A123 Prius Plugin

[snellemin]

Anybody interested in using A123 in their 1:1 car? Well here's your chance


http://www.a123systems.com/hymotion/...range_extender

Wow, what a price tag!

Even at $4.00/gal that would seem tough to get a reasonable payout on???

[Arct1k]

Big cell harvest opportunity!

[snellemin]

Wasn't Lincpimp looking for A123 cells? Lutach need to find some new fets to go with a speed controller with this beast.

[johnrobholmes]

Assuming just 15mph at $4/gal that is still 37 thousand miles before break even.

I cut my driving down to less than 4000mi/yr so that would be a really long payout. I live 4.6mi from work. Even at 10,000mi/yr thats still a long time.

I can find better opportunites for a sum like $9,995.

[johnrobholmes]

Yeah, like a small moped or motorcycle. Assuming 100mpg vs 15 in a light truck the break even is 10,000 miles for a $6000 scooter (expensive)

Believe it or not, my 07 Maxima only gets 15mpg in city (dealer says there's nothing wrong with it - bought it new, window sticker said 21mpg in city) - guess mines a lemon. Be saying bye-bye to it this month. I'm in the business so to speak (petroleum) and afraid its going to get worse before it even thinks about getting better. My 'scooter' though gets 54mpg even when I'm flogging it.


I guess that stack of a123s is for the really green folks who don't worry about cost and trifling details like that.

[johnrobholmes]

My life is run through cost/benefit analysis and present value of future cash flows. My little pink electric bike will pay for itself in 600 miles assuming $4 to the gallon.

I make no choices on "savings through expenditure" until I have done some math. I honestly won't buy a hybrid or electric car until the price allows a cost advantage over the life of the car. Big advantage on electric vehicle- less maintenance to keep it running. I have run my pink bike for quite the distance so far without anything more than lubing the chain and airing the tires. The parts may indeed run for 15 thousand miles before anything needs replacing, and it will likely just be the batteries.

[BrianG]

Originally Posted by Duster_360

Believe it or not, my 07 Maxima only gets 15mpg in city (dealer says there's nothing wrong with it - bought it new, window sticker said 21mpg in city) - guess mines a lemon.

Wow, 15mpg in the city?? Something has gotta be wrong with that! Do you treat the gas pedal like an on/off switch? Is that typical for that car (going by user reviews)?

Back when I had an automatic, I noticed an improvement in gas mileage simply by putting it in neutral when idling at a stoplight. The torque converter does slip but there is still load on the motor (hence the need to keep the brake pressed).

[highflier]

I wonder what time of run time I would get on my e-maxx, if I hooked it up to a small rc sized trailer and had it pulled behind as a mobile fuel tank. LOL

Highflier

[t-maxxracer32]

both my parents own hybrids and i gotta say they are not what i thought they would be.

my dad has an 08 accord v6 and it gets MAYBE 22mpg in the city
my mom has an 08 civic 4 cyclinder and it gets on average 28mph in the city

they were each supposed to be 35mph in city and i beleieve 40-50 highway.

my parents paid over 75 thousand for the 2 cars and i honestly dont think the money was well spent.... they are not as gas efficient as i would have imagined.

Originally Posted by BrianG

Wow, 15mpg in the city?? Something has gotta be wrong with that! Do you treat the gas pedal like an on/off switch? Is that typical for that car (going by user reviews)?

Back when I had an automatic, I noticed an improvement in gas mileage simply by putting it in neutral when idling at a stoplight. The torque converter does slip but there is still load on the motor (hence the need to keep the brake pressed).

Brian, Ive done everything. I ran an entire tank where I never let the engine rpm get over 2200 - hvy with the pedal indeed. I got flipped off more times that week that I prob have been in my life! I ran a tank using crusie control only - as soon as I gently got to 30mph, immed on cruise. I drive no more than 40mph and know how to get this CVT trans to upshift early and lock in top gear. The rewards - maybe a 1mpg improvement. Whats frustrating is I know there's something wrong somewhere with the car. There are 7 of these Maximas where I work and they get 18 to 20mpg. But bottom line for todays top flight mechanic - if it doesn't show up on a diagnostic, then there is nothing wrong. I traded my 5spd truck which was getting 18s for this sucker. Very disappointed - won't own another one ever! Meantime while I'm shopping around, I'll try the neutral business, hadn't heard that one before.

JRH - I don't get calculator out for everything, but try to do what makes sense financially - when our tax deductions no longer helped, I paid off the house, no more throwing interest money away. I elected to buy siding instead of painting every other year 18 yrs ago - thats now paying for itself with each passing year. I ride my motorcycles as much as I can. They are being used as well as my mtn bike (the exercise is great, I've lost almost 20lbs since 1st of year) and walking. I used to buy a tank a week, now its down to a tank a month - even with that stupid gas guzzler I'm driving. When I get something else, it'll be even less often.

[johnrobholmes]

I got a road bike to go back and forth to campus with. I hope I don't lose 20lbs though! I would be transparent!

[rootar]

do you guys not know about the voltswagon jetta desiel TDI ? we get 45 mpg in our 04. I personally drive a 97 ford F250 powerstroke, its the 7.3 we bumped up the fuel pressure via a programer 60psi, installed new injectors, upgraded turbo, a banks intercooler system, and a 4inch exhaust.... im AVERAGING 21mpg and 16 mpg pulling my 16' pace race trailer that weighs about 6,500 pounds......sounds like yall are driving the wrong kind of veichles if gas is so bad you have to resort to extreme measures, but then agian most of you dont live in rural arkansas and have to drive 45miles on the highway to get to a town with more than a couple thousand people too.....