Plug-in technology receives favorable scores

Father and son (5-6) attaching electrical plug to electric car
Buying plug-in hybrid electric vehicles makes sense for the environment and the pocketbook.
As part of its efforts to demonstrate the advantages of this innovative technology, Alabama Power Fleet Services added six Ford Fusion plug-in hybrid electric cars in December and assigned them to employees who drive company vehicles on the job.

Ryan Aldridge using the plug-in hybrid Ford Fusion, which provides an option for those with “range anxiety.”
“Our objectives are to use plug-in hybrids in our fleet where it makes sense and help our employees become comfortable with using the technology,” said Ted Barron, Fleet Services Engineering manager, General Services Complex (GSC) – General Garage.
“We want our employees to become familiar with the technology, because once they experience it, we think they’ll be sold on it and become an advocate for vehicles that utilize our product.”
Putting technology to the test
Jeff Martin, who drives about 500 to 700 miles a week overseeing the fleets in Mobile, Southern and Southeast divisions and at Plant Farley, has put the Fusion to the test since it was assigned to him five months ago.
“I get 17 to 20 miles off the battery pack. Then, the engine kicks in, and I get an additional 39.9 miles per gallon,” said Martin, Fleet Services manager. “The Fusion saves on fuel, is quiet and cuts down on pollution. When I’m asleep, I can charge the battery, using power from the grid in off-peak hours.”
Hybrid solutions
Plug-in hybrids, like the Ford Fusion, are the answer for people who have “range anxiety,” Barron said. While plugging the car into a standard 110-volt outlet for about eight hours will fully recharge the battery, the vehicle also uses regenerative braking. That means the battery is charging every time the brakes are used. As with all hybrids, the gasoline engine takes over when the battery becomes nearly drained or when the driver needs additional power.
Barron said the first-generation hybrids were designed to take advantage of braking power.
“The car manufacturers said, ‘We want to capture the cheapest energy – braking energy – and use it to charge the battery,’” Barron said. “Then, they wanted to capture the second cheapest energy, which is using electricity provided by utilities like us. That’s when the plug-in hybrid was created.”
At an average price of 11.9 cents per kilowatt-hour, buying electricity is equivalent to paying $1 for a gallon of gas. Plug-in hybrids could reduce petroleum fuel consumption by as much as 90 percent, making them an even more affordable option.
Exceeding expectations
Eastern Division Distribution General Manager Selina Lee has been driving one of the company’s new Fusion sedans for two months and said she is impressed. Along with driving it to company facilities in Anniston and Talladega, Lee has traveled as far as Birmingham and Tuscaloosa.
“It has taken me anywhere I’ve wanted to go,” said Lee. “It gets great gas mileage, it’s roomy and comfortable, and it’s great to know you’re helping the environment and the economy.”
By adding the Fusion plug-in hybrids to its fleet, Alabama Power is doing its part to promote electric transportation. Fleet Services purchased the Fusions in support of an Edison Electric Institute (EEI) initiative calling for utilities to spend 5 percent of their capital budgets on plug-in technology in 2015.
The first Chevrolet plug-in hybrid conversion van was added to the company fleet in April. Along with a battery pack and gasoline engine, the van has a 100-kilowatt electric generator, which can power lights and other equipment when electricity is not available. This van is assigned to employees who need remote power to run equipment in outdoor settings.
“We’re happy that people are using plug-in hybrid cars, but the work truck is the backbone of the American economy,” said Dan Kings, Fleet Services engineer. “We have a few dozen cars in our fleet, but we have hundreds of trucks. What we really want is for manufacturers to offer plug-in hybrid pickup trucks.”
Fleet Services hopes to add plug-in hybrid pickup trucks to the fleet.
“If we’re saying that driving plug-in electric vehicles is the smart thing to do, we should walk the talk. How can we encourage our customers to buy these vehicles if we’re not willing to use them?” asked Cedric Daniels, Electric Transportation manager. “We should all be proud of Fleet Services for setting an example for the nation by using plug-in hybrid electric vehicles as part of the company’s fleet.”
Alabama Power customers can take advantage of the company’s plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) pricing option that saves 1.7 cents per kilowatt-hour between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m.
Barron said the company is committed to continuing to use plug-in hybrids.
“We believe plug-in hybrids are an economical way for us to meet many of our needs,” he said. “Using these vehicles also helps us support the transition to electricity as a transportation fuel.”