How to Get a Plug-In Hybrid: individuals are just starting to get them, and they're VERY expensive
HERE'S THE QUICK SUMMARY:
Depending on the choice of battery types, PHEVs using lead-acid are now available for $6-$10,000, nickel-metal for $8,000 and up, and lithium chemistries for $10,000 and up. Conversions are mostly for the Prius, with a few for the Ford Escape/Mercury Mariner hybrid SUVs. At these prices, people are buying the "environmental feature" -- they want to be among the first owners of the world's cleanest extended-range vehicles. They are early adopters, buying "Version 1.0" PHEVs with "Good Enough to Get Started" batteries.
In addition to our someday seeing "from the ground-up" PHEVs like the Chevy Volt, Fisker Karma, Tesla WhiteStar, and cars from Aptera, BYD, Venture and others, we believe carmakers, benefiting from economies of scale and far larger development resources, will some day extend their current hybrid lines with far better PHEVs, and we think they will be able to sell them for $3-$5,000 more than standard hybrids. At that point, we expect the aftermarket companies' prices to have come down sufficiently so that their conversions will be attractive to owners of hundreds of thousands of hybrids already on the road.
The nonprofit CalCars does conversions to demonstrate new designs and provide a platform for different batteries; we don't sell conversions. We have sponsored the EAA-PHEV project and our Open-Source designs are being used by some of the private companies as well as technically advanced individuals.
See Below for Links to the Companies Offering Conversions
Though carmakers now speak positively of PHEVs, it could be years before you'll find them at your local dealership. See How Carmakers are Responding to the Plug-In Hybrid Opportunity. If you want one now, know that you'll spend far more than they'll cost when mass-produced. Today you'd do it to be one of the first to drive the world's cleanest extended range vehicle; in the future, you'll do it because it's an obvious and affordable win!
CalCars supports conversion programs as a strategy to increase awareness and support for PHEVs and thereby motivate automakers to build production PHEVs. Though costs are now high, we believe automakers could sell PHEVs for only $2-$5000 more than current hybrids.
Conversions are limited to certain vehicle types. So far, all start as hybrids. The easiest conversions are for 2004-2008 Prius (not 2001-2003 Prius) and the Ford Escape/Mercury Mariner Hybrid. Because of Honda's different architecture (the engine runs whenever the motor runs), aftermarket conversion of Hondas are unlikely. (Both Toyota and Ford are now producing a few prototype conversions of their own Priuses and Escapes for research purposes.)
As for warranties, there is legal precedent that original auto warranties cannot be voided completely by modifications — only the part(s) affected by retrofit will have their warranties affected. Typically, hybrid cars have four or five separate warranties. Car companies could decide that conversions void some or part of the hybrid system warrantyunless they worry that will tarnish its green image. Drivers of converted cars have received high levels of cooperation from dealer service departments so far. We agree with Toyota's comments, which is why we advocate for mass production of PHEVs:
"We're immensely gratified that some enthusiasts, in a tacit endorsement of the hybrid concept, are, on a vehicle-by-vehicle basis, converting Toyota hybrids to plug-in technology. But doing one-by-one conversions is a different kettle of volts from making this technology viable for the sale of hundreds of thousands of cars, at an affordable price, with a reasonable reliability expectations and reasonable warranty, serviceable at any Toyota dealer anywhere." -- Irv Miller, Toyota Motor Sales Group Vice President - Corporate Communications (Toyota Open Road Blog).
See also Hymotion's comments on the subject.
Aftermarket Conversion Sources
Advanced Do It Yourself/EAA-PHEV www.priusplus.org: CalCars and the Electric Auto Association's PHEV group created this open-source project to bring PHEV conversions to '04-08 Prius owners across the country. Our goal is to enable owners to enlist a local electrician/engineer to convert their cars, initially with lead-acid batteries, for under $6,000 and two person-weeks of time. (We will have similar solutions available for better (but more expensive) nickel-metal hydride or lithium-ion batteries.) If you're an engineer or an advanced do-it-yourselfer who is comfortable around high voltage batteries and automotive workshops, you can join the discussion and the project!
Amberjac Systems www.amberjacprojects.com United Kingdom-based company has
provided conversions in Europe. For Germany, Netherlands, Belgium and other Northern European
countries, contact SP Innovation.
EnergyCS www.energycs.com Monrovia, CA. The
first after-market conversion company, built Felix's car, currently provides vehicles mainly to fleets.
Hybrids-Plus www.hybrids-plus.com Boulder, CO offers lithium-ion conversions
of the Toyota Prius and soon on the Escape, for private individuals or for organizations; current
pricing starts at $24,000.
Hymotion www.hymotion.com Concord,
Ontario, Canada retrofits the Toyota Prius. Acquired by battery maker A123 Systems www.a123systems.com of Hopkinton, MA. Large volumes of crash-tested
Prius conversions can now be ordered with a $1,000 deposit for $9,950 plus $400 delivery, from distributors in several cities. Go to Hymotion.com or contact Green Gears, Inc.,
Hymotion's San Francisco-based distributor/installer.
CalCars converted Priuses into a PRIUS+ at the 2006 and 2007 Maker Faires. This formed the basis for the EAA-PHEV project.
Plug-In Conversions Corp www.pluginconversions.com of Poway, near San Diego, CA converts the Toyota Prius using Nilar NiMH batteries and the EAA-PHEV open source control system, and will provide kits to qualified DIY installers. Pricing from $8-15,000 for installed low-speed EV range of 8-24 miles.
Plug-In Supply www.plug-insupply.com, Petaluma, CA, offers complete conversion components with lead-acid battery packs for $6,095, based on the EAA-PHEV open source conversion method CalCars has helped develop. (These will be upgradable to lithium-phosphate batteries.) The company partners with approved installers charging $1,200-$3,000; Luscious Garage in San Francisco is its first dealer. Plug-In Supply also sells components and assemblies to enable "do-it-yourselfers" to convert Priuses using its boxes and systems, configured for several battery types. Companies with programs in development
EDrive Systems, LLC www.edrivesystems.com emerged from the original EnergyCS (see above)
Green Car Company www.thegreencarco.com: Kirkland, WA Has converted several Priuses
Other Conversion Projects
CalCars Demonstration Conversions CalCars is continuing to evaluate new batteries of different types and give battery companies a platform to demonstrate their products. Automakers are watching these efforts, and these projects could result in our attracting a battery maker to provide batteries to the EAA-PHEV project members for a group price.
In January 2007, CalCars began a project to install Valence batteries in several cars that led to the creation of OEMtek (see above). In 2006, CalCars worked on a project with Electro Energy, Inc. to demonstrate its PRIUS+ approach using nickel-metal hydride batteries, in response to automakers' continuing comments that "the batteries aren't ready." This project demonstrated that the battery type found in all current hybrids can make a well-performing PHEV. We believe both NiMH and Li-Ion are ready.
Hybrid Center at the University of California-Davis: under Prof. Andy Frank, this academic program has converted a number of internal combustion engine vehicles for demonstration purposes. Frank has formed Efficient Drivetrains, Inc. to put his intellectual property to work with carmakers and suppliers.
EPRI-Daimler-Chrysler Plug-In Hybrid Development Program: Daimler-Chrysler, working with EPRI and others, has produced a small number of PHEV (15-passenger) Dodge Sprinter vans for fleet testing purposes. If you are interested in this program, please contact the Electric Transportation Department at EPRI.
PITCH: If you support our goals, you could support CalCars with a tax-deductible donation in any amount by credit card, check, PayPal or Google Checkout. $25 or more gets you a bumper sticker. For $95 you become a Charter Sponsor. Gifts in the three figures are highly appreciated. Donations in the four-to-five figures will get you a phone call from CalCars' Founder Felix Kramer or Technology Lead Ron Gremban and, schedules permitting, a ride in a plug-in hybrid.
