EnergyCS (EDrive Systems) PHEV FAQ:
This depends on who is doing the conversion and what type of a conversion is being done. Currently PHEV conversions are expensive because they are built and assembled on an order by order basis. Depending on volume, a commercial conversion could range from $7,000 to $20,000. A research vehicle is typically double that.
A manufactured PHEV would be much cheaper. During conversion, a labour intensive process requiring one or two days for a trained installer, essentially the same component list that is removed is then reinstalled (mostly better batteries, cables, and some small parts). A battery charger and a plug are also installed. The process would benefit greatly from mass assembly line production.
Typical ordinary hydrogen fuel cell vehicles currently cost in the neighbourhood of $1 million (US) each, compared to battery electric vehicles (with ordinary automobile performance) in the neighbourhood of $45,000 (US) each, or to the exotic high speed battery electric Tesla roadster currently retailing for $100,000 (US). The Tesla is faster than several more expensive exotic gasoline cars it competes against and has gained a marketplace niche. While hydrogen and battery technologies are both manufactured in very low volumes, mass production has more potential to bring down the lower cost of the battery drivetrain to a reasonable value.
Using a standard 120 V plug, about 6 to 8 hours overnight for a full charge. Charging time will vary depending on the size and type of the battery, the distance traveled, and on the charger. Some newer batteries just beginning to reach the market can be recharged in 1 to 15 minutes, potentially making charging stations that are similar to gasoline stations possible. The most convenient way to charge an electric car battery is overnight where possible, because no special trip or waiting is involved.
A common mistake made in estimating the charging requirements of pure electric automobiles is to assume that the batteries need a full charge every night. Frequently, they only need a partial charge, even after a long drive. The amount of charging required for overnight depends on the amount of charge left in the battery at the end of the day and the amount of driving expected the next day. After a long drive, the charge can usually be topped up over several nights. Rewiring of a household circuit to higher capacity to accommodate faster charging is generally unnecessary unless there is a specific need for it. PHEVs generally do not have this issue because the battery packs are smaller.
Even in the case where you forget to plug a PHEV in, the gasoline engine will simply take over when the battery is depleted. Some people call them "gasoline optional" vehicles.
Battery packs are currently expected to last 10 to 15 years. The average Canadian replaces their car every 11 years. Some newer batteries under development are expected to last 15,000 full charge-discharge cycles, or about 20 to 40 years. Clearly, newer batteries have greatly superior performance to the old fashioned lead-acid batteries that the average driver still uses in an ordinary car.
In comparison, the average hydrogen fuel cell life in a vehicle is 2 1/2 years.
Again, much better than the old fashioned lead-acid batteries that the average driver still uses in an ordinary car. Some of the newer batteries offer room temperature performance at –20 C. Some batteries just being made ready for introduction to the market can perform almost as well at –30 C. Even at –40 C, newer battery technologies should provide acceptable performance, much better than what the average driver is used to.
They are lower cost. You get what you pay for.
A PHEV represents a practical method of reducing vehicle emissions in Manitoba by substituting fossil fuels with renewable hydro electricity, using technology that is available today. Electricity is much lower cost than gasoline as a vehicle fuel. Even expensive solar generated electricity is slightly cheaper than gasoline. The difficulty today, is producing batteries and vehicles at a volume great enough to keep the production cost lower than the fuel savings. Several studies indicate this is possible with wider adoption of the technology.
While batteries are 100% emission free, PHEV currently is not a purist 100% clean technology because it still consumes some gasoline. However, the cumulative effect of introducing a partially clean technology that is achievable now and can be adopted quickly, can be massive. For example, the average North American household with 2 cars emits about 40 Tonnes of carbon into the atmosphere each year, while the average car emits about 10 Tonnes of that carbon. If that car were to be replaced with a PHEV-30, with 30 mile (50 km) range operating on renewable hydroelectricity, it would eliminate half the emissions, not of the average car, but of a high efficiency hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) version of the average car. This amounts to a reduction of 6.5 Tonnes; or 13 Tonnes if both cars are replaced. Rapid adoption of PHEV technology will likely spur rapid developments in battery technology that will eventually lead to 100% clean vehicle power.
The cabin heating system in a PHEV can be from any of several diverse options, including waste heat from the engine, electric resistance heating, a direct liquid fuel powered heater (such as found on old Volkswagen Beetles), or various thermal storage devices that are powered when the vehicle is plugged in at rest (such as solid-liquid phase change materials), or even supplemented from a simple plug-in interior heater (that only needs to operate after the battery is finished charging). If a liquid fuel is used, it can be biomass instead of petroleum based. The cabin heating requirement can also be reduced through better cabin insulation. Ironically, it is the high efficiency of a battery powered electric drive system that creates the problem with cabin heating because there is not as much "free" waste heat available as there is with a conventional automobile.
The cabin heating system in the Manitoba Hydro PHEV is identical to that of the stock Toyota Prius it is based on, a heater core run off waste heat from the internal combustion engine cooling system fluid (the same type of system as found on any ordinary automobile) in combination with the better cabin insulation of the stock Prius (than found on ordinary automobiles). The Prius relies somewhat on the mass of the engine as a thermal storage reservoir so the engine does not need to run continuously. While it is good practice to use waste heat from the engine while it is running, it is not ideal to heat the cabin of a PHEV from the internal combustion engine while it is operating in pure electric mode off of the battery charge. In a later stage of this project Manitoba Hydro would like to implement an alternative cabin heating system (and better insulation), but for the time being it is not a major concern. It is generally good research practice not to alter too many systems on a project at one time in order to keep the inevitable problems to a minimum.
The air conditioning system of the Manitoba Hydro (and of the stock) Prius is 100% electric and can even be operated at rest with the engine turned off.
Have questions or need more information? Please contact:
Ed Innes
Technology Options Specialist
Emerging Energy Systems
Power Planning & Development Division
Phone: (204) 474-3246
Email: jeinnes@hydro.mb.ca
