Posted Thursday, July 2, 2009 -- 4:01 pm
By Zac Schultz

Madison: The Toyota Prius has become the car of choice for the environmentally conscious and fuel cheapskates alike.

Both groups will be happy to hear Smart Motors can now convert certain models of the Prius into an electric car.

"We've only been on board for three weeks and we've already done five conversions," says Allen Foster, General Manager at Smart Motors. "We've got more scheduled to do in the future."

The technicians add an extra battery, which powers the car for about 40 miles. The best part, says Foster, it's still a hybrid. "This here gives you the charge and when you run out you go back to the normal standard hybrid."

Master Technician Terry Johnson says when the electric battery is out, you just hit a button next to the steering wheel.. "If you turn this off now it's just a regular Prius."

Johnson says commuters could see their miles per gallon hit triple digits. "If you drive it like an electric car, very carefully, without getting the gas engine running very much, it will go into the hundreds."

In the case you do run out of juice, Madison Gas and Electric will be installing 6 charging stations around town. "They can go to one of our charging stations, recharge their vehicle while they're shopping or doing something else, and get back home without using the internal combustion engine," says Steve Kraus, spokesman of MG&E.

The fill 'er up of the future will consist of pulling into the charging station, plugging in your cord, and walking away for up to four hours.

Even better, early on the charging stations will be free for customers who let MG&E track how they use their electric cars. "This gets us that information that we need to understand how people will charge and what times they'll charge," says Don Peterson, MG&E Director of Energy Products and Services.

For now the only models that can be converted are the Prius from 2004 to 2009. Foster says the conversion costs $10,395.

It will actually take quite a while to realize that much in fuel savings.

With gas at $2.50 a gallon, you'd need to drive 207,900 miles with the electric battery to regain your cost. (Assuming 50 mpg with the hybrid engine.)

Even if gas hits $4 a gallon you'd need to drive 130,000 miles on the electric battery to break even.

But Foster says he's hoping congress will create a tax credit to help lower the cost.