19 May 2012
Saturday
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The price of gasoline has provided a market for the development of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) which use a fuel –driven engine and an electric motor. Their large and special battery for the motor can be recharged with household electricity. When driving, if the battery’s charge becomes depleted, the engine is used to either recharge the battery as the car moves or to be the main source of moving the car. Plugging stations around the community are needed to accommodate recharging. Operating costs are forecast to be substantially below gasoline-powered vehicles. “While many buyers of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) are thinking their contribution to national security lies in saving oil, ‘a major benefit of electric vehicles, say many, is that they bring a new level of stability and control to the grid – including giving power back to the grid when it’s needed most (in blackouts or at times of peak demand),” notes RMI Analyst Mike Simpson ‘By some estimates, a battery electric vehicle, with about 40 kilowatt-hours of usable energy, could power an entire residential block for more than an hour if necessary.’” (source - http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/10/plugin-hybrids-grid-smart-garage.php) |
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