French-owned utilities group EDF
and Toyota have announced a technology partnership to evaluate plug-in
hybrid vehicles (PHV) in Europe. The objective is to develop practical
solutions to commercialise Toyota’s prototype vehicle technology.
Under the joint agreement, a small number of PHVs will be integrated into
EDF's fleet and will be tested on public roads in France under everyday
driving conditions. Road trials of the PHV will start in the autumn and
may be expanded to other European countries in the future. The vehicles
use Toyota’s hybrid technology but with the added benefit that batteries
can be recharged using a standard electrical plug.
Toyota’s PHV technology combines a gasoline engine with an electric
motor and a battery which can be charged in two ways: either while the
vehicle is driving and by recovering energy otherwise lost during braking,
or by connecting the vehicle to an electric supply source at home, work
or at a public charging station.
For short journeys, a PHV would rely more on electric power, offering
significant reductions in CO2 emissions through reduced consumption of
fossil fuels. For longer distances, it would switch to a combined electric/gasoline
mode.
EDF and Toyota have also developed a charging and invoicing system which
will be installed in each of the test vehicles. This system is compatible
with a new generation of public charging stations, which aim to make electric
power more accessible on public roads and car parks and to reduce the
cost to the customer.
Pierre Gadonneix, president and CEO of EDF, said: “This innovation
is a promising move towards acceptance of electricity as a competitive
and ecologically-viable source of energy for European motorists. It strives
to reconcile the challenges of individual mobility, economic growth and
environmental impacts.”
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