Hybrids Plus

Hybrids Plus was a company operating from 2006 to 2009 that was devoted to converting hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) to plug-in hybrids (PHEVs), including vehicle-to-grid capable PHEVs.

Hybrids Plus
Privately held company [1]
IndustryAutomotive industry
Founded2006
FounderCarl Lawrence, Davide Andrea
Defunct2009
Headquarters
Boulder, Colorado
,
United States
ProductsPHEV conversions
Number of employees
20
Hybrids Plus plug-in hybrid Toyota Prius conversion with PHEV-30 (30 mile or 48 km all-electric range) battery packs

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.[2]

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.[3][4] As a consequence, the company started a program to examine and upgrade each of the PHEV conversions it had manufactured. After this, only one more Prius PHEV conversion was completed and then that product line was discontinued.[5]

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.

In fall 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 operations. Its assets were absorbed by Eetrex, a company whose owners include some of the former shareholders of Hybrids Plus.

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References
  1. "ZAP Launches Sale of Plug-In Hybrid Electric Car, Tests Show up to 120 Miles per Gallon" (Press release). Reuters. 2008-03-10. Retrieved 2008-09-24.
  2. "Hybrids Plus Among Colorado Grant Recipients".
  3. "Toyota_Prius A123 car fire investigation report". Archived from the original on 2008-08-30.
  4. "CRN PHEV Field Report Update".
  5. "Available sources of Prius PHEV conversions".
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