question on cheap alternative to plug in hybrid

[yurbud]

I read that Priuses have a switch in other countries that locks out the gas engine so you can run in all electric mode.

Until plug in hybrids are available here, I wonder why you couldn't slap a couple of more batteries in your Prius or other hybrid, pop the hood and charge it with a battery charger and get the plug in benefit.

Is there some engineering obstacle I'm missing here?

[kristopher]

1. What "plug in benefit" are you trying to capture? nt

[yurbud]

4. longer range on electric, and charging battery with something other than gasoline

[quiller4]

2. It is a little more complex than that but conversion is possible.

My public utility has a fleet of Ford Escape Hybrids that have been converted to plug ins. There is a firm in WA and a few in CA that specialize in converting the Toyota Prius.

[Jackpine Radical]

3. There is also an aftermarket plug-in adapter. I unerstand that people who

plug their Prii (priae?) overnight get up to 100 mpg in city driving.

[bananas]

5. Gristmill just did a review of a prius plug-in conversion

here: http://gristmill.grist.org/story/2008/12/4/91341/6548/
and if you google "prius plug-in conversion", you'll see that people have been doing it for years.

[tinrobot]

6. It's already been done...

Cal Cars was one of the first to figure it out and they documented it here:

http://www.calcars.org/priusplus.html

You can also buy kits from places like Hymotion.