ERMUSR MISC MEMO 08-12-2008 - Laserfiche WebLink

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~! A computer-generated image of the Chevy Volt, apuug-in hybrid that GM hopes to get into showrooms by 2010. Photo courtesy of GM. Kj aer told attendees at a plug-in conference that he expects "the sweet spot" for this new market to emerge in the 2010- 12 time frame. He anticipates an increasing focus on the pure battery-electric car (in addition to hybrids) as consumers tire of high gas prices, assuming oil prices don't bottom out in the years ahead. "There's a whole bunch of vehicles in development," said Kjaer, citing not only GM's plans but new design efforts at Ford Motor Co. and Toyota Motor Corp., among others. "It says there's a lot of heat and a lot of light in this space." 'An appliance on wheels' To prepare for the convergence of electricity and cars, SCE wants to start a $3 million residential pilot program under which consumers would experience the garage of the future, which could be powered by solar panels or wind energy and equipped to charge electric vehicles. "What we're trying to do is take all this theory out of the theory and put it into the practical," Kjaer said. The primary obstacles in the real world are changing "the passive relationship with the customer" and developing reliable storage systems, he added. Customers in California, for instance, would need better information about when to charge their cars to avoid draining peak summer supplies when air conditioners go full throttle. Power customers are used to simply turning their lights on and getting a bill 30 days later. But Kjaer believes the future consumer will "have to be much more informed" about real-time energy management to pursue intelligent charging and more efficient control of resources. SCE therefore envisions smart meters and identification numbers for vehicles that would allow drivers to refuel (or repower) their vehicles at remote charging stations. The typical driver in this scenario would register his or her car with the utility to manage and access the energy bank. In other words, SCE views the future car as "an appliance on wheels" that could charge both at home and on the road, with a bill still waiting at the end of the month. 'Millions' of plug-in vehicles? Dan Sperling, a board member at the California Air Resources Board, said it's a mistake to assume all drivers would charge their cars during off-peak times. If electricity is 1 or 2 cents a mile, or even 3 or 4 cents a mile, Sperling said, consumers could use that power "whenever they get a chance." "We talk about peak rates and smart grids and all this, but what we really don't know is how the consumer is going to respond," he said. "It's hard to say."