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Ford is
developing an electric Focus as part of the UK Government’s “Ultra-Low
Carbon Vehicles” demonstration initiative, and it’s also on show at
Frankfurt.
The Focus
Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) will have a range of up to 75 miles and a top
speed of up to 85mph. Charging the batteries will take between six to eight
hours using a common 230 volt grid.
To evaluate
whether this technology is suitable for European road and driving conditions, a
fleet of 15 European Focus BEV prototypes is being built. These cars will
deliver local zero emission mobility while providing room for five passengers.
A consortium
of Ford, Scottish and Southern Energy and Strathclyde University will use the
fleet of prototype Ford Focus BEV vehicles and a charging infrastructure in and
around the London Borough of Hillingdon from early 2010.
This new BEV
demonstration fleet is being developed partly with public funding from the UK
Government’s Technology Strategy Board (TSB), which promotes innovative
industry-led projects that reduce CO2.
The research
programme aims to test the technology’s suitability for potential future
application in Ford’s European passenger car range.
The Focus BEV
prototype is based on the current European Ford Focus and will use a new
all-electric powertrain. Under the skin is a lithium-ion battery pack with the
capacity of 23kWh and a chassis-mounted 100kW permanent-magnet electric
traction motor.
The prototype
incorporates key components from Ford’s proven North American hybrid
technology, including an electric climate control system.
