When will a plug-in hybrid electric car be available?

Question

When will a plug-in hybrid electric car be available?

Answer 1

GM and Toyota have both announced next-generation hybrids for 2010. They are quite likely to be plug-in hybrids.

Answer 2

Any time they want them to be.  Most of their focus has been on keeping things like that off the market.  There was a fabulous electric car marketed briefly in the 1990's in California.  General Motors worked to change the law that required them, then recalled all the cars, crushed them, and then shredded them.  It was originally put out with a battery known to be defective.  When that was replaced, it outperformed everything on the road, and had a range around 100+ miles.  Built as a hybrid that would be more of course.

Right now the Japanese are making some good ones, and so are the Europeans.  You have to do your homework though, not all are good.  All of the American ones like the VOLT are planned to fail.  Don't waste your money.

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Answer 3

The sad thing is, an electric car was built and readily available over eighty years ago.  It was affordable and a number of them were sold.  But for a variety of reasons they never became hugely popular, and so went the way of the Dodo bird.  Too bad, but it was another example of a d**n good idea that was ahead of its time.

Answer 4

Hi , Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV's) are available now in Beta test mode, although the kits to convert a vehicle are still very pricey.  Central Vermont Power Service has  a couple of units under test, showed up at last summer's Solar fest with one, and have donated one to the University of Vermont's University Transportation Center for research purposes.  These are both late model Toyota Priuses with Lithium battery packs.

Even more exciting is to use these grid-connected vehicles as miniature power plants in the event of brown outs or power failures.

I have a 2000 Honda Insight hybrid, and intend to convert it as soon as the PHEV kit prices come down to an affordable level, say $5K

Bob

Answer 5

Aptera will have one available probably around the end of 2008, but it will only be available in California at first.

http://www.aptera.com/details.php

The next generation Prius is probably going to be a plug-in, though it may continue to use NiMh batteries at first.  It's supposed to be available sometime in 2009.

http://www.popularmechanics.com/automoti...

The Chevy Volt is on schedule to be available in 2010.

http://www.autoblog.com/2008/01/08/gm-re...

Answer 6

It will be a couple more years, but when it is ready you will be able to drive 30 miles on one full charge.

Answer 7

When they do,the electric rates will equal fuel prices.And the people will rise up,and cut the heads off hybrid owners,for bring this on them.