Toyota Motor Corp. is leading a new pilot project in Indiana that will develop strategies for managing plug-in electric vehicle (EV) charging networks that use vehicle-to-power-grid communications technologies.
Along with Duke Energy and Energy Systems Network (ESN), the project will test and validate communication standards from the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) that are designed to govern EV/smart grid communications. Toyota will provide a UL-certified home charging station and a home gateway communication system to be installed in each customer's home, allowing equipment to communicate with each other to evaluate billing and power supply control.
The project, which is expected to begin early next year and last at least 12 months, will use five Prius plug-in hybrids driven by Duke Energy customers living in the Indianapolis area.
