Ford Taps Utility to Test Plug-In Hybrids

GM may have the flashy Chevy Volt concept, but it seems Ford has taken the first step to test plug-in hybrids in the wild. Ford has teamed with electric utility California Edison to test its new plug-in hybrid technology starting this year, with as many as 20 vehicles on the roads by 2009. The company not only wants to test the cars themselves, but also the impact they have on the power grid.

A plug-in hybrid uses an electric motor to power the car with batteries that can be recharged by plugging in to an electrical outlet. A gasoline generator or small engine is used to charge the batteries when they run out of energy and the driver can’t stop to recharge.

Ford debuted a plug-in hydrogen hybrid earlier this year in an Edge SUV, but the company has been quiet about a gasoline version. Supposedly, the test vehicles will be Ford Escapes. We’re glad to see this real-world test run taking shape and will follow it closely.