DOE's Field Operations Program Completes a Series of Electric Vehicle Performance Testing

January 26, 2000

The U.S. Department of Energy's Field Operations Program and its testing partner, Southern California Edison (SCE), have recently completed the Pomona (California) Loop performance testing of several electric vehicles with advanced batteries.

During the last two years, a total of 12 electric vehicles, utilizing nickel-metal-hydride (NiMH), Lithium-ion (Li-ion), and lead acid (Pb) battery packs have been performance tested on the Urban and Freeway Pomona Loops in Pomona located in Southern California.

The tested vehicles included:

Toyota RAV4 (NiMH, conductive charging)  Chevrolet S-10 (NiMH)

Chevrolet S-10 (Pb)     Chevrolet S-10 (Pb)

Toyota RAV4 (NiMH, inductive charging)  Chrysler EPIC (Pb)

Ford Ranger (NiMH)     General Motors EV 1 (Pb)

Chrysler EPIC (NiMH)     Honda EV Plus (NiMH)

Nissan Alta (Li-ion)     Ford Ranger (Pb)

All of the vehicles underwent a series of eight range tests to determine "real-world" ranges. All of the range tests were conducted on public streets and highways, encountering stoplights and stop signs.

Four range tests were performed on the Urban Loop and four were performed on the Freeway Loop. During each of the tests, the payload and auxiliary equipment varied, producing a four-sided box range results for each vehicle. For example, the conductive-charged NiMH Toyota RAV4 had Urban Loop range results of 72.3, 84, 85 and 93 miles when tested with minimum and maximum payloads and varying auxiliary loads.

The same vehicle had Freeway Loop range results of 74.6, 78.4, 80 and 82.3 miles, again tested with similarly varying payloads and auxiliary loads.

The four scenarios for both the Urban and Freeway Loop tests were:

• Minimum payload, no auxiliary loads
• Minimum payload, air conditioning on high, headlights on low, radio on
• Maximum payload, no auxiliary loads
• Maximum payload, air conditioning on high, headlights on low, radio on

Southern California Edison performed the testing in the Pomona, Calif. area. Complete test results for all 12 vehicles are available on the Field Operations Program's web page at http://ev2.inel.gov/sop/sce/index.html

To help minimize the United States dependence on foreign oil and the reduce air emissions from transportation sources, the DOE's Field Operations Program is actively supporting the deployment of electric and other advanced technology vehicles. The program's goals include evaluating vehicles in real-world applications and environments, advancing vehicle technologies, developing infrastructure elements necessary to support significant advanced technology vehicle use, and increasing the awareness and acceptance of electric vehicles. As part of this effort, the program has conducted baseline performance testing on all commercially viable electric vehicles since 1994.

The Pomona Loop testing is cost-shared between DOE and SCE.

The Field Operations Program is managed by Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory in Idaho Falls, Idaho. For additional information, visit the web page at http://ev.inel.gov/sop or contact Jim Francfort at  or call (208) 526-6787.

The INEEL has been managing the Field Operations Program since 1983. The lab is recognized for it's EV expertise based on testing of batteries and other energy storage devices in the Energy Storage Laboratory and based on testing of electric and hybrid vehicles in the Dynamometer Lab.

The DOE researches, develops and deploys clean, efficient and renewable energy technologies to help meet America's energy needs while protecting the environment and strengthening the economy. Energy technologies supported and promoted by the department will play a key role in providing clean energy for the 21st century.

Media contact: Isabel Valle-Carpenter

(208) 526-9906