United States Air Force officials have unveiled the Department of Defense’s first non-tactical vehicle fleet composed entirely of plug-in electric vehicles, at Los Angeles Air Force Base, California. The rollout of the 42-vehicle fleet marks a milestone in the DOD’s demonstration of emerging technology and the vehicles will serve as a resource to the electrical grid when they’re not being driven.
The Plug-in Electric Vehicle (PEV) fleet includes both electric and hybrid vehicles ranging from sedans to trucks and a 12-passenger van. The vehicles have the capability to direct power both to and from the electrical grid when they’re not being driven, known as vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology. Unique charging stations have been installed in Los Angeles to support the vehicles’ V2G capability.
The V2G technology enables the vehicles to provide more than 700 kilowatts of power to the grid, sufficient power for more than 140 American homes. The vehicles also enhance the power grid’s reliability and security by balancing demand against supply without having to use reserves or standby generators.
“We absolutely couldn’t have done this without our federal, state and private partners,” said Miranda Ballentine, the assistant secretary of the Air Force for installations, environment and energy. “The shared investment and commitment by our partners illustrates that innovations such as this have value not only to the Air Force and Department of Defense, but to the nation as a whole.”
In addition to the PEV fleet in L.A., the Air Force is also investigating the benefits of other alternative fuel vehicles. More than 9,000 ethanol flex fuel vehicles are in the service’s inventory worldwide, along with 50 biodiesel fuel stations on its installations.
