand $500 for every mile of electric range. So the prototype plug-in’s seven-mile range adds $3,500 to the manufacturing costs of a Prius. (The sticker price of a brand-new Prius is $22,720.)
Will people be willing to pay that much more for the improved gas mileage? Would people pay an extra $5,000 for a 10-mile all-electric range? Only time and the market will tell. Furthermore, the $500 figure goes with nickel-metal hydride batteries, not the more advanced, powerful and expensive lithium-ion batteries regarded by many as the battery of choice for future plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles. Toyota is developing its own advanced battery technology through a joint venture with Panasonic EV Energy Co. The hope is to create something even better than lithium-ion and find breakthroughs and economies of scale that will significantly reduce prices in the future.
Plug-in Hybrid Conversions
If you want a plug-in hybrid before the automakers produce them, it is possible to convert an existing hybrid to a plug-in. There are several third-party companies, such as Hybrids Plus and Hymotion, that do conversions of the Prius and Ford Escape Hybrid. For a longer list of conversion companies, click here. Some of these conversions perform quite well, but they are expensive: Prices range from $6,000 to $30,000 or more, depending on the vehicle and the type of battery. Note that converting your hybrid will void all warranties the automaker provides for the vehicle.
