BC – Electric vehicle conversion company Envia announced its REV-H Plug-in Ford F-150 Hybrid conversion offers fleet customers up to 48 mpg, while reducing carbon emissions by 63 percent. The concept of a plug-in hybrid has become very popular in the last year. Plug-in hybrid cars take power off the electric-grid at night when demand is low and use it to charge a large battery. The cars can then operate as pure electric vehicles at lower speeds, which dramatically reduces gas consumption, and carbon emissions. This is ideal for many of the 30 million fleet vehicles in North America, which operate over shorter distances in cities.

"Fleet managers in B.C. are very interested in this product," said Ken Zutz, commercial sales manager of Metro Ford, one of the largest Ford fleet sales dealers in BC. "With the concerns over fuel costs and the regulatory environment, demand is very high for these trucks. My customers want to know when they can get their hands on these in significant quantities."

Envia's REV-H Plug-in Hybrid Ford F-150 offers 20 kilowatt-hours of battery power for an all-electric range of 38 miles or more. The conversion costs $15,000 to $25,000 depending on range, which fleet managers can justify over 5 years with the reduced fuel and maintenance costs.

The REV-H Plug-in hybrid conversion uses a proprietary technology that minimizes modifications to the existing vehicle. It is a series hybrid, which allows the vehicle to operate in electric only, gas only, or combined power modes. It also features regenerative braking, which turns the car's momentum back into electricity while slowing the car down. During the month of October, Envia's PlugInYourTruck.com tour will showcase this technology from coast-to-coast.