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Fuel Up at the Nearest Outlet and SAVE!
BWP's Toyota Prius PHEV with BWP
Solar Energy System in the background |
You might see this brightly painted Toyota Prius on the street and wonder “what’s that about?” BWP has converted a standard Toyota Prius into a Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) to showcase a vehicle that can get more than 100 Miles per Gallon (MPG)! We’ve also joined a grass-roots organization called “Plug-In Partners” www.pluginpartners.org along with many others to demonstrate that this technology is ready today.
You can’t buy one yet, but the goal is to persuade the major auto manufacturers to build and sell these cars to the public soon. PHEVs are fueled with both gasoline and electricity from any standard household 120V outlet, costing about the equivalent of $1.00 per gallon to fuel. For daily commutes the larger battery results in less gasoline burned and therefore less smog and a reduction in our nation’s reliance on foreign oil. Please stop by Burbank Water and Power’s (BWP) lobby and sign the PHEV petition and we promise to get the word to the top auto manufacturers! To learn more about BWP’s PHEV and its amazing yet simple technology please read further by clicking on any of the links below.
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BWP Leads the Way Toward the Use of Alternative Fuels
BWP has been a leader in promoting alternative fuels to help evaluate and demonstrate the viability and environmental benefits of clean fuel alternatives.
Some of the ways that Burbank has demonstrated this commitment are:
- Conception and construction of both Compressed Natural Gas and Hydrogen Fueling stations.
- Burbank currently owns five Hydrogen fueled vehicles.
- Purchase of propane powered vehicles and installation of a fueling station to demonstrate the safety and cost effectiveness of this fuel, particularly in fleet situations.
- BWP participated in the installation of several electric vehicle charging stations throughout the City to provide both the City’s fleet and private electric vehicles free places to charge.
- Sponsorship of a Burbank electric vehicle users group to gain experience in user needs and encourage this groundbreaking technology.
- Purchase of compressed natural gas vehicles as a major element of the City’s fleet, as well as the purchase of gasoline/electric hybrid vehicles.
- BWP and BPW through the Plug-In Partnership has made a “soft” fleet order of 108 vehicles, which states that Burbank would “seriously consider” purchasing 108 PHEV cars, trucks, and vans if automakers were to manufacture them.
- Started a local “Plug-in Burbank” campaign, which has been successful in collecting hundreds of petition signatures showing support for PHEVs.
- As a “build it and they will come” gesture, BWP has extended eligibility to PHEVs the same discount as for Battery Electric Vehicles. The vehicle must be plugged into Burbank’s electric system power system to qualify for the discount of 1.38 cents per mile traveled. In addition, the City Council has agreed to put a vehicle cost rebate in place after PHEV’s are commercially available. The amount of the rebate will be dependent on the cost premium.
In California, electric vehicles seemed to hold great potential in the 1980s and the City of Burbank got involved in this movement in the beginning of the experiment, leasing several battery powered fleet vehicles (Toyota RAV4s and Chevrolet S10 Pick-ups) and installing several chargers around Burbank, including at City facilities. Unfortunately the battery technology at the time had not advanced to the state where it could meet the public’s expectations for driving range. As a result, the state-mandated construction of these vehicles was dropped and the leases expired. The current “green” cars of the road are the gas-electric hybrid vehicles. Unfortunately, the fuel economy of these vehicles, such as the Toyota Prius and the Honda Civic Hybrid, is only marginally better than gas-only vehicles in the same class. As a result, the manner in which the various vehicles’ components are sized, packaged, fueled, and controlled still substantially impacts our local air quality, which is ranked among the worst in the nation, primarily due to vehicle exhaust.
A Practical Interim Solution
The most cost effective technology available today for reducing smog and Greenhouse Gases (GHGs) may be the blending of the gasoline hybrid and the all-electric car--a Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV). Burbank Water and Power is leading the way by testing and demonstrating a PHEV Toyota Prius.
BWP sought and gained approval from the Burbank City Council in July 2006 to go out to bid to convert a standard Toyota Prius into a PHEV. EnergyCS was chosen to do the work due to their proximity to Burbank (Monrovia), the range and safety offered by their battery technology, and their excellent reputation. EnergyCS was one of the first companies to focus on PHEV conversions of the Toyota Prius.
How a PHEV Works
To convert a Prius to a PHEV, the standard 1.2 kWh Nickel Metal Hydride battery is removed and replaced with a 12 kWh Lithium-Ion battery pack stored under the floor of the luggage compartment. The most obvious sign that a Prius has been converted to a PHEV is the plug-in outlet on the rear bumper.
This connects any standard 110 Volt outlet to the on-board charger. Everything else on the car operates as normal, including the Prius' regenerative function that captures energy dissipated while braking and coasting and then stores it back in the battery for the next acceleration.
Several California agencies currently have prototype PHEVs, including environmental nonprofits, government organizations (including the South Coast Air Quality Management District which generously provided their PHEV for display at BWP’s October 7, 2006 Energy Expo event), the City of Santa Monica, and California utilities, including Southern California Edison and Sacramento Municipal Utilities District.
The Evolution of the PHEV
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 The Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) is powered only by its battery, has a limited range and no way to fuel quickly enough to be practical for trips over 100-200 miles. The movie “Who killed the Electric Car” tells the story of the General Motors EV1 and other electric cars that were a response to California’s 1990 Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate. But nearly all of these vehicles were later withdrawn from the market and crushed when their leases expired. Of the many electrics manufactured in that era, only about 300 Toyota Rav4 compact SUVs BEVs were allowed to be sold to the public and are still seen on the road today.
The Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) is the only green option currently offered by a number of major auto manufacturers. The Toyota Prius was the first mass-produced and marketed HEV in the world and there are now over 600,000 on the road. The Prius is best known for its modestly better fuel economy; the United States Environmental Protection Agency's revised fuel economy procedure rates the Prius at 48 MPG in city driving and 45 MPG on the highway. Many drivers report 40 MPG in “real world” driving.
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A Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) is similar to the HEVs on the market today, but it has a larger battery that is charged both by the vehicle's gasoline engine and from plugging into a standard 110 V electrical outlet for a few hours each day.
PHEVs and HEVs both use battery-powered electric motors and gasoline-powered engines to get high fuel efficiency, but PHEVs can further displace gasoline use with off-board provided electrical energy from a standard power outlet at home or work. The result is a vehicle that can achieve far greater gas mileage than today's HEVs. |
Why Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles are the Best Choice Now
PHEVs represent the best of both worlds: local travel is predominantly electric, yet the vehicle has unlimited gasoline range. The first 30 to 50 miles are equivalently fueled with $1 per gallon in electricity costs and generate almost zero auto emissions.
Since Burbank and most of the U.S. utility industry generates power without burning oil or oil products, the PHEVs electric propulsion mode helps reduce our need for imported oil. When a longer range is necessary, the PHEV can switch back to being a normal gasoline-electric hybrid with unlimited range. This dual fuel concept can result in more than 100 miles on just a gallon of gasoline!
Auto Manufacturers Need to Step Up Efforts
Unfortunately, no auto manufacturer is currently building a commercially available PHEV. However, even without leadership by auto manufacturers, organizations such as the South Coast Air Quality Management District and Electric Power Research Institute have supported PHEV development since 2000. These efforts are beginning to pay off. To demonstrate, DaimlerChrysler has built five PHEV Sprinter delivery vans. Pacific Gas and Electric and 12 other electric utilities across the U.S. have also commissioned PHEV bucket trucks. These demonstrations, along with PHEV conversions like BWP’s Plug-In Prius, offer a proof of concept. Auto manufactures have taken note and there are indications that their adoption of this technology will eventually take place.
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The Sprinter PHEV uses a parallel hybrid configuration and operates in two modes: all-electric and blended hybrid in conjunction with the 5-cylinder diesel engine. Estimated fuel and CO2 reduction range from 10% to 50%, based on operation. |
Environmental Considerations
Whereas virtually all electricity in the United States comes from domestic energy sources, in some areas such as Burbank, about half of that electricity is generated by coal-burning power generation plants. The energy costs to extract and transport the coal, as well as the environmental considerations associated with burning the coal, are all part of the overall cost of using plug-in technology. Of course, extracting, processing and transporting oil and gasoline also have huge environmental costs. Even so, experts estimate that overall PHEVs will emit about 40% fewer Greenhouse Gasses (GHG) than a similar vehicle powered only by gasoline.
A major benefit of PHEVs is that their widespread use promises to not only reduce consumption of non-renewable fossil fuels but also curtail atmospheric pollution and greenhouse gases. A 2004 climate-change study by the California Air Resources Board found that gas/electric hybrid vehicles produce 62% fewer greenhouse gases than conventional gasoline-powered vehicles. A study done by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) indicates that the nation could be completely energy self-reliant (meaning NO foreign oil imports) if everyone drove a PHEV!
These issues decrease in importance as the amount of renewable energy in the nation’s electricity mix increases. There is also the question of how used batteries will be recycled, and how much that recycling will cost on a per-vehicle basis once all transport, processing, and disposal costs are considered.
There are still some technical barriers must also be overcome before PHEVs are available at local car dealers. These include cost, battery size and performance, durability and safety.
Cost Effectiveness of PHEVs
According to the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), if PHEVs were manufactured in large numbers, the cost premium of a sedan similar to the Prius would be between $2,000 and $3,000 depending on the size and type of the battery.
The U.S. Department of Energy has determined that to be commercially viable, a hybrid technology vehicle must repay its extra upfront cost in the form of fuel savings within three years of the initial purchase. At 15,000 miles per year and $3.25 per gallon of gasoline, we estimate a typical commuter will save over $2,000 in fuel costs over three years. When gasoline prices rise, the fuel savings will accelerate as well, thus increasing the likelihood of PHEV commercial viability.
Safety Concerns
Any battery can be unsafe when mishandled or subjected to trauma such as physical blows, extremely high-temperatures or fire. Even though a vehicle is safe under normal conditions, a great deal of testing is required to determine its safety in a crash or fire.
We all use and take for granted the benefits of lithium-ion energy storage systems in our cell phones, notebook computers, consumer appliances and other devices. However, recent recalls by the US Consumer Protection Commission due to battery overheating and fires have brought to light the potential hazards of lithium-ion batteries.
BWP’s PHEV Prius uses Saphion® technology developed by Valence Technology Inc. They are a leader in the development and commercialization of safe large format lithium-ion rechargeable battery technology. You can visit their website for additional information and view a video demonstrating the safety of their battery technology at: www.valence.com/battsafe.asp
The Future of PHEVs
With existing oil reserves falling, the cost of extraction rising, and world oil demand still rising, gasoline prices are expected to continue their upward march. New alternative fuels, such as E-85 ethanol made from fermented corn, fuel cells, and hydrogen are being researched to fuel America’s cars, but these improvements in transportation are not likely to be cost effective until far into the future.
It’s difficult to predict what technology will be cost effective 20-30 years from now, but even the oil companies are beginning to admit that something needs to supplement the standard internal combustion engine soon. Battery chemistry is steadily improving and may eventually allow all electric vehicles to make a return. But charging BEVs will remain a concern for long distance travel. This may remain a barrier to wide adoption of all electric vehicles in spite of battery improvements. Certainly PHEV technology is in its infancy, but BWPs conversion proves these cars can be built today. So they seem to be the best near term solution.
As more and more vehicles hit the road with on-board electrical storage, the potential for PHEVs to also benefit the electric grid is enormous. Utilizing smart grid technology, PHEVs could be used to offset peak demands while at the same time help avoid rolling blackouts and improve system efficiency and load factor.
Wind generation is a cost effective renewable energy addition to many an electric utilities resource portfolio. However, integrating wind generation into the daily resource mix and dispatch is challenging due to the intermittent nature of the wind. Finding a complimentary resource to provide storage to “shape” wind energy remains very desirable.
By combining “smart grid” technology with PHEVs there is an opportunity to provide a resource that meets both the needs of peak reduction and the shaping of wind power. Nearly all the technology and components to accomplish these goals is available today. The key to using PHEVs in this manner is the development of well-defined standards and specifications to allow the use of PHEVs on any utility’s grid. There are significant challenges, but the economic and environmental benefits are too great to pass up.
To help envision PHEVs role with the smart grid, imagine the following example: Thousands of people arrive at work in the morning and they all plug-in their PHEVs to a smart grid outlet. Before the vehicles begin charging they communicate with the utility to determine if there is spare capacity in the system. If the power capacity is readily available, the vehicles begin charging their batteries immediately, otherwise they wait. At some point later in the day, the local utility experiences an emergency breakdown at the power plant. A signal is sent immediately back through the power line calling for any available battery energy to be sent BACK to the grid. This averts a blackout and life goes on as normal. When the generation resources are operational again and power readily available, the utility sends another signal to the PHEV to begin re-charging the battery. It may be an exceptionally hot day with air conditioning and other refrigeration straining the grid, in which case the PHEV will wait until after the peak before charging again.
This concept goes by the term “Vehicle to Grid” or V2G. The transactions for energy sales to the PHEV and out to the grid would be monitored by an advanced metering infrastructure and settled with a bill or credit at the end of the month depending on the net energy flow and time of use. Even if the PHEV were completely drained of its battery energy, when the employees leave for home, the car will still start and run normally because it has the advantage of the gasoline engine as its backup until the battery can be charged again for maximum efficiency.
In this way the utility may avoid power outages and expensive peak power purchases, and can even store energy when it’s plentiful and inexpensive. The PHEV battery pack is doubling its value by serving dual purposes, and the car owner and utility are both compensated fairly for any power flowing back and forth from the grid.
Get Involved!
If you’re convinced that PHEVs should be built and sold today, there are several ways you can help speed the adoption of PHEV technology:
- Join the Plug-In Partners organization. Start by visiting their web site www.pluginpartners.org. This grassroots organization offers many ways to help you get involved.
- An easy way to get involved is sign the on-line petition at: www.pluginpartners.com/whatYouCanDo/onlinePetition.cfm or visit BWP’s lobby to sign our paper copy. We’ll promise to send it to the Plug-In Partners who will then forward it directly to the major auto manufacturers.
- Write, email or call your representatives in Congress and the Senate expressing your support for PHEVs.
- Write, email or call your favorite auto manufacturer to tell them you won’t buy another vehicle unless it “plugs in.”
- Consider making a tax-deductible contribution to support CalCars' future efforts. This California-based non-profit organization was the first to promote the PHEV technology. They have supported four plug-in hybrid conversions, countless public and private displays, hundreds of presentations and meetings with decision-makers and influencers, promoted an open-source EAA-PHEV project, made trips with PHEVs to Washington DC, etc. www.calcars.org/sponsor.html
Please help us keep the momentum building!
Frequently Asked Questions
Are PHEVs available today?
There are no commercially available PHEVs today, but there are prototypes in operation. DaimlerChrysler has developed and is testing a plug-in Sprinter Van prototype with an all-electric range of 20 miles. There are also many conventional hybrids, from sedans to SUVs, that have been converted to plug-ins. Some are able to drive 60 miles in all-electric mode before starting the internal combustion engine or re-charging.
Does plug-in technology work?
Yes. This has been clearly demonstrated by several sedan and SUV conversions at the Hybrid Center at the University of California at Davis. A California non-profit, California Cars, modified a Prius by adding a 2.4 kWh lead-acid pack to prove that it could be done. Then, an R&D company, EnergyCS, replaced the standard 1.3 kWh battery pack with a 9 kWh battery pack. The larger battery pack was sufficient to provide half of the power needed to drive the first 60 miles each day. It’s like having a second small fuel tank, only you fill this one with electricity at an equivalent cost of about $1 per gallon, depending on your car and your electric rate. You refill at home, from an ordinary 120-volt socket, with energy that’s much cleaner and cheaper and not imported.
What is the problem then?
The cost of the batteries needed to power a PHEV a sufficient distance is considered to be the stumbling block. However, battery technology is advancing rapidly and cost is expected to decrease with mass manufacture.
What distance must a commercially produced PHEV be able to achieve on the battery alone?
According to EPRI, half the cars on U.S. roads are driven 25 miles a day or less. Consequently, a plug-in with a 25-mile all electric range could eliminate gasoline use in the daily commute of tens of millions of Americans. Furthermore, drivers of PHEVs would only need to fill up with fuel a few times a year, versus the current 24-36 times a year on average.
Won’t PHEVs just replace air pollution from automobiles with air pollution from power plants?
No. In almost every conceivable power generation mix plug-ins reduce greenhouse gases and other pollutants. Additionally, emissions would be concentrated in one location that is often away from critically-endangered air sheds. Also, it is less difficult to control emissions from a relatively few number of smokestacks rather than millions of vehicle tail pipes. And, efforts to clean up coal plants and other emissions will continue. In recent decades, many power plants have been modified to lower emissions while a number of older plants have been retired. This trend has resulted in a 25% decrease in emissions from U.S. power plants over the last 25 years. This trend is continuing so emissions will continue to get cleaner over time, meaning emissions generated from electric transportation will get cleaner over time. Furthermore, an increasing share of America’s electricity is being produced by zero emission sources - wind and solar. There is a synergy between increased use of PHEVs and expanded use of wind energy. Widespread use of PHEVs in an electric system makes it easier for that system to accept more wind energy. This is because most PHEVs will be charging at night, when demand for electricity is at its lowest, and wind energy production tends to be at its highest in many parts of the country. Also, PHEV batteries can act as storage for wind energy produced at off-peak times.
What about performance? Will PHEVs be slow?
No. A Toyota Prius, modified with a larger plug-in battery, has essentially the same accelerating power and speed capability of an unmodified hybrid.
How much more will a PHEV cost versus a comparably sized conventional hybrid?
EPRI estimates that, with mass production, the cost of a PHEV battery will add $2,000 to $3,000 to the cost of a conventional hybrid. EPRI studies project that after considering the lower costs of fuel and maintenance, a mass-produced PHEV should provide better overall economics than either a conventional hybrid or a conventional vehicle.
Suggested Links for more PHEV information
www.pluginpartners.org
pluginpartners.blogspot.com
www.energycs.com
www.calcars.org
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plug-in_hybrid
www.hybridconsortium.org
auto.howstuffworks.com/plug-in-hybrid-car.htm
www.google.org/recharge
Need More Information?
Please contact John Joyce at: JJoyce@ci.burbank.ca.us
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