Plug-In Cars: Closer to Reality

By Keith Nichols  

Plug-in hybrid vehicles may be moving a step closer to reality after Gov. Mike Easley announced the creation of the Advanced Transportation Energy Center (ATEC) at North Carolina State University's Emerging Issues Forum.

"It is the North Carolina way to take bold steps," Easley said. "With the dawn of the 21st century, North Carolinians have emerged as innovators and leaders in education, technology and the environment. It is time for us to take the lead in the new energy economy."

"Growth in the use of plug-in hybrid technology and infrastructure opens the door for North Carolina and NC State to be leaders in creating a workforce for advanced transportation," NC State Chancellor James Oblinger said following the announcement. "NC State was selected to house the Advanced Transportation Energy Center because of our proven research capacity and expertise in battery and photovoltaic research as well as our ability to build the partnerships needed to make the center a success."

Oblinger explained that widespread use of plug-in hybrids – which could be charged by being plugged in to an electrical outlet – is dependent on cheaper, more powerful batteries and development of "charging stations," the equivalent of today's gas stations.

The proposed center would be housed on NC State's Centennial Campus alongside the Semiconductor Power Electronics Center (SPEC). It would operate as a public/private partnership with some of the initial funding provided by Duke Energy and Progress Energy. Research will cover three primary areas:

1. Creating Infrastructure
   Developing the necessary infrastructure to make the use of these vehicles feasible, including easily accessed and monitored charging stations
2. Managing the grid
   Finding and developing energy sources - including renewable energy - that will be needed, along with new distribution management and monitoring systems to facilitate increased pressure on the power supply.
3. Improving Batteries
   Finding ways to produce lighter, cheaper batteries that require less charge time and are more powerful with a goal of reducing the cost of batteries.

Plug-In hybrids get up to 100 miles per gallon of gas and reduce greenhouse gas emissions at least 27 percent per car. John Gilligan, NC State's vice chancellor for research, says even if the plug-in hybrids were available in the mass market today, the power-generation and supply grid is not ready.

"One of the main motivations for forming ATEC is to address a major need in the electric power industry when large numbers of plug-in electric vehicles are coming into the market place," he said.

Gilligan said ATEC's work during the first two years will involve focusing on testing and demonstrating commercial or near-commercial products. In years three to five, ATEC-developed technologies will be tested and demonstrated.

The SPEC already is conducting research in power generation and management, including power semiconductor devices, power management microsystems, utility power electronics and electric power systems.

Links:

• 2008: The Year of Energy at NC State University

• Research at NC State University