PALO ALTO, California — It appears that Southern California won't be the only test ground for working Ford's plug-in hybrid electric vehicles into the electric grid system. The Dearborn automaker on Thursday said it was linking with the Electric Power Research Institute to test plug-in hybrids on the East Coast.
The institute will "form a collaborative of utilities in the New York-New Jersey area that will test Ford Escape PHEVs," Ford said in a statement. "Subsequent trials will be conducted with customers of the participating utilities." The automaker said it was intent on determining "regional differences in how the operation of PHEVs will impact the electric grid system."
Ford currently is working with Southern California Edison to make plug-in hybrid electric vehicles a reality for drivers in the future. The new three-year agreement with the Electric Power Research Institute is designed "to develop and evaluate technical approaches for integrating plug-in hybrid electric vehicles into the nation's electric grid system."
Ford noted that it has built 20 Escape plug-in hybrid electric vehicles for testing in the Los Angeles area under its partnership with Southern California Edison. It did not specify how many vehicles it plans to use on the East Coast, saying only that with the new agreement it is "able to expand the evaluation and demonstration program to include other utilities."
What this means to you: Ford expands its study of plug-in hybrids on the grid in the race to get such vehicles into your hands. — Anita Lienert, Correspondent
The institute will "form a collaborative of utilities in the New York-New Jersey area that will test Ford Escape PHEVs," Ford said in a statement. "Subsequent trials will be conducted with customers of the participating utilities." The automaker said it was intent on determining "regional differences in how the operation of PHEVs will impact the electric grid system."
Ford currently is working with Southern California Edison to make plug-in hybrid electric vehicles a reality for drivers in the future. The new three-year agreement with the Electric Power Research Institute is designed "to develop and evaluate technical approaches for integrating plug-in hybrid electric vehicles into the nation's electric grid system."
Ford noted that it has built 20 Escape plug-in hybrid electric vehicles for testing in the Los Angeles area under its partnership with Southern California Edison. It did not specify how many vehicles it plans to use on the East Coast, saying only that with the new agreement it is "able to expand the evaluation and demonstration program to include other utilities."
What this means to you: Ford expands its study of plug-in hybrids on the grid in the race to get such vehicles into your hands. — Anita Lienert, Correspondent
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