Plug-in hybrid electric vehicle

A plug-in hybrid electric vehicle is a hybrid electric vehicle which has additional battery capacity and the ability to be recharged from an external electrical outlet. Additional modification are made to the vehicle's control software. This offers an advantage when the vehicle is used for short trips of moderate speed in that the internal combustion engine (ICE) component of the vehicle need not be operated while preserving the long range capabilities of the hybrid power train. In this mode of operation the vehicle acts as would a pure electric vehicle.

A number of interesting prototypes have been created, but there are no production vehicles available at this time (2005). Some independent researchers are developing conversions of vehicles such as the Toyota Prius.

There has been little interest from the conventional manufactures, although the motorcycle and small car manufacturer Suzuki has produced several prototype light sports cars capable of operation in this mode. The first of these used a 400cc motorcycle engine to give a primarily electric vehicle a "limp home" capability. A subsequent model was more capable of general operation over a wide range of conditions and ranges.

A non-profit development group in Davis, California has converted one 2004 Prius as a test and proof of concept.

An electric vehicle engineer, Stephen Kent, has developed paper proof of concepts for a vehicle that would be built in three models on the same production line: a pure ICE version, a plug-in hybrid version, and a pure electric vehicle.

External links

• CalCars - the California Cars Initiative

• EV engineer Steven Kent's site promoting his self published book, Kar Kaptains Kry, "Kalamity!" This book, the first of three, describes and justifies the short range high performance EV and another type combining internal combustion and mains-recharged batteries that he calls a "glider" and includes engineering and marketing analysis for mass production.