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The Commercial vans are part of a partnership to test PHEV’s in the real world. (http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?p=25205#post25205)

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/NY_Times_-_PHEV_Sprinter_Van.jpgWayne Gerdes - CleanMPG.com (www.CleanMPG.com) - April 15, 2007

The Times to Collect Data for Three Years for the New York Power Authority, DaimlerChrysler, Electric Power Research Institute and Con Edison.

The NY Times received the first Commercial DaimlerChrysler PHEV on the East Coast to use in its Newspaper delivery fleet as part of a DaimlerChrysler PHEV evaluation.

DaimlerChrysler is the only auto manufacturer currently evaluating a variety of plug-in hybrid powertrain (diesel and gas) configurations in real-world, customer-operation service within the United States.

For DaimlerChrysler, battery development is one of the keys to the success of hybrid transportation. Lithium-ion holds the greatest promise at about half the weight and much greater storage capacity then nickel-metal hydrides. The PHEV Sprinter Vans will yield technical information through real-world driving conditions about lifetime, performance and cost of batteries.

Plug-in technology lends itself to commercial applications where the vehicle returns to base after each shift to be plugged into the power grid. In short stop-and-go routes, the vehicle will use very little fuel.

The Dodge Sprinter PHEV has the ability to drive up to 20 miles on electric-only power. It accomplishes this with a switch on the dashboard giving the operator the ability to manually switch between modes as needed, or automatically by the vehicle control system.

The Times will use the Dodge Sprinter PHEV’s to deliver newspapers from their printing plant in Queens to their Manhattan HQ.

When I was 6 years old I saved up enough "proof of purchase" points and used the dollar or two I got for my birthday to order a Boba Fett action figure via the mail. I was too young to grasp the reality of "Please allow 6 to 8 weeks for delivery." and began checking the mail box every day after school, even if my Mom told me she'd already looked.

Day after day it wasn't in the mail box. No matter how hard I wished for it and no matter how hard I looked for it it just kept not being there. Eventually I stopped looking. Not long after that I completely forgot about it and life went on.

Some indeterminable amount of time later it arrived and was waiting for me when I got home from school. Despite my previous energy level I just couldn't get excited about it anymore. I didn't even open the package for a few days.



I'm experiencing a similar pattern with my anticipation of PHEVs.



After I'd had my Boba Fett for a few months and he'd killed all my other action figures many times over Mattel recalled it. The missile it shot out of its backpack - which was the absolute coolest part of it - was a choking hazard. They wanted to replace it with some nerfed version.



This is what GM did with the EV1.



There has to be some quantum effect between my old Boba Fett action figure and the EV and PHEV realities. We're screwed, though, because I gave it to my cousin when I turned 13 and I think their lawn mower ate it when he left it in the back yard.

It does seem to take them forever to incorporate new technology, but new styling and luxury features come out a lot faster. A Lincoln ad last night showed this "crossover" vehicle (couldn't figure out what it is crossing over between) that features a huge wide power sunroof and some other stuff. My immediate reaction was "why are they fussing with stupid stuff like that at a time like this?".