🚀 go-pugleaf

On Fri, 16 May 2008 11:26:49 -0700, Joerg
<notthisjoergsch@removethispacbell.net> wrote:

>> Note that there are several Li-Ion conversions for Prius hybrids
>> effectively making them electric cars.  
>> <http://www.tgdaily.com/content/view/34422/113/>
>> The new battery and plug-in charger extends the battery only range of
>> the Prius from about 7 miles to about 20 miles.

>But those extra miles can cost you. This month's IEEE spectrum has a 
>story of a guy who spent another $32k (!) on top of the Prius price tag 
>to get his Li-Ion conversion. That's a bit steep.

Quite a few people think it's worthwhile.  One of the conversion
sites:
<http://www.calcars.org/howtoget.html>
lists the costs of converting a Prius to various plug-in power options
at:
-  $6,000-10,000 for lead acid batteries
-  $8,000 for NiMH
- $10,000 and up for Li-Ion

One of the do it thyself sites:
<http://www.eaa-phev.org>
suggests about $6,000 plus 2 weeks labor.

$32,000 seems a bit extreme.

>> However, gas, electric, and such will soon be out of fashion.  What we
>> need is a nuclear powered automobile.:
>> <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Nucleon>

>:-)

Well, maybe a nuclear powered home water heater (and sterilizer).

>Right now Priuses are being bought in California as if it was the best 
>thing since sliced bread. The big three are in for another round of 
>hardship. Don't know if they can afford another round ...

I wouldn't be so quick to blame the manufacturers.  Every time the
economy, ecology, or government tries to push Americans into smaller
cars, the domestic manufacturers find that only the big behemoth
vehicles sell.  The dealers discount the "unsellable" big cars in
order to get rid of them.  The buyers look at the price tags and
notice they can buy a big car for sometime less than an economy car.
Also, the buyers have a perception that they get more "value" per
dollar in a bigger car.  The net result is that the big cars continue
to sell, while the poorly thrown-together economy cars, tend to sit on
the lots.

Let's play with the numbers.  A gas hog SUV will get about 14mpg.  An
economy mini-SUV will do about 28mpg.  If I drive 15,000 miles per
year, at $4/gallon for regular, the gas costs are:
  $4,300 /year for the 14mpg gas hog SUV
  $2,100 /year for the 28mpg econo SUV
That's $2,200/year difference.  If the economy SUV costs MORE than the
gas hog (due to dealer discounts and difference in demand), a customer
might be willing to pay the extra $2,100/year just to drive the bigger
SUV.  I've been looking for a new vehicle and found that I can buy a
2003 gas hog SUV for about $5,000 and an economy mini-SUV for about
$12,000.  If I plan to keep it for about 3 years, I'll break even.  A
bit more than 3 years if I throw in time value of money.

So, at this time, economy cars are in demand, yet I'm sure if I quiz
the local used car dealers, the discounted gas hogs are still selling
equally as well.

-- 
# Jeff Liebermann 150 Felker St #D Santa Cruz CA 95060
# 831-336-2558            jeffl@comix.santa-cruz.ca.us
# http://802.11junk.com               jeffl@cruzio.com
# http://www.LearnByDestroying.com               AE6KS