Power companies, GM, team in electric car research

The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) has announced a collaboration with General Motors and 34 North American power companies to speed the integration of electric cars into the grid.

By 2010, there are expected to be a handful of Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) available on the United States market, and for them to be properly deployed, a blueprint for an electric fuel infrastructure must be laid out.

This is what the EPRI, GM, and the power companies intend to develop. The collaboration seeks to smooth the transition of PHEVs into the market by setting up ground rules for charging vehicles, developing public policy, and educating the public on PHEVs as an alternative to petrolium-powered vehicles.

Concept vehicles like the Cheverolet Volt require only a 110-volt plug, the common household current, to charge its Lithium Ion battery. While it can run up to 40 miles at normal speed on a full charge, gas or ethanol are required to power the car on extended trips, where the battery is charged via the alternator like a traditional automobile.

The EPRI is a non-profit technology research group with members from over 90 percent of the domestic energy industry, and thus far the collaboration includes: Alabama Power, American Electric Power, Austin Energy, BC Hydro, CenterPoint Energy, Consolidated Edison of New York, Dominion, DTE Energy, Duke Energy, FirstEnergy Corp., Georgia Power, Great River Energy, Hydro-Québec, Manitoba Hydro, Nebraska Public Power District, New York Power Authority, Pacific Gas & Electric Company, Progress Energy, Public Service Electric & Gas Co., Sacramento Municipal Util. Dist., San Diego Gas & Electric, Southern California Edison Co. and Southern Company.

To encourage adoption of these vehicles, some of the participating power companies have already devised incentive schemes whereby PHEV buyers will receive a rebate check, although not a big one considering the higher expected costs of such vehicles. Austin Energy is providing $1,000, while Burbank, California is expected to offer a per-mile discount on electricity. Austin and Burbank are both members of the grassroots group Plug-in Partners.