A local Denver station did a news report about Salida Conversions, a shop that can convert almost any vehicle into a hybrid in just two days. The vehicle has to be rear wheel drive and have an automatic transmission for Salida to install the electric motor on the drive shaft. The conversions, which cost $7,000, use four lead acid batteries, (they don't say how they are charged) and the system talks to the car's computer.
The funny thing about the report is, the car they convert is a Chevy Tahoe which is already a hybrid. Salida says they Tahoe went from 11 to 18 miles per gallon in the city. EPA says GM's hybrid Tahoe get 21 miles per gallon in the city. Salida reminds me a little of Goodwin, another mechanic that converts cars, saying he could make a hybrid from parts at ACE Hardware. Hey, you guys are doing great things but I got some bad news for you: the car makers are stepping up. GM will release a hybrid every 3 months for the next 4 years. So, very soon, conversions shops will go the way of Dodo because there will be many more hybrid options.
[Source: Denver Channel]
The funny thing about the report is, the car they convert is a Chevy Tahoe which is already a hybrid. Salida says they Tahoe went from 11 to 18 miles per gallon in the city. EPA says GM's hybrid Tahoe get 21 miles per gallon in the city. Salida reminds me a little of Goodwin, another mechanic that converts cars, saying he could make a hybrid from parts at ACE Hardware. Hey, you guys are doing great things but I got some bad news for you: the car makers are stepping up. GM will release a hybrid every 3 months for the next 4 years. So, very soon, conversions shops will go the way of Dodo because there will be many more hybrid options.
[Source: Denver Channel]
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