Plug In Supply Inc Robb Protheroe Broken Promises, Non Delivery of Purchase, Promised Refund Not Received San Rafael, California

On 2/16/12, I was approached by Robb Protheroe to be Plug In Supply's first 4KW DIY customer and help the company "tweet" the kit.  After much internal debate and research, I was convinced the company was legit.  I saw the post on Ripoff Report about the company but viewed it as an isolated incident.  On 2/22/12, I went forward with the purchase with lots of excitement about getting 100+ mpgs.  I sent a bank draft (the dumbest thing I ever did) to Plug in Supply and asked Robb to let me know when it arrives.  He replied "I'll let you know when the check arrives".  On 2/27 I noticed the check was already cashed but I was not informed of its arrival.  This may seem small but, it was the first red flag.  I brushed it aside and moved forward (at this point, I didn't have a choice, he already had my money).  I inquired about the check on 2/28 and I was told it was received and he would start ordering parts when it clears (I thought this to be an odd statement as the check had already cleared but, I brushed aside and moved on).  At this point, I'm thinking, "Great.  I should get the kit in 2-4 weeks" and I'm happy.  I start planning for the install and I realized it would be nice to have a definitive date of arrival so on 3/7, I inquire about the expected arrival time.  I was told, "I will send you some stuff tomorrow"  I'm thinking great, I can start installing the kit next week.  By 3/14, nothing has been received, so, I inquire again about the status and I'm told, the batteries (portion of the kit) will ship in two weeks and the rest of the parts will ship in two weeks.  The batteries did eventually arrive on 4/11 but no other components have.  There has been many more promises since then (including the promise of a refund).  All have been broken.  I received a promise for a refund on 4/20 but that has since been rescinded. 
My experience with Robb and Plug In Supply has made me realize that this report (from Plug in Solutions) is 100% true.  I wish I would have listened to them before I did business with Plug In Supply.  The statements they made about not making deadlines and never shipping anything on time is spot on.  I believe everything they say and I second all of it.  The sad thing about all of this is, as a consumer, you have very little recourse.  You can file a BBB complaint (which I did) or you can sue in small claims (costs more than you could recover).  Many are afraid to come forward because of libel suits.  I'm not one of them.  I assure anyone who reads this that all is true and I face a risk of suit for telling you about it.
If you're thinking about dealing with Plug In Supply, beware.  It appears to me, that money from new customers is being used to purchase kits for previous customers (similiar to a Ponzi scheme).  I wouldn't want to be the last person to buy a kit from Plug In Supply.