Ford AU Passes on Electric Focus Manufacture

[R-Design]

http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mell...2575B40016A027

[phillyc]

This is where GMHolden and Ford differ.

Ford have said of the Focus BEV.

“We could build anything,” “(But) as a business case, it is not viable”.

GMHolden excerpt is a fraction of what has previously been said of the Volt

"has confirmed it will have the ability to produce any model based on the Delta platform, including the Volt."

In other words, Ford is truthful, Holden have misled with an oh, sure we could and we'd love to, we'll look at it!

Personally, Ford Aus would love to do it, but they are sensibly declining to do it for now. I think that is the right move.

[Gobes32]

I think electric vehicles are over rated at this point in time. Especially considering our electricity (Vic) comes from "dirty" coal mines.

[Gaz]

Yes and no.... It is a case that they will have to adopt in the future and something they should plan for. 2011 - may be to soon for our market to need its own manufacturer, unless we could export them.

While some power sources come from brown coal (you have an option to buy green power) it is still more efficient than a petrol engine. Power is roughly 10c/kwh (to make it rounded), the car has 23kw/h of batteries with a range of more than 130 and they aim for 160, lets call it 150km. So to charge your car it costs (23x.1) $2.30 for 150km, or in simple terms $1.53 per 100km. Now in a equal petrol car you might do 6L/100km at $1.10 a litre that's $6.60/100km.

You could also elect to charge your car from your own solar panels, meaning it's free to run (and if your state has a gross feed in tariff you would be paid to charge your car!) and you also suddenly have a power source in a black out to keep your lights on at home!

And for those who say electric cars have no style or guts... http://www.teslamotors.com/

0-100km/h in under 4 seconds

[Gobes32]

Very true, and in around 10 years ev's might be the norm. But at this point in time I think Ford are wise to sit back and wait.

[mik]

i would be interested to see real world power usage of a full electtric car, if you drive at night with lights on the range would be less would it not? hot day air conditioning on etc? have friends in the car more weight = more power usage, i`m also wondering how many solar panels would it take to charge a bank of batteries and how long, how long do the very expensive batteries last? many questions.

[Gaz]

Originally Posted by mik

i would be interested to see real world power usage of a full electtric car, if you drive at night with lights on the range would be less would it not? hot day air conditioning on etc? have friends in the car more weight = more power usage, i`m also wondering how many solar panels would it take to charge a bank of batteries and how long, how long do the very expensive batteries last? many questions.

Same as a petrol car - A/C, additional passengers all use additional fuel, as they would additional power. However an electric cars fuel usage would be less affected by outside temperature (not that it is a significant factor for petrol cars)

Most of the batteries seem to be coming with a 3 or 5 year warranty on them, after that time they aren't useless - just won't continue to get as great a distance. Taking them out of a high drain environment would see them still being useful in different scenarios.

In regards to solar panels and charging a car, to be honest it's not overly efficient purely because it is a lot of energy and the space and cost of solar currently. A 23kw/h battery supply being charged from solar to charge during daylight hours would theoretically require a 5kw system. (A 5kw system in Perth with an average Solar Insolation value of just over 5 (however over 7 in summer and closer to 3 in winter) would provide roughly 25kwh of electricity per day (35kw/h in summer and 15kw/h in winter). Unfortunately at this stage a 5kw PV system would cost somewhere around $40-50k.

Honestly - it does take a lot of juice to charge these and solar isn't exactly practical for that purpose at this point however the future will hold solar PV and wind being more and more common. In Japan I believe they have small wind turbines actually placed where you can plug you car into charge. There is a system being organised on the east coast currently by a company called 'better place' who are building a network of recharge stations for electric cars. They started in Israel I believe and are going around the world with this idea. The future will see a system where instead of pulling into a servo to put petrol in your car you pull in and your battery pack will be swapped out and off you go. This of course will require collaboration from manufacturers (one of their strong points :togo: ) to make compatible systems etc for maximum benefit.

At this stage regular powered cars still have their place and will do so for some time, particularly in Australia where we cover large distances. However d in the CBD and travelled 5-10km a day why not? You would have an extremely zippy car, no worrying about it never getting to running temperature and will be very cheap to run.

Enough of a rant from me - probably the longest post i've ever written! Lets hope it makes some sense.

[ZA-289]

If ford AUS wants to build an electric car in 10 years, they need to start now!

Charging an electric car from home at night creates no excess coal pollution, apparently the electric turbines at power stations run at the same speed all day and night as it's too hard to sycronise the turbines when you speed them up and slow them down.

[Bud Bud]

Originally Posted by ZA-289

If ford AUS wants to build an electric car in 10 years, they need to start now!

Spot on. Ford need to lead the pack or they will just be playing catch up in the future.

Toyota are smart because I know that most fair and mechanically minded people know that the Prius is not what it is sold to be however most of the unsuspecting public just don't know or don't even care. Toyota knows that this is a marketing exercise so when Toyota does release a full EV, they will be in the box seat with proven reliability because most will think that the prius is already an EV. If you don’t believe me, ask a few people who not into cars what a hybrid is!

GM was dumb because they could have owned the show by now but was pressured by outside influences to drop their EV program. Where would they be today if this program was up and running with second or third generation EV's going around instead of starting from scratch with the Volt?

With some here thinking it is good that Ford Aus has passed this opportunity up at least for now, I wonder how they would of reacted if Ford Aus took up this challenge instead.

[Bad Bird]

Originally Posted by Gaz

And for those who say electric cars have no style or guts... http://www.teslamotors.com/

The Tesla is basically vapourware.

[SB076]

I think Ford need to look at some future fuel be it either electric or Hydrogen and the sooner the better.

The Tesla didnt perform that well on Top Gear

[Nikked]

The only thing good about an electric car would be the image, but elcetric cars tend to be too expensive for what they are. Ford is better of with a diesel as it can be sold for a better price.

Funnly enough, the NRMA assesor for my region used to have a prius, now he has a VE...

[ChemicalHorizon]

Originally Posted by SB076

I think Ford need to look at some future fuel be it either electric or Hydrogen and the sooner the better.

The Tesla didnt perform that well on Top Gear

Hydrogen simply wont happen in cars, for a very very long time. The technical limitations on storage, energy density, range, safety, H2 generation, transport etc etc are all way too far off.

Petrol / Diesel will still be the norm for the short term

Hybrid / Petrol, Diesel, LPG in medium term

Full electric / hybrid in the long term

Hydrogen will have its place by you having a fuelcell in your house fed from natgas (imo anyways)

[z80]

Originally Posted by Bad Bird

The Tesla is basically vapourware.

No it's not.

One was seen at Clipsal Adelaide this year....by me.

0-100 in under 4 seconds with no violence.

Show me ANY current ford that can do that?

If you bring it to my place I can charge it with the 5 kilowatt solar array on my roof.....ZERO carbon emmissions....

Hell...you can fillup for free while we have a few beers. :



Ford are making a big mistake not pursuing a lead in EV development.

Sounds like a business plan by a company with no future.

[Piotr]

Guys its not Ford that arn't pursuing EV technology. They arn't producting them in Australia

Ford group is still going ahead will full development of the EV.

[Eu-GenixX]

^^^ doh.. beat me to it..

good idea to wait on it...

it's not like if they wait they will fall behind the oppostion... the EV focus will be getting built elsewhere in the world.. and they beleive they have the ability to build the EV here... they are just choosing not to... if they find a market available to sell to.. it shouldn't be too hard for them to produce them here...

[outback_ute]

I think they are right in not producing the electric Focus here - mainly because with Falcon sedans, wagons, utes, Territory's, Focus sedans and hatches the production line will be complicated enough already.

Whether they should import them or not is another question - I say why not? An EV will be just as much a halo car for some as the FPV range is for other people. As EV's improve it is inevitable they will become an important part of the market and Ford should get in on the ground floor.

I wonder if there will be a hybrid version of the next Focus?