Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle Research and Development
Several barriers are preventing widespread commercialization of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), including the following:
- Hybrid component mass, volume, cost, reliability, and safety
- Lack of domestic sources for batteries
- Consumer behavior and expectations
- Robust operation in range of environmental conditions.
Government and industry research and development efforts are aimed at overcoming these barriers. Because PHEVs require far more battery capacity than regular hybrid electric vehicles, battery technology is particularly critical. To make PHEVs more cost competitive, batteries must be cheaper, lighter, and longer lasting. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is supporting research and development on batteries as part of its Vehicle Technologies Program. Complementary research on power electronics includes motor controllers and current converters and inverters that condition electrical power from the battery for the electric motor.
Learn more about DOE's PHEV research and development activities by reading the following documents or visiting the national laboratory Web sites below. Some of the following documents are available as Adobe PDFs. Download Adobe Reader.
Related DOE Documents
- U.S. DOE Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle R&D Plan (PDF 2.2 MB)
- Plug-ins: The Future for Hybrid Electric Vehicles? (PDF 8.3 MB)
National Laboratory Links
DOE researchers are also seeking to carry the PHEV concept to the next level: vehicle-to-grid technologies that allow a two-way connection between PHEVs and the local utility grid. While the vehicle is plugged in and not in use, the utility could take advantage of the extra electrical storage capacity in the vehicle batteries to help meet peak electricity demand, provide grid support services, or respond to power outages. PHEV owners could get "paid" by the utility for use of their vehicles, which would only be used when needed and without negative effects on the vehicle battery's state of charge. A vehicle-to-grid system would provide several important benefits.