Plug in a 180mpg Prius

[Overheat]

Toyota's Prius hybrid petrol-electric vehicle is now well-known, but Toyota reports that potential buyers still ask if you have to plug it in to recharge the batteries which power its electric motor. You don't - they automatically recharge themselves under regenerative braking, which is when energy usually lost through deceleration is recaptured and then stored. But to add to the confusion - and to satisfy the really eco-conscious who want to achieve even greater fuel economy - an independent company in the USA is now offering a plug-in conversion for the Prius to enable it to run for longer in electric-only mode. The conversion fits additional batteries and a recharging socket, enabling owners to recharge the car overnight, and if the car is used mainly around the city, fuel economy of up to 180mpg can be achieved, with an achievable average of 100mpg.

[Iota`]

"Why use electricity when we have nuclear power?"

[Leppy]

Nuclear power being a form of creating electricity...

haha the one thing I find funny about these cars is. They have worse fuel economy on the highway then in the city.

[Dark_Templer_102]

at first i thought u said "180 mph prius"....

180 MPG? thats actually pretty cool

[ChaoZ]

I wonder what difference in cost would be if you factored in the price of electicity.

[chaos386]

If they were really smart, they would have fitted solar panels on the roof. That way, it could recharge the batteries while it's parked.

[Demented Freak]

Originally Posted by chaos386

If they were really smart, they would have fitted solar panels on the roof. That way, it could recharge the batteries while it's parked.

Interesting idea, but I'd hate to think how much it would cost to repair in an accident...

[Iota`]

Originally Posted by Leppy

Nuclear power being a form of creating electricity...

I was being sarcastic... What I meant was that while it doesn't use petrol, all electricity is not created from uranium ore...

[Tristram]

Didn't JC review the prius, and conclude that your better off with a diesel hatch instead? The best he could manage was ~40mpg from memory. Didn't the Audi A8 V8 turbo diesel do the same milage??

[vanMould]

Why do they build all hybridcars with petrol engines? I suppose that Pruis-buyers dom really expect very much performance, so why don't use diesel engines? Or ethanole?

I don't think the idea with solarpanels on the roof is to bad either. I know it would cost alot to repair when broken, but damages on the roof ain't that common, are they?

[jeffy777]

Originally Posted by vanMould

Why do they build all hybridcars with petrol engines? I suppose that Pruis-buyers dom really expect very much performance, so why don't use diesel engines? Or ethanole?

hmmm that is a good question: why don't they make a hybrid diesel? Or is there one?

[chaos386]

Originally Posted by jeffy777

hmmm that is a good question: why don't they make a hybrid diesel? Or is there one?

I think it's because hybrids are really designed for the American market, and in America diesel=trucks. Hybrids are also built to be extremely low-emission vehicles (partial zero emissions for the Prius), and diesel engines still aren't as clean as petrol engines.

[Jaguar]

chaos is right, Hybrids are designed for the US market, where diesels can't really be used in cars.

The current US emission regs require too low levels of soot for diesels to meet them. The regs are much less strict for trucks, so thats how they can get away with it. Soon (2007 I think) the US will have lower sulfur fuels avalible, and this should allow the manufactures to be able to meet the emissions with a disel. I would imagine this will put a big damper on the hybrids since they are horridly expensive and don't get better gas mileage than a good diesel.

Incidently I'm not sure but I belive in Europe that Diesel fuel is cheaper than regular gas, where as in the US its general more expensive (although not significantly enough to counteract the better fuel econmy)

[Overheat]

It's around the same price over here

[jeffy777]

Originally Posted by Jaguar

chaos is right, Hybrids are designed for the US market, where diesels can't really be used in cars.

There are some diesel cars in the US. My step dad has a turbo diesel jetta. And we had a diesel VW station wagon when I was a kid.

[Jaguar]

That's why I said "can't really" not just "can't"
VW and Merc among others have sold diesel's in the US recently, However they don't get nearly the gas mileage of their european counterparts, and are therefore not particularly worthwhile.

For instance the "New" VW Beetle Turbo Diesel in the US gets only 42 MPG on the highway, while in England it gets 64.

[asthenia]

I drove a Prius a while ago, and I think I know why they won't make a diesel one. You can never tell when the engine is going to come on, but when it does, it's really quiet and doesn't vibrate much. If it was diesel, the sound of the thing starting up all the time would drive you nuts.

This rechargable version is extra extra stupid though, because in America, almost all electricity comes from fossil fuels (mostly coal.) That means that almost anywhere in the States, this thing pollutes much, much more than a normal Prius, and where the coal stacks don't have scrubbers, it's about as bad as driving around in an old steam locomotive.

So what's the point?

[Raven18940]

Originally Posted by Jaguar

For instance the "New" VW Beetle Turbo Diesel in the US gets only 42 MPG on the highway, while in England it gets 64.

A UK gallon is bigger than a US gallon. I have new idea why, but that's the way it is.

I don't understand the point of plugging in a hybrid. That's the point of having a hybrid, it's an electric car you don't have to plug in. And those things are gonna run up a mean electric bill.

[Overheat]

that's American's for ya!!

[jeffy777]

Originally Posted by Overheat

that's American's for ya!!

no, true america is huge gas guzzling jacked up chevy pick ups with gigantic mud tires and a driver with a huge belt buckle.....YEE-HAW!!!