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?

Plug-ins, the Electric Grid and You, Part II

Yesterday, we shared two divergent opinions from electric utility execs about how prepared the infrastructure may be for the proliferation of plug-in cars. Now we'll reveal how different car types and buyer expectations may dictate what owners and utilities will encounter.

Peter Darbee, who heads Pacific Gas and Electric Corp., based his worst-case prognostications on the assumption that consumers will demand 240- versus 120-volt charging. If what we’ve seen so far is an indication, the assumption is a sound one for battery-electric cars, but not necessarily for plug-in hybrids.

The issue is charging speed. Higher voltage and current — measured in amperes, or amps — make for faster charging. Logically, if you want to fill a larger battery, you need more juice or more time. Battery-electric vehicles rely on large battery packs to provide a viable range. The best examples today are the Tesla Roadster and the electrified Mini Cooper, the latter of which has been leased to 450 individuals in California, New York and New Jersey for a yearlong Mini E Field Trial. The first Mini E recipient, Peter Trepp of Pacific Palisades, California, is shown above.

Both of these plug-ins have lithium-ion batteries and require 240 volts, known as Level 2 charging. Mini and Tesla allow for 120-volt Level 1 charging, but the rate is, uh, problematic: At 120 volts, recharging a depleted Mini E battery to its full 100-120 miles of range takes 26.5 hours. The Tesla Roadster needs 30-plus hours for its claimed 244 miles of range when charged at 120 volts.

Plug-ins, the Electric Grid and You

With mass-market plug-in electric cars getting closer to going on sale, automakers and utility companies are studying the demands on the electrical system and car buyers' homes with wide-ranging conclusions. At "The Business of Plugging-In" conference in Detroit, some participants estimated that preparing your home to charge your car was like preparing it to plug in a hair dryer. At least one high-profile speaker said it was like preparing to plug in three additional houses. The truth lies between these theories. It depends on what kind of car you're charging, where you live and how long you're willing to wait for a full charge. Today, we'll look at the electrical infrastructure's ability to handle plug-in cars.

Nissan Leaf to Tour U.S.

Nissan announced it will take its upcoming all-electric Leaf on a U.S. tour, beginning with a public showing in Los Angeles on Nov. 13. Its first auto-show appearance will also occur in the City of Angels at the 2009 Los Angeles Auto Show, which runs Dec. 4-13.

The five-passenger, five-door vehicle — which you can’t put a drop of gas in even if you want to — will hit 22 cities in 11 states, Washington, D.C., and Vancouver, Canada, to build a buzz and educate the public, media and possible partners both civic and private businesses.

You can follow the tour at Nissan’s Leaf website. Or click on the jump to see the cities where the Leaf will make an appearance, and, yes, we’re ticked it won’t swing by our hometown of Chicago.

Tesla Roadster Sets Record for EV Range

The Global Green Challenge in the Australian Outback featured a new world record for distance by a production battery-powered vehicle. Simon Hackett, owner of a 2008 Tesla Roadster, made it a whopping 313 miles, shattering the previous range record, Tesla says.

The Roadster, which uses only a lithium-ion battery pack to power it, had three miles left on its charge when it crossed the finish line in South Australia. This beat the previous distance record for an electric vehicle of 241 miles set by another Roadster in April, as well as the 244 miles the car managed on the EPA test cycle.

As a sports car, the Roadster is capable of leaping from 0-60 in 3.9 seconds, but obviously Hackett and his passenger couldn’t have tested that on this trip if they wanted to maximize their distance. They are better men than most: on an empty Australian highway, I doubt I’d be able to resist the temptation to test the Roadster’s driving performance.

While the Roadster’s $100k-plus price remains prohibitive for most, Tesla serves as an example that battery-powered cars can achieve impressive range.

2010|Tesla|Roadster

Colorado Gives Massive Tax Credit on Hybrids

A new tax break in Colorado will give state residents a credit on their 2009 income taxes for up to 85% of the difference between the cost of an alternative fuel or hybrid vehicle and a comparable one that runs on regular fuel, according to Fox News.

How does that translate into actual savings? It means that you could buy the north-of-$100,000 Tesla Roadster electric sports car for almost 40% off — potentially a $42,083 discount. That’s almost reasonable. Buy a 2009 Lexus LS 600h and you’ll catch a $20,000 break (starting MSRP: $106,035). The credit can also be used on lower-priced vehicles such as the Honda Insight and Toyota Prius.

The deal lasts through Dec. 31, which means green-car fans will have to figure out how to move to Colorado quickly.

Whoa! Colorado Residents Get $42G Refund on Tesla Roadster (New York Daily News)

Reader Review of the Week: 2010 Lexus HS 250h

“Hybrid Convert” from Fontana, Calif., spent 20 years in two different luxury cars. When it came to his next purchase, he wanted to increase his fuel economy and decrease his carbon footprint. This led him to Lexus’s high-end hybrid, the 2010 HS 250h. Despite some disappointment with the car’s performance, this is one driver whose very name explains how he feels about his purchase. Read the full review of the 2010 Lexus HS 250h, and then write a review of your own vehicle here.

2010 Toyota Prius vs. 2010 Honda Insight: The Commute

Last week, we ran our latest Mileage Challenge featuring four ultra-fuel-efficient cars, and before that we rounded up six fuel-sippers to see which one was the best daily driver. But none of these reports put a brutal, real-life morning and evening commute to the test.

That’s exactly what I did in the new 2010 Honda Insight and 2010 Toyota Prius, the two most affordable hybrids on the road. We hear a lot of car shoppers say they buy hybrids to help save on their gas costs and cut down on emissions during their commute. But how did the two do in terms of fuel efficiency, comfort and entertainment for my often 90-minute morning commute and 45-minute afternoon commute? Let’s find out.

Cars.com Podcast: Porsche Panamera

This week’s podcast is a bit like the classic Pink Floyd album “The Wall,” especially considering the line, “If you don’t eat your meat, you can’t have any pudding.” In the case of this week’s podcast, you’ll have to listen to our editors discuss last week’s mileage challenge and how it came together before you’ll hear about Mike Hanley’s seat time in the full line-up of the new Porsche Panamera.

You can check it out in iTunes here or just hit the play button below.

Cars.com Podcast

Mileage Challenge 5.5: Final Thoughts

Beyond the numbers that we so diligently broke down yesterday, driving four different cars for six hours can be telling in many more ways than just fuel economy. Our editors share their thoughts on the cars and pick which car they’d log another six-hour trip in.