Newsletter Issue 6
November 2007, Boulder, CO
 
V2G PHEV Launched
 
A major electric power utility has contracted Hybrids Plus to convert 6 Ford Escape Hybrids to V2G (Vehicle-To-Grid) capable PHEVs. During times of peak demand, the Utility will be able to buy back electrical energy from those vehicles, to supplement the electrical grid during peak loads. With the presence of thousands of V2G vehicles, the Utility may be able to avoid building additional power plants to handle peak demands. This project has enabled Hybrids Plus to complete its development of the Invergerª, a combination inverter / charger, capable of fast-charging the Escape battery in about 2 hours, or supplying 6 kW of power back to the grid. As part of this same project Hybrids Plus signed a contract to partner with V2Green in the development of V2G technology. V2Green delivers server software and distributed electronics to manage the aggregated load and storage resources of plug-in electric vehicles. Their products enable increased use of renewable energy sources, lower grid operating costs, and reduced vehicle charging expense.
 
140 MPG in a Ford Escape
 
In our first test on the Ford Escape PHEV conversion we have achieved 140 mpg over 50 miles of city driving. That is an outstanding result for an SUV. In highway driving, we achieved 75 mpg. These results are exceptional and far beyond our expectations. We do not expect results this high under normal driving conditions.
 
171 MPG and 1620 Miles on a Tank
 
Our client in Seattle has just broken his own record by achieving a new fuel economy record on a Hybrids Plus Prius PHEV conversion: 171 mpg and 1620 miles on a tank of gas. Here is his video of the fill-up at the end of this record.
 
Demonstrations
 
Hybrids Plus has demonstrated its PHEV conversion in Madison WI at Hybrid Fest 2007, in Seattle, WA, at the King County Clean Vehicle Conference, and at the PHEV-07 Conference in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Hybrids Plus now has its own conversion for showcasing our system: this is a new Prius from our local dealer, which we converted to a PHEV 30. We have already logged 8000 miles on the company car by driving it to all but one of the above events.
 
Company Growth
 
As of this writing, we have delivered 8 conversions, and have 11 additional orders. We are booked through December, and are now scheduling for January and February 08 deliveries. Hybrids Plus has grown significantly to meet the demand of the PHEV market, and to allow the timely fulfillment of the V2G Escape order. More exciting products are in the works. In particular, Hybrids Plus has made the decision to begin development of a PHEV conversion system for the Toyota Highlander in 2008. We hope to have the product out by July 2008. We will also continue work on the Toyota Prius with a focus on volume production and cost reductions.