Michigan engineering professor installs HyMotion PHEV kit in his Prius
Dr. John Patten of Western Michigan University recently installed one of HyMotion's L5 plug-in conversion kits in his Toyota Prius as part of his work in educating people on alternative energy. The HyMotion kit is the first commercially available system that allows Priuses to become plug-in hybrids. Half of the total cost was paid for by the university with the rest coming from a Michigan Community Energy Project grant. Patten will conduct seminars and demonstrations at events around the state to help make people aware that the technology for plug-in hybrids is available. Patten also had a wind turbine installed at the school's College of Engineering and Applied Sciences to be used as part of his research into alternative and renewable energy. A student will also be working with the professor on analyzing energy data with the now pluggable-Prius.
Hopefully, Patten will also explain to people the limitations of such conversions. Unlike the Chevy Volt, say, the electric drive system in the Prius is not designed to provide full range electric operation. Anyone who has tried driving current hybrids in electric mode will be fully aware of the very light foot required to keep the engine from starting. A conversion like this will not yield a car that you can just unplug and driving normally without the engine for 30-40 miles. Nonetheless, this $10,000 kit can yield significant improvements in mileage. Learn more here.
[Source: Kalamazoo Gazette]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Sam D 10:09PM (1/02/2009)
Sam Abuelsamid:
"A conversion like this will not yield a car that you can just unplug and driving normally without the engine for 30-40 miles."
Source article:
"Western Michigan University professor John Patten's car was retrofitted with a $10,000 battery system made especially to transform a Prius into a plug-in vehicle, allowing it to run all-electric for 30 to 40 miles before it reverts to its normal hybrid mode."
ABG, please replace Mr. Abuelsamid with a writer who won't deliberately lie to or mislead their readers. Nowhere in the article does it say you are required to drive "abnormally" with the conversion, as Mr. Abuelsamid insinuates. Get rid of him before others catch on.
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Sam Abuelsamid 10:22PM (1/02/2009)
Perhaps the Kalamazoo Gazette should be the one replacing its writer. Many people like to selectively read the claims for the HyMotion kit. From HyMotion's website
"Up to 100 mpg for 30-40 miles within electrically assisted driving range "
http://www.a123systems.com/hymotion/products/N5_range_extender
A 5 kWh battery is also not sufficient to drive a Prius for 30 miles and the Prius' electric motor does not have sufficient power to propel the car at all speeds without the engine running.
I don't deliberately mislead or lie. I tell the truth that some readers simply prefer not to hear.
Joe 10:50PM (1/02/2009)
The Center for Automotive Research at OSU ( http://car.osu.edu/ ) got a Prius over the summer and had the same pack installed in it. It's good for all electric into the mid to high 20 mph range. Low 30's if you are gentle. After that the gas engine takes over.
Also, I don't think the engine can recharge the Hymotion pack. It needs to be plugged in for that.
Last I heard our Prius is getting about 89 mpg.
The car is part of this program: http://car.osu.edu/drupal/index.php?q=node/84
Chris M 12:56AM (1/04/2009)
Sam Abuelsamid: It isn't the power of the electric motors that is the limiting factor, it is the gearing ratio of the hybrid transaxle that ties together the two motors and the gas engine. The gas engine must spin at speeds over 35 mph to prevent one of the motor/generators from over-revving, which could damage it.
The plug-in Prius prototype that Toyota made had a different gearing ratio and a higher torque motor, thus it could reach 60 mph before the gas engine has to spin to prevent over-revving.
John Rowell 9:56PM (1/03/2009)
Wow, I should be working as a university professor. Free plug-in kit for my car and free wind energy to power it :D
Actually, he is using it to educate people about this technology - which is good, very good.
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