Plug in Hybrids???

[DieselVDUB]

Does anybody know anything about plug in hybrids? I'm trying to write an article for my website on the subject and right now I'm coming up a little short on info. I've heard stories that mileage figures are around 250 mpg, is this true?

[CaptainApollo]

250 could be possible. 110 was achieved with a normal, non-plug in prius over 1400 miles. But of course that isn't everyday driving. Information in this forum would probably not suffice to write an article. I would suggest contacting someone who actually has a plug-in hybrid

[carbuzzard]

Originally Posted by DieselVDUB

Does anybody know anything about plug in hybrids? I'm trying to write an article for my website on the subject and right now I'm coming up a little short on info. I've heard stories that mileage figures are around 250 mpg, is this true?

Why don't you talk with Toyota, too. There are a lot of backyard wizards out there who think they can outsmart one of the world's most tech savvy companies. Maybe so.

But even if you get something like that to work (and are willing to void your warranty on a very expensive to repair system), are you really getting X miles per gallon? Nah, because while you are going further on a gallon of gas, you're still using energy that still costs you money.

To get that kind of mileage, you'd have to have big and/or expensive batteries, and you'd only get that mileage until you ran the batteries down. Or esle had to recharge them with the gas motor. And there goes your "gas mileage."

Then add to all that the fact that with the extra batteries you're carrying around extra weight, and you know what weight does to batties.

I'm not saying it can't be done. Never say never. But I'd turn as critical an eye towards the mileage junkies as I would to the guys who make outlandish claims about horsepower.

[hubble]

You can also go to calcars.org as they have lots of info about PHEV's.

[jstack6]

PHEV, plugin hybrids are the best, They are available from 3 or more companies, EDrive and Energy CS in the US and hymotion in Canada. Just a few extra amp hours of battery power with light powerfull lithium batteries and you can get 100+ mpg for 60 mile trips.
You don't have to plug in but when you do it's about 80 cents for a gallon range equivelent of a gallon of gas. If you drive down a long steady hill you can caputure all that energy in the exstra battery capacity. The back still has as much room since the lithium batteries are small and light.

as shown in other posts calcars.com has all the facts.

We import over 60% of our oil in the US and hit peak oil in 1970 when we started importing 5 %.

[jstack6]

More work is being done on plug-in hybrids. Even Toyota is testing a few in Japan . Some members of our electrci auto group have seen what looks like plug-in prius vehicles in the Arizona Peroia area near the Toyota testing center.
GM says it is trying to make a plug-in hybrid that will run all electric for the first 40 miles. They are working with A123 and other lithium battery makers.
Calcars continues to work with all groups on converting a prius to plug-in. They have used sealed lead acid batteries and NiMH Nilar batteries as well as some lithium battery versions.
FORD says it will have a plug-in version of the Edge in 2008. The back up fuel is hydrogen so we will see if it's real and affordable since a fuel cell is very expensive and there are few places that sell H2.
The next year, 2008 will be very interesting.

runaround runaround