REV delivers 1st of 4 battery-electric vehicles with V2G capability to TARDEC
08 December 2010
Canada-based Rapid Electric Vehicles, Inc., has delivered the first of what it calls “Ancillary Power Vehicles” (APVs)—batter-electric vehicles with a vehicle-to-grid (V2G) capability—to the US Army Tank Automotive Research Center (TARDEC) in Hawaii this week in partnership with Honeywell Aerospace. The vehicles will make use of REV’s bi-directional charging capabilities as part of TARDEC’s micro-grid demonstration.
The TARDEC order includes three REV 300ACXs and one REV 300AZX based on the Ford Escape and Ford F150 platforms, respectively. (Earlier post.) REV removes the internal combustion engine and related drive and fuel components from the OEM vehicles. There is no other re-engineering performed on the vehicle, with the original driving characteristics remaining intact.
The vehicles are propelled by a 125 kW permanent magnet AC motor and single speed eGearDrive system that deliver 300 N·m (221 ft. lbs) of torque to the wheels.
Range is up to 120 miles (200 km) combined city/highway. Charging is via either a regular 120 VAC source or from a 220 VAC source via a 7kW on board charger.
The APVs include REV’s proprietary energy storage system that allows vehicle operators to invert its stored electricity and power industrial equipment, buildings and homes.
In North America power outages cost the North American economies more than $100 billion dollars a year, due in part to the lack of energy storage, according to REV. Using wireless control, APV’s can be viewed online as an energy storage resource distributed throughout a region. With a signal from the utility, APV’s can charge energy from and discharge energy to the grid wherever the vehicle is plugged, to help prevent blackouts and increase the reliability of power grids in the utility’s local areas.
Launch partners for REV's technology launch partners include the City of Santa Monica (more than 25 APVs), the City of Surrey, City of Welland, Burlington Hydro and a major undisclosed power utility.
REV has additional launch partners in the construction, utility, military and municipal segments with expected orders of more than 200 APVs in 2011. Following these launch orders REV is preparing to scale production beyond 15,000 vehicles through 2014.
I'm certainly no expert on V2G but I enjoy reading the discussions about it. It seems most of the first reactions are that it is dumb since all you are doing is wearing out your battery by cycling it more. However, things are not necessarily as they appear at first glance. Something tells me V2G is a good idea....just not sure what tips the scales.
Posted by: GeorgeS | 08 December 2010 at 07:42 AM
I think what tips the scales is how deeply you charge/discharge the batteries. And if the idea is "to help prevent blackouts and increase the reliability of power grids in the utility’s local areas" they'll actually be avoiding deep discharging.
Posted by: ai_vin | 08 December 2010 at 11:09 AM
All homes with a natural gas supply should have cogeneration that can put energy on the grid when needed. Such units can be modulated to match the power consumption of the house except when energy is needed by the grid. Since the units are already running there is little start up time. Cogeneration is the fastest way and a cost saving way to reduce CO2 releases. ..HG..
Posted by: Henry Gibson | 09 December 2010 at 01:35 AM
HG - that may be so, but how does cogeneration help us to store (renewable) energy and reduce the use of sources which are not? I'm not bashing cogeneration, and I see your point that cogeneration addresses the issues this technology is supposed to help fix (power outages due to fluctuating and/or peak demand) according to the article. I think this concept is great! I would hope in the future that owners of such vehicles would be reimbursed for the extra "wear" on their batteries so that having such a vehicle could essentially pay for itself if used in an area where it is most needed. This would encourage people to purchase vehicles with this technology helping the grid and helping people to purchase a greener vehicle without government subsidies, rebates, etc.
Posted by: Trevor Carlson | 12 December 2010 at 07:55 PM
Hey folks, had to sign up and respond. I have followed this for years now, and haven't seen anyone mention this: Build an efficient EV w/trailer hitch or equivalent easy attach for a portable generator to extend the vehicle range. If you only take trips less than 1% of the time, why haul the ICE weight around for the other 99% of the time. The genset only has to support just more than the (20%) hp required for high speed cruise - especially if you allow for fuel and food stops etc. That genset is standard fair already, and can be used at home for emergency support. The 'trailer' would sit close to the vehicle trunk (on castor wheels?) so it doesn't add significantly to the air drag, or it could reside in the garage on a frame designed for easy attach to the vehicle when needed. Electric start and load sensing would be standard!
Posted by: william g irwin | 13 December 2010 at 04:36 AM
Advocate that idea, see if you get car makers interested.
Posted by: SJC | 14 December 2010 at 01:11 AM