150 MPG Hybrid Cars
| Chevy Volt , Hybrid concept, offers 150 MPG | Toyota Prius - 150 MPG Plug-in Electric Hybrid |
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| The Volt could be plugged into an ordinary wall socket in a garage overnight to recharge its battery. Also unlike the Prius, the Volt would never run directly off its gasoline engine. | With a 175-pound, 5-KV lithium-ion battery installed in the spare tire well in the trunk. Chargeable overnight (in about six hours), that battery will get you a good 50 miles without even touching the gas, |
| In Detroit (North American International Auto Show) , GM announced a new type of plug-in hybrid Sunday that could give inner-city commuters the equivalent of 150 miles per gallon. GM officials are optimistic. They say a car like Volt could be on the road within a decade. “We’re pretty confident this isn’t a moon shot,” says Jon Lauckner, a GM vice president. The Volt can be similar to hybrids such as Toyota’s popular Prius, combining a hulking battery  and electric motor with a supplemental gasoline engine. Unlike the current-model Prius, the Volt could be plugged into an ordinary wall socket in a garage overnight to recharge its battery. Also unlike the Prius, the Volt would never run directly off its gasoline engine. When the stored power from being plugged in runs out, the engine would charge the battery. All the car’s motive power would come from its electric motors. (source) |
 Featured at the Clean Vehicle Technology Expo in Ontario, California is a cool new development a modification by Hymotion that overcharge the Prius‘ mpg up to 150. How can? With a 175-pound, 5-KV lithium-ion battery installed in the spare tire well in the trunk. Chargeable overnight (in about six hours), that battery will get you a good 50 miles without even touching the gas, and is probably enough for a full  day of driving–effectively turning your Prius into a plug-in hybrid. (And if you need a spare tire…? Heck, there’s still plenty of trunk space for it).
Cost? Well, it’s $9,500 (including installation) But, with a new electric car bill coming down the pike, the overall cost could be about half that. And gas ain’t getting any cheaper. The Hymotion kits should be available for purchase in early 2008. |
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