Get ready for some crazy abbreviations here. Union Rural Electric Cooperative (URE) will debut Ohio's first plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) on May 3 in Marysville. Created by the Ohio Rural Electric Cooperatives (OREC) and Hybrid Plus in Boulder, Colorado, Plug-In 1 is a converted Ford Escape Hybrid. The stock nickel metal hydride battery has been yanked in favor of a new lithium ion pack which contains 1,600 separate cells that add up to 12 kWhs of capacity.

The PHEV was created by the Ohio-based utility companies to study what effect plug-ins will have on the grid. According to URE President Roger Yoder, "It will yield information of importance not only for the transportation sector but for utilities as we prepare to meet the energy and environmental challenges of the future." With plug-ins like the Volt expected within a few years, this data will become increasingly important. Plug-In 1 is equipped with an on-board computer which will track all kinds of data which should be useful to the utilities. Full press release after the break.