It seems that every car maker is coming out with new hybrid versions of their cars that are usually more expensive than their non hybrid counterparts.  What if you could buy a kit that would turn the car you have now into a hybrid at a fraction of the cost of a new car?  Well, a UK company, MIRA Ltd, has done just that.

MIRA’s hybrid kit includes 3-30kW portable cassettes that make up a removable battery pack.  The kit turns any car into a plug in hybrid with just a few modifications. First, the car to be modified must have a front wheel drive.  Next two battery powered 30 kW motors are added to the rear wheels.  In essence the regular gas engine runs the front two wheels and the hybrid kit run the back wheels resulting in a 4 wheel drive vehicle.

Currently, the Skoda Fabia that is MIRA’s modified test vehicle is achieving impressive results.  Gas mileage has gone from 39 mpg to 64 mpg with minimal effect on acceleration.  The kit also is decreasing car emissions by 40%.  Impressive for a $4,000 (plus labor) add on. Compared to the Hymotion’s $10,000 (plus labor) cost for its Prius plug in upgrade kit, Mira’s option is a steal.  First, you don’t have to buy an expensive Prius and then add another $10,000 plus.  On the downside, Hymotion’s Prius upgrade does boast an increase to 100 mpg rather than the 64 mpg that Mira’s kit has delivered.

The upgrade kit from Mira can be recharged by either removing it from the car and plugging it into the nearest plug, or by the gas engine.  One of the great features of this product is that the battery pack can be removed from the car and charged where ever there is a convenient plug.  Rather than dealing with long cords or searching for outside plugs, owners can lift the pack out and take it inside to plug it in.  This is especially helpful for people who live in condos or apartments and don’t have ready access to outside plugs.

Mira has not put the hybrid kit into production yet, but is expected to in the near future.  The cost for the kit with rising gas prices is looking more and more attractive and affordable.  It certainly is much cheaper than a new car!

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Entry was posted on Friday, May 2nd, 2008 at 2:38 am under Science and technology, Technology.

Read more entries by Susan Wilson.
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