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Old 02-22-2019, 04:49 PM   #16 (permalink)
Ecky
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Short answer: no. The reason basic hybrids can get away with a small and relatively inexpensive NiMH battery is that they only use the battery in very brief bursts. You'll use it for 15 seconds as an aid to get up to speed (making the engine feel twice as powerful as it is), and you'll fill that depleted capacity back up when you press the brakes coming to a stop. I want to say you might nurse 2-4 miles out of it in good conditions, but the only way to charge it back up is either by burning gasoline or by regenerating (e.g. slowing down the car with the electric motor).

Now, there *are* kits which let you add as much electric range as you'd like to a Prius, but they're not terribly cheap.
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