Renault sends 110 electric cars to German test fleet

Renault Fluence Z.E. concept – Click above for high-res image gallery

A group of German companies is working with French company Renault to see just how practical it would be to install a large network of electric vehicles and networked charging stations between the Rhine and the Ruhr. The test program involves 110 electric cars leased from Renault, including the pre-production models Kangoo Express Z.E. utility vehicle and the Fluence Z.E. mid-range family sedan and some Fiat 500s, Fiat Fiorinos and Karabag 500 Es that have been converted to electric drive. The German government is providing €7 million for the project.

Why so much? Well, aside from the cost of the vehicles, there’s this:

The goal of this joint project is to integrate electric mobility into the everyday commuter traffic along the urban nexus of the A40 motorway. This metropolitan area, often blighted by traffic jams and concertina traffic, provides the ideal environment for testing the strengths of these clean and silent-running electric vehicles. With the focus on the towns of Mülheim, Essen and Dortmund, RWE is to construct a comprehensive charging infrastructure by mid-2011. In addition, data will be collected to enable the development of marketable products such as GPS devices with a clear charging station overview and route planning.

Sounds good, and expensive.

[Source: Renault SAS]
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=> Renault sends 110 electric cars to German test fleet.

Baltimore Gas and Electric Company to Launch Plug-in Trial; GridPoints Smart Charging Software to Manage Grid Impacts

Baltimore Gas and Electric Company (BGE), a subsidiary of Constellation Energy, has launched a multiyear plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) demonstration project using GridPoint’s smart charging software (earlier post).

Fielding five converted Toyota Priuses and a Ford Escape, and deploying electric vehicle management technology from GridPoint, BGE will investigate when and where drivers will charge their vehicles, what effect charging may have on BGE’s peak load periods, and how that load can be managed to provide cost-efficient energy to customers. BGE will also evaluate the impact a PHEV fleet has on the company’s carbon footprint.

Vehicle Connectivity Modules (VCMs) will be installed in each vehicle to establish two-way communication with the grid and log critical performance data. GridPoint’s smart charging software can be used to manage the flow of electricity to charging vehicles, balancing driver needs and real-time grid conditions.

During peak periods, the flow of energy can be delayed or slowed to shift the charging load off-peak—minimizing localized grid stress and ensuring service reliability. When wind or solar power is available, the charging rate can be increased to expand the use of renewable energy in the grid.

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=> Baltimore Gas and Electric Company to Launch Plug-in Trial; GridPoints Smart Charging Software to Manage Grid Impacts.