Ever wonder what it’d be like to drive a car that gets between 80 and 100 miles to the gallon? You don’t have to wait until 2015, the deadline President Barack Obama set in his New Energy For America plan to put one million plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) on the road. Thanks to generous support from ComEd, I-GO has two plug-in hybrids you can test-drive whenever you want.

The converted 2009 Toyota Priuses are located in the Millennium Park north garage at 201 E. Randolph Dr., and at 900 S. Clark St. in the AMLI 900 residential tower’s garage.

Thanks to their extra batteries, our plug-in hybrids can get up to 100mpg for trips under 30 to 40 miles. That’s great for the environment, and it’s an exceptional benefit for I-GO members, who use our cars primarily for short trips. The increased fuel economy results in lower energy costs and CO₂ emissions—up to two-thirds over the standard Prius. By making these two cars available to I-GO members, I-GO and ComEd hope to jump-start the electric-car learning curve and discern valuable information about how plug-ins can be integrated into a more expansive car-sharing model.

But don’t take it from us. Try them out for yourselves.

Reserve I-GO’s plug-in hybrids

After logging in on our website, I-GO members can select “Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid” on the Vehicles drop-down menu in the reservation section of our website. Or enter the vehicle ID numbers in the space below the menu: #4405 for 900 S. Clark, #4403 for Millennium Park, 201 E. Randolph.

Operating the cars

Operating the plug-in hybrid is similar to that of a normal Prius (and if you need tips on that, check out our Toyota Prius Quick-Start Guide). The difference, of course, is that, before you can start the car you’ll need to unplug the extension cord from the back of the car and recoil it on the spool located next to the garage wall. Then, after you return the car and swipe out with your smart card, just remember to plug it back in!

More tips and guidelines

• Plug-ins start the same as regular Priuses: Keep your foot on brake while pushing the power button.
• The cars will not start if the cord is still plugged in.
• Do not plug in the cars at home or anywhere else you may stop mid-trip. Use only our dedicated outlet next to the parking spaces to recharge.
• Every member needs to plug in the cord to the back bumper after each trip.
• Please don’t leave the cord laying on the floor, where it may get run over and damaged.
• I-GO has two parking spaces in both locations. You may park the car in either space, and the cord will reach to the back of both spaces.
• The battery switch is to the left of the steering wheel and is clearly identified. (There is a red light above it.) This switch should always be left on.
• There is also a small red light next to the power button that indicates the battery is active when it is lit. When the light is not lit, the battery is not being used, which indicates the battery power switch is in the off position or the battery power supply is depleted.
• You may also monitor the battery supply on the touch screen, which flickers in the “info” mode so that the driver can monitor both the supplemental lithium ion battery and the standard Prius battery simultaneously. The two batteries are differentiated by two different colors: green and blue.
• Please do not transport liquids in the trunk. Spilled liquids may damage the battery technology.
• The trunks of our plug-in hybrids have limited space due to the special placement of the spare tire above the battery.
• Driving and other detailed instructions are located in the top glove box. Look for the “Quick Start Guide,” which provides helpful tips on improving your fuel economy, monitoring the battery’s charge level, and charging the battery.