mixedpower.com — Gremban, an electrical engineer and committed environmentalist, spent several months and $3,000 US tinkering with his car. Plugging the car into a wall outlet at his home in this San Francisco suburb - all for about a quarter.
Aug 26, 2005 View in Crawl 4
Closed AccountAug 26, 2005
The only problem with that is plugging it in, until battery technology can evolve to give a useful (over %75) charge in under 5 minutes, not too many people will be interested in the technology because we are used to getting things right awa (like 2 minuets to fill our car with gas). But, it's still cool that people are doing that to the Prius, it can only help improve the technology.
thebloomsAug 26, 2005
At this juncture, hybrids are insane to buy. A Corolla gets only like 10 MPG less than a Prius, costs SEVEN THOUSAND dollars less, and you won't have to replace the main engine (the batteries) every 10 years for upwards of $10,000. Heck, a REGLUAR battery in a car is $60! Priuses are expensive, totally disposable cars. Who in their right mind is going to spend $10,000 to replace the battery in a 10 year old econo-box?Do the math, estimating 12,000 miles a year, at $2.50 a gallon, in a Corolla, you are going to spend about $7,300 on gas. In a Prius, $6,600 in gas. Wow, in ten years you saved $600. But now your Prius is worthless because it needs $10,000 worth of work, whereas 120,000 miles on a Corolla, it is barely broken in good. Think before you jump on a bandwagon.
jteague82Aug 26, 2005
I just posted something like this on my blog about my own prius:<a class="user" href="http://justinteague.com/blog/i-heart-my-prius/">http://justinteague.com/blog/i-heart-my-prius/</a>
atarifan2600Aug 27, 2005
PLZ stop posting this STORY it has been on the front page a BILLION times
swampthingAug 27, 2005
Sorry, forgot to add:Corolla XRS does not offer rear wipers, Prius does.Corolla XRS does not have audio controls on the steering wheel, Prius does.Corolla XRS does not have rear folding seats, Prius does.Corolla XRS has standard air conditioning, Prius automatic climate control.Corolla XRS does not have remote power controlled locks, Prius does.Corolla XRS offers one-touch power windows as an option, Prius has them.The more I go on and on, how in the world do you think that this car even compares to the Prius? They both have four wheels?? And if you add all those options to the car price, it will make the overall cost difference between the two cars QUITE dramatic.
mrcokeAug 27, 2005
toyota echo = 54mpg = 13000$cad. why go electric?
interiotAug 27, 2005
<a class="user" href="http://paperlined.org/blogsphere/mine/kwh_mpg.html">http://paperlined.org/blogsphere/mine/kwh_mpg.html</a>Electricity from the power company is often significantly cheaper per-mile the powering a car via gas. It's about to the point where it's about break-even to invest in $3000 for batteries. If gas prices continue to climb, then investing in $3000 for batteries will be a no-brainer.
jcoopsicleAug 27, 2005
this is a great thread.First, has anyone seen a FAQ or a guide to upgrading the prius with additional batteries? If so please post the link.To me, the car debate doesn't revolve simply around the cost per gallon for transportation. If it did, I could own a 83 toyota tercel. For me its a series of trade-offs, Which car offers good room, decent gas mileage and has some nifty features.In California, you can now drive the prius in the carpool lane with only one occupant. How's that for government incentive? I know a few folks that would pay 5k for that alone. I'm looking for a vehicle that offers safety, good gas mileage, and a minimum of pollution. I'd also like some style and the ability to haul some crap around.I've boiled it down to a VW jetta wagon diesel (which I can fill with bio-diesel and get 54 mpg) and the prius. It would be an easy call to get the prius if I could spend the extra 3k and get the car to run 100+ mpg. But until I can figure out how to do that, I'm sticking with the jetta.Gas prices move higher from here. In 20 years we better be completely off the sauce or we'll all be biking to work.-J
lesoreillyAug 31, 2005
Days like today make me want a Prius. Gas in Ottawa just spiked from .99/L last night at 10:30pm to 1.19/L this morning at 7am. This type of price gouging would really be easier to deal with if I could stretch the tank by pluging in at work and at home.
polyfanSep 12, 2007
Tsk, tsk...Do your research. A Prius is NOT fiscally responsible compared to a Honda Civic. It would take 12.92 years (at 15000 miles a year, and 3 dollar gas) assuming combined EPA gas mileage of 45 and 30.5 respectively to justify buying a Prius vs a Civic. However, since the batteries have an estimated life of 10 years, and the warranty only lasts 9.. the battery cost is QUITE a factor. So, if the $6000 'break even' point (base models of both: Prius: 20950; minus Civic: 14810 equals 6140) is 12 years, and batteries are replaced every ten, it is actually CHEAPER to buy a Civic. The gas savings allow $475.41 per year saved driving a Prius. Let's say that in 10 years, batteries will cost 3000 dollars. So, 3000 / 10 = 300 (battery cost per year). $475.41-300 = $175.41 net savings per year. So since the batteries would be a factor, it will take you 35 years, and 525000 miles to justify buying a new Prius vs. a Civic, financially of course. Oh yeah, resale value for a Prius without a warranty is gonna be crap also. So, I'm driving my Dodge Coronet that gets 10.5 mpg (city). I payed 3000 dollars for it, maybe I have put 500 dollars worth of repairs (not to mention I don't have to pay anyone to do work, I just pay for parts). put 800 dollars worth of gas in it.1974 Dodge Coronet cost: 4300 (with 3000 miles worth of gas, and looks to kill) small-block 318, completely stock: 150, 1974 SAE net horsepower.2007 Toyota Pruis cost: 20950I have 5550 gallons of gas before I get to spend as much money as you Prius owners, and even then, that's with you driving nowhere but off the lot.How's that for fashionable hybrids?If you want to save the world, buy a motor scooter.If you want people to think you want to save the world, be comfortable, and fashionable, buy a Prius.
polyfanSep 20, 2007
Ummm.. actually, an internal combustion engine can be converted from gasoline to natural gas (such as propane) pretty easily. Not to mention alcohol, nitromethane and other such things(without changing anything). Diesel conversions would be quite a bit more complex, but even so, not incredibly hard. Oh yeah, ever heard of BIODIESEL?Modularity? All your little electric motor can run on is electricity. Period. All you are changing is the power source. i.e. I can run my car with the fuel line running to a tank battery, or the fuel tank, or a five-gallon gas can, or even a bottle of store bought alcohol. It's possible I could run my engine off of pure oxygen, or butane.Now, I don't know how you run a shaver on kerosene. I do know that it would be a quicker shave with one than that of an electric shaver though.By the way, the 4.6 liter motor (that's 281 cubic inches) is called 'modular' for a reason.
polyfanSep 20, 2007
Ride a small motorcycle. They're about a thousand times faster/cooler than any hybrid. And they get really good gas mileage.Hybrids are models of inefficiency. If you want to save the world, use flywheels.