Ford, Utility Enter PHEV Partnership

Ford Motor Co. is partnering with Southern California Edison to test a fleet of plug-in hybrid-electric vehicles.

The utility, which provides service to some 13 million people in 11 Southern California counties outside Los Angeles, will receive one Ford PHEV by the end of this year and up to 20 by 2009.

The program will be used to test the vehicles' durability, range and impact on the power grid.