Plug-in Hybrids - Prius w/ Enginer Kit

[adric22]

Okay, I'll try to clear up the confusion on the Prius horsepower rating.

In this particular case, A+B does not equal C.

There are 2 main issues at work here. First of all, HP is usually rated at a specific RPM. The ratings are different for the gas and electric as to what RPM they reach their peak HP.

Second, due to the nature of the Prius drivetrain, it is not possible for the gas engine to deliver all of its HP directly to the wheels. For those of you who drive a Prius you may have noticed on the energy monitor screen that most of the time it shows power coming from the engine to the wheels, but it also shows power going from the engine to the electric motor, and to the wheels. That is actually what happens. Some of the engines power is used to generate power on MG1, and is transfered out via MG2. This is more similar to a serial hybrid in this regard. So the net horsepower rating on a prius is how much power is actually delivered to the wheels.

The same would be true of a Chevy Volt. Only in the case of the Volt it is easier to visualize because it is a serial hybrid all the time. So you wouldn't add the power of the gas engine and electric motor on that vehicle either.

 

[AndyH]

Nice job adric22. Thanks for reminding me that sometimes 2+2 is supposed to equal 3!

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

I could've gotten you A solution for 5000 dollars.
buy my Zenn!!
O It goes up to 35 miles an hour Has a 25 mile range And its 100 percent electric And has 2 seats Am fm stereo cd And the heater. Will. E selling son to make room for my leaf

Now i wonder What it would cost To convert to lithium batteries for it?

 

[evnow]

Now i wonder What it would cost To convert to lithium batteries for it?

What kwh is the current battery ? Figure about $750 / kwh.

 

[evnow]

Let us keep this thread to what OP started with - Plugin Prius.

All Volt related discussions would go to Volt thread.

 

[abasile]

We have a LEAF reservation, but are considering purchasing a used 2010 Prius instead. For family reasons, we have found ourselves needing to make a larger number of trips that would exceed the range of the LEAF. Yes, in the future there should be L3 chargers available. But waiting half an hour with a tired/fussy two-year-old is not ideal. And Nissan does not recommend using L3 more than once per day anyway.

Our current car, which we will keep because we live in a mountain area and we appreciate its all-wheel-drive capabilities in snow, averages 30 mpg.

If we purchase a LEAF, we could use it for something less than half of our total miles per year. On the other hand, a Prius could be used for most of our driving. So, either way, the net reduction in gasoline usage would be roughly comparable, but with the Prius we would have a much more versatile car. For mountain driving, it also helps that a stock Prius is about 500 pounds lighter than a LEAF.

I really like the idea of owning an all-electric car, and find the LEAF exciting. But maybe it's premature for us. If we purchase a Prius in the near future, then perhaps our current AWD car could at some point be replaced with a RAV4 EV with all-wheel-drive, if Toyota chooses to sell that option.

Also, given a stock Prius, it might be worth putting a modest amount of money into a plug-in conversion. Something like an Enginer kit might be about right for what we would want to spend. However, the thing that bugs me is that the Enginer batteries can't be recharged by regenerative braking, meaning we would be "wasting" much downhill driving. Does anyone have any other suggestions?

 

[mitch672]

Yes, "PICC" (Plug In Conversions Corp), working with the "Ewert Brothers" has a 12KW kit, that lets the Prius run up to 70mph on pure electric with a 40-60 miles range, I just found out it costs $13,500, but, they will also be making a 6KW verison that will get 20-30 miles of range, for about $6,500.00

They replace the stock Prius NiMh pack with a larger Lithium pack, and they have custom software running on the ECU's, to allow the ICE to spin without injecting fuel, this is how they accomplish the 70MPH in all electric.

See the links below.

new story: http://www.evworld.com/news.cfm?newsid=23691

PICC: http://www.pluginconversions.com/picc_pressrelease61009.html

Ewert Engineering: http://www.ewertenergy.com/index.php
(custom software for hybrid energy management)

Also I spoke to an East coast conversion company that is going to be carrying this kit:
http://transatlanticelectricconversions.com/PriusConversionsPricing.php

 

[abasile]

Thanks, Mitch! I didn't know about the 6 kWh PICC. That could be a great fit for us!

 

[abasile]

I just spoke with Kim at Plug In Conversions Corp. He guessed that the smaller "20 mile" kit and installation (which they can do in Poway, CA) will be closer to $7500, and suggested that I check back around Christmas. Sounds promising!

 

[SilverLeaf]

The plug in 2012 Toyota Prius is expected to go on sale in June 2011. Pricing has not been announced, but there is some thought to only being a few hundred dollars more than the standard Prius.

 

[mitch672]

The plug in 2012 Toyota Prius is expected to go on sale in June 2011. Pricing has not been announced, but there is some thought to only being a few hundred dollars more than the standard Prius.

from what I've been reading on PriusChat, that is expected to be $4-5K more, and have a 13 mile EV range. Using an older 2004-2009 Prius (or even a 2010 Prius), you can get PICCs 20 mile kit for $7500 (rumors where $6500), or the 40-60 mile kit for $13,500. yes, it's more than 4-5K upgrade from a "standard" prius (btw, there is no such thing, there are 4 packages, pkg 2 to 5), but if you already own a 2004-2010 Prius, its a lot cheaper than taking a hit on selling your used Prius and buying Toyotas new 2012 subpar 13 mile PHEV.

 

[abasile]

The 2012 plug-in Prius will likely limit regen to the "first" battery pack, just like a stock 2010 Prius. The PICC kit, on the other hand, is expected to allow much more regenerative braking. This is important to mountain dwellers like me who live 5000 feet above the valley floor.

 

[evnow]

Yes, "PICC" (Plug In Conversions Corp), working with the "Ewert Brothers" has a 12KW kit, that lets the Prius run up to 70mph on pure electric with a 40-60 miles range, I just found out it costs $13,500, but, they will also be making a 6KW verison that will get 20-30 miles of range, for about $6,500.00

Looks interesting. For anyone already with a Prius - this would be cheaper option than Volt.