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Consumer Reports (www.consumerreports.org) has great Toyota Prius news, photos, videos and more
The issue also contains a report on the conversion of a hybrid Toyota Prius to a plug-in hybrid. Consumer Reports chose a Hymotion L5 conversion kit sold by A123 Systems, which the company claims can yield more than 100 mpg. Fuel economy in CR’s converted Prius jumped from 42 to 67 mpg overall...
Given the length of the battery warranty, even if a hybrid owner does have to replace the battery pack after 80,000 or 150,000 miles, the cost is comparable to the cost of a transmission, which would likely have failed in other cars before that point. And hybrids have fewer other issues, whi...
Most plug-in hybrids are rated according to how many miles they can drive on electric power without using the gas engine. Some future models, such as the Chevrolet Volt and the Fisker Karma, can drive up to 40 miles (according to the manufacturers) without ever using the gas engine. Chrysle...
This conversion entails installing a lithium-ion battery pack to augment the Prius’s existing nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) battery. That adds 187 pounds to the rear cargo area. An outlet for charging was cut into the rear bumper. The new battery sits in the spare tire well, which now moves t...