Hybrids Plus was a company devoted to converting hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) to plug-in hybrids (PHEVs), including vehicle-to-grid capable PHEVs. Towards the end of its existence, it converted Ford Escape HEVs to PHEVs by replacing the stock battery with a PHEV battery in the original location (as opposed to augmenting the stock battery with an additional battery, as normally done by other PHEV conversions), and adding a charger and a plug.
Video Hybrids Plus
History
The company was founded July, 2006 in Boulder, Colorado to convert a Toyota Prius for the State of Colorado. In 2007 Hybrids Plus won a contract with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, to convert a Ford Escape, and a contract with Xcel Energy to convert 6 Escapes to V2G capable PHEVs.
In 2007 Hybrids Plus started the development of the "Inverger," a bidirectional charger and inverter for vehicle-to-grid applications, funded in part by a grant from the State of Colorado, Governor's Energy Office.
In the summer of 2008, a malfunction due to a manufacturing error in one of its Prius PHEVs conversions resulted in a fire that destroyed the vehicle. As a consequence, Hybrids Plus started a program to examine and upgrade each of the PHEV conversions it had manufactured. Afterward, Hybrids Plus completed only one more Prius PHEV conversion, and then discontinued that product line.
In the fall 0f 2008, A123 Systems contracted Hybrids Plus to recall all of the vehicles it converted, and remove A123's Li-Ion cells.
In April 2009, Hybrids Plus ceased. Its assets were absorbed by Eetrex, a company whose owners include some of the former owners of Hybrids Plus.
Maps Hybrids Plus
Final work
At the end of its life, Hybrids Plus was:
- Fulfilling the A123 contract, by replacing the A123 cells in its conversions with cells from K2 Energy
- Continuing development of the Inverger
- Performing Ford Escape PHEV conversions
See also
- Plug-in hybrid
References
External links
- IEEE Spectrum article featuring a PHEV conversion by Hybrids Plus
- AutoBlogGreen article
- NYSERDA program
Source of article : Wikipedia
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