EV Innovations is a Las Vegas-based EV producer that has already made a bit of a splash among eco-conscious drivers. The company, formerly Hybrid Technologies, turns existing combustion vehicles including Toyota Yaris (Liv Wise), Smart ForTwo (Liv Dash) and PT Cruiser (Liv Flash) into electric-powered vehicles. The key to these conversions is the company’s HT battery management system that allows for maximum distance per charge. EV Innovations is looking to move from conversions to vehicle manufacturing with the Liv Inizio.
The Liv Inizio is an all-electric sports car that will debut at the New York International Auto Show in April. EV Innovations used the 2008 auto show in the Big Apple to premiere the Liv Wise, showing the auto world that it has the parts to create a zero-emission vehicle. The Liv Inizio is capable of traveling up to 200 miles per charge using a lithium-ion battery pack. The battery pack can be recharged in eight hours with a standard household outlet. EV Innovations is making a play for the Tesla Roadster market, claiming that the Liv Inizio can reach 60 miles per hour from a dead stop in five seconds. Sports car lovers will like the maximum speed of 150 miles per hour built into the Liv Inizio because it demonstrates that the EV’s performance matches its look.
EV Innovations focused on small touches in creating an all-electric sports car that could complete with the Tesla Roadster. Liv Inizio drivers will have access to LCD touch-screen monitors that monitor speed, electrical consumption and other performance statistics in real time. EV Innovations built the Liv Inizio to be longer and wider than the Tesla Roadster but it hits the scales 300 pounds lighter than the Roadster. As we can see in the photo above, the Liv Inizio brings the slick design needed to reach sports car fans.
The development scheme used by EV Innovations is a model for the rest of the auto industry. EV Innovations created its own battery management system and started toying around with existing cars to demonstrate the system’s effectiveness. The Liv Wise’s premiere in New York last year gave EV Innovations the credibility to pursue something as ambitious as the Liv Inizio. As the details emerge about the Liv Inizio at the New York International Auto Show, we will see if EV Innovations can compete with Tesla for American consumers interested in EVs.
