Seeing the power of electrons as providing a unifying motive force, Ford's global product chief Derrick Kuzak has staked his claim that electricity is "the ultimate solution" to the problem of future fuels, reports The Detroit News. Alternative fuels like hydrogen and ethanol are impractical to produce, and even if that hurdle is cleared, they don't have an existing infrastructure like electricity does, argues Kuzak.
Despite these shortfalls, Ford will continue researching the technologies to cover its bases in the event of a future breakthrough or government intervention. Jim Farley, Ford's chief of marketing, agrees that electric cars are the way of the future, and that the industry as a whole must prepare for that eventuality.
Hybrids in particular are problematic, notes Kuzak, despite their partially-electric operation. Because they are effectively two separate powertrains in the same vehicle, they dramatically increase costs without an proportionate increase in efficiency. Even current and future plug-in hybrids (like the Escape plug-in hybrid pictured above) rely on some sort of combustion engine to provide longer-range electricity.
That's where critics step in and point out the flaw in Ford's vision: battery technology. The reality of the current technological marketplace necessitates the use of supplemental fuels to aid electric cars on trips of extra-urban distances.
Still, Ford's vision for the future means that while the energy storage systems remain in development, focusing on electric powertrains - whatever the power source - is going to be the core of the new agenda. That means electric motors, regenerative braking systems, and ways to quickly, efficiently and safely deliver large amounts of electricity to enable acceptable acceleration.
Reader Comments
Fri Sep 5 2008 10:03 PM
Gus says
I fully agree, electricity will drive the wheels of future cars. I have driven the Tesla, and I know what the potential is for that kind of drvivng force. It is just too good to ignore, the simplicity of the powertrain, the instantaneousness of the response.
If fuel prices went higher, I could see buying a sports car that ran on batteries, and simply renting a gasoline car for those once every 2 to 3 month trips. I'd still be saving tons of money.
But I don't have access to a plug, and it will be a long time before I can convince the apartments I live in to put an outlet in my parking space that is billed to me. Millions and millions of people park on the street or in general parking areas, especially those living in built up areas, those same people that would benefit the most from a small electric car.
But someday, that will all change.
I believe that exact day will come when someone discovers a battery that can be charged in a few minutes at a filling station with a big power supply.
It's all about the batteries for now...
Fri Sep 5 2008 10:31 PM
NoNameDenton says
Considering Ford's track record on predicitions and such, I am going to remain sceptical.
Fri Sep 5 2008 10:31 PM
NoNameDenton says
Skeptical, really having an off day spelling.
Fri Sep 5 2008 10:34 PM
Roy says
I think Gus has it exactly right, for now. In the future, I firmly believe we'll have good enough solar panels and light enough cars to do away with bulky, heavy batteries, too.
I find it ironic that cars started with electricity (and steam), progressed to gasoline (best energy storage medium in terms of energy density) and might one day move back to electricity. Just imagine if we'd stuck with it in the first place?
I can't imagine cargo trucks running on electricity, though, unless we put them on tracks and run power to them through overhead cables like ... trains!
Fri Sep 5 2008 10:47 PM
www.mywheelsonwalls.com says
I would say Gus and Ford are wrong. Why?
DOES ANYONE KNOW HOW WE MAKE ELECTRICITY IN AMERICA? COAL, COAL, COAL, AND MORE COAL.
Believe it or not you dont just convert coal power plants over to clean fuel you have to build new ones. So ultimately there is no more infrastructure than there is now with the alternatives.
Does anyone remember the rolling black outs of 2001 in California? Do you know why they existed? The state shut down one thats ONE power plant for repairs and maintenance the remainder could not keep up with AC unts lets alone charging cars overnight.
Do you know how many new power plants have been built since? One! let me say that again ONE!!! Its in Galt and powers aproximately 40,000 homes.
The alternative is no where near our garages if your level of logic is electricity!!!!!!
Fri Sep 5 2008 11:48 PM
NoNameDenton says
More nuclear plants dernit.
Fri Sep 5 2008 11:49 PM
shortroot says
www.mywheelsonwalls.com: I don't see what creating the energy has to do with whether electricity will become the predominate fuel of the future. Whichever fuel source replaces petrol/diesel, the energy will have to come from somewhere.
Another point is that there is probably a lot of wasted energy at night when you can't switch off the power station in case someone wants to turn on the TV or make a cup of tea. Some people seem to think power stations can store the energy they produce or only produce what is required, but I think there is bound to be a lot of wastage.
As far as the topic in general is concerned, I would think that Hydrogen power is the future, because it is a better medium to store energy. However, who knows what the future holds? A lot of things that have happened in history weren't what the logical choice at the time seemed to be, as it was petrol cars vs. electric cars in the first place. Petrol is a better store of energy and I can't help bu think Hydrogen is also superior.
The production problems with Hydrogen also exist with electricity. The answer is to use nuclear power and sod the waste. The other answers are up to the engineers/scientists etc.
Sat Sep 6 2008 12:04 AM
www.mywheelsonwalls.com says
Shortroot- My point exacltly!!! Very few people realise the scicence behing extracting energy out of fuel and how much energy it takes to propel a 3000lb plus vehicle down the road.
Sat Sep 6 2008 1:09 AM
Gus says
Sure the energy has to be produced, but nuclear would be one way to go IF electric cars took off REALLY QUICKLY.
That said, I still think all cars will eventually be electric, it's just a question of how and how long...
Sat Sep 6 2008 2:51 AM
Turkle says
mywheelsonwalls definitely has one point correct. Consider the number of cars on the road currently. Think of a time in the not so distant future when they are all full EVs. Our current electrical grid and the requisite power sources (coal, hydro, nuclear, solar) cannot provide the needed electricity to meet this future demand. Hydrogen, natural gas, and hybrid plug-ins all need electricity to be inserted somewhere in their resource stream. I simply don't know where all of the future electricity is going to come from. I don't have a serious suggestion at this time, but I do have a silly solution worth considering.
I know what the future fuel source is going to be... It will be locally sourced.... from our kids. Once the home liposuction kits are 97.9% fail safe, we will be able to get 20% of our fuel from the fat stores in all of our obese children. Yes, I know that the WTO will complain that only wealthy nations will benefit from this fueling process since we have 80% of all the obese children in our country. We should not ignore such a valuable intrinsic resource sitting at our own buffet tables (shameless Western Sizzlin' plug).
Sat Sep 6 2008 3:01 AM
www.mywheelsonwalls.com says
Turkle- Thanks for the laugh, I needed that.
If I were a betting man (and I am) I'd say diesel is the stepping stone and hydogen will be the fuel of choice.
How it is gernerated will be solved for one and second its transportation will be no different than gas/petrol, and third retrofitting gas stations that already exsist is not that problamatic. Once you get one hydogen station zoned by local government the standard will be set and the rest will follow suit.
To my knowledge Honda paid for the first one in L.A. and the second is now open here in Sacramento by BP and the State of California.
Sat Sep 6 2008 12:47 PM
Gus says
I've been to a Hydrogen station in Chino, and it's cool looking.
Maybe that is the solution, I don't know. Iwas rather hoping someday we culd get away from anything flammable in a pressurized tank in the vehicle.
Besides, I'm not sure yrdogen fuel cells will ever be able to produce enough power right away to make the vehicle fun...
Sat Sep 6 2008 8:48 PM
Ricart Auto says
The question is how will the electricity be made that drives the cars. Will it be clean or dirty sources....and what will the price be.
Sun Sep 7 2008 9:02 PM
chris says
guys guys guys.. every time this topic comes up, i have to say it over and over again,... as an electrical engineer who works in the power industry, i know a lot about mechanical-electrical hybrid systems (any power plant that runs on a liquid or gas fuel is basically like a huge hybrid car)...
let me just say that the electrical distribution system is vastly more efficient than say, tens of thousands of tanker trucks moving a physically heavy fuel across continents and oceans. how much does electricity weigh?
battery technology to be franct, sucks. but so did the engines in 1905. the model T had a 3L engine with 30 hp. thats right, 10 hp per litre. today we're running 10x more powerful engines. it's a matter of technology. there has been little reason for consumer battery technology (read: CHEAP batteries) to be efficient. there are lots of efficient technolgies.. just ask NASA. batteries will get better.
the ICE is extremely inefficient. 30% efficiency is amazingly good for an ICE, and it has a theoretical upper limit of 45%. electric drives run around 95% efficiency, if they're run for efficiency. the manufacturing process is VASTLY simpler meaning much less polution from the shipping of the fuel, the manufacture of the product, and if not already then very soon, you'll have much more efficient vehicles.
lets compare CNG, NG, and propane. those systems have been on the market for 20 or 30 years. fleets use them cause the fuel is cheap and the conversions are pretty expensive... plus there's a loss in power. the ethanol industry... no pun intended.. is out to pasture. some estimates say that it takes more fuel to make ethanol than you get out of the industry. plus theres a large amount of water that needs to be used as well. but the market seems successful right? government backing. it's just a big farmer aid campaign in the west.
diesel is here already, and europe is making good use of it. but people in canada and USA are stupid.. so we'll never accept it the way we should be doing.
hydrogen combustion or fuel cells? give me a friggen break. has anyone ever seen or used hydrogen in daily life? i've seen liquid nitrogen once. in a lab. just as a comparison. you still need energy to get hydrogen. and you dont get any more energy out of hydrogen than you already put in. how do you make hydrogen? you electrocute water. i'm not joking. so all you fanboys out there who say electrical isnt the right way, well instead of shipping electricity efficiently to your electric car, you're using electricity to make a heavy liquid to ship all over the place thus using fuel.. so that it can undergo a chemical reaction in your car... which is basically an electrical car anyways.
the only difference between a battery and a fuel cell is that a fuel cell needs a fuel. it expends a fuel. electrically speaking, its nothing more than a battery that can't be recharged electrically. it has to be recharged PHYSICALLY. with a FUEL. into the battery CELL.
battery technology is the way to go. i've been saying it for years. the electrical grid is in every house in the western world FFS.
Sun Sep 7 2008 11:53 PM
Gus says
Like I said, electric. :)
Mon Sep 8 2008 10:53 AM
Jim says
Electric is the future, but Volt type hybrids will be a significant part of the market simply because not all drivers will have consistent access to a recharging station. That is unless battery/charging technology changes that allow a recharge to provide a range of 200-300 miles in 15-20 minutes allowing a new type of filling station.
Tue Sep 9 2008 6:33 PM
Laz says
This one to Chris, what are the current limitation to a fast charging battery for a EV?
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