The California Energy Commission and California Department of General Services funded the Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle Retrofit Demonstration Project to demonstrate the relationship between plug-in hybrid electric vehicle performance and the way those vehicles are operated. In December of 2009, fifty standard 2009 Toyota Priuses were converted to plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, and data on their performance in a variety of agencies, locations and operator habits was recorded by the Federal Department of Energy’s Idaho National Laboratory. These results demonstrated a strong connection between vehicle operator habits and vehicle performance, showing average or better performance in vehicles operated by drivers that were more consistently vigilant about charging and driving speed, and worse performance in vehicles operated by higher speed drivers with worse battery charging habits, largely due to the additional weight of the new plug-in hybrid electric battery. Analysis of the data accrued from the project demonstrates that it is vital to monitor and provide drivers with feedback about their driving and charging habits, even though those habits may be difficult to change. However, pending future developments in plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, these problems may be resolved on their own.
Author(s)
Rick Shedd, Gary Fujii, Katrina Valentine, Phil Guenther, John Musser
