DOE AVTA Completes 1M Miles of Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle Testing
19 November 2009
| PHEVs and demonstration locations. Source: INL. Click to enlarge. |
The US Department of Energy (DOE), through its Advanced Vehicle Testing Activity (AVTA) at Idaho National Laboratory (INL), has completed 1 million miles of plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) testing.
The AVTA’s testing of PHEVs demonstrates PHEV concepts in real-world usage by using fleet and public drivers. The 1 million test miles and more than 26,000 charging events have been accumulated in on-road operations across the United States and Canada. More than 215 PHEVs, representing 12 different PHEV models—mostly conversions—have made up the PHEV test fleet to date.
| PHEV Models Under AVTA Testing | |
|---|---|
| Model | Battery |
| Hymotion Prius | A123Systems |
| Hymotion Escape | A123Systems |
| Ford E85 Escape | Johnson Controls/Saft |
| EnergyCS Prius | Valence |
| EnergyCS Prius | Altair Nano |
| Electrovaya Escape | Electrovaya |
| Hybrids Plus Escape | Hybrids Plus |
| Hybrids Plus Escape | K2 Energy Solutions |
| Hybrids Plus Prius | Hybrids Plus |
| Manzanita Prius | Lead acid |
| Hybrids Plus Prius | Thunder Sky |
| Renault Kangoo | Saft NiCad |
| All batteries are Li-ion unless otherwise noted. | |
The PHEV testing benchmarks vehicle performance by quantifying energy consumption, both in terms of gasoline and electricity, in a wide variety of operating conditions in 23 states and Canada. The testing also demonstrates how environmental conditions, such as air temperature and human behavior, influence the performance of PHEV technologies. By evaluating how the vehicles are driven and how they are charged, the AVTA is able to demonstrate vehicle energy consumption results and potential electric grid impacts.
In a recent talk on AVTA for Oregon EV planners, Jim Francfort from INL made the following macro observations from the testing results so far:
Driver behavior, charging frequency, and environmental conditions have significant impacts on electric drive vehicles’ 80-85% energy efficiencies and mpg results.
PHEV drive patterns suggest shorter distances per day driving patterns than previously documented.
PHEV operations often occur with minimal pre-trip charge events – “they run even if not plugged in”.
Non-charging energy use (hotel loads) may be significant.
INL is also a principle participant with eTec and Nissan in coming deployment of deployment of 4,700 battery-electric Nissan Leaf vehicles in 5 greater metropolitan statistical areas. (Earlier post.) The eTec/Nissan project will document more than 70 million miles of electric drive vehicle operations and more than 1.8 million charging events.
AVTA shares its testing results with industry and government research and development groups to aid in technology development and target setting. Information is also made publicly available via presentations and the AVTA Web site to help fleet managers and private consumers make knowledgeable decisions when acquiring advanced technology vehicles.
The AVTA’s PHEV testing effort involves more than 75 testing partners, including electric utilities; city, county, state, federal and provincial governments; universities and colleges; clean air agencies; private companies and other organizations.
As part of the AVTA, INL also collaborates with testing partner Argonne National Laboratory, which performs laboratory dynamometer testing of each PHEV model tested on the road. This testing partnership provides an important link between standard laboratory test results and real-world performance. In addition to Argonne, INL also collaborates with other DOE laboratories by sharing PHEV data analysis and reporting.
The AVTA is conducted by Idaho National Laboratory and the Electric Transportation Engineering Corporation (eTec) for DOE’s Vehicle Technologies Program. The AVTA also tests other electric drive vehicles such as hybrid electric vehicles and neighborhood electric vehicles.
Resources
AVTA PHEV testing
Jim Francfort, INL. Oregon E.V. Road Map - Electric Drive Vehicle (PHEVs) Testing Activities and Results (Nov 2009)
4,700 Nissan Leafs ?
WTF?
Do they need to find out if they consume electricity when they are plugged in ?
Does the power consumed change if they have been driven and the batteries are low?
Don't we already know this?
Do we know when BEVs will start to sell? No.
Do we know how many BEVs will be sold in 2013? No.
So this study will tell us -
NOTHING.
Posted by: ToppaTom | 19 November 2009 at 04:59 PM
Tom, you are right.
This has no relavance to us, it could only be relevent to those who live in "real-world usage" Except for thes bits that is.
results so far:
1; Driver behavior, charging frequency, and environmental conditions have significant impacts on electric drive vehicles’ 80-85% energy efficiencies and mpg results.
2; PHEV drive patterns suggest shorter distances per day driving patterns than previously documented.
3; PHEV operations often occur with minimal pre-trip charge events – “they run even if not plugged in”.
4; Non-charging energy use (hotel loads) may be significant.
"The AVTA’s testing of PHEVs demonstrates PHEV concepts **in real-world usage** by using fleet and public drivers. The 1 million test miles and more than 26,000 charging events have been accumulated in on-road operations across the United States and Canada. More than 215 PHEVs, representing 12 different PHEV models—mostly conversions—have made up the PHEV test fleet to date."
"4,700 battery-electric Nissan Leaf vehicles in 5 greater metropolitan statistical areas. (Earlier post.) The eTec/Nissan project will document more than 70 million miles of electric drive vehicle operations and more than 1.8 million charging events."
Arn
Posted by: arnold | 19 November 2009 at 07:18 PM
Yes, I am right.
This data is not even close to real world - they use mostly conversions, we have no mass production real world cars and no real world charging stations, etc - how gullible can you be?
1; Driver behavior, charging frequency, and environmental conditions impact on EV energy efficiencies and mpg results for NON real world one-off EVs - WORTH? Nothing.
2; PHEV drive patterns suggest shorter distances per day driving patterns than previously documented - WORTH? Nothing, worst case is still longer trips.
3; PHEV operations often occur with minimal pre-trip charge events – “they run even if not plugged in”.- They do? Really? We knew that - WORTH? nothing
4; Non-charging energy use (hotel loads) may be significant. Or may not - WORTH? Nothing
What did this cost? You cannot possibly value this BS anywhere nearly high enough so that ROI would be anything but outrageously low - no matter what.
Posted by: ToppaTom | 19 November 2009 at 08:06 PM
The only thing you missed was the worth of your analysis.
You seriously think that these investigative comparisons including unhindered data logging for 10 months and accelerated vehicle resting - yes running the model,yes dyno testing, test circuit loops, laboratory battery testing and comparison and other 3/4 million mile fleet tests etc etc are worthless.
This is exactly the sort of information any serious investigation needs.
How gullible do you think I am?
Hint: maybe you should take a tablet.
Posted by: arnold | 20 November 2009 at 02:52 AM
INL provide Freaking gigabytes of PDF's and you've read all this in what a few hours?.
The Department of energy's test program PDF supplies extensive graphs that will take hours to read but you can make such an insightful comment as "worthless" in a moment.
Yeah right!
Posted by: arnold | 20 November 2009 at 02:59 AM
Why would anyone want or NEED to read anything more than the intent of the study?
OK, maybe a summary of the results, to see if just maybe there was some value.
I did this – it’s right there above – I read it. It is full of questions (and conclusions) that are INTRINSICALLY worthless for the reasons below.
This study was worthy of a university lab assignment, maybe spend a few thou and students would learn how to do studies – no matter that this test/survey/study is invalid for the time frame it relates to, because the cars used were NOT mass market EVs and the “road/environment” is not presently set up for EVs and PHEVs, and will not be, and does not need to be, for YEARS.
Guess what – the hundreds of auto makers in the world will determine and fill the public’s needs for PHEVs, EVs, ER-EVs, BEVs, HEVs etc over many years, and no one – even then - will know or agree on the “rules” this “test” claims to answer.
If this study were done some years from now, when RVs are flooding the roads, it would be timely, cost little and maybe, just maybe, be worth something.
All right.
Assumed situation – BEFORE/AFTER this “test”;
UNKNOWN 1: How the drivers will behave – how will this effect efficiency how often will they charge.
* Right now there are few Work or Mall chargers and it will take a few more years for affordable PHEVs to even start to fill the roads. Things will be different and rapidly changing then. Today’s test data can not tell us.
UNKNOWN 2: How far will they drive PHEVs?
* Same answer as UNKNOWN 1.
UNKNOWN 3: Will people take 2 trips with one charge?
* Probably – So what? Depends on available charging places which do not exist now. And again, things will be different and rapidly changing when we have significant PHEVs. This test data can not tell us.
UNKNOWN 4: Will hotel users be heavy users ? Maybe, but who cares? These are PHEVs - not battery only EVs.
Since these people have limited charging access, their use of PHEVs will be much reduced and depends on (surprise) cost. This test data can not tell us.
Posted by: ToppaTom | 20 November 2009 at 09:15 AM
TT:
You've got a very deep case of it....
Posted by: HarveyD | 20 November 2009 at 09:23 AM
Thanks.
I shouldn't have to go this deep.
This project is receiving part of the massive $2.4-billion award for advanced battery and electric drive projects from the US DOE (earlier post) and is the largest deployment of an electric vehicle and supporting charging infrastructure yet undertaken.
Why?
This is like giving some civil servants "free" $2K Iridium phones (with our money), JUST FOR A BS TEST, when they know commercial cell phones are just around the corner.
In 2 years we can buy, and WE can drive our own excellent EVs - if we have any money left.
4,700 Nissan Leafs - Insanity.
Posted by: ToppaTom | 20 November 2009 at 11:19 AM
Um we already knew the general gist of these studies. As you expand the user base the gain in fuel economy creeps very much lower.
In short most people wont gain from plug ins.
Posted by: wintermane2000 | 20 November 2009 at 08:54 PM