Ford plans to expand hybrid lineup beyond Escape

[Pinto Girl]

By Kevin Krolicki

DETROIT, June 12 (Reuters) - Ford Motor Co(F) is planning to expand its range of hybrid vehicles beyond the Ford Escape but sees deep-seated engineering problems facing the launch of a new generation of rechargeable electric cars, an executive said on Tuesday.

The comments were the first indication of Ford's plans for hybrid vehicle development since April, when Chief Executive Alan Mulally named an executive to a newly created position to oversee environmental issues at the struggling automaker.

Ford Executive Chairman Bill Ford Jr., who led the automaker until last September, said last month that he regretted that Ford had not moved faster to seize the lead in addressing environmental concerns.

Environmental advocates, particularly in California, have been pressing major automakers to roll out "plug-in" vehicles that would be capable of running on electricity only for short distances and recharging at a standard electric outlet.

Gioia said Ford was investigating the possibility of building such a plug-in vehicle but saw major engineering problems to overcome before such cars can be introduced.

She said in order to build a plug-in car with a minimum range of 40 miles on battery power and a top speed of over 60 miles per hour, the size of the battery pack would have to double or triple in size. That would make the vehicle prohibitively heavy and expensive, she said.

The skeptical comments on plug-in technology set Ford apart from its larger U.S. rival, General Motors Corp. (GM)

-------

I'm not sure if this is good news, but it could be lots worse, I suppose...

Ford's been going out of business for, like, forty years; it must be extremely difficult to attempt to turn it all around in a year or three.

Also read that they'll be selling Land Rover and Jaguar, FYI. Their turn around efforts were described as "struggling."
[sigh]

[boulder_bum]

That is indeed good news, though I question their comments about the feasibility of all-battery power for vehicles. After all, you can already get the battery for the Prius (after-market) that gets 40 miles on electricity and 120 MPG afterward. Besides, Ford actually had a very small all-electric plug-in car called the "Th!nk" that they discontinued.

Maybe what Ford means is that they would have trouble getting a relatively heavy SUV to run on all electric power. Ford recently ran an ad that poo-pooed sedans as "unexciting" and tried to pursuade drivers to by the Ford Escape SUV instead, so I wouldn't be surprised if Ford isn't willing to sacrifice the size of an SUV in making an electric vehicle.

[Pinto Girl]

Not just the weight; the aerodynamic qualities of SUV's aren't very good, either.

Ford, I think, still believes that people buy their cars like they do meat...by the pound.

[JimN]

[quote]
By Kevin Krolicki

She said in order to build a plug-in car with a minimum range of 40 miles on battery power and a top speed of over 60 miles per hour, the size of the battery pack would have to double or triple in size. That would make the vehicle prohibitively heavy and expensive, she said.

The skeptical comments on plug-in technology set Ford apart from its larger U.S. rival, General Motors Corp. (GM)

-------

Apparantly Ford only hires idiots and morons as high school kids can build plug in electrics. This is the link to St. Mark's School which has an electric Ford pickup. http://homepage.mac.com/kenwells3/op...toAlbum60.html

http://methactonecc.org/ is the link to the Methacton electric car that is recharged by solar panels on the garage roof. The excess electricity either powers the school or is returned to the grid.

I remember when Ford's marketing hype was something like "Ford has a better idea" and a light bulb turned on. Seems like the light bulb burned out a long time ago. In the race between GM and Ford I believe Ford will fold first.

[comtech5]

Ford is notorious for being way behind the curve with even the simplest implementation of new technology. They have just now started running very expensive TV commercials about availability of factory installed Sirius satellite radios on certain models. They expect us to fall over backwards...whooo...satellite...really? They're only about six years late on that one. Their marketing and R & D departments are completely out of touch with their customer base. Either that or the execs that run the show are complete idiots.

[ozyran]

Gotta give 'em credit where it's due, though: the CEO (I believe) recently paid Toyota a visit to learn from them. If they're looking at turning themselves around, then maybe they'll get 'er done.

Unfortunately, Ford has become obsessed with the idea that they have to make the F-150 a top priority in their lineup, keeping it at the top of the sales ladder. All their other vehicles, save the 'Stang and the Super Duty lineup, are just waddling and waning (or so it would seem).

I'm beginning to think this country needs another "Gas Crisis" just to jar our thinking back in the right direction.

[MarkMN]

I have hopes for Ford. They are pushing their Fusion nowadays which has been a small success, so I am thinking that perhaps they are getting serious about being competitive in the car market again. As much as I like Toyota, I like to see it have healthy competition. It will take a few years before it will be clear whether Ford is successful at their restructuring or if it was all just a front.

[Winston]

One thing about batteries, is that battery life is very important. Remember, that in order for Toyota to make the Prius battery last a long time, they limited the batter charge to 40-80 percent. So, the batteries are oversized by 60%, simply to extend battery life.

Lithium Ion batteries do not like to be fully charged and discharged either.

Just because some high school kids can build an electric car does not mean that they can build an electric car with a reasonable battery life.

One of the problems with GM's EV1 was with battery reliability. I know that "who killed the electric car" documentary does not like to talk about that. (after all that would blow their whole premise)

I think battery reliability is the "deep seated engineering problem" that Ford is talking about, in regards to plug in hybrids.

[nerfer]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Pinto Girl @ Jun 13 2007, 12:49 PM) [snapback]460981[/snapback]</div>

Ford Executive Chairman Bill Ford Jr., who led the automaker until last September, said last month that he regretted that Ford had not moved faster to seize the lead in addressing environmental concerns.
[/b]

I think you could strike the word "faster" from that sentence.

She said in order to build a plug-in car with a minimum range of 40 miles on battery power and a top speed of over 60 miles per hour, the size of the battery pack would have to double or triple in size. That would make the vehicle prohibitively heavy and expensive, she said.
[/b]

But they could add a heavy steel plate to the bottom of their Explorer to lower the center of gravity so it was less likely to tip over. Granted, this was a few years ago, and cheaper solution than a redesign (or face injury/death lawsuits), but you didn't hear any talk about the feasibility of weight then.

[morpheusx]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(nerfer @ Jun 14 2007, 02:31 PM) [snapback]461763[/snapback]</div>

I think you could strike the word "faster" from that sentence.

But they could add a heavy steel plate to the bottom of their Explorer to lower the center of gravity so it was less likely to tip over. Granted, this was a few years ago, and cheaper solution than a redesign (or face injury/death lawsuits), but you didn't hear any talk about the feasibility of weight then.
[/b]

Or given the success of both the Prius and the Civic Hybrid, why don't they build a Fusion Hybrid, they already have technology similar to Toyota's in the Escape, just port it over.