19 Aug 2009
Weeks after scoring more than $90 million in stimulus funds to speed the development of electric vehicles and batteries, Ford Motor Co. announced new electric models and the testing of one of the industry's first vehicle-to-electric grid communication and control systems.
The system is designed to use wireless networking to allow vehicle owners to schedule recharging at specific times and rates in order to make the process easy and convenient for consumers.
The company's fleet of 21 plug-in hybrid electric vehicles will test the communications system, the first of which has been delivered to American Electric Power, one of Ford's many utility partners working with the automaker to research battery technology, vehicle systems, customer usage and grid infrastructure.
"Broad commercialisation of electric transportation is not something a car company can achieve on its own," Nancy Gioia, Ford's director of sustainable mobility technologies, explained in a statement yesterday. "Developing and producing the vehicles is just one part of the electric transportation equation. We are well on our way to delivering the vehicles, but for widespread adoption the infrastructure to support the technology needs to be in place and we need to ensure that the national electric grid can support increased electric demand."
Since 2007, Ford and its partners have undergone more than 75,000 miles of PHEV testing.
Ford also said Tuesday that it will launch an all-electric Transit Connect commercial van in 2010, a battery electric Focus compact car a year later, and both a PHEV and new hybrid electric vehicle in 2012.
The US Department of Energy selected a slew of organisations earlier this month to receive $2.4 billion in stimulus funds to accelerate electric car development. Ford will receive two grants totaling $92.7 million. One $30 million grant will go toward the company's participation in demonstration and grid integration partnerships. A second $62.7 million grant will help fund electric-drive transaxle production at its Van Dyke transmission manufacturing plant.
This article first appeared at GreenBiz.com
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great news
this is just one more news article that disproves another baseless myth about electric vehicles- not to mention that as the demand for electricity grows, so will the grid. Electric cars are safe, clean, and efficient. And, with electric cars we can save our economy (using domestic energy, lowering our trade deficit, building jobs), while also helping reduce pollution. Electric cars are the future- as soon as affordable ones are on the market. For an insightful, readable, and eye-opening introduction to the benefits and history of electric cars, I recommend the book "Two Cents Per Mile" by Nevres Cefo. Did you know that electric cars have been driving on u.s. roads for over a decade? (check out the Toyota RAV4-ev!). Check out http://www.twocentspermile.com and http://bit.ly/2centsbook to learn more
Posted by electric cars now, 20 Aug 2009