CU to introduce Toyota Prius plug-in Hybrids for study

Several Prius plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, or PHVs, will be available for a "ride-and-drive" event on Tuesday, Sept. 14, from noon to 2 p.m. at 4001 Discovery Drive at the University of Colorado at Boulder Research Park.
 
The event, which is open to invited guests and the media, kicks off a two-year field study that will place 18 PHVs with 108 randomly selected Boulder households to study user experiences and technical impacts of the cars in Boulder's "smart grid" environment.
 
CU-Boulder's Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute, or RASEI -- a joint venture with the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory -- and Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc. are conducting the field study, with the integral participation of Xcel Energy.
 
Reporters and photographers planning to attend the event should contact Elizabeth Lock, CU News Services, at 303-492-3117 or elizabeth.lock@colorado.edu