DOE Announces $30M for Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle Projects

June 20, 2008 // Published as a news service by IHS

PHEVs are hybrid vehicles that can be driven in electric-only or hybrid modes and recharged from a standard electric outlet.

They offer increased energy efficiency and decreased petroleum consumption by using electricity as the primary fuel for urban driving, said DOE.

According to DOE, the selected projects will accelerate the development of PHEVs capable of traveling up to 40 miles without recharging, which satisfies 70% of the average daily travel in the U.S.

The projects also address critical barriers to achieving the DOE goal of making PHEVs cost-competitive by 2014 and ready for commercialization by 2016.

The projects selected will be developed between fiscal years 2008-2011 and demonstrated in geographically diverse regions to identify performance, operation and fuel economy in a real-world environment.

According to DOE, the goal is to develop PHEVs that can be mass produced, compete effectively in the marketplace and substantially reduce petroleum consumption by offering fuel flexibility to American consumers. DOE funding for these projects, which is subject to Congressional appropriations, will be combined with an industry cost share of 50%.

This is the first round of selections under the DOE PHEV Technology Acceleration and Deployment Activity funding opportunity announcement. A second round of applications are due July 18, 2008. The following three projects were selected:

• General Motors has been selected for a project aimed at enhancement of lithium-ion battery packs, charging systems, powertrain development, vehicle integration and vehicle validation. Other team members include Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.

• Ford Motor Company has been selected to identify a pathway that accelerates commercial mass-production of PHEVs. The project will focus on development of battery systems and deployment of prototype PHEVs. The project will test and demonstrate the propulsion system design, controls and communications necessary to develop a viable PHEV production program. Team members include Southern California Edison, EPRI and Johnson Controls-Saft Inc.

• General Electric (GE) has been selected for negotiation of an award for a demonstration of PHEVs that relies upon an innovative dual-battery energy storage system capable of 40 miles accumulated electric driving range. The project will focus on developing the dual-battery energy storage system in parallel with vehicle integration. GE is partnering with Chrysler.

"The projects announced...demonstrate a shared public-private sector commitment to advance clean vehicle technologies and will help reduce our dependence on foreign oil while also confronting the serious challenge of global climate change," DOE Assistant Secretary of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Andy Karsner said.

"The department remains committed to the research, development and deployment of cleaner, more efficient vehicle options for consumers from laboratory to the street."

DOE also expanded its own fleet of alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles with the addition of a Ford Escape PHEV, capable of running on E85 (85% ethanol, 15% gasoline). This vehicle demonstrates the capacity of flexible fuel technology to reduce petroleum use to almost zero.

The Ford Escape PHEV, when refueling only on cellulosic E85 or electricity, would consume less than 75 gallons of gasoline per year - the equivalent of over 150 miles per gallon - and reduce CO2 emissions by up to 93%. The Ford Escape PHEV will be used to transport DOE employees to official events and meetings in the Washington, D.C. area.

For more information on DOE's advance vehicle technologies work, visit the Vehicle Technologies Program web site.

Source: U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).