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OPPD is testing a new car that uses advanced battery technology as an energy-sipping supplement to its gasoline-powered engine.
The car is a standard Toyota Prius converted into a Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle. A driver can recharge the battery overnight by plugging the car into an ordinary 120-volt outlet in a suburban garage.
Like other utilities, OPPD is trying to gain an understanding of the potential savings afforded by Plug-In Hybrids, which are expected to be commercially available in 2010.OPPD, which plans to buy a second Plug-In Hybrid with a more efficient battery for evaluation next year, will demonstrate the cars at schools and special events.
In the coming years, cars like the new OPPD models could help reduce dependence on foreign oil and also produce lower emissions. Imagine paying only $1 a gallon for fuel -- that's the cost of the Plug-In Hybrid's electric "gas," assuming a driver recharges the car at night, when electric generating capacity is much lower than peak, afternoon hours.
The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) estimates that the current power grid could handle many tens of millions of cars plugging in at off-peak hours before capacity issues become a concern. See the EPRI article (PDF, opens in new window).
In addition, utilities potentially can borrow power from hybrids plugged into outlets at the workplace. Using a "smart grid" system, a utility could tap into a Plug-In Hybrid's battery to receive additonal electricity at peak times.
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