Wired's Ben Mack wrote an article yesterday about engineers at the University of Technology Sydney who have built a plug-in Toyota Prius they claim is capable of reducing power shortages by returning energy to the grid.
The “Switch” prototype sports an extra battery pack that allows it to take power from a household power supply - or send it back. It also creates a means of storing renewable energy, such as wind, that is often produced at off-peak times. The researchers claim the technology could revolutionize the automotive industry.
“The vehicle-to-grid technology this car presents could do for the automotive industry and the electricity industry what the personal computer did for computing, and what the mobile phone did for telecommunications,” Chris Dunstan, the project director, told the Sydney Morning Herald.
The extra lithium iron phosphate battery in the Switch prototype’s trunk provides an extra 4.1 kWh and 256 volts. The PHEV pack, manufactured by K2 Energy Solutions, helps maintain a charge in the Toyota’s existing NiMH battery pack and raises fuel economy to 118 mpg. There are two plugs on the back bumper - one for charging, and one for returning power to the grid.
“The car can be plugged into a grid synchronous inverter, commonly used in solar PV rooftop systems, and you can simply flick a switch to begin feeding energy from the battery pack into the grid,” said Usher. That’s the inverter in the picture. “Moreover, the car’s fuel economy is highly dependent on driving style. In Sydney, I’ve been able to achieve a fuel economy of under 1L/100 km (235mpg) for distances up to 40km (25mi) with careful driving.”
