PLUG-IN SUPPLY INC.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
Robb Protheroe
707-849-2422
robb at pluginsupply dot com

Plug-In Supply Inc. Unveils World’s First Plug-in Hybrid Conversion System Under $5,000 With Extended Life Batteries
Company Displays Plug-in Hybrid Electric Conversion Kits for conversion of Prius®

San Jose, July 21, 2008 – Plug-In Supply, Inc. unveiled the world’s first Prius Conversion System priced at $4995. The PbA10 Conversion System, which turns a standard 2004-2008 model year Prius into a Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) based on the CalCars Open Source design, will be on display at the Plug-In 2008 Conference and Exposition in San Jose July 22-24. A Prius with a Plug-in Supply Conversion has an all-electric range of 10 to 15 miles and improved average mileage of up to 100 miles per gallon (plus 1 cent/mile of electricity). With the conversion system installed, a Prius can be driven for the first 10-15 miles on electricity before reverting to standard Prius driving mode.

Robb Protheroe, CEO and founder of Plug-in Supply Inc. said, “In light of current and expected gas prices, and the desire for many Prius owners to demonstrate environmentally friendly lifestyle choices, we are pleased to be able to offer Prius owners an affordable and upgradable option to extend their fuel economy and enhance their electric range.”

A PHEV owner plugs in the car overnight to recharge the battery pack. This saves gasoline by substituting cleaner, cheaper, domestic electricity for a portion of the gas that would otherwise be used to propel the vehicle. Electricity from the outlet sells for less than $1 per gas gallon equivalent (GGE).

Converting the Prius to a plug-in has been a popular topic since Ron Gremban, CalCars Technical Lead, was the first to convert his Prius in 2004. Since then, about two hundred cars have been converted, in what was formerly a slow and complicated process.

By refining the design for manufacturing, Plug-In Supply’s Conversion System reduced the conversion time from several weeks to just one day in 2007. Further improvements in design have reduced the cost and complexity while improving reliability and battery longevity.

The conversion system uses new extended life lead-acid batteries (over 800 cycles), for better battery longevity than was previously available. The combination of longer battery life and lower price improves the affordability of converting a Prius. The system is designed to permit an upgrade to lithium Iron Phosphate batteries with an all-electric range of 15-20 miles, as costs for these longer range batteries decline.

 

 

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Plug-In Supply Inc. (www.pluginsupply.com) is a Petaluma California based supplier of Conversion Systems and components serving the Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) and Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) after market. These solutions address rising fuel costs and a growing desire among people to reduce harmful emissions. Plug-In Supply Inc. is operated by Robb Protheroe, an engineer and long time proponent of electrically powered vehicles.

 

 

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Plug-In Supply Inc of Petaluma California is pleased to announce the availability of components and assemblies to build the Prius+ plug-in conversion invented by CalCars to convert a 40+ mpg Prius into a 100+ mpg Prius Plus. The Prius+ conversion is the original and most successful non-commercial PHEV conversion for the Toyota Prius car.

Plug-In Supply products allow dealers to complete high-quality PHEV conversions.

Available now, the PbA PHEV Assembly is a complete, tested, and ready to install pack. It provides access to the spare tire and contains 20 PbA20-12 lead-acid batteries, plus all high voltage components and control electronics in a strong welded steel enclosure. Expect about 10 miles of EV mode range.

Battery chemistry: Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) or Lead Acid (PbA).
Expected battery life: 11+ years for LiFePO4, 2 years for PbA.

System weight: 150 lb for Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) and 360 lb for Lead-Acid (PbA).
Battery Pack Mounting Location: under rear cargo deck on top of spare tire. Battery box lifts up on springs to access spare tire.
Capacity: 5kW
Voltage: 256 VDC
Charge time: 4 to 8 hours from any 110 VAC / 15A outlet.
On-board charger mounts under front seats or in cargo area.

 

The PbA PHEV Assembly is also available without batteries.

Summary of the features of the Plug-In Supply Prius+ PHEV conversion:
Three mode operation, Normal Prius, Enhanced Prius and Electric Vehicle.
Normal Prius is stock performance, PHEV engaged.
Enhanced Prius mode engages auxiliary battery pack to enhance the performance during normal Prius operation.
Electric Vehicle mode means gas engine does not start. To exit this mode car must be brought to a stop, turned off then restarted. Car restarts in normal Prius mode.
Range in EV mode: 10 to 15 miles per charge. Depends on terrain and driving style.
Max speed in EV mode: 52 mph.

The following products are under development for release this year:

PSI Lithium Ion Phosphate Prius+ conversion, featuring the latest batteries from Phoenix Silicon International (PSI). The chassis will provide access to the spare tire and is expected to provide 16 miles of EV mode operation and last the life of the car.

Plug-In Supply is working closely with CalCars to develop these products to put more plug-ins on the road. Plug-In Supply will donate 5 percent of sales to CalCars.org.

 

For more information contact:
Plug-In Supply Inc
Telephone (707) 849-2422
Fax (707) 238-1541

info at pluginsupply dot com