GAINESVILLE, Va. (Jan. 29, 2013) — Curry's Auto Service Inc. is offering high-voltage battery pack charging and conditioning for hybrid vehicles in and out of warranty.
The Gainesville-based auto service and repair shop, which serves the Washington, D.C., metro area, has teamed up with Automotive Research & Design L.L.C. (AR&D) of Southfield, Mich., to provide the service to hybrid owners.
Curry's Auto said conditioning a battery pack restores the amount of energy available to the electric drive system, permitting the vehicle to use high-voltage battery electric energy instead of its gasoline engine, which increases fuel economy and vehicle performance.
"We are investing about $25,000 worth of equipment and another $25,000 worth of advanced hybrid training," said Matt Curry, president and CEO of Curry's Auto.
"This is important because we will be better trained than the dealers. Mark Quarto, chief technology officer of AR&D, worked for GM for 28 years as one of the lead alternative fuel program engineers.
"Mark is one of the foremost experts in the country on the technology of hybrid and electric cars."
Curry's Auto said it's one of only a few repair shops in the country to be able to diagnose and perform the proper testing and conditioning procedures.
"These systems need service to perform optimally," Mr. Curry said. "We are seeing an incredible 11- to 14-mile-per-gallon increase in fuel efficiency."
He said that hybrid cars are becoming more prevalent—57 models available now with more than 100 possible by 2015—and most people do not understand how to work on them.
Mr. Curry said believes that the service will fill a void in aftermarket offerings for hybrids.
"It is important to remember that conditioning is not offered by the (car) dealer," Mr. Quarto said. "They will replace entire battery packs unnecessarily when the reality is that eight out of 10 existing batteries with diminished performance only need to be conditioned.
"After having the battery conditioned, the customer will see a restoration in vehicle performance and increased fuel economy, closer to what they expected and experienced when they purchased the vehicle new."
Curry's Auto said it has trained 20 of its staff from the company's nine locations, and services will be available at about half of Curry's service centers.
Recharging a hybrid vehicle battery pack can take up to nine hours, Curry's states on its website. The dealership charges $1,199 for the service.