The pilot is expected to commence in early 2013 with a one-year term and will focus on power-grid load-equalization and establishment of an optimized vehicle-charging scheme.
The automobile major will provide five Prius Plug-in Hybrid vehicles to Duke Energy customers in the Indianapolis area besides installing a charging station and a home gateway communication system.
The project will employ a demand response system to equalizing day-and-night loads on the electric power grid based on communication standards developed by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) that provide a bi-directional digital communication protocol between vehicles and utility companies.
Uses will have the ability to automatically realize their own personal charging strategy, such as charging during off-peak periods to minimize electricity costs.
The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is working towards standardizing such communication technologies to allow global usage by automotive manufacturers.
