By Samuel Ee

PARALLEL importer Richburg Motors has modified a petrol-electric Toyota Prius hybrid into a plug-in model that can be recharged using an ordinary household socket.

The car was approved for use in Hong Kong in April this year after Richburg worked with several technology partners to convert a standard third-generation Prius.

One of these partners is battery giant GP Batteries. GP's upgraded nickel-metal hydride batteries are said to increase the plug-in Prius's energy storage by five times.

In pure EV mode, Richburg claims its conversion allows the car to run solely on electricity for 35 km. The standard car has a range of just one km in EV mode if the speed does not exceed 40 kmh.

Richburg Motors director Jacky Wong declined to say how much it cost to modify the Prius but called it a 'million-US-dollar project'.

Richburg intends to get the plug-in hybrid approved in Singapore for eventual sale in the local market, he said.

At the same time, another service expected to be offered at its MacPherson Road showroom is the sale of a conversion kit for existing Prius and Estima hybrid users to give their cars the plug-in option.

The project was the brainchild of Richburg chairman Eric Wong, who decided to modify the Prius because he wants to play a part in reducing global warming.

'We are a socially responsible company and we want to promote eco-friendly cars,' he said.

Richburg Motors is one of the more established parallel importers in Singapore. The Hong Kong-based company, which was started in 1991, is well-known in the territory for supplying premium MPVs, SUVs and hybrids to tycoons and celebrities.

In 2002, Richburg set up shop in Singapore, concentrating mainly on high-end Toyota models.

All hybrids have a petrol engine under the hood, with one or two electric motors and a high-voltage battery. The car's kinetic energy, which is otherwise wasted when braking or decelerating, is recovered and converted into electrical energy.

This electrical assistance helps reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, making hybrids appear more eco-friendly.

A standard petrol-electric Prius is powered by a 1.8-litre petrol engine assisted by an electric motor to reduce fuel consumption. The car's kinetic energy produced when braking or decelerating is recovered and converted into electrical energy stored in a battery.

With Richburg's plug-in hybrid, an electrical outlet can be used to charge the battery when the car is not in use. The company says this cuts the Prius's already excellent fuel consumption by 30 per cent. Emission levels are also lower.

According to Mr Wong, one charge - costing about HK$6 (S$1.07) - allows the plug-in hybrid to cover 35 km.

More importantly, Richburg says its plug-in hybrid has undergone 'numerous' reliability and safety tests and is approved by the Hong Kong authorities.

As the plug-in Prius is not only a parallel import but one that has been modified, Richburg says it will provide full warranty for the cars and conversion kits sold.

For now, no prices have been disclosed, although a new Prius from authorised Toyota distributor Borneo Motors is currently listed at $100,988 with COE.

Richburg's plug-in Prius was originally meant to be showcased at this week's Sustaining Electric Vehicle & Green Technology Expo at Suntec Square, but the event is said to have been rescheduled.

This article was first published in The Business Times.