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Tag Archives: hybrids

Check out Lion Electric Vehicles

I recently stumbled across Lion Electric Vehicles.  These guys have some great new technology that enables you to hop-up your existing hybrid by swapping out your existing batteries with new batteries can greatly increase your range. 

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And even more incredible is that they are selling Ford Escape Hybrids that have already been modified with their new technology.  Changes to the battery pack and the sensor program allow it to run on EV entirely within city speed ranges.  On the highway it operates as an ICE vehicle with electric boost.

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These guys are based out of VA, but have facilities all over the world.  It is nice to see a US company developing new technology that will help power the new energy-independence economy.  I am hopeful that our current energy crisis well help pour capital into companies like Lion which will help develop the new technologies required to achieve our goal of energy independence.


Test Prius PHEV Proves Too Hot

Prius PHEV goes up in Flames
Prius PHEV goes up in Flames

On June 7, 2008, one of the Toyota Prius’s in Central Electric Power Cooperative in Columbia, SC PHEV test program was destroyed by fire.  The Prius was outfitted with the Hybrids-Plus PHEV15 conversion kit which uses A123 Li-ion battery packs.  At this time, investigators have ruled out the batteries as having been the source of the fire, and fire officials are claiming that they performed well during the event and showed little damage. 

The fire occurred during routine highway driving. The upholstery in the back seat appeared to have caught on fire. When noticed, the driver pulled over and exited the car.  Unfortunately there was no data logger installed, so the exact cause of the fire may never be known.