FORD’S ACCELERATED BATTERY RESEARCH DRIVES DEVELOPMENT OF VEHICLE ELECTRIFICATION PLANS
One of the hurdles in the race to develop automotive Lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery systems for high volume hybrid, plug-in hybrid and battery electric vehicle programs is improving the technology’s durability.
Ford’s advanced battery researchers are working with battery suppliers, utility companies and top-tier academic researchers to develop, test and validate high-powered battery systems that are durable enough to last the lifetime of a vehicle.
More Efficient, Less Costly
According to Ford’s advanced battery researchers’ recent findings, which were presented at SAE International’s 2009 World Congress this week, Li-ion battery systems:
- Will be 5 percent more energy efficient than the nickel-metal hydride batteries used in today’s hybrid electric vehicles, and;
- Would be less costly than NiMH in large volumes – approximately 30 percent less expensive at an annual volume of 3 million hybrids
Adaptable Technology
The Li-ion battery packs that Ford will use in its hybrids and electric vehicles, are 25 to 30 percent smaller and 50 percent lighter than NiMH batteries. That makes them easier to package in a vehicle. Unlike NiMH batteries, Li-ion can be tuned to increase power to boost acceleration, or to increase energy to extend driving distance.
Ford will use Li-ion battery systems to power:
- a pure battery electric (BEV) Transit Connect commercial van in 2010
- a BEV passenger car developed jointly with Magna International by 2011
- a Plug-in hybrid electric (PHEV) and next-generation hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) by 2012
Unique Li-ion systems are in development for each type of vehicle, because the drive cycles of BEVs, HEVs and PHEVs have different types of battery storage and usage requirements.
Challenges Remain
The Li-ion battery needed for automotive use is expected to handle a multitude of vehicle operations under extremely hot and cold conditions, making thermal and safety management much more complex than that needed for batteries in consumer electronics, such as laptops.
Testing Underway
Ford is accelerating its research, development and testing of advanced Li-ion battery technology, thanks, in part, to a $55 million tax credit incentive from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. Ford has engaged researchers at the University of Michigan and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to conduct digital simulation tests, collecting degradation data that Ford and its battery suppliers have used to improve Li-ion performance.
In addition, Ford has entered into research partnerships with eight regional electrical utility companies to conduct real-world tests on Li-ion-powered Ford Escape PHEVs.
These vehicles:
- Use a common household current (120 volts) for charging, with a full charge of the battery completed within six to eight hours
- Can achieve up to 120 mpg when driven on surface streets for the first 30 miles following a full charge
- Operate in two modes, electric drive and blended electric-engine drive
- Run as a fuel-efficient standard Ford Escape Hybrid one the charge in the battery as been depleted
QUOTES
“Ford is strongly positioned to accelerate its electric vehicle strategy this year thanks to the significant research we’ve already completed. Our collaborative work with suppliers and partners will help us be one of the first automakers to bring the next generation of personal transportation to market.” – Susan Cischke, Group Vice President, Ford Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering
“Our PHEV fleet is a direct result of our Li-ion research, and the data mined from these field tests will provide crucial information as we make advances in battery technology.” – Ted Miller, Manager, Ford Energy Storage Strategy and Research
“The efforts of Ted Miller’s team to reduce the cost and mass of Li-ion systems have been important to the research community at large. Their efforts are yielding improved Li-ion systems, and more knowledgeable workers.” – Ann Marie Sastry, Professor of Mechanical Engineering and
Director of the University of Michigan’s Energy Systems Engineering Program
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