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Ford Focus Electric (Previous Generation)

Ford Transit Connect Electric
ChargePoint Charging Stations to be installed immediately

Ford Motor Company along with newly announced partner Coulomb Technologies, an electric vehicle infrastructure company, will be presenting approximately 5,000 in-home charging stations free of cost to some of the first electric vehicle (EV) owners in the United States. 

Nine markets were chosen by Coulomb Technologies to receive ChargePoint Networked Charging Stations, which "deliver controlled power to effectively and efficiently charge electric vehicles." The nine markets are Detroit, Orlando, New York, Washington D.C., Austin, Redmond, Los Angeles, Sacramento and the San Jose/San Francisco Bay Area.

"We're excited to be in New York, because aside from the Mini E program and the Tesla Roadster, it hasn't seen much EV action," said Richard Lowenthal, CEO of Coulomb Technologies. "We expect to have great reception there."

Customers located in these nine markets are able to receive ChargePoint Charging Stations with any purchase of a Ford Transit Connect EV through the Ford Blue Oval ChargePoint Program, which helps "ensure customers receive a best-in-class retail experience at Ford dealerships." The program is part of a $37 million ChargePoint America charging station infrastructure project by Coulomb Technologies. In addition, this project is made possible by a "$15 million grant funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act through the Transportation Electrification administered by the Department of Energy." 

The ChargePoint charging stations will be available to all plug-in EV drivers. Those who miss out on the free chargers can use a public ChargePoint station by calling the toll-free, 24/7 phone number on each charging station, or by getting a ChargePass smart card through the ChargePoint monthly access plan. 

For its part, Ford plans to introduce five new EV's by 2012 in North America, including a Transit Connect Electric van due out the end of this year, a Ford Focus Electric passenger car to be released in 2011, a plug- in hybrid and two next-generation lithium-ion battery hybrid-electric vehicles which are set to debut in 2012. 

Available charging stations are listed on mychargepoint.net. Both home and public ChargePoint stations will be available to businesses and individuals. 

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Electric is the future
By XZerg on 6/3/2010 1:03:22 PM , Rating: 5
I see Electric is the future for a better tomorrow and no other form. This is because it opens up the door for "energy" generation to be done by any means - oil, solar, hydro, nuclear, ... Thus going green would be switching few hundreds power plants instead of hundreds of millions cars/vehicles in general. With so many portable ways to generate electricity (solar, gas motors, ...), it would be easier to deal with empty charge compared to empty gas tank.

The only concern at the moment is the battery. Creating an high capacity, small form, charge time, cost and environmentally friendly storage. I am less worried about the charge time so long as it is 2-3 hours and if the form is simple enough to allow quick swap at a station similar to filling up gas tank at a station.




RE: Electric is the future
By inperfectdarkness on 6/3/2010 1:10:52 PM , Rating: 2
we don't need to worry about charge time.

what we need is a universal standard for batteries, and a uniform rollout of service charging stations which can swap batteries. the technology already exists. there was an article about it on here not that long ago.

once that's in place, internal combustion powered automobiles can go the way of the dodo for all i care.


By therealnickdanger on 6/4/2010 9:05:47 AM , Rating: 2
I just want a standard plug in the wall... 15 minute charge time... and a 500 mile range. 2040, here I come!


RE: Electric is the future
By dusteater on 6/4/2010 4:09:58 PM , Rating: 3
The problem with battery swap stations is that batteries degrade over their lifetime. I don't want to go get my battery swapped with one that is not working so well.

And this remains the issue with electric cars. The battery. We have electric motors that are great, we have efficient nuclear power production, but the problem always comes down to the battery. I just don't see EV's being viable for the mainstream until we have a better energy storage technology.


RE: Electric is the future
By Dr of crap on 6/3/2010 1:28:05 PM , Rating: 2
Sorry battery power is not the NEAR future. Maybe in 50 years.
I'm not saying that there aren't some who could use these, but to go all out and say that the electric car is the winner is crap.
The internal combustino engine will be king for your lifetime.
After gasoline, then we'll be using compressed natrual gas as fuel.
And we also should be making home produced hydrogen to genereate our own electricity, and also using in our fuel cell cars. These would be head and shoulders above battery powered cars!


RE: Electric is the future
By XZerg on 6/3/2010 3:21:23 PM , Rating: 2
It should be feasible in next 10-15 years, not too long. The gas cars will still be king of the hill until 30 years or so but they are on their way out.

As long as the car makers can hit 200+ miles distance, many will be very much tempted. Current's 100 miles is too close to most people's normal commute preventing chores before getting home. Also the battery wear or weather would drop that distance too.

Hear is to wishing nanotubes deliver the promise many companies are exciting us about.


RE: Electric is the future
By Spuke on 6/3/2010 6:50:31 PM , Rating: 3
quote:
As long as the car makers can hit 200+ miles distance, many will be very much tempted. Current's 100 miles is too close to most people's normal commute preventing chores before getting home.
Which current EV's have a 100 mile range? I must have missed some new car ads.


RE: Electric is the future
By roadhog1974 on 6/7/2010 6:15:39 PM , Rating: 2
my daily commute is 20km.
a large commute day might hit 100km.

100 mile daily commute? would rather dump another $100,000
on the mortgage and live closer.


One of These Things Is Not Like The Other
By KIAman on 6/3/2010 1:07:22 PM , Rating: 2
9 markets and they all make sense, except Sacramento. What makes Sacramento so special to be chosen as a market?




By Pirks on 6/3/2010 1:20:45 PM , Rating: 5
The Governator


availability of chargers
By DanNeely on 6/3/2010 1:04:55 PM , Rating: 2
"Both home and public ChargePoint stations will be available to businesses and individuals. " Does this mean that anyone who accepts one of these free charges will have to let anyone else who signs up with ChargePoint onto their property to recharge a car?




By Brandon Hill (blog) on 6/3/2010 1:16:30 PM , Rating: 2
I take it to mean:

The 5,000 free chargers are available to business and public customers
The public ChargePoint stations are available for businesses and public customers to use


RE: availability of chargers
By knutjb on 6/3/2010 3:37:46 PM , Rating: 2
They are providing the stations but the sparks will not be free. I don't know if the stations track usage but if they don't I don't see free usage if that is the case.

I think those markets were chosen for the expected vehicle use, i.e. Transit Delivery can function without fear of running dry, the power grid can handle the projected load, and the dealers AND consumers are open to the idea of such vehicles.

Ford has been working with power suppliers for several years to make sure they [Ford] will receive support to ensure their vehicles success.

The Transit looks to be a successful vehicle if its range is based on real world use not it does 70 miles in the lab @ 70 degrees F in the test lab. That variable has been a turn off for many business customers interested in electric vehicles. If it can't go the distance it's a waste of capital. You can't go get a gallon of sparks to get it back to a charging station combined with the long recharge times. That is one major reason electrics can only fit a niche market. Though that might become a new market if they take off in large numbers.


Such a deal
By YashBudini on 6/3/2010 3:35:45 PM , Rating: 2
Yes with our well maintained state of the art power grid these cars are going to do us a lot of good.

Just how many cars will be running off of coal anyway?




RE: Such a deal
By mcnabney on 6/3/2010 4:16:08 PM , Rating: 2
Many, at first, but we will add to the grid's capacity with new nuclear and wind plants (plus some clean(er) coal.

Electricity is a great multi-use energy source. You can make it with whatever is plentiful nearby. That means big solar plants in Arizona, wind turbines in the midwest, and some new Nukes near the population centers on the coasts.

I agree that a universal battery would be nice. Break the battery into 40lb chunks. Have them all designed for enough voltage to run the vehicle so you can replace them as they deplete. If you run out, swap one out to get you the five-ten miles home. It would also allow flexible range models as well. Come to think of it, there would be charging stations installed all over (McDonalds would be wise to do this nationwide, fill-up your car and tummy at the same time), but convenience stores would also allow for battery swaps for quick stop/go.


RE: Such a deal
By Zoomer on 6/4/2010 12:27:53 AM , Rating: 2
The tradeoff will be size and looks. Commercial vans, probably ok, cars, not so much.


By lballs421 on 6/3/2010 4:18:10 PM , Rating: 2
Shelby had a prototype super car that supposedly is the fastest all electric car ever. This car also says it could get 200 mile range. Now the most interesting spec about this car is that is can charge its lithium battery in 10 minutes from a standard 110V source... Before you call me stupid, I know a standard outlet can not do this alone. I assume there is a secondary battery in a charging station connected to the standard outlet. Hundreds of amps or thousands of volts would be needed for a 10 minute charge. Still, why has this technology not been made mainstream? A 10 minute charge would make me get an all electric. (Source: <a href="http://jalopnik.com/5136538/ultimate-aero-ev-ssc-p...">Jalopnik</a>)




By Spuke on 6/3/2010 6:52:34 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
Still, why has this technology not been made mainstream?
Because he woke up.


By shin0bi272 on 6/3/2010 3:50:39 PM , Rating: 2
In 1897, electric vehicles found their first commercial application as a fleet of electrical New York City taxis, built by the Electric Carriage and Wagon Company of Philadelphia, was established. Electric cars were produced in the U.S. by Anthony Electric, Baker, Columbia, Anderson, Edison, Studebaker, Riker, and others during the early 20th century. In 1917, the first gasoline-electric hybrid car was released by the Woods Motor Vehicle Company of Chicago. The hybrid was a commercial failure, proving to be too slow for its price, and too difficult to service.[14]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_electr...

and as a subset of my argument...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_car#Comparis...

Can we please stop with the "electric cars are the way of the future" articles now? Electric cars are the next big thing and they always will be... get it?




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