SlashGear Japan
With the automotive market tanking thanks to the poor economy, the boom in auto sales thanks to the cash for clunkers program won’t last much longer. After that, automakers will actually need cars that are affordable and appeal to buyers rather than big government incentives to sell more vehicles.
Ford is working hard, as are other manufacturers, on hybrid and electric vehicles to ease the need for gasoline and improve fuel efficiency. Ford has announced a new intelligent charging system for hybrid cars that allows vehicles to communicate with the electrical grid. The charging system allows the operator of the vehicle complete control of the charging system.
Using the new system the vehicle owner can choose when the car charges, how long it charges, and at what energy rate the vehicle will charge at. This will allow the user to charge electric and plug-in hybrid Fords during off peak times for less impact on the electrical grid and money savings. The system will first show up in the all-electric Transit Connect commercial van and then the Focus Hybrid in 2011.
2 Responses to “Ford unveils “Intelligent” charging system for plug-in hybrids”
evmdfan August 20, 2009
this is just one more news article that disproves another baseless myth about electric vehicles- not to mention that as the demand for electricity grows, so will the grid. Electric cars are safe, clean, and efficient. And, with electric cars we can save our economy (using domestic energy, lowering our trade deficit, building jobs), while also helping reduce pollution. Electric cars are the future- as soon as affordable ones are on the market. For an insightful, readable, and eye-opening introduction to the benefits and history of electric cars, I recommend the book “Two Cents Per Mile” by Nevres Cefo. Did you know that electric cars have been driving on u.s. roads for over a decade? (check out the Toyota RAV4-ev!).
NeutralHSR0601 September 10, 2009
The vehicle-to-grid communication technology is helping the battery serve as a storage to prevent the costly blackout standing at about $90 to 100bn per year. That means utilities are shedding cost for additional storage facilities and ratepayers are selling electricity for peak hours so that EVs can make more economic sense, as we know.
It is also in the best interest of electricity utilities that EVs are going mainstream, thereby they need to put in charge stands where needed around highways, major roads with card readers or cell phone tech.
Neutral