The "Electric Mobility Fleet Test"
E.ON joined forces with Volkswagen, the German Environmental Ministry and other partners in June 2008 to work on the "Electric Mobility Fleet Test." Our objective is to explore the commercial opportunities offered by charging large numbers of electric cars using the existing power grid by 2010. The trial is designed to make use of vehicle batteries as power reservoirs within the electric grid in the near future. If it succeeds, electric mobility will be able to make an important contribution to storing electricity generated from renewables (which fluctuates at times), thus improving its usability.
E.ON further plans to determine the adjustments that must be made to existing distribution networks to ensure that security of supply remains guaranteed in the future as well-even if millions of electric cars need to be charged.
The test car is a Golf TwinDrive-a seemingly stock Golf on the outside, but a low-emission hybrid car on the inside. The TwinDrive uses an electric motor for zero-emissions city driving and short trips. Its lithium-ion batteries can be recharged via standard outlets, making it a plug-in hybrid. The diesel engine takes over on long hauls and when the battery is empty. At least 20 cars should be on the road using this technology by 2010.
