Electric Cars

Ford Electric Car for 2011

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My test drive of the new Ford electric car for 2011 demonstrated that Ford is building a BEV that millions will want. The Ford Focus EV prototype provided a quiet and smooth drive for a prototype. A common platform is planned for compact vehicles ranging from engine drives, hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and battery-electric. By 2020, these vehicles could represent up to 25 percent of Ford’s production – that’s up to 2 million cars annually with electric drive systems and advanced battery packs.

Duke Energy’s Electric Vehicle Future

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Duke Energy and FPL Group committed to buy 10,000 plug-in vehicles in the coming decade, as they upgrade their fleets. The energy storage in these vehicles could eliminate the need for peaking plants and enable the expanded use of renewable energy. Duke Energy CEO Jim Rogers shared a few minutes with me before he spoke at the Society for Environmental Journalist conference. At first his commitments to clean fleets, energy efficiency, and renewable energy seem surprising, given that he is CEO of the nation’s third largest emitter of greenhouse gases. The emissions are largely the result of being the nation’s third biggest consumer of coal.

The Plug-in Energy Diet

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It’s not as simple as it first appears to know how much money it’ll take to feed a new plug-in. Traditional utility tiered rate pricing can penalize adding a plug-in vehicle to your electricity bill. New TOU pricing and smart metering is needed. Which is really more energy efficient, a plug-in or a car that just runs on gasoline?

Ener1 Takes Stake in Electric Vehicle Maker Think Global

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Ener1 took the lead among a group of investors that plans to inject $47 million of equity funding into Think Global, the Norwegian electric vehicle producer. Ener1 Chairman and CEO Charles Gassenheimer stated, “Ener1 and Think have collaborated for years on systems development, and today possess a unique ability to bring together category-leading technologies in a fully integrated platform, to suit a wide variety of vehicle applications.”

Ford Plans both Electric Vehicles and Plug-in Hybrids

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Ford is now taking orders for electric vehicles. By 2011, the Ford Motor Company will start taking orders for the new Ford Focus EV. Beyond 2011, Ford will offer the popular Focus in a variety of affordable options including hybrid-electric (HEV), plug-in hybrid (PHEV), and battery electric-vehicle (EV).

Intelligent Electric Vehicles and Smart Grids

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The smart electric vehicle is symbiotic with the smart grid. The new freeway-speed electric vehicles will also be smart electric vehicles (SEV). They will be smart about using energy inside the vehicle so that it can go 100 miles between charges. The SEV will be smart about navigation options that consider your preferences. The smart gird will be used to encourage cost-effective off-peak charging.

Ford Expands Hybrid Success to Electric Vehicles

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It is Ford with the world’s most fuel-efficient SUV – the Ford Escape Hybrid. It is Ford that is now selling a mid-sized hybrid which can be driven to 47 mph in electric vehicle mode – the Ford Fusion Hybrid. It is Ford that is successfully testing the Ford Escape Plug-in Hybrid with major electrical utilities across the nation. It is Ford, not Toyota, which will be selling commercial electric vehicles in the United States in 2010. Through continued advances and strategic partnerships in hybrid-electric, plug-in hybrid, and battery-electric vehicles, Ford is positioned to compete and even lead in growth segments of the auto industry.

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