With Chrysler headed for Chapter 11 and GM struggling to avoid it, Ford has been the sole bright spot in the domestic automotive manufacturing industry. Today Ford announced a major investment in a new Ford Focus manufacturing plant as well as a commitment to a all-electric Focus in 2011. So why did they chose BEV instead of E-REV like the Volt?
Ford announced today that they are spending over half a billion dollars to develop an electric car and retooling a SUV plant to become the future production home of the Ford Focus BEV (battery electric vehicle).
While GM and Chrysler were asking the government for bailout money, Ford’s CEO Mike Mulally (formerly the head of Boeing 777 development and head of Boeing Commercial Airplanes during the development of the 787) was just along for the ride – how bad would it look for GM and Chrysler if they showed up on Capitol Hill asking for money while Ford was back in Michigan doing comparatively well.
Ford has stated previously that the vehicle will get around 100 miles per charge – though I’m starting to question that number. Examining the necessary characteristics for the battery pack, setting the parameters at 200W/mi, 100 mile range, 75% depth of discharge (the Volt only has 50% DoD), the battery would need to be about 27kWh. At $750/kWh (for 2011 production), the battery alone would cost more than $20,000. At a 50% depth of discharge, the battery would be 40kWh and cost $30,000. For comparison, a Ford Focus starts at $15,500. Removing the traditional power train could save several thousands of dollars, but you’re still looking at a price tag around $29,000, or $22,250 after the $7500 federal tax credit. It might be $10,000 cheaper than the Volt, but you aren’t going on any road trips with it.
To recharge the 20kWh worth of energy, even using the soon-to-be-standard 220V/70A connection, it will take roughly 90 minutes to fully recharge the battery at around 14.5kW. Recharging at a wall-outlet capable 110V/15A would take 14 hours – I’m not even home that long between work days.
As to the battery supplier, its possible Ford could try and pick up where Chrysler has left off with their EV vehicies and collaborate with A123 systems. Chrysler’s EV vechiels will likely be delayed due to their bankruptcy and possibly even shelved until they can get their feet back under them. I’m sure A123 will be eager to get one of the more stable names in the automotive industry on their side.
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- Japanese group announces 10,000 cycle capacitors
- Predictions for 2010
- MIT Powerpoint on electric cars
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- EIG to supply battery for Tata Motors
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It’s interesting that Altairnano batteries are rated to get 5000 full 10C charge/discharge cycles @ 100% DOD. Five times the cycle life of the high impedence 2nd Gen Lithium batteries considered for the Volt.
I wonder how the .2kwh/mile metric could be achieved – the Phoenix SUV demo’s use .33kwh/mile and it looks like the Aptera will use 1/2 that (.17kwh/mile). What’s the Focus going to look like?
The problem with the Altairnano or any battery for PHEVs and EVs is that at a low number of cells/pack, you have to make sure that at 80-90% discharged you can still get the necessary power out of the pack to drive and pass on the highway. If the battery puts out 1400W/kg at 50% DOD but only 800W/kg at 90%, you better make sure that there are enough cells to source 120-150kW. This will be less of a problem in the future, as cell energy densities and power/weight ratios go up. The 2020-spec battery of 200Wh/kg and 2500W/kg could source 150kW from a 12kWh pack. The EnerDel article I wrote talks about this some more, as their spec sheets have their cell discharge/power graphs.
The 200Wh/mi might be a bit low – maybe 250 is more appropriate. Then again it all depends on city/highway driving and driving style. 250Wh at 100 miles at 60% DOD is 42kW.