Chinese manufacturer GP Batteries International and its subsidiary, Gold Peak Industries North America, have gone a long way to outfit the next generation of vehicles. GP Batteries is the largest battery manufacturer for consumer electronics in China and the world leader in NiMH battery production. Gold Peak has been responsible for outfitting transit authorities in China with batteries for hybrid buses while selling batteries to low-speed vehicle manufacturers around the world. GP Batteries is expanding its reach by acquiring an equity stake in California-based Plug-In Conversions Corporation (PICC).
PICC currently produces a plug-in conversion kit for Toyota Prius models made after 2004. The PICC PHEV conversion kit costs $12,500 and features a 6.1 kWh NiMH battery. PHEV drivers using the PICC conversion kit can drive up to 25 miles without using a single drop of gas as long as they stay below 34 MPH.
As an associate company of GP Batteries International, PICC will start out by expanding its network of certified installers. PICC plans to locate at least 10 dealerships in 2009 with the technological expertise and ability to back up this type of work. While these dealerships will not extend far from PICC’s southern California headquarters, it will demonstrate the partnership’s ability to expand its reach away from a core constituency.
The second step in GP’s plans for PICC is the sale of PHEV kits and components in retail outlets where GP Batteries products are sold. GP’s investment in PICC will encourage the conversion kit manufacturer to move away from the Toyota Prius. PICC plans to create PHEV conversion kits for Ford, General Motors and non-Prius Toyota models in the near future. This partnership will be initiated publicly at the San Diego International Auto Show starting December 31, 2008 where PICC representatives will take orders on conversion kits and answer questions.
GP Batteries will work through PICC on several initiatives that will open the door for mass applications of PHEV and EV conversion kits in North America. The battery manufacturer is developing lithium-ion battery technology that could be substituted into PICC conversion kits to extend electric-only driving times and speed limits. GP executives want to put vehicles converted by PICC through crash and emissions testing. If the company is able to get exemplary results in both testing areas, PICC conversion kits could be mass produced without questions about safety or environmental damage from agencies like the California Air Resources Board (CARB).
