Use a Toyota Prius As a Backup Generator

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When properly set up, a hybrid vehicle like a Toyota Prius can double as a backup generator. The next time the lights go out, you might want to consider constructing a mini power plant to supply energy to your home appliances for a few days. Note that this process requires great care and precision. One should work under the guidance of an electrician or engineer.

Steps

  1. Open the Prius hatch. Locate the batteries under the mat beneath the car's rear hatch.
  2. Attach a two-foot-long, heavy-gauge cable to the relay terminals on the hybrid's larger "traction" battery. Affix a heavy-duty, 75-amp, plug-style connector to the other end.
  3. Build a new circuit box. Wire the most vital electrical items in your home (for example, your refrigerator, stove or toaster oven, hot water heater, a computer and modem) to a separate breaker box. The Prius' battery is not strong enough to power an entire house. Consequently, pre-wiring select items is essential. Note that installation requires cutting drywall, mounting the box, rerouting some wires, and connecting them to a 230-volt plug, which will power the new breaker box. Here is where the assistance of an electrician is very important.
  4. Convert the power from DC to AC. Purchase a commercial-strength uninterruptible power supply (UPS).
  5. Connect the car to the house. Do not be tempted to back-feed a dryer outlet, as it's illegal and dangerous. Instead, install a transfer switch designed for generators, and plug the output of your UPS into the transfer switch; a licensed electrician be be required to perform this installation. Run positive and negative wires from the UPS battery to two heavy-duty diodes. Do the same with another wire running between the diodes and a 175-amp plug that connects to the Prius' plug. (The diodes prevent electricity from flowing towards your house from the Prius.) Through the UPS, the Prius' 210- to 240-volt DC power will be converted into a home's AC power.
  6. While you will hopefully not need to resort to Prius-generated home energy, if you are in such need, you can then connect the plugs, fire up the Prius, and feel the power.

Tips

  • A gas-powered car left running, even a Prius, generates lethal fumes. Ensure that the car is either outside and far from open windows, or that the garage door is open and the garage well-ventilated.

Warnings

  • Do not try this without the guidance of an experienced electrician or electrical engineer.

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Sources and Citations

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