Comments on: Intelligent Communications for Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles

By: Robert Lynch

Robert Lynch — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 18:07:41 +0000

I just returned from an unvieling of a electric car charger made by coulomb Technologies.
It is limited in charging ability and sells for over $6,450, plus installation. Do you have an
alternative? We propose to establish EV Islands, that offer recharging, plus using solar
and wind to generate some elect. to help control some of our costs. We have 15 years
experience with NG vehicles and Propane vehicles. We could offer these at the same
islands. Our Solar panels look like Patio covers, and are very cosmetic. The Wind
Tubines while producing very small amounts of electricty, attract attention and show
where we are going “Green” any input and suggestions? I read about the device
that Ford plans to put on each engine to adjust time for charging, timing to cut
costs, etc, would this put us out of business? Bob Lynch SAE since 1990
Energy Engineer, 15 years.Thinking out of diapers, 75 years.

By: Philip

Philip — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 22:42:18 +0000

I don’t really see the benefit of electric cars. I have heard it presented as fact ( via some TV “documentary”) thqt the US still burns coal as 60% of the fuel base. Electric cars are simply dumping more load on the grid. Futhermore electricity is primarily generated via coal or natural gas. It would be more economical to simply compress natural gas for commuting vehicles. If however that power is generated by off grid power, you’d have genuine savings. OTOH, electric cars will become much more viable once gas prices are $12-$15 per gallon, which is where cap and tax will place us. Fortunately for us Governent Motors will be able to meet the the demand for short range ,under powered , electric cars.

By: Keith

Keith — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 00:46:13 +0000

Solar, wind. The idea is create your own electricity and thus rid yourself from the trappings of paying the man for your fuel.

By: Mike

Mike — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 22:58:25 +0000

I know this sounds great, but you really can’t get energy for free like this. If you put wind turbines on your car, or next to the highway, you’re actually disrupting the car’s slipstream and creating drag. Since windmills are at maximum 59% efficient, a perfect design would still cause the car to use twice as much energy overcoming the extra friction as it would recover from the windmill. The only reason that normal wind power works is because the wind is generated by natural forces, and we do not have to use any energy to create the forces that spin them.

By: spavy@vom.com

spavy@vom.com — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 15:57:08 +0000

Any help you can get me on getting access to foreign parts suppliers would be great (the Merkur was built in Cologne and was sold heavily in Europe, including the UK). There has to be a web-based answer to this. When I contact Ford US, they reply with some non-Ford “suppliers” who don’t have anything at all. Same response, every time. Doesn’t work. How do I get someone’s attention on this? And you are right, seems like a good story for someone – how a well-built Ford (Merkur) keeps on running. BTW: my local Ford dealer (Henry Curtis Ford – Petaluma) is GREAT! They continue to troubleshoot and service the car. They just cannot get any help from Ford either on parts.

By: Jennifer Moore

Jennifer Moore — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 04:54:47 +0000

Stephen – Our first electric vehicle will debut in late 2010 – it will be a Transit Connect pure battery electric vehicle, a small commercial van. In 2011 we will bring out the Focus battery electric vehicle – thats the passenger car and presumably the kind of vehicle that would appeal to you. Then in 2012 we will bring to market a plug-in hybrid vehicle (but we haven’t yet announced what that will be). Yes, the federal government has indicated there will be a rebate for early adopters of these vehicles – and I understand the incentives will stay in place until certain volume levels these advanced vehicles are reached, which could take several years. We are Ford are moving quickly into the electric vehicle arena, but understand it is an emerging market and there is still much to be learned about consumer desires, charging infrastructure and a host of other issues. Good to know there are folks interested in this technology.
As for your second question – I have to defer until I can check into that one. I don’t have an answer at the moment…sounds like a real testament to the Merkur that its running 21 years later -

By: Stephen Pavy

Stephen Pavy — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 18:56:52 +0000

For Jennifer Moore: there will be a $7500 federal rebate in 2010 for electric vehicles. Why won’t Ford have one? Why must I go and buy a Nissan or some other brand? I am not going to pass up an opportunite to spur the industry on and receive some help. My house just went 100% solar and I don’t want to use fossil fuels. I like the Ford Fusion, but it doesn’t have a plug-in option. How hard is that to add?

Second question (while I have your attention): I have an 1989 Merkur Scorpio (among other vehicles) and cannot get parts any more. It is a shame. Ford stopped supporting this in the US many years ago but there are still parts available in Europe – it is just impossible to connect with the parts network there. I believe the ultimate conservation position is to not discard cars every few years and throw them away like garbage. The car has been maintained very well, it runs well and gets 25 mpg on the highway – better than most cars of its size even today. Why generate all of the additional carbon/energy footprints to replace this car when only a part is needed? Can you help? Is there anyone at Ford who cares? Is there anyone at Ford who understands that in addition to the green technology revolution, another part of the entire conservation movement is to take great care of the few things we buy and maintain them in good working order?

By: Chuck Case

Chuck Case — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:03:49 +0000

Why can’t your electric cars be fitted with something like an air windmill generator? Since you already have the ablility for the wheels to produce the motion necessary to creat the power to have a perpetual motion machine, I am confined to an electric wheel chair and think I can make my chair a perpet motion machine. With alll your money and resources, You should be able to do something to save the world from global heating and reduce our dependance on foriegn oil.

By: Josh S

Josh S — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 18:57:00 +0000

And you think electricity just grows on trees? No, we have to “burn a fuel” to create it also.

By: Sean Rhoades

Sean Rhoades — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 03:05:32 +0000

Well the elctric companies are going to do what everyone else would do there going to raise rates to pay for all the technology that they have to have to make everything better. If your charging your phone or your car your still using power. If there smart and notice an increase in the off-peak times they will just make that time just as much as the rest of it. Its only practical financials.