EPRI, Argonne
to assess commercial viability of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles
Analysis to detail advantages, challenges to mass production
ARGONNE, Ill. (Nov. 27, 2006) — The Electric
Power Research Institute (EPRI) and Argonne National Laboratory, two of the nation's premier research
organizations, announced today a three-year collaborative agreement to conduct
detailed analysis of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) aimed at assessing
the commercial feasibility of this technology for the U.S. Department of Energy.
The EPRI and Argonne analysis will evaluate PHEVs, hybrids and conventional
vehicles, assessing them from environmental, cost, design and marketing perspectives.
The engineering and technical studies will be conducted at the two organization's
respective research facilities in Palo Alto, Calif., and Argonne, Ill.,
and will involve the participation of some of the world's leading transportation
experts.
The objective of the multi-year research project is to provide a balanced
and authoritative study of both the advantages of and the challenges to the
design and commercial production of PHEVs. An assessment of potential social
benefits of PHEVs, including reductions in imported petroleum-based fuels,
enhancement of American energy security and air quality improvement, will be
key components of the study.
The research project, which is funded by the Department of Energy's Office
of FreedomCAR
and Vehicle Technologies, is the latest in ongoing formative
research that began in 2001 with the EPRI study, “Comparing the Benefits and
Impacts of Hybrid Electric Vehicle Options,” and the Argonne study “Hybrid
Electric Vehicle Technology Assessment.” The new project will look carefully
at the effect of PHEVs on the nation's economy, and their viability from an
industrial and manufacturing perspective.
About the Electric Power Research Institute
The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), with major locations in Palo
Alto, California, and Charlotte, North Carolina, was established in 1973
as an independent, nonprofit center for public interest energy and environmental
research. EPRI brings together members, participants, the Institute's scientists
and engineers, and other leading experts to work collaboratively on solutions
to the challenges of electric power. These solutions span nearly every area
of electricity generation, delivery, and use, including health, safety, and
environment. EPRI's members represent over 90 percent of the electricity generated
in the United States. International participation represents nearly 15 percent
of EPRI's total research, development, and demonstration program.
About Argonne National Laboratory
Argonne National Laboratory, the nation's first national laboratory, is one of
the U.S. Department of Energy's largest testing and evaluating research facilities.
As such, Argonne has been designated by the Department of Energy's Office of
FreedomCAR and Vehicle Technologies as the lead national laboratory for the simulation,
validation, and laboratory evaluation of Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles and
the advanced technologies required for these vehicles. Research at Argonne falls
into a wide spectrum of disciplines including, but not limited to, Advanced
Vehicle Technology where engineers work closely with the transportation
industry to improve processes and products, evaluate markets, and provide cost-effective
transportation solutions; Energy Resource programs help ensure a reliable
supply of efficient and clean energy for the future; Environmental Management includes
work on managing and solving the nation's environmental problems and promoting
environmental stewardship; and Scientific Facilities, such as the Advanced
Photon Source, help advance America's scientific leadership and prepare the nation
for the future. Argonne is managed by the University
of Chicago Argonne, LLC for the U.S. Department
of Energy's Office of Science.
For more information, please contact
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