Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
in a hybrid car. The hybrid concept has existed for decades, but it took
the launch of the Toyota Prius in 1997 and the Honda Insight in 1999
to make it commercially viable (albeit at quite a high price). These
and other hybrids have higher mileage and lower emissions than those
powered by fossil fuel alone.
Allow the electric battery in a hybrid car to be recharged by plugging
into any electric source along the road. This is, unsurprisingly, known
as a plug-in hybrid vehicle. GM is launching the first mass-produced
model of this kind with the Chevrolet Volt in 2010. It is not clear how
long this recharging would take.
Set up an infrastructure that allows all-electric cars (such as the Nissan
Leaf ) to easily and quickly replace their batteries just as simply as if
filling up with petrol. At present no such network of battery replacements
exists. But Shai Agassi, the Californian creator of a company called Better
In 2009, Ford unveiled its Intelligent Vehicle to Grid Communication System,
which allows its plug-in hybrid electric vehicles to “talk” directly with the nation's
electric grid. A driver can thus programme when to recharge the vehicle, for how
long and at what utility rate.
For example, a vehicle owner could choose to accept a charge only during off-
peak hours, when electricity rates are cheaper. Above is Ford's diagram showing
how it fits into the energy supply chain.
