100 MPG Prius coming in July

Hymotion, a division of advanced battery maker A123Systems, just emailed us to tell us that they're finally commercializing their plug-in Prius conversion module.

The Hymotion L5 battery pack can be installed in any 2004-2008 Prius for $10,000, giving it a fuel economy of more than 100 miles per gallon while the charge lasts (30 to 40 miles).

Plugin Conversion Modules (PCMs) will be available beginning in July and you can reserve one right now for a measly $1,000 deposit at Hymotion's website. While the cost is, frankly, a little outrageous, I won't be surprised if they sell out pretty fast. It's one thing to have the greenest car on your street... it's quite another to have the greenest car in your city.

That kind of one-upsmanship isn't going to fuel the entire EV revolution, but it will provide it a good foothold.

The L-5 PCM comes with a three-year warranty on the whole system, including the battery... which is better than nothing. But if it's going to cost me $10,000, it would be nice to know that it was going to work for longer than a few years.

If you're interested, and already a Prius owner, you'll want to make sure that you're near one of the approved dealerships in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle, Boston, or Minneapolis.

And if you want to get a plug-in Prius straight from Toyota, you're going to have to wait at least three years... probably more.