Mitsubishi Motors teams with USC on Smart Grid Living Laboratory Project; 12 i-MiEVs

Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is supporting the University of Southern California (USC) and the Viterbi School of Engineering as it develops a special campus-wide Smart Grid “Living Laboratory” project including the use of Mitsubishi i-MiEV 100% electric vehicles.

The Mitsubishi Motors/USC Electric Vehicle Smart Grid Demonstration Project will work to further develop and improve virtually all phases of electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure to accommodate widespread EV usage in the future.

The USC Smart Grid Living Laboratory program, developed by the USC Energy Institute, will simulate a city with a population between 50,000 to 60,000 citizens, tourists, visitors and two hospitals as they document their experiences operating a fleet of electric vehicles (EVs) under a wide range of conditions and simulations over a period of two years.

Mitsubishi Motors will be providing 12 Mitsubishi i-MiEV vehicles, several Level 2 EVSE charging systems to the Smart Grid program, and will consult with the University throughout the course of the research program.

Conducted in coordination with the Smart Grid Regional Demonstration Project of the US Department of Energy under contract to the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, many elements of the University of Southern California (including several academic departments, the USC Department of Transportation; the Department of Public Safety; Facilities Management Services; and the Department of Athletics) will work with the USC Viterbi School of Engineering and the USC Energy Institute to collect and analyze data under various operating scenarios with the goal of better integrating 100% electric-powered vehicles such as the Mitsubishi i-MiEV into society as well as successfully scaling up the outcomes of the Mitsubishi/USC project to larger cities.