Hybrids Plus
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Automotive, Clean energy |
| Founded | July 2006 in Boulder, Colorado, United States |
| Defunct | April 2009 |
| Headquarters | Boulder , United States |
| Products | Plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) conversions, vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology |
Hybrids Plus operated from 2006 until 2009, specializing in converting hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) into plug-in hybrids (PHEVs), including models equipped with vehicle-to-grid functionality.
History
Established in July 2006 in Boulder, Colorado, Hybrids Plus began by converting a Toyota Prius for the State of Colorado. In 2007, the company obtained contracts from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority to convert a Ford Escape and from Xcel Energy to modify six Escapes into V2G-enabled PHEVs.
During that same year, development commenced on the "Inverger," a bidirectional charger and inverter designed for vehicle-to-grid use, with partial funding provided by a grant from the Colorado Governor's Energy Office.
In mid-2008, a manufacturing fault triggered a fire in one of its Prius PHEV conversions, resulting in total loss of the vehicle. This incident prompted Hybrids Plus to conduct thorough inspections and implement upgrades across all its PHEV conversions. Following the completion of only one additional Prius conversion, the company discontinued that product line.
Subsequently, Hybrids Plus redirected its efforts toward converting Ford Escape HEVs by substituting the original battery with a PHEV battery placed in the factory location—contrasting with common augmentation methods—and installing an integrated charger and plug.
By autumn 2008, A123 Systems engaged Hybrids Plus to initiate a recall of all converted vehicles and remove A123's Li-Ion cells.
Operations at Hybrids Plus ended in April 2009. The company's assets were acquired by Eetrex, whose proprietors include former shareholders of Hybrids Plus.
External links
- IEEE Spectrum article detailing a PHEV conversion by Hybrids Plus
- AutoBlogGreen coverage
- NYSERDA program documentation