Hybrid solar: How to kiss the grid goodbye (Australia)

[Fumesucker]

5. Hybrid vehicle batteries from wrecked cars would be one option for a homebrew unit..

They last so long that the price is not that bad on the junkyard market..

http://www.hybridcars.com/fleets/taxis-show-hybrid-battery-durability-25167.html

“Only two of our 182 hybrid battery packs have had to be replaced during the years hybrids have been a part of the city’s taxi fleets,” Gillespie said. “One was replaced under warranty and the other was driver error.” The taxis in the city average 90,000 miles a year.

Years of Service and Savings for Hybrid Taxis

San Francisco's first hybrid taxi was a Toyota Prius that went into operation in 2003. The first fleet of hybrid taxis anywhere in America hit the streets of San Francisco in November 2004, with fifteen Ford Escape hybrids operated by Yellow and Luxor cabs. The city also has Camry hybrids in its hybrid fleets. In Vancouver, British Columbia, a city teeming with Prius taxis, Andrew Grant started using a Prius as a taxi in 2001—and rolled up more than 300,000 miles without battery problems.

Gillespie said hybrids are popular with drivers due to the “tremendous savings” in fuel costs, which the city estimates at $9,000 a year compared to a gasoline Ford Crown Vic, the traditional vehicle used in cabs. In addition to fuel savings, the city also has a subsidy that is only available to hybrid cabs. Gillespie added that cab company managers, for the most part, have been open minded, waiting to see how the vehicles hold up to the grueling conditions of a San Francisco taxi.

With more than three years of operation under their belt, hybrids are now considered a proven alternative for cab companies. Their experience in San Francisco also points out that ordinary consumers should not have to replace their hybrid battery during the life of the vehicle.