December 2013

Report by Dave Zedonis

Steve Woodruff and his wife Jenny, two of our local “Indiana Inventors and Entrepreneurs”, shared the story of their successful Toyota Prius business, AutoBeYours.com.  They rebuild generation II Prius cars manufactured from 2004 to 2009 that have been damaged by collision and convert them to all-electric

With Steve’s experience in repairing electronics and in collaboration with others who share their interest, Steve and Jenny have developed and refined reliable kits for converting the hybrid Prius into an all-electric vehicle.  The result is a car that gets the equivalent of 100 miles per gallon of gasoline.

Inventing has been part of their business since it began in 2003 in Scottsburg, IN.  Experts in redesign of electric cars, Steve and Jenny have built a Nissan Leaf 6-door stretch limousine, 3 custom Prius limousines, and Prius convertibles and trucks.

Steve and Jenny also rebuild and sell battery packs, the essence of an electric car.  They focus on Toyota’s nickel metal hydride battery, a reliable and affordable option, and on Nissan’s lithium ion battery, a more efficient but expensive option.  Lithium ion batteries now provide up to 300 miles of driving distance per charge, and better cathodes, anodes, and electrolytes might improve that range.

Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Woodruff, for taking the time to talk to us.  We wish you continued success as you expand your operation and offerings!