Hymotion Conversion Plug-In Prius: First Drive
All the talk these days about plug-in cars and plug-in hybrids is mostly that: just talk. If you want a pure battery-electric car, your only choice is the Tesla Roadster — a $109,000 two-seater. If you want a plug-in hybrid, you can wait about a year for the first automakers to roll out models -- or you can go the conversion route. I went for a spin in a 2009 Toyota Prius outfitted with an L5 conversion module from Hymotion. The conversion is good for any second-generation, 2004- 2009 Prius; a 2010 version is in development.
So how does it drive?
Exactly like a regular Prius — with one of your buddies in the cargo hatch. The Hymotion L5 conversion module is simply a 5 kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack that replaces the spare tire underneath the cargo floor, for a net weight gain of about 180 pounds. The Prius' nickel-metal-hydride battery remains in the mix, and the car's behavior is the same: Once it's warmed up, it accelerates from a stop in electric-only mode. Unlike Toyota's experimental plug-in Prius, which provides electric-only acceleration to highway speed, the L5-converted Prius' gas engine will fire up if you press harder on the pedal or get above roughly 30 mph, just like an unconverted car.
What's going on in the background isn't exactly the same, though. The L5 battery can only be charged by plugging the car into 110-volt household power using a connector in the rear bumper. It doesn't recharge through regenerative braking, and it can't be recharged by the engine. A normal Prius starts the engine when its battery drains down — but having a full Hymotion pack onboard keeps the Prius from doing so. This step, along with the fact that the car leaves home with a larger, topped-off battery, gives the converted Prius 30-40 miles of up to 100-mpg driving, according to Hymotion.
Once the L5 battery is depleted, the Prius operates as any unconverted one would — with an extra 180 pounds onboard. The driver can keep an eye on the charge state of both battery packs on the LCD screen's Energy Monitor display. The L5's charge level appears as a green bar graph that overlays the regular battery pack's blue one.
Hymotion says a depleted L5 battery recharges in five to six hours on 120 volts and 10 amps, so a home electrical upgrade is unnecessary. The L5 conversion itself comes at a steep price: $10,395 plus tax, which includes installation by a licensed dealer and a three-year warranty. At this price, it's pretty clear buyers won't recoup their investment. While buyers of ready-made plug-ins will eventually collect up to a $7,500 tax credit, conversions are eligible for 10 percent of the upgrade cost, with a $4,000 cap.
Hymotion isn't the only company providing plug-in solutions. Many individuals and companies have converted hybrids — mostly Priuses — leading environmentalists to ask, "If these guys can do it in their garages, why can't the automakers get it together?" The main reason is automakers have to make their products reliable, safe and clean. At this stage, converted cars are exempt from safety and emissions requirements, but Hymotion says the L5 pack has no effect on a Prius' pollution levels, and it's also the only conversion product that's government certified for rear crash safety. As such, it occupies the middle ground between conversions of unknown performance — and mass-market cars that just aren't here yet.
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If this could be done on an $18,000 Insight then the $28,000 total cost would be worth it, especially with a $4,000 tax credit... $24k for a plug in hybrid.
Here are some Battery Electric Vehicles besides the Tesla Roadster available right now:
http://www.electriccitymotors.com/ about $30k
http://www.myersmotors.com about $30k
http://www.zapworld.com/ about $15k
http://www.zenncars.com/ about $15k
Ziggy,
I believe they meant that you would get a credit of 10% on the cost of the conversion. Using the article's example, that would mean 10% of $10,395 = $1,039.50 credit
3Prong Power is doing conversions for $3500 and $4500 a much more affordable plug in option.
www.3prongpower.com
I think it's great that Plug-ins are out there, but I have to say my friends in SF did a HyMotion conversion and were quite dissatisfied. Their mileage was mildly improved but they certainly felt the extra weight and then the outlet in the car itself "dislodged" to a position where it was very difficult to use. And you lose the spare tire. All in all, not worth it, even for someone like them with solar panels to charge it.
The mileage killer on the Prius is the requirement that the engine has to warm up during the first 5-10 minutes, which reduces the mileage to ~25 mpg during this time. If this it still required on the plug-in, it would seem to negate most of the advantage of being able to drive the first 20 or so miles on electricity.