Ford is expanding on previous announcements about its Transit Connect battery-electric vehicle (BEV) at the Chicago Auto Show. The company is pinning its hopes in the green vehicle market on the popularity of the Transit Connect along with the Connect Taxi. After the Transit Connect hits streets in late 2010, Ford plans to introduce an EV version of the Focus in 2011 and a plug-in hybrid in 2012. In the meantime, Ford seems to be catering to the commercial fleet market in order to build some credibility in the green vehicle market.
The Transit Connect BEV will be powered by a 300V AC induction motor and a 28kWh lithium-ion battery pack by Johnson Controls-Saft. Each Transit Connect BEV can be recharged using a 120-volt household outlet though Ford is working on a 240-volt dedicated charger for the home. This all-electric vehicle is capable of traveling up to 80 miles per charge with a maximum speed of 75 miles per hour. Ford developed the Transit Connect BEV with 135 cubic feet of cargo room to accommodate families along with delivery companies.
Ford also indicated that its Ford Transit Connect Taxi will be available to consumers by December 2010. The Connect BEV and the Connect Taxi will be available with several drive system options. The all-electric system can be substituted for a compressed natural gas or liquefied petroleum gas system with advance orders. Most Ford dealerships will employ technicians capable of handling CNG or LPG conversions without sending vehicles to outside shops.
The recent problems at Toyota and Honda do not guarantee Ford’s place as a leading automaker in the near future. Ford has merely benefitted from having less recalls than Toyota in the past month, which should be a given rather than a plaudit. Given Toyota’s mounting recalls, however, Ford does have an opportunity to strike in the green vehicle market. The timetable set by Ford at the Chicago Auto Show means that the automaker would have three EV and substantive hybrid models on the road in two years. These new additions would share the road with light hybrids like the Ford Escape Hybrid. Ford still has a considerable distance to reach leadership in this market niche but investors and consumers should be thrilled by the projected path.
