Plug-in hybrids in California

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Main article: Plug-in hybrid

California is a main territory in the world promoting plug-in hybrids.

Contents

[edit] Organizations

[edit] CalCars

CalCars (also known as The California Cars Initiative) is a charitable, non-profit organization founded in 2002 to promote plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) as a key to addressing global warming both nationally and internationally. CalCars envisions millions of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, charged by off-peak electricity from renewable energy sources, and with their internal combustion engines powered by low-carbon alternative fuels, as a way to significantly reduce greenhouse gases that come from transportation.

In September 2004, the California Cars Initiative (CalCars) converted a 2004 Toyota Prius into a prototype of what it called the PRIUS+. With the addition of 130 kg (300 lb) of lead-acid batteries, the PRIUS+ achieved roughly double the fuel economy of a standard Prius and could make trips of up to 15 km (9 mi) using only electric power. The vehicle, which is owned by CalCars technical lead Ron Gremban, is used in daily driving, as well as a test bed for various improvements to the system.[1]

[edit] Electric utilities

[edit] PG&E

PG&E is converting a number of company-owned Toyota Prius to be V2G PHEVs at Google's campus.

[edit] Southern California Edison

Ford Motor Company CEO Alan Mulally said he expects Ford to sell plug-in hybrids in five to ten years, the launch date depending on advances in lithium-ion battery technology. Ford will provide Southern California Edison with 20 Ford Escape Hybrid sport utility vehicles reconfigured to work as plug-ins by 2009, with the first by the end of 2007.[2]

[edit] PHEV Research Center

Main article: PHEV Research Center

The PHEV Research Center in the University of California, Davis, administered by ITS-Davis, was launched in 2007 with fundings from the California Air Resources Board and the California Energy Commission’s Public Interest Energy Research (PIER) Program.

Its goals are to provide technology and policy guidance to the state, and to help solve research questions and address commercialization issues for PHEVs.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ How We Green-Tuned an '04 Prius into a PRIUS+ Plug-In Hybrid!. CalCars.com - The California Cars Initiative. Retrieved on January 11, 2006.
  2. ^ Woodall, B. (July 10, 2007) "Ford sees plug-in hybrids in 5-10 years" Reuters accessed 27 July 2007

[edit] External links

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