Retrofit regenerative braking?

[Red5_02]

Cost of a new Prius: more than $20k.

Number of small front wheel drive cars in the US which could potentially be retrofitted in this manner: tens of millions.

Price of a retrofit people might buy (especially as gas keeps going up): $1000 - $2000.

Potential market for retrofits at that price: many tens of billions of dollars.

The average person wouldn't be able to install these on their own. Do you have any idea how dangerous the electrical system in a hybrid is?!?!? They kill people. You have to be certified to work on the damn things. You think every garage in the country is gonna get the training needed to install one of these "retrofit" things. Nope. Buy a prius, get a bike.

 

[pasadena_commut]

Do you have any idea how dangerous the electrical system in a hybrid is?!?!?

Actually yes, I do. Keep in mind though that even a "normal" internal combustion car is plenty dangerous. People can be and are killed all the time by: airbags, electric windows, hoods, suspension springs, gas tanks, exhaust fumes, jack stands (well, cars falling off jack stands), pretty much any part that rotates and is driven by the motor, and, of course, the biggest one of all, collisions while driving the vehicle.

If this sort of retrofit was commercially available I assume that most people would have it installed by a mechanic.

 

[Mulder25]

reading this whole thread I couldn't help think... why make a hybrid, when you can buy one?

I read this and just couldn't resist.. Because... Why buy a hybrid when you can make one?! Some people are like me, we aren't exactly normal, but s*** like making a non-hybrid a hybrid is a hell of a lot of fun. It is often not about the cost, but about the experience, the learning, the fact that you can say "I did that", and that little voice inside your head that chuckles when 'normal' people say "why?". Because we can.
Sorry to dig up an old thread.. But the info herin is still valid and useful.