Bolt On Hybrid Conversion Package Saves Fuel

Back in the 70′s when America was suffering through long lines at the gas station and exploding fuel prices, you could go out and buy an bolt-on transmission overdrive unit that would give you better fuel economy. Things have changed a bit today, with 5 speed automatic transmissions being the norm, but large commercial vans are still gas hogs that suck money out of the owner’s wallet.

Enter Echo Automotive, based in Scottsdale Arizona. It is offering operators of traditional Ford E-150 and Chevy Express vans a bolt-on plug in hybrid system that can boost their fuel economy by up to 50%. Echo says its system will save about $3000 in fuel costs for every 30,000 miles driven and it consists of an induction motor bolted into the drivetrain after the transmission. A 9.4 kilowatt lithium ion battery, charger, controller and inverter are all slipped into the spare tire well. Just bolt it in, charge it up and go!

If the useful life of  a commercial van is 10 years, the Echo system can put $30,000 or more back into the owner’s pocket during that time, more than paying for the cost of the system. And when the vehicle is ready to be retired from service, the system can be unbolted and transferred to a new vehicle, keeping the cycle of savings going. That’s an advantage over buying plug-in hybrid trucks from VIA Motors, new home for automotive superstar Bob Lutz. Although the VIA trucks offer higher performance, they are also considerably more expensive, with a starting price around $80,000.

Echo’s chairman, Jason Plotke, says that his system is a mild hybrid similar to that used by GM with its eAssist setup, or Honda’s Integrated Motor Assist system. It uses regenerative braking to help recharge the battery and offers a data analysis function to help fleet managers figure out how to save the most fuel. It’s also remarkably similar to a system built by Massachusetts-based XL Hybrids.

A few years ago, customers were shelling out thousands of dollars on built-in navigation systems. But when the car got sold, the nav system went with it. Now people just use their smartphones or plug-in GPS devices to get where they’re going. Could this bolt-on hybrid technology be the next step in reducing fuel usage?

Source: Gas 2.

Echo Automotive will put EchoDrive PHEV powertrain into GM vans

Echo Automotive is adding General Motors vans to its offerings of converted plug-in hybrid vehicles and will bring its EchoDrive PHEV system to GM 2500 and 3500 vans. That will include model year 2010-2014 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana, but don't go trying to get these vehicles converted quite yet.

Echo Automotive says production won't begin until the first quarter of 2015, since things are still in the development stage and the company is awaiting a patent on its EchoDrive technology. The company calls it, "a revolutionary patent-pending cost-reduction solution for converting fleet vehicles into highly fuel-efficient hybrids and plug-in hybrids." The GM vans will follow the company's conversion of EchoDrive units onto Ford E-Series van platforms. The E-Series conversions are scheduled to begin later this year (orders currently being accepted).

Echo Automotive thinks adding the Chevrolet Express to its lineup will make for a smart investment, given that it's second only to the Ford E-Series vans for commercial fleet registrations in North America. It also follows right behind the E-Series and Dodge Caravan in government fleet registrations.

It's a three-pronged victory for fleets using the EchoDrive technology, according to the company's chief executive. "We look forward to demonstrating the impact EchoDrive delivers to fleet managers in reducing operating costs, delivering greater fuel efficiency and promoting sustainability across both the Ford and GM platforms," said Dan Kennedy, CEO of Echo Automotive, in the press release, which you can read below.

Echo Automotive Adds GM Platform Support To EchoDrive

News Source: Echo Automotive

PHEV conversion company Echo Automotive completes $3M financing, joins CALSTART

Echo Automotive, Inc., a developer of technologies enabling the conversion of existing fleet vehicles into plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, completed a $3-million financing with United Fleet Financing, LLC, through a private placement offering and mezzanine financing.

Echo’s Chief Technology Officer is John Waters, the founder & CEO of Bright Automotive (earlier post). Among his other career achievements are launching the lithium battery business for Delphi Electronics, including the Segway battery pack; project lead for production and battery pack design of GM’s EV1 electric car; and VP of Transportation at Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI).

The EchoDrive conversion system comprises a 30 kW traction motor; modular Li-ion battery pack built with 2.2 kWh modules; 650A inverter and power electronics; on-board charger; and hybrid controls. The company is targeting Class 1-5 fleet trucks, and has entered a service agreement with Meineke Car Care Centers, Inc. and Dickenson Fleet Services to serve as a national service centers and installers.

This $3,000,000 infusion of working capital will allow us to ramp up our order fulfillment operations and meet the growing demand for EchoDrive kits more quickly.

—Dan Kennedy, Echo’s CEO

Echo authorized the sale and issuance of up to 2,727,273 units of its securities to United Fleet in a private placement for the purpose of raising working capital to accelerate its business plan. Each consists of one share of the common stock at $0.55 per share and one warrant exercisable to purchase one and one-quarter (1.25) shares of common stock at an exercise price per share of $0.65. The proceeds will be provided by United Fleet on a tranche basis with monthly installments for nine (9) months starting June 2013.

Additionally, United Fleet and Echo consummated a financing and security agreement in which United Fleet agreed to provide an additional $1,500,000 of working capital for Echo through mezzanine financing.

The mezzanine financing is a five (5) year secured note with accrued interest at an annual rate of eight percent (8%). The terms of this note include conversion features at $0.55 per share and warrant rights with a strike price of $0.65. This additional working capital will also be provided to the Company in nine (9) monthly installments starting June 2013.

Separately, Echo joined CALSTART, a leading North American advanced transportation technologies consortium, to accelerate awareness and adoption of its bolt-on hybrid solutions.

Source: Green Car Congress

Meineke And Echo Collaborate To Offer Hybrid Conversions

Meineke service centers, with the help of Echo Automotive Inc., will soon give people the option to convert their conventional internal combustion engine-powered vehicles into hybrids, with an estimated payback time of under two years.

Echo Automotive specializes in converting conventional ICE-powered fleet vehicles into fuel-efficient hybrid-electric vehicles (HEV). This week they announced that they had signed an agreement with Meineke Car Care Centers, Inc to have them offer installation services for Echo’s retrofit hybrid drive system.

“We are extremely pleased to have Meineke onboard as a strategic partner,” commented Jason Plotke, Echo Automotive Chairman and President. “Our relationship with Meineke greatly assists us in scaling our business through the support of this highly recognized and respected national service provider and is a tangible advantage we are delighted to offer our customers.”

Meineke said that their 900 car care centrs in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, China, Saudi Arabia and the Caribbean have serviced about 50 million vehicles since 1972. Hybrid vehicle conversions have been done in peoples’ back yards and at small garages for many years, but with a huge corporation like Meineke on board, hybrid conversions could become more commonplace.

Echo Automotive’s patent-pending hybrid system EchoDrive system attaches to the back of the transmission of rear-drive vehicles, not unlike the XL Hybrid system. But Echo claims that their system has a Return On Investment of 24 months or less, making it appealing for fleet owners looking to save on fuel costs. That said, we have heard very little about Echo until now, though this large-scale partnership seems to indicate they are quite serious about this business plan. Will Meineke become a green car conversion hub, or is this just another bright idea unfounded with today’s economic reality?

Source: Hybrid Cars