Florida Offers $5K Rebates to 90 Prius Owners to Convert Cars to Plug-in Hybrids

Florida Offers $5K Rebates to 90 Prius Owners to Convert Cars to Plug-in Hybrids

Florida is using $500,000 in U.S. Energy Department stimulus funds to offer $5,000 rebates to owners of 2004-09 Toyota Priuses who convert their standard hybrids into plug-in hybrids.

That's a good deal for Florida residents who can't wait for Toyota to offer plug-in Priuses in the next several years, as the rebate nearly halves the current cost of a conversion.

The rebates can only be obtained through Foreign Affairs, a luxury car dealer in West Palm Beach that is the state's only authorized dealer for A123's Hymotion conversion kits.

While several conversion kits exist in the state, Hymotion's is the only one that fully complies with the Florida legislation.

Priced at $10,395, the Hymotion L5 kit uses 5-kilowatt-hour A123 lithium-iron-phosphate battery packs, which are installed under the rear cargo floor. A123 says the converted Prius is capable of providing an all-electric range of up to 40 miles at speeds up to 35 miles an hour.

Foreign Affairs claims it's already converted about 20 2004-09 Priuses to plug-in hybrid status using the Hymotion kits. It's anyone's guess how long it will take for the 90 rebates to be claimed.

Scott Doggett:  is an AutoObserver.com Associate Editor.