After Gutenberg

Sponsored by the Freedom From Oil campaign, as well as CalCars and Plug In America, a conversion of a Prius to a Prius+ was performed at LA 2007. The Freedom From Oil Campaign repeatedly has taken issue with car makers for publicly touting their eco-credentials at such auto shows, while fighting progress on fuel efficiency and emissions in the courts and Congressional corridors.

A Toyota Prius usesNiMH batteries. For the conversion at the LA Auto show, CalCars removed the Panasonic battery pack and installed a custom system: Nilar Ni-MH batteries from Plug-In Conversions and a battery enclosure and power electronics from Plug-In Supply, Inc.

According to Green Car Congress, CalCars founder Felix Kramer stated that the goal of the PHEV conversion was to demonstrate that nickel-metal hydride batteries — a proved, safe battery technology — could work in plug-in hybrids.

The auto industry could easily meet and surpass standards set by California’s Clean Cars Law, which mandates a 30 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2016; but, rather than adopt existing technologies that would improve overall fuel economy and reduce global warming pollution from tailpipes, automakers are fighting laws passed by California and 11 other states that would require stricter emission standards.

While costs are still high, kits could make plug-in hybrids much more affordable. It is becoming increasingly possible to have a car that does not need gas, or at least not much.

The event was additional publicity for new suppliers in this niche market. They are getting ever-closer to the goal of offering Plug-in Conversion Kits.

And, it was other than a first conversion with Nilar batteries. AutoBlog Green previously reported on a CalCars conversion of a Toyota Prius to a plug-in hybrid with the addition of a Nilar battery pack.