Ford reveals true battery cost

Why is this surprising?

What is the factory cost of the 1.3kwh pack in the Prius? From what I have found it is $3700.

Prius battery is 1.3kwh, Ford battery is 23kwh.

-OR-

$652 a KWH or $2846 a KWH

Seems like a bargain to me.

 

You are conflating retail price for the Toyota pack and wholesale cost to Ford for its pack.

 

Fixed your post.

 

I think I read that the focus EV sold no cars last month or the month prior

 

I read just the other day that the current price for a new Prius battery (without installation) is $2,388.

 

Encouraging information from the article.

The U.S. Department of Energy, as part of its efforts to help promote plug-in hybrid- and fully-electric vehicles, has set a goal of lowering the cost of batteries to $300 a kilowatt-hour by next year. The DOE has helped to fund battery plants in the U.S. to install the capacity, and ideally lower the cost of batteries.

We see misguided complaints about this enlightened and necessary government policy with many "damn gummint" comments in the http://priuschat.com/forums/prius-hybrid-ev-alt-fuel-news/107125-a123-gets-249-million-federal-grant.html conversation over US working to get cost down.

 

Yep, that's if you walk up to a Toyota Parts counter and agree to pay full retail.

IMO the OEM cost to TM on the Gen 2 or Gen 3 Prii is something in the $1500 area (+/-).

 

Still over 652 a kw.

I'm just saying the battery is not that bad of a price considering all things and explains why the first real mass production EVs are so small and bare-bones cars.

 

Wholesale on a Prius pack from a dealer is $2K. It probably costs Toyota closer to $1K to procure one. They have the advantage of the scale economy of having produced about 100 million 7.2V modules, half of the old type for GII, half of the new type for GIII, to help bring the price down. It is impressive, given the small format of the batteries. It was definitely more expensive 10 years ago in Gen I times, when production was much lower.

For new lithium traction batteries, they have the advantage of larger format, but they do not yet have the economy of scale. Part of the problem with disclosing battery cost is that it creates a perception to the public that a battery failure will mean a total loss on the car.

To put things into perspective a little more, wholesale on a new ICE from Toyota is $6K - $16K, depending on size. Engines are only getting more expensive due to meeting fuel economy and emission requirements. But ditching car due to an engine failure nowadays isn't very common unless it is a Chrysler or turbocharged Subaru product.

 

This information from the article probably is a good guideline in trying to ballpark battery costs for all the car manufacturers.


Based on the price range that Mr. Mulally indicated, Dearborn, Mich.-based Ford appears to pay between $522 and $650 a kilowatt-hour for its electric-vehicle batteries. In the past, auto makers and battery makers have been reluctant to disclose the cost per kilowatt hour. Analysts have made projections that battery costs are between $500 and $1,000 per kilowatt-hour.

 

That's true. If the cost to consumers was in the $300 per kwh range, then the Prius battery would be under $450 (plus installation). That would shut up a lot of the skeptics and do a lot to promote hybrids in the US.

 

That's not going to happen for little Prius batteries. They have pretty much achieved all the cost savings that is possible. Don't forget that the article is about achieving savings on large format lithium batteries produced in the US, vs. small format NiMH batteries made by Panasonic for Toyota in Japan.

 

The HV battery in Prius was designed to provide high power, not maximum energy. EV battery packs will usually provide more kWh per dollar but you'll need a much bigger pack.

 

Ideal vehicle is one that can provide electric power or average daily commute (50 miles to cover round trip, heat/AC, etc.) and then have hybrid mode for anything over that.

Stats are roughly 60% commuting miles and 30% are local miles (food, school, etc) so an enhanced Prius-Plug-In with a 50 mile mode would cut average US drivers gas use by 90%.

Per this article, a huge boost from Federal government to get battery efficiency up and cost down, helping US car mfg. gain technology advantage and addressing US oil and environment problems in one shot...the 21st century "moon shot" for US.

 

Bare-bones -



I'd like to have me some bare-bones.

 

That's a whole 'nother ball game and yet to be proven as well.

 

LOL!! he let it "slip" out?

here is a guy paid millions to say the right thing, the right way at the right time.

you think he accidentally told us something he did not want you to know?