Toyota, EDF and Strasbourg Launch Large-Scale, 3-Year Plug-in Hybrid Demonstration Project
28 April 2010
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| Powertrain components of the Prius PHV. Click to enlarge. |
Toyota, French energy provider EDF, and the City and the Urban Community of Strasbourg launched a large-scale, 3-year Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle demonstration in Strasbourg. The project involves about 100 Prius Plug-in Hybrid Vehicles (PHVs) as well as a dedicated charging infrastructure for the use of public and private partners in Strasbourg and its region. It has received support via the Research Fund managed by the French Environment and Energy Management Agency ADEME.
Based on the third-generation Prius (earlier post), the new Prius Plug-in Hybrid (earlier post) is equipped with a lithium-ion battery pack. The plug-in has an electric range of up to 20 km (12 miles) at speeds up to 100 km/h (62 mph). CO2 emissions in the European homologation combined cycle are 59 g/km.
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| Cutaway of the battery pack. Click to enlarge. |
This project is part of a global Toyota project involving 600 Prius Plug-in Hybrid Vehicles that will also be deployed in Japan, the US, Canada and Australia. Toyota’s main objective is to further investigate the technology and performance of PHVs.
In the context of the EDF-Toyota partnership, European road trials of Plug-in Hybrid Vehicles started in France in the autumn of 2007 and were expanded to the UK in 2008.
EDF’s objective is to evaluate different operational options for the charging infrastructure. The demonstration will allow receiving feedback on the consumers’ acceptance of this new driving concept, in preparation for broad commercialization in the future.
For this demonstration, EDF, with the operational support of its subsidiary Electricité de Strasbourg (ES), will ensure, within the context of a technical and financial partnership with all stakeholders, the set-up of more than 150 charging points at users’ homes, at the private parking of partner companies, in public parking lots and on public roads.
Some vehicles use an innovative charging system developed by EDF, able to control the communication between the plug and the vehicle, while ensuring safe charging. The objective is to facilitate the identification of the vehicle and invoicing of the consumed energy. In addition, German energy provider EnBW (Energie Baden-Württemberg AG, EDF Group), will extend the program to Baden-Württemberg, Germany, by demonstrating ten PHVs and their dedicated charging infrastructure.
As partner of the demonstration project, the City and the Urban Community of Strasbourg will lease five PHVs. They have ensured the set-up of public charging points and charging points along public roads and provide a subsidy to the local car sharing company to lease three PHVs. The remaining vehicles will be leased to various public institutions and private companies.
For ADEME, this project is part of its research demonstrators program, the purpose of which is to test future technologies allowing the reduction of greenhouse gases. This programme is one of eleven projects selected in a call for interest in the Demonstrators Fund on low-emission vehicles launched by ADEME in 2008.
With all the EV and PHV studies done, besides the ongoing conversions and upcoming public sales - why another (3yr?) study?
Is there that much unused money lying around?
Study conclusion: when the plugin battery is sufficiently discharged, the the gasoline motor powers the car.
Due: $10,000,000 Euros c/o kelly
Posted by: kelly | 28 April 2010 at 06:12 AM
Could in be that such studies are part of a delay tactic, i.e. to be in the news while better PHEVs are being designed and/or produced.
However, testing the product with large trials is something difficult to blame.
Posted by: HarveyD | 28 April 2010 at 06:49 AM
I see this as Toyota playing it safe. Toyota is testing gen1 lithium pack in a closed environment (government agencies and electric companies). Any issues (minor or major) can be addressed in more private manner.
GM is testing gen1 Volt out in the public also in limited numbers. This approach is more risky and expensive (warranty to the owners). Gen2 Volt will arrive in about 3 years as well, hopefully in mass produced numbers.
Posted by: usbseawolf2000 | 28 April 2010 at 07:18 AM
There's playing it safe and then there's playing it stupid.
Personally, I don't care that Toyota is giving away a big chunk of market that it should own to Nissan and others but it's just so ironic since Toyota is the only company to build a decent EV (Rav4EV).
Posted by: drivin98 | 28 April 2010 at 01:18 PM
"it's just so ironic since Toyota is the only company to build a decent EV (Rav4EV). "
Very true - wish they had those available now with Li...
Toyota has delayed and delayed things ever since they were forced into announcing the program.
Personally, with ~80% of the profitable (for them) hybrid market - I think Toyota wants to keep things as they are for as long as possible. From a business standpoint it makes total sense.
Posted by: Sasparilla | 29 April 2010 at 11:15 AM
If you want an economical car to use you must pay a lot of money! is the punch line to an old joke. TATA should get involved in the plug in hybrid electric car business. The worry about charging stations is just another profit making delay tactic. Simple ground fault interruptors are good enough for most things that plug in outside, so ordinary outlets will cause few additional demises compared to the demises already due to automobile use including oil platform failures. ..HG..
Posted by: Henry Gibson | 04 May 2010 at 10:14 AM
These are now nuclear powered cars for much of their operation. ..HG..
Posted by: Henry Gibson | 04 May 2010 at 10:16 AM
ANOTHER DEMO/STUDY.
I cannot keep up.
The French EDF, and the City of Strasbourg launched a large-scale, expensive 3-year Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle demonstration because, I assume, their taxes are too low.
Posted by: ToppaTom | 06 May 2010 at 05:58 PM