Toyota and French utility firm EDF are forming a technology partnership to evaluate plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHV) in Europe, including the use of public charging stations. Road trials will begin this autumn.
The objective is to develop practical solutions for the commercialisation of Toyota’s prototype vehicle technology, which can reduce the environmental impact of vehicles especially in urban areas.
Under the agreement, a small number of PHVs will be integrated into EDF's fleet and tested on public roads in France under everyday driving conditions. Road trials of the PHV will commence in France in the autumn and may be expanded to other European countries in the future. The vehicles use Toyota’s hybrid technology but with the added benefit that their batteries can be recharged using a standard electrical plug.
Toyota’s PHV technology combines a petrol engine with an electric motor and a battery which can be charged in two ways: either whilst the vehicle is driving and by recovering energy otherwise lost during braking, or by connecting the vehicle to an electric supply source at home, work or at a public charging station.
For short journeys, a PHV would rely more on electric power, offering significant reductions in CO2 emissions through reduced consumption of fossil fuels. For longer distances, it would switch to a combined electric/gasoline mode.
EDF and Toyota have also developed an innovative charging and invoicing system, installed in each of the test vehicles. This system is compatible with a new generation of public charging stations, which aim to make electric power more accessible on public roads and car parks and to reduce the cost to the customer.
