Ford Fusion 41 MPG City says EPA and can go 47 MPH on battery alone...

Woe up on trying to predict battery life from projected battery drain. IMHO it is a question of battery design and management. If the temperatures and pressures are managed, their life can be considerably extended. I would approach this problem by increasing the surface area but 'thinner' metal hydride electrodes.

This has the advantage of reduced internal resistance and greater current capacities. The depth of charge is 'reduced' but in a properly designed hybrid that is perfectly OK. These are not EV with expected long ranges on battery only power.

In contrast, electrode mass is critical if EV capacity is needed. This is a different battery style than the somewhat shallow but high current design of a hybrid optimized battery.

Bob Wilson

 

Good insight and info, Bob.

I could not find spec on the Sanyo cells used in the HV. I am not even sure if the Fusion is using the same cylinder cells as in the Escape hybrid.

 

The cells in the Fusion are much better than the ones used in the Escape. In addition to handling high temperatures better, they also can handle more current and I'm sure have higher capacity, too. Since they're of a newer design, you might also assume that they have better cycle life, too. And who's to say that they also haven't improved battery management on a cellular level which is also key to maintaining performance in a battery pack with a large number of cells?

So aside from voltage, the Fusion pack is probably close to the capacity of the pack in the Escape.

Of course, without knowing actual specs, it's all speculation.

 

Yea, we need specs.

It is hard to believe the Sanyo cells to be better than Panasonic EV cells.

 

Sanyo's a huge battery marker and been in the business a long time. The funny part is that Panasonic is buying (ailing) Sanyo, the company.

 

In the Electric RC car world, Sanyo cells have long been regarded as the best, though Panasonics are also very good now, too.

 

too bad Ford will have only 25k to sell in 2009. Thats half the number of TCH in USA alone, not even mentioning Prius.

Thats the difference between buying technology from suppliers and developing/building it yourselves...

 

Good job Ford.

I see why you said no thanks to the bailout.

 

Who do you think Ford buys their hybrid technology from? It's not Toyota if your going to try to continue that tired old myth. Ford does buy hybrid components, made to their design and specification, from suppliers. Of course all auto manufacturers buy components from suppliers. Auto manufacturers design cars and assemble cars, they do very little part manufacturing.

 

And as a reward for such a great job, the government is going to give a few billion to GMAC so they can sell their GM POS cars with no-interest loans as incentives.
When your neighbor parks his new Tahoe in his driveway, smile, you are paying for it.
Something stinks about this whole deal.:suspicious:

 

Ford buys Sanyo batteries, designed and produced by Sanyo... Hence they will have only 25k of Ford/Mercury hybrid Fusions to sell in 2009.

On the other hand, Toyota has JV with Panasonic for batteries, where they invest in building factories so they have sufficient production to satisfy demand...

Difference is that Toyota bears the cost of investment, and is risking on it, instead of supplier (which is usually unwilling to do so), and that Toyota will have capacity to produce 700,000 batteries in 2009, while Ford will have 50-60k? More than 10x less... Not to mention that in 2010, Toyota will have 1 million capacity...

You cant find supplier who will risk that kind of investment for you.

If you are letting your suppliers bear the cost of R&D and development, you will be staying behind companies like Toyota who invest billions in technology themselves.