(Photo by Michael Summers)
The Center for Automotive Research at Ohio State University is using its role as a leader in university research to take the next step toward plug-in electric hybrid vehicles. The center has initiated a project called SMART@CAR that will research PHEV and electrical vehicles with the help of industrial leaders, government agencies and laboratories. A SMART@CAR meeting was held in late October with 11 partners stepping forward to fund and provide material support for the project.
The goal of SMART@CAR will be to develop hybrid and electric vehicles along with the infrastructure needed to sustain their use. While similar projects are being undertaken elsewhere in the United States and Europe, SMART@CAR is looking beyond vehicle development with its research initiatives. The center and its partners will look at the interaction of PHEVs with electrical grids and interface units to advance charging management technology. SMART@CAR participants will also look at the electronics needed to monitor charges, ensure smart charging capabilities and charge drivers for energy use. The project’s research on public policy and economic problems associated with creating infrastructure for PHEVs and EVs will also be integral for the future of alternative transportation.
The founding members of SMART@CAR include American Electric Power, General Motors and Buckeye Power. These members will share resources, meet regularly to report on progress toward the aforementioned goals and distribute PHEV technology when it is ready for consumption. The Center for Automotive Research has been able to get some heavy hitters as partners in the SMART@CAR endeavor due to the university’s national reputation. American Electric Power and Buckeye Power will be integral in testing out the efficacy of PHEVs in the Ohio Valley when prototypes are available. While General Motors is putting out its electric Volt in the near future, it will need to play an active role in this collaboration to truly become a hybrid leader.
The SMART@CAR project has the potential to break out of the Buckeye State with cost-efficient and practical research. The center’s website indicates that the Argonne National Laboratory, Duke Energy, Toyota and Nissan have expressed interest in SMART@CAR membership. As the Center for Automotive Research’s new project grows, it will need these partnerships to handle projects on larger scales. In the meantime, SMART@CAR members should work within the Ohio Valley to nurture policies, infrastructure and technology to make PHEVs economically practical in the next decade.
