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Toyota's plug-in hybrid Prius gets pictured, detailed further
The future, kids -- we're living in it. Sensationalism aside, we are pretty jazzed to hear that Toyota's long-awaited, much-teased plug-in Prius hybrid will be making its bona fide debut to the public next week. The image above is expected to be near-final, though we're reserving judgment until we see if the actual model on stage is plastered with 80s era stick-on graphics. Of note, the Hybrid Synergy Drive system has been upgraded for this whip, enabling it to slowly rocket from 0 to 62 without using a drop of gasoline. Once there, it can cruise for up to 12.5 miles in electric mode, and should you need to juice it back up, it'll take 1.5 hours when charged from a 230V source. Further details are expected to flow as Frankfurt heats up, though the whole "not shipping to retail until 2012" kind of puts a damper on our excitement.
PNNL researchers develop standard smart charger for plug-in vehicles
Developing a charger for a plug-in electric vehicle is hardly anything new, but the folks at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (or PNNL, for those in the know) have some considerably grander plans for their new Smart Charger Controller, which they say could one day serve as a standard charger for all sorts of electric vehicles. The key bit, it seems, is that each controller would be wirelessly linked to the local electric utility, which would feed the controller power prices and other information in order to let it charge during non-peak hours -- saving owners about $150 a year in energy costs as a result. It would apparently even be able to sense "stress conditions" and shut down before the grid gets overloaded. Of course, all of this depends on both the automakers and electric utilities getting on board, which could be quite a tall order, especially with another standardized EV plug seemingly already on the fast track.
Hyundai BLUE-WILL plug-in hybrid concept debuts in Seoul
Hyundai recently broke a few molds with its dolphin-inspired cellphone, and it now looks to be doing the same with its latest plug-in hybrid concept, which is set to make its public debut at the Seoul Motor Show next week. Of course, Hyundai isn't just letting the car, dubbed the BLUE-WILL, get by on those eye-catching lines alone, with it also cramming a direct-inject 1.6-liter gas engine with a CVT transmission and a 100kw electric motor under the hood, and taking a number of other measures to make the vehicle even more eco-minded. That includes some solar cells on the panoramic roof, which you can still see through, and some eco-friendly plastics throughout, including headlamp bezels made from recycled plastic bottles, and other plastics derived from plant extracts. No word about it actually going into production, of course, but you can get a bit of a closer look by hitting up the link below.
Piaggio debuts 141MPG plug-in "MP3 Hybrid" scooter
The NYPD may have ditched a few of their Piaggio scooters in favor of some all-electric Vectrix models a little while back, but it looks like the Italian company may be about to get back in their favor, as it has just unveiled its new MP3 Hybrid plug-in scooter that promises to get an impressive 141MPG. Apparently, the three-wheeled scooter can operate in either a full-electric mode, or one of three hybrid modes, which brings the 125 cc gasoline engine into the picture to let you do zero to sixty about five seconds. As with some other PHEVs, the scooter also makes use of regenerative breaking to help recharge the batteries, which can apparently be fully topped off in as little as three hours when plugged in at home. No word on a price just yet, but Piaggo says it "could" be on the market as soon as next year.
Electric utilities set to test smart charging system with plug-in Priuses
We heard a few months ago that some fleets of plug-in Priuses were set to go into testing in early 2009, and it looks like some of those plans are now starting to get a bit clearer, with two southeastern electric utility companies recently announcing that they plan to use the PHEVs to evaluate a new smart charging system. Apparently, Duke Energy Carolinas and Progress Energy are particularly interested in testing how billing and energy usage will be tracked when a vehicle subscribed to one company charges on another network, and also how they'll be able to ensure that folks who feed energy back onto the grid get properly credited. To that end, all the Priuses in the test will be equipped with a V2Green connectivity module, which allows for two-way communication between the vehicles and the grid and promises to let utility companies minimize grid stress. No word on an exact start date for the fleet roll-out just yet, so anyone in the area had best keep an eye out -- you never know when they might just silently sneak up on you when you least expect it.[Via AutoblogGreen]
Ford delivers first of 20 plug-in hybrids in California
Sure, plug-in hybrid tech has been around for a while, but no major manufacturer has stepped up and actually delivered on all the concepts and vague plans we've seen so far -- until yesterday, when Ford delivered the first of 20 plug-in hybrid Escapes to Southern California Edison to begin testing. The handoff, which happened with great fanfare at the EVS23 conference, is the start of a two-year pilot program between Ford and Edison that will eventually have consumers testing the vehicles. For now, the first off the line is being dubbed a "research vehicle," and features a 30-mile electric-only range on a full battery charge. When the battery is depleted, the system switches over to a traditional gas / electric hybrid scheme, which, under ideal conditions, can apparently achieve up to 120mpg. There's a full gallery of the unveiling and the interior over at AutoBlog Green, hit the read link for some eco-friendly love.
GM set to announce plug-in hybrid vehicle
GM looks to be dipping its toes back into EV1 territory, with Reuters reporting that the still-number-one automaker is set to unveil a prototype plug-in hybrid vehicle at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit this January. For its part, however, GM is keeping any details on the vehicle under wraps, no doubt content to let the inevitable hype machine run its natural course. The mystery ride would be the first plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) from a major auto manufacturer, filling in the middle ground between the infamously-defunct all-electric car and the current enviro-friendly vehicles of choice: hybrids. Unlike a Prius or other hybrid, a PHEV can recharge its batteries from a regular household outlet -- yet unlike the EV1, it can fall back on a diesel or gasoline engine when the batts run dry. Those looking for fix in the shorter term, however, can of course already upgrade their hybrid to the plug-in variety, albeit for a hefty price.[Via Autoblog Green]
