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Ford Awarded $10M DOE Grant to Accelerate PHEV Development
7 October 2008
Ford Motor Company has been awarded a $10 million grant by the US Department of Energy for research, development, and demonstration of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). Ford received the grant for the continued development of a demonstration fleet of 20 PHEVs. The total project cost is $20 million, and the government will fund $10 million, or 50%, of the program.
In June, Ford delivered the first flexible-fuel capable plug-in hybrid electric SUV to the Department of Energy. The Ford Escape Plug-in Hybrid, capable of running on gasoline or E85, is part of a demonstration fleet Ford is developing in a partnership with Southern California Edison, the Electric Power Research Institute, DTE and Johnson Controls/Saft.
Advanced vehicle testing is underway on vehicles in California, Michigan, and Washington, DC. The company delivered the first gasoline-only Escape PHEV to Southern California Edison in December 2007.
The Ford Escape PHEV is equipped with a 10 kWh advanced lithium ion battery pack supplied by Johnson Controls/Saft that stores enough electric energy to drive up to 30 miles at speeds of up to 40 mph. The battery works in tandem with a small four-cylinder engine.
Based on current estimates, the vehicle would emit 60% less CO2 than a conventional gasoline powered vehicle. The CO2 reduction would reach 90% if cellulosic ethanol is used in place of gasoline, according to Ford.
October 7, 2008 in Brief | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)
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How about Volvo ReCharge. Do the project frozen for ever? New funds and new projects and nothing in the end!!!
Posted by: Darius | Oct 7, 2008 4:10:25 AM
Glad to see Ford is getting some help in the PHEV arena. They are now eligible for the re-tooling loans and the tax credit based on battery size. In spite of the constant (pathetic) barrage of negativity in the media, here and across point-cast internet - the U.S. government and the automakers are taking positive action to speed the transition to electrified transport.
The recent 60 Minutes interview with Tesla and Volt execs highlighted a very encouraging fact: there are more than 30! new startups in silicon valley (and thereabouts) building electric cars. Thirty! This is the result of some very good support over the last four years for energy transformation. It demonstrates the extraordinary power of entrepreneurial imagination.
And this is just the U.S.. Around the world in every major industrialized nation we see announcements and commitments to build electric vehicles. So, while the hand-wringing economy remains the selected disaster du jour - there are real people around the world making formidable strides to lower our energy consumption and end addiction to petroleum. This is in fact exactly the agenda set out some three years ago to universal approval.
To all those who have supported these efforts domestic and foreign - we have done well. There is further to go but the path today is clear and unobstructed. Congratulations on the successful progress of the Declaration of Global Energy Independence.
Posted by: nrg nut | Oct 7, 2008 11:22:11 AM
