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Jungle Motors, which has been converting gasoline-powered Porsche 911s and Chrysler PT Cruisers into clean, green commuter cars, is now offering its latest conversion: a plug-in hybrid modification for the Toyota Prius.
“We convert the 2004 to 2009 standard Toyota Prius by adding batteries and hardware to dramatically improve its performance,” states Director Brad Sachs, regarding the Orange County, Calif. company. “When we complete the conversion, the driver has three options for motive power. Normal Prius Mode, Enhanced Prius Mode and Battery-only Mode. In the Normal Mode, the vehicle performs like a stock Prius getting over 40 mpg. In a blend of Enhanced and Battery-only Modes, the car delivers over 100 mpg. And in the Battery-only Mode it becomes an Electric Vehicle (EV) and gets infinite mpg as the gas engine is totally bypassed. All the user has to do is plug in the vehicle at night to recharge the batteries.”
The current version from Jungle Motors utilizes lead acid batteries and offers more than 10 miles of 100 percent pure electric range. The next version, due out in February 2009, will use the latest generation of battery technology, Lithium Iron Phosphate, or LifePO4.
With the LifePO4 batteries, the Prius will deliver more than 40 miles of engineless range that will enable more than 70 percent of drivers in the United States to drive every day without ever turning their gas engine on. The company also has plans to offer a similar conversion kit for the Toyota Highlander Hybrid and other hybrid vehicles as they become available in the near future.
For more information, call Jungle Motors at (949) 833-8100 or visit www.junglemotors.com.
