The University of California Davis will receive $3 million from the state Energy Commission for a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle research center. The money will be allocated over three years to the UC Davis Institute of Transportation Studies.
Like most hybrid cars, plug-ins run on gasoline and batteries, but plug-ins can be charged with power from electrical outlets. The research project goals are to enhance the commercial viability of plug-ins, identify strategies to accelerate the use of the vehicles and provide demonstrations and information. The funding comes from the commission's Public Interest Energy Research Program, which awards up to $84 million annually for energy research.
