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GM will Collaborate with EPRI to Accelerate the Introduction of Plug-in Electric Vehicles

General Motors announced that it will collaborate with the nonprofit Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) – more than 30 of the top electric utilities in the United States and Canada -- to accelerate the introduction of plug-in electric vehicles.

General Motors will work with EPRI and the utility companies on everything from codes and standards to grid capability to ensure that when the Volt goes to market, the infrastructure is ready – and customers can realize the full potential of these revolutionary vehicles as soon as they leave the showroom.

Details of the alliance, which is by far the largest and most-comprehensive between an automaker and the electric utility industry, were announced today in San Jose during the Plug-In 2008 Conference.

Among the many things the coalition will address include ensuring safe and convenient vehicle charging, raising the public awareness and understanding of plug-in electric vehicles, and working with public policy leaders to enable a transition from petroleum to electricity as a fuel source.

“Together with EPRI and the utility companies, we can transform automotive transportation as we know it, and get our nation and the world past oil dependence – and heading toward a future that is electric,” said Jon Lauckner, GM VP of Global Program Management. “This group is taking significant steps toward making electric vehicles a reality and in helping our customers enjoy the tremendous benefits these vehicles will provide.”

Using electricity to power vehicles such as the Volt and the Vue Plug-in is attractive to GM because it can simultaneously reduce the industry’s dependence on petroleum and vehicle greenhouse gas emissions. Consumers will also see a tremendous benefit as the cost per equivalent mile of a vehicle powered by electricity is roughly one-fifth of the cost per mile when powered by gasoline.

The coalition of utility companies plays a critical role in developing universal technical standards that will facilitate ease of use and commercial feasibility of electric vehicles.

“EPRI is pleased to collaborate with GM and utility leaders in electric transportation to work together in advancing plug-in hybrid electric vehicle transportation,” said Arshad Mansoor, Vice President of EPRI’s Power Delivery & Utilization sector. “This collaboration is critical in the development of standards that will lead to the widespread use of electricity as a transportation fuel.”

Last month, GM, along with EPRI, received a conditional award from the U.S. Department of Energy to create a plug-in demo program using the Saturn Vue.

In June, GM’s Board of Directors committed to production of the Chevrolet Volt extended-range electric vehicle — due in showrooms in late 2010. And, at the 2008 North American International Auto Show, GM announced its intention to produce a plug-in hybrid electric version of the Saturn Vue. Given the huge potential vehicles such as the Chevrolet Volt and Saturn Vue plug-in hybrid offers for fuel economy improvement, these programs have emerged as top priorities at GM.

“This coalition shares a vision of bringing plug in vehicles to market so we can accelerate the use of electricity as a substitute for gasoline,” said Lauckner. “We are focused on creating affordable, highly desired vehicles that will take advantage of the grid – and providing accessible, reliable, convenient low cost electricity to plug-in customers. Collectively, we can realize all of the benefits of the plug-in revolution.”

About Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle
A plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) is a hybrid vehicle with batteries that can be recharged by connecting a plug to an electric power source. It shares the characteristics of both conventional hybrid electric vehicles and battery electric vehicles, having an internal combustion engine and batteries for power. Most PHEVs on the road today are passenger cars, but there are also PHEV versions of commercial passenger vans, utility trucks, school buses, motorcycles, scooters, and military vehicles. PHEVs are sometimes called grid-connected hybrids, gas-optional hybrids, or GO-HEVs.

The cost for electricity to power plug-in hybrids for all-electric operation in California has been estimated at less than one quarter of the cost of gasoline. Compared to conventional vehicles, PHEVs can reduce air pollution and dependence on petroleum, and lessen greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global warming. Plug-in hybrids use no fossil fuel during their all-electric range if their batteries are charged from nuclear or renewable energy sources. Other benefits include improved national energy security, fewer fill-ups at the filling station, the convenience of home recharging, opportunities to provide emergency backup power in the home, and vehicle to grid applications.

As of July 2008, plug-in hybrid passenger vehicles are not yet in production. However, Toyota, General Motors, Ford, Chinese automaker BYD Auto,[6] California startups Fisker Automotive and Aptera Motors, and Volkswagen have announced their intention to introduce production PHEV automobiles. The PHEV-60 BYD F6DM sedan and F3DM hatchback are expected in 2009; the luxury Fisker Karma PHEV-50 sports car is slated for late 2009; and the Toyota Prius, GM's PHEV-40 Chevrolet Volt and Saturn Vue and the Volkswagen Golf PHEV50km plug-ins are expected in 2010. Conversion kits and services are available to convert production model hybrid vehicles to plug-ins. Most PHEVs on the road in the U.S. are conversions of 2004 or later Toyota Prius models, which have had plug-in charging added and their electric-only range extended.

About Electric Power Research Institute
The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) conducts research on issues of interest to the electric power industry in the USA. EPRI is an independent, nonprofit organization funded by the electric utility industry. Although EPRI is primarily a US organization, they have international participation. Their area of interest covers most aspects of electric power generation, delivery and use.

EPRI is in the Advisory Council of the PHEV Research Center.

Following Senate hearings in the early 1970s on the lack of R&D supporting the power industry, all sectors of the U.S. electricity industry—public, private, and cooperative—voluntarily pooled their funds to begin one of the first and most successful industry-wide collaborative R&D programs in the world. EPRI was formally established in 1973 as the Electric Power Research Institute. It was created as an independent, nonprofit organization designed to manage a broad public-private collaborative research program on behalf of the electric utility industry, the industry’s customers, and society at large. Underlying EPRI’s creation was recognition of the profound and beneficial impact of electricity on modern life.

EPRI’s R&D program is spans virtually every aspect of generation, environmental protection, power delivery, retail use, and power markets. Today, EPRI provides solutions and services to more than 1000 energy-related organizations in 40 countries.

EPRI has more than 900 patents to its credit.

EPRI laid the groundwork in the 1970s for the use of power electronics in the utility system, sometimes known as FACTS (Flexible AC Transmission Systems).

EPRI established the largest electric and magnetic fields health program in the world and played a pivotal role in resolving scientific questions concerning potential links to cancer.

EPRI funded the development of the world’s most efficient washing machine (Maytag’s Neptune), which reduces water and sewage use by 40%, energy use by 65%, and drying time by 30% of that for conventional washers.

EPRI created the world’s largest center for nondestructive testing, used first for nuclear inspection and now increasingly for internal diagnostics of fossil power plants and industrial systems.