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Ford Plugs In To PHEV Program For 2012

admin — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 18:02:47 +0000

Ford's Battery-Electric Sedan For 2011

In 2008, the Ford Motor Company said unequivocally that it would wait to see how demand for PHEVs developed before committing company resources to producing one. Ford has been developing and testing a PHEV in Southern California for about two years, but wasn't willing to pull the trigger on the program, in part, due to the sour economy and lingering questions about whether the electrical grid could support a large number of PHEVs.

Put that all aside. Ford announced last month that its PHEV program had been green-lighted and the company will bring a plug-in platform to market in 2012. Ford has been testing a plug-in Escape hybrid in California with Southern California Edison and plans to bring a battery-electric commercial van, a battery-electric sedan and a PHEV to market in 2010, 2011 and 2012 respectively. The PHEV is expected to delivery a 30-mile all-electric range before turning to an on-board gas generator for additional power. Ford says the initial production run of the Escape-based PHEV will be about 5,000 vehicles. The test vehicles average about 120 miles per gallon in city driving conditions.

Ford announced that Johnson Controls-Saft will provide the Li-ion battery system for the PHEV. The battery system includes the cells, as well as the electronic controls needed to regulate charging and discharging. The battery will be manufactured in France, but Johnson Controls-Saft has indicated that it plans to move production to the United States at a later date.

Ford has also announced that it plans to expand its utility testing program to seven additional electricity providers through a previously announced partnership with the Electric Power Research Institute. Expanded testing will take place with utilities in Alabama, Georgia, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, and Ohio. The purpose of the testing is to examine regional charging and performance differences, and the impact of the vehicles on the existing electrical grids.

Dodge Durango And Chrysler Aspen Offer V-8 Hybrid Power Train

admin — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 03:22:45 +0000

Chrysler has released the Dodge Durango and Chrysler Aspen hybrid SUVs with an EPA mileage estimate of 20 in the city and 22 on the highway. That's an improvement of about 40% over their conventional counterparts. The vehicles feature a 5.7L V-8 400-hp HEMI engine, and have a base price of about $45,000. In addition, the vehicles are eligible for a tax credit of about $2,200.

Unlike most hybrids, the Durango and Aspen have a towing capacity of about 6,000 lbs. According to the company, the hybrid V-8s provide better city fuel economy than a standard V-6 Honda Accord, rated at 19/29.

The powertrain for the Durango and Aspen hybrids was developed jointly by General Motors and Chrysler. The dual-mode technology enables the vehicle to switch between four-cylinder and eight-cylinder operation automatically, based upon operating conditions. The vehicles also feature low- and high-speed electric continuously variable transmission (ECVT) modes. The Dodge Durango also features regenerative braking capabilities that charge the vehicle's battery pack and provide a fuel-saving power boost during accelerations. It can also operate in all-electric mode at low speeds.

Source and Photo: Chrysler

New Jersey Township Goes Hybrid

admin — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 01:41:03 +0000

Edison Township, in New Jersey, will begin replacing its fleet vehicles with hybrid models. The township, which has 435 vehicles, will phase in new hybrid vehicles as older models "age out" and ultimately plans to replace about half of the fleet with hybrids. Currently, the township's oldest fleet vehicles are a 1987 Crown Victoria and a 1987 Ford Bronco.

The township cited the rising cost of gasoline as one of the primary motivators for making the switch to hybrid vehicles. In addition, the township was able to take advantage of a buying contract negotiated by New Jersey's Board of Public Utilities, which provided a discount of about $4,000 on each car purchased.

The township already owns 26 hybrid vehicles, including Toyota Priuses and Ford Escapes. Four additional hybrid vehicles from another manufacturer are on order, and the township will add about 25 more vehicles during the next budget year.

According to the fleet manager, the new hybrid vehicles could reduce their expenditures on gasoline by $70,000 each year. The township will retain conventional drive trains for certain vehicles, including the township's emergency fleet.

Not everyone in Edison Township is thrilled with the new plan. One councilwoman is drafting an ordinance to restrict the distribution of hybrid vehicles for both city business and personal use to the mayor, the fire chief, the deputy police chiefs and the coordinator for the Office of Emergency Management. That list specifically excludes the Police Director and the township's administrator, both of whom are civilians. The councilwoman explains that she does not believe that the township should be subsidizing the personal travel of administrative officials not actively responsible for public safety.

Source: The Edison-Metuchen Sentinel

GM To Push Large SUV Hybrid Models

admin — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 00:45:12 +0000

General Motors will begin a new advertising campaign to promote the company's two-mode hybrid large SUVs. Mark LaNeve, GM's Vice President for North American Sales says that GM's research shows that few members of the buying public are even aware that GM has hybrid SUV's for sale. The company's goal is to increase sales of the dual-mode hybrids to between 5 and 10 percent of all full-sized SUV sales.

In an interview with Automotive News, LaNeve acknowledged that the company would be hampered by the same battery problems that have plagued the Saturn division's Aura and Vue hybrids, and have put a damper on the Chevy Malibu. To ensure that battery problems do not continue to damage hybrid sales, GM is considering purchasing its battery supplier Cobasys.

The strategy of pushing hybrid SUVs has some merit. Consumer preference surveys repeatedly have shown that vehicle buyers overwhelmingly choose replacement vehicles that are in the same class as the vehicle they're replacing. With so many SUVs on the road, it stands to reason that buyers would continue to choose them if they could operate large-sized vehicles efficiently.

GM also announced last week that the 2009 Cadillac Escalade Hybrid will be offered with a no-cost FlexFuel option. Vehicles that operate on flex fuel mixtures can reduce carbon emissions by up to 23%. GM has committed to making half of its vehicle lineup flex-fuel capable by 2012 to accommodate more stringent CAFE standards slated to go into effect that model year.