Topic: Ford testing 120mpg plug-in hybrid Escape

[ArticSteve]

January 29, 2008

Plug-in electric hybrid cars represent a simple and effective bridge between today's primarily petrol-driven hybrids and tomorrow's fully electric vehicles. Over short distances, they deliver the efficiency, economy and low emissions of an electric car – but you've still got a petrol engine to rely on for longer trips. With Toyota testing a plug-in Prius that's rumored to go to production in 2009, Ford has announced a Plug-in Electric Hybrid (PHEV) version of its Escape SUV. Currently in testing, the Escape PHEV runs primarily on electric in its commuting duties, achieving around 30 miles of high-efficiency electric drive after an overnight charge of its high capacity Lithium-Ion battery pack. For longer trips it reverts seamlessly back to normal hybrid operation.

Ford Motor Company is aggressively advancing plug-in hybrid technology through two different applications on research demonstration vehicles as a way to help improve the functionality and durability of lithium-ion battery packs and the future commercialization of plug-in hybrid technology.

The first Ford Escape Plug-In Hybrid demonstration vehicle was delivered to Southern California Edison for testing in early December. Under a unique two-year partnership with the utility company, a 20-unit fleet will be tested in California, first in the utility’s electric vehicle fleet, and later with selected residential customers.

The Ford Escape Plug-In Hybrid (PHEV), capable of delivering up to 120 miles per gallon, would mean far fewer trips to the gas station.

“To deliver the superior fuel economy of our PHEVs to the customer – at a value that is not cost prohibitive, we are working with our partners, Southern California Edison, to identify new business models,” said Sherif Marakby, chief engineer for Ford’s Global Core Hybrid Engineering. “Such models could address battery ownership issues and customer, utility and automaker value as it relates to the electrification of vehicles.”

The parallel hybrid electric vehicle uses common household current (120 volts) for charging, with a full charge of the battery completed within six to eight hours. When driven on surface streets for the first 30 miles following a full charge, the Ford Escape PHEV can achieve up to 120 mpg – roughly 4.5 times its traditional gas internal combustion engine-powered counterpart.

A fully charged Ford Escape PHEV operates in two modes, electric drive and blended electric/engine drive. At urban speeds, the high capacity plug-in hybrid battery allows for extended battery-only driving distance. At higher power demands and vehicle speeds, the vehicle automatically switches to blended electric/engine mode, providing propulsion using both the engine and the high-capacity battery, further reducing fuel consumption.

The vehicle is not range-limited by the amount of charge available in the high-voltage lithium-ion battery, because once the charge in the battery has been depleted, the vehicle continues to operate as a fuel-efficient, standard Ford Escape Hybrid. The transition is automatic and unnoticeable to the driver.

Ford and SCE jointly will conduct testing of the vehicles, some of which may be evaluated in typical customer settings to model overall home and grid values. The testing will provide valuable data related to the durability, reliability and safety of new battery technology. The cost of those advanced batteries today means the technology is currently not economically feasible for widespread consumer applications.

[EV Dan]

"The Ford Escape Plug-In Hybrid (PHEV), capable of delivering up to 120 miles per gallon, would mean far fewer trips to the gas station."

-typical for Ford. Making bogus claims never improves the image. It will NEVER make a 120 miles per galon or it should be written as, say 120miles per gallon*kWh.



"When driven on surface streets for the first 30 miles following a full charge, the Ford Escape PHEV can achieve up to 120 mpg – roughly 4.5 times its traditional gas internal combustion engine-powered counterpart."

Can but won't 
If it uses the li-ion as a primary source it will drain it completely after the first 30 miles. Then it will have to use the engine to go further and at the same time recharge the "high capacity" one which will put more load on it. 120-30= 90 miles per gallon?! Not gonna happen, not without a wind mill on the roof.

[Wolfe]

Currently in testing, the Escape PHEV runs primarily on electric in its commuting duties, achieving around 30 miles of high-efficiency electric drive after an overnight charge of its high capacity Lithium-Ion battery pack.

Here's a question that I haven't seen asked before: How energy efficient is the actual process of charging a car's battery from the electrical grid? Sure it may reduce gasoline consumption but from the point where the electricity is generated through its transmission to the charging point and the charging and discharging of the battery how energy efficient is it?

People often seem to forget that at the other end of the wires there is a power generation plant of some sort. They don't ask whether this technology will eliminate emissions or simply displace them.

[EV Dan]

It is hard to believe but two articles I found on Wiki suggest 99 and 99.9 % efficiency rates for Li-ion while only 66% for ni-mh and ni-cd. I dont know if it true but I really noticed my cell never heats up during charging, unlike the other "stationary" motorola with ni-mh pack.

76.5% for a hydro power plant, close to 20% or more for solar panels which is not a big deal as the sun is "free"; 59% max for a wind turbine.... the deal here is mass production as well as mass consumption turn out to be more efficient (take a TTC bus for instance)

Still I'd like to see Ford's ^ EPA results

[davidm]

"The Ford Escape Plug-In Hybrid (PHEV), capable of delivering up to 120 miles per gallon, would mean far fewer trips to the gas station."

-typical for Ford. Making bogus claims never improves the image. It will NEVER make a 120 miles per galon or it should be written as, say 120miles per gallon*kWh.



"When driven on surface streets for the first 30 miles following a full charge, the Ford Escape PHEV can achieve up to 120 mpg – roughly 4.5 times its traditional gas internal combustion engine-powered counterpart."

Can but won't 
If it uses the li-ion as a primary source it will drain it completely after the first 30 miles. Then it will have to use the engine to go further and at the same time recharge the "high capacity" one which will put more load on it. 120-30= 90 miles per gallon?! Not gonna happen, not without a wind mill on the roof.

While you are correct, the point of plug-in hybrids to eliminate (or substantially reduce) emissions for the short trips and commutes - 30 miles round trip.  If you were a taxi driver, the regular hybrid is much better - it's advantage over an IC engine improves with each mile driven, a plug-in hybrid begins with massive improvement then drifts asymptotically towards the mileage of a hybrid (ie. starts high and goes down with mileage).  Toyota has been investigating plug in hybrids for a long time and there are conversion kits for the Prius (non sanctioned by Toyota).

As for the additional load of charging, that's true, but don't forget a significant portion of battery charging in a hybrid comes from the brakes.

There is some good technology here, but it is primarily a bunch more batteries in a std hybrid to give short trip commuters a reduced emission drive.

As for efficiency, there have been loads of studies, and, of course, they all conflict depending on who is paying for the study.  Most agree this is more about emissions displacement (esp. in the US) than emissions reduction (unless the electricity is hydro, wind, nuke, etc.).

[davidm]

It is hard to believe but two articles I found on Wiki suggest 99 and 99.9 % efficiency rates for Li-ion while only 66% for ni-mh and ni-cd. I dont know if it true but I really noticed my cell never heats up during charging, unlike the other "stationary" motorola with ni-mh pack.

76.5% for a hydro power plant, close to 20% or more for solar panels which is not a big deal as the sun is "free"; 59% max for a wind turbine.... the deal here is mass production as well as mass consumption turn out to be more efficient (take a TTC bus for instance)

Still I'd like to see Ford's ^ EPA results

No major manufacturer conventional road vehicle currently uses Li or Li-ion batteries due to safety issues.  New Prius was supposed to, but they backed off at the last minute.  I believe A123 is working with GM and Tesla (separately) on a Li-ion bat for cars.

A 20% efficient basic silicon solar cell would be worth a fortune. Most are stuck in the 15-17% range and paying big bucks for 0.1% improvements.  Higher efficiency solar cells cost so much to make they have to run for eons to make back the capital cost with their increased efficiency.

[Cortina]

I wonder how much it would increase your hydro bill, Because some household appliances drain a lot more power, than other household appliances. 

Also, as most of us car nuts know. Hybrids have massive global footprints in order mine the nickel and process it. Some say more than life span of Hummer.

[EV Dan]

^^ I dont know where you folks wash your CPUs 

"The efficiency of various types of internal combustion engines varies, but it is nearly always lower than electric motor energy efficiency. Most gasoline-fueled internal combustion engines, even when aided with turbochargers and stock efficiency aids, have a mechanical efficiency of about 20%" - thats Wiki.

Manufacturing cost of solar panels of latest gen is 30 cents a watt (according to nanosolar) so thats why the efficiency in that case does not matter much - the panel has to be paid for ones and then its energy is "free" for 25 years.

[The Mighty Duck]

While you are correct, the point of plug-in hybrids to eliminate (or substantially reduce) emissions for the short trips and commutes - 30 miles round trip.  If you were a taxi driver, the regular hybrid is much better - it's advantage over an IC engine improves with each mile driven, a plug-in hybrid begins with massive improvement then drifts asymptotically towards the mileage of a hybrid (ie. starts high and goes down with mileage).

This just doesn't make sense.  A plug-in hybrid, as per the article, is a regular hybrid with bigger batteries.  So it operates on battery juice alone for the first 30 miles, and then as a regular hybrid.  That means the average fuel economy is better than a standard hybrid.  This statement, "it's advantage over an IC engine improves with each mile driven, a plug-in hybrid begins with massive improvement then drifts asymptotically towards the mileage of a hybrid" is contradictory.  You're saying traditional hybrids are better for fleets, but the plug-in is a traditional hybrid plus.  The only place the plug-in would suffer might be in a cost-benefit analysis.

[EV Dan]

"That means the average fuel economy is better than a standard hybrid."

Not necessarily, and on this part I will agree with David.  Thing is if you drive lets say 60 miles a day, half on the battery (as claimed) it saves you quite a bit in gas money. If u do 200 miles a day tho then the pure battery range is negligibly small and for the most part of the trip u end up hauling the dead weight - like twice the batteries of a "normal" hybrid plus I suppose twice as big a motor.
The only really promising part here with ford and the others is nickel free batteries, and as they plan to use more, they will eventually drop in price, since Toyota-Panasonic have opened their batt plant as well as competition from A123.

[davidm]

While you are correct, the point of plug-in hybrids to eliminate (or substantially reduce) emissions for the short trips and commutes - 30 miles round trip.  If you were a taxi driver, the regular hybrid is much better - it's advantage over an IC engine improves with each mile driven, a plug-in hybrid begins with massive improvement then drifts asymptotically towards the mileage of a hybrid (ie. starts high and goes down with mileage).

This just doesn't make sense.  A plug-in hybrid, as per the article, is a regular hybrid with bigger batteries.  So it operates on battery juice alone for the first 30 miles, and then as a regular hybrid.  That means the average fuel economy is better than a standard hybrid.  This statement, "it's advantage over an IC engine improves with each mile driven, a plug-in hybrid begins with massive improvement then drifts asymptotically towards the mileage of a hybrid" is contradictory.  You're saying traditional hybrids are better for fleets, but the plug-in is a traditional hybrid plus.  The only place the plug-in would suffer might be in a cost-benefit analysis.

What I'm saying is for short distances you get very high mileage, but the further you drive (between charges), the lower a percentage of your total mileage the "all electric" portion becomes thus tending your mileage asymptotically towards the mileage a regular hybrid would get.   On a total mileage basis, if you assume a hybrid's mileage is constant, the plug-in's will be higher then over distance drift down until it eventually matches the constant mileage of the regular hybrid (ignoring the extra weight of a lot more bats).  This is moot for short haul commuters, but a big issue for taxies and big US city interstate commuters - esp. when you consider plug-ins are expected to hit the market at $5-10k more than the equiv. hybrid.