Plug-in Toyota Prius conversion by PICC
Plug In Conversions Corporation, better known as PICC, has completed a software upgrade to its plug-in conversion kit that will now allow all-electric mode driving at speeds of up to 70 mph in their converted Prius offering.
Previous Prius conversion kits have been limited by Toyota programming to a top speed of 34 mph in all-electric mode.
The software upgrade also will allow Prius drivers with PICC conversion kits to boost highway fuel efficiency to 170 mpg, until the rechargeable battery is depleted. Even higher all-electric mileage is possible in city driving with vehicles equipped with the software upgrade and PICC’s Nickel Metal Hydride battery conversion kit, now in its third generation.
The software upgrade is based upon patented technology developed by Chicago-based Ewert Energy Systems, which has granted PICC exclusive rights for its use in Prius conversion kits.
The software upgrade was designed with safety in mind. Some previous Prius plug-in conversion kits allowed motorists to go as fast as 52 mph using “forced stealth” mode. But that can force the electric motor to run above its recommended speed range. Previously, it also requires drivers to stop and restart the vehicle before its gas engine can engage – which can cause safety issues and erase emissions data recorded for smog checks.
The new PICC system allows the gas engine to turn on instantly, when needed. The software upgrade also allows PICC-converted PHEV cars to operate in an enhanced hybrid mode at various speeds, with the vehicle heavily favoring the electric motor versus the gasoline engine in different modes.
The PICC system also can recoup more regenerative power from braking than a factory-installed Prius battery. When the PICC battery pack charge is depleted, the converted Prius reverts to its normal factory HEV operating mode.
The upgraded PICC conversion kit “acts exactly like a normal Prius,” according to PICC. However, PICC’s conversion kit adds about 220 lbs to the vehicle, but rear springs are upgraded to maintain the rear height at factory specifications.
The software upgrade, retailing for $2,000 to $2,500, will be made available for sale later this month to new and existing conversion kit customers. A free trial version of the software upgrade will later be introduced.
PICC’s conversion kit, which replaces Toyota’s 1.3-kilowatt hour NiMH battery pack with a 6.1-kWh pack, retails for $12,500. Conversions can be completed in about one day and the kit is covered by a three-year warranty. The batteries, which carry an expected 10-year lifetime, are manufactured by Gold Peak Industries North America, a subsidiary of GP Batteries International.
PICC’s existing conversion kit allows Prius owners to recharge their vehicles in six hours using a regular 120-volt outlet, or in as little as two hours with an optional high-capacity charger.