Luscious Garage Gives Liberating Conversions - September 30th, 2008
CNN is carrying an interesting story today headlined, “Hybrids Trick Out, Plug In.” Datelined from San Francisco, the story discusses hybrid drivers who are seeking conversions from gas power to electric at the Luscious Garage where owner Carolyn Coquillette wonders if the wall outlet is tomorrow’s gas tank.
Essentially the conversion involves adding more batteries to existing hybrids like the Toyota Prius and replacing the original nickel-metal-hydride packs with lead acid batteries. (The conversion should use lithium batteries in the near future.) All to the tune of $7,500.
“Gas becomes optional,” Coquillette said. “Gas isn’t required to move this car anymore. If you want to drive a really long way, without recharging, yes, gas is required, but it gives you the flexibility of not having to burn gas anymore if you don’t want to. And that’s very liberating.” And very economical, with gas in the Bay area looking $5 a gallon square in the face.
Toyota doesn’t have anything to say about the conversions one way or the other, but the company’s environmental communications manager did offer this, “we really appreciate the fact that the Prius is the vehicle of choice” for owners trying to find more energy efficiency.
Of course what this really says is that people may not be willing for the automakers to get products like the Chevy Volt on showroom floors when there’s something they can do right now. And granted, there’s been little in recent months to inspire consumer confidence in the automotive industry.
Chalk this one up to good old-fashioned ingenuity and expect more as our times grow even more challenging.
Posted on September 30th, 2008 by Shorty
Filed under: technology, alternative fuels |
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