LG, plug-ins on CNN
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Hybrids trick out, plug in, via CNN.com
Related blogs to the article:
SWEVA’s P-PATCH: San Francisco garage goes completely green
Automotive Blog: Luscious Garage Gives Liberating Conversions
Posted by Carolyn
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LG in the Press »
PRIUS PLUG-IN CONVERSIONS
YES, we can convert your car to a plug-in hybrid!
Total fleet of PHEVs to date: 30
Paid conversions to date: 22
Volunteer conversions to date: 5
Other PHEV customers: 4
We have the technical expertise, professionalism, and personal attention to make your conversion a legitimate and rewarding experience.
Serious Inquiries use the contact page
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Modifications »
Plug-In Hybrids »
“I Agree” automatically…
However improved, the Prius maintains several idiotic features. One is the chronic need to “agree” to use the Navigation system. Ubiquitous to Toyota and Lexus nav, a message reminds you to follow the law and that accidents may occur if you drive looking at the screen. Nevermind that the climate, audio, and information controls are all operated through the same device.
Thanks to CoastalEtech, a company out of Indialantic, Florida, there is relief to this frustrating situation! Their Lockpick system will virtually touch the button for you (pictured, notice no hands), as well as unlock the navigation inputs when the vehicle is in motion! It cooperates with the factory system (rather than replacing it) which means that it doesn’t work 100% of the time, but by in large it restores the impression that you are a rational person in control of your vehicle, rather than the other way around.
Lockpick hardware for the Gen 2 Prius (2004-2007) is in stock and installs for $150.
Posted by Carolyn
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Modifications »
a few words on Coastal E-Tech
Coastal Electronic Technologies Inc. (also known as “Coastal ETech” or “Coastal Electronics") produces a variety of aftermarket products to modify Toyota hybrids along with a smattering of other cars. Most famous are their Lockpick and EV Mode kits, both cleverly 
designed to alleviate some of the primary deficiencies of the Prius, which Luscious Garage has proudly offered for over a year.
As a small, hybrid-focussed business, Coastal E-Tech shares our market but also some of our challenges: to produce cutting-edge products, to keep up with customer needs, and to manage all the potential administrative BS behind the scenes. Sympathetic, we have done our best to translate their menu of items and to keep the most popular ones in stock, so our customers need only deal with us. We have never marked up Coastal products since they are already available online to the public.
Beloved PriusChat has chronicled some of the Coastal E-Tech drama that, up to now, LG has silently endured. It is exactly this feedback that has encouraged customers to have LG “do-it-for-me” even though many of their kits can be successfully installed by the sensible, tech savvy Prius owner.
After our most recent debacle with the manufacturer, however, LG has instituted a thirty dollar “Coast Electronics PITA Surcharge” to all of our services associated with them. As always we will happily install customer-supplied kits for the same installation price (no surcharge) and will continue to inventory their “Prius Candy” that our customers know and love.
Read more about LG Modifications
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LG now solar powered!
Since its inception LG has garnered a community of supporters—"friends of Luscious” if you will—including EV fanatics, feminists, environmentalists, and green business moguls; 
people we’ve inspired for some reason or another and are moved to give back. Such is the story of our new solar array, courtesy of Energy Efficient Solar, a company of highly-intelligent, capable individuals who care about renewable energy but even more about people.
I first knew Marc Geller as the vice-president of the San Francisco Electric Vehicle Association. Then I learned of his advocacy through Plug-In America and his news blog Plugs and Cars. It was months before I met his colleague Will Korthof, owner and technical genius at EESolar. Over months of EVA meetings (which we host) and servicing their small fleet of natural gas and electric vehicles, Marc and Will entertained how to hook us up with solar power.
The day finally came on July 1st, 2008.
Will designed a modest PV array customized to our power usage at the shop (modest because we don’t consume much power in the first place). Comprised of eight Mitsubishi 185 watt modules, for 1.5kW peak output, it supports all of the equipment and tools running on 110v power, as well as charging for plug-in cars.
Most importantly, it fulfills our long-term goal for renewable energy at the shop at a highly competitive price; allowing us to meet this goal in the infancy of our business without affecting service prices.
For more information on EESolar, check out their website
Read about the solar project at Art’s Automotive, our wrenching kin in the East Bay
Posted by Carolyn
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Facility »
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