EDF Energy and Toyota have been working together to road trial the UK’s first Plug-in Hybrid Vehicle (PHV). The results of the year-long PHV trials are expected to play a key role in the development of Toyota’s hybrid technology.
Although the European trials of the PHV were launched on French roads in September 2007, this UK partnership is designed to evaluate vehicle performance within an urban environment, its vehicle infrastructure requirements, and UK driver behaviours and expectations.
Electric power is also to become more accessible on UK roads as the partnership will also introduce an innovative charging and invoicing system for the PHV. The systems will be compatible with a new generation of public charging stations.
EDF Energy has helped to install the first of 40 charging posts in the UK, with plans to help install more in the coming months.
PHV batteries are to be fully rechargeable using a standard electrical plug or electrical charging post. For short distances, PHV can be driven as an electric vehicle, resulting in a silent, zero emissions drive. For longer distances, PHV works as a conventional hybrid vehicle.
Rt Hon John Hutton MP, UK Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory
Reform, speaking at a Toyota - EDF Energy event in London earlier this week, said: “I welcome the launch of this trial here in the UK. I am pleased to see industry pulling together to work on diversifying energy use and cutting global carbon emissions. We hope that this trial will provide an invaluable insight into the future development of UK electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles. This, combined with the demonstration project announced by the Prime Minister, will lead us one step closer to making our ambition of becoming the number one location for low carbon vehicles a reality.”
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Date Published: September 11, 2008
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