Plug-In Hybrids Get 100+ MPG
While some automakers use hybrid technology to boost performance, some drivers are raising their MPG. Red Herring Article
April 23, 2006
The latest hybrids from Toyota and Honda focus more on high performance than better fuel economy. Now a few drivers are heading in the other direction: squeezing more than 100 miles per gallon from their hybrids by recharging them at electrical outlets.
CalCars, a nonprofit organization that promotes so-called “plug-in hybrids,” has added batteries and plugs to several Toyota Prius hybrids, getting gas mileage as high as 130 mpg. The organization shows its prototypes at events around California, and is working on conversion kits that any driver could install with the help of an engineer.
For those less mechanically inclined, Canada-based Hymotion retrofits the Prius, Ford Escape Hybrid, and Mercury Mariner—for fleets only—with prices starting at $9,500. The company plans to begin converting the hybrids for consumers within the next year.
EnergyCS has also made Prius plug-in hybrid prototypes, and its sister company, EDrive Systems, plans to begin taking orders in the United States this year. Amberjac Projects, in the U.K., will also distribute EDrive plug-in hybrids in Europe.
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