Tips And Advices - Buy a Plug-in Hybrid

Research the possibilities for plug-in hybrid car conversion and production before investing your money. The conversion process for a Toyota Prius, for instance, requires a consumer to own or buy a Prius, and then spend significantly more than the cost of the Prius on the conversion kit.

Prepare for the transition to a plug-in hybrid by purchasing a current-model Toyota Prius hybrid car. If you buy a Prius, you will own the vehicle most commonly converted to a plug-in hybrid.

Buy a conversion kit to turn your Prius into a plug-in hybrid when you are convinced that the cost of the conversion kit is justified. Kits are expensive and have electricity-fueled ranges of 15 to 30 miles, depending on the kit.

Educate yourself, and stay informed about plug-in hybrid news and industry developments at the CalCars.org website (see Resources below).

Beware that the plug-in hybrid technology is experimental. As a result, companies that provide plug-in hybrid conversion kits generally do not offer warranties on the conversions. Additionally, an automobile that has been subjected to a conversion may lose some or all of its original manufacturer-warranty coverage. This could leave you with hefty bills to pay in the event of a problem.

Check with Toyota, General Motors and Ford regularly to assess the future of mass production of plug-in hybrid cars. Even if these companies are not ready to ramp up production, interested consumers may eventually be able to reserve spots in line to buy plug-in hybrid cars with pre-production deposits.

Don't overlook the cons of owning a plug-in hybrid because of your enthusiasm for the idea. One disadvantage involves the battery pack. It carries a somewhat expensive cost and is relatively heavy and large.