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My son at MIT mentioned he heard the Escape Hybrid was going to change batteries in the near future. Has anyone else heard that Ford is switching from the Sanyo Ni MH battery to the Lithium-ion battery in the FEH? My understanding is, all the safety issues have been resolved with the Lithium-ion battery for Hybrid use, and Ford is perhaps in negotiation for the vendor for the late ‘07 or ‘08 models. With the new lithium-ion technology and the limited production of the Sanyo Ni MH, this could be to our future advantage. I’m sure cost of the battery is an issue.

This would reduce the need for the battery A/C to run to cool the present Sanyo battery. In addition, the lithium battery could be taken to a much lower and higher SOC, giving as much as 4 times the EV range. If the energy density is higher, the weight and size could be reduced also. I would be in “Fake Shift” heaven with one of these units.

Ford has also patented solar panels for headlamp, tailamps and other roof panels for low voltage accessories.

Awhile back, I posted that MIT was partly funded by Toyota, to develop new technology for a type of solar energy that could run hybrid accessories, including the A/C.

GaryG

Hi Gary:

___These Li-Ion’s have to be one of the few bright spots in Ford’s future hybrid progress and I for one cannot wait to see what Ford has planned w/ what your son heard in the very near future. Let us all hope Ford will follow through … That is the hard part of course but I can imagine the shallow DoD and high internal impedance of the Sanyo’s being quadrupled along with not having to use the A/C to cool them, the weight reduction … on and on and on … I am sure someone will come up with a way to plug in that smallish Li-Ion to bring up the SoC at the end of the day from lets say 25% to 75% SoC for maybe ~ $0.20 and be able to travel 5 - 7 miles on EV in the morning (some one must come up with that EV only switch somehow/someway ;)) and for the right type of short commuter, gasoline may become a thing of the past with a 1 hour or less plug in charge at work to bring the SoC back up into the 75% range for the drive home … For back and forth to work over a 7 mile or less commute, this limited PHEV-5 + would be the start of something really really big and I would love to see Ford leading that charge!!!

___Thanks for the info as it is one of the few bright spots I have seen coming from the Domestic Auto manufacturers in the last few weeks … Go FORD!

___Good Luck and thank you again.

___Wayne

Came accross this about Ford switching to Delphi (Lithium Ion?) in the '08 Fusion and Mercury Milan. http://www.delphi.com/news/pressReleases/pr_2006_10_15_001/

DETROIT, Mich. — Delphi Corp. has been selected by Ford Motor Company to provide hybrid electrical powertrain systems technologies for two Ford hybrid vehicle platforms, company officials announced here today at the 2006 Convergence Conference.

Delphi will provide the battery pack systems and cooling systems for the 2008 Ford Fusion Hybrid and Mercury Milan Hybrid vehicles. It will also provide hybrid vehicle electronics for several other yet-to-be announced vehicle customers.

GaryG

Hi Gary:

___We don’t miss much around here but once in awhile the light is on and nobody is home ;)

Delphi Helps Vehicle Makers Turn Out High-Tech Hybrids. (http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2475)

___The real question is will they use Li-Ion’s to increase cap, useable SoC, and/or use the same but decrease the weight? The last choice will not do anything but leave them as a sitting target for the next gen small SUV's to roll over them.

___Good Luck

___Wayne

Heh. If that comes true, that would be great. I'd like to see a Ford Upgrade program for older FEH's to get the new Battery packs. Maybe even their new upcoming DVD Nav systems.

However, on the other hand, it's Delphi, who's been tinkering on the edge of bankruptcy; if you're recall, they nearly went under a few months ago. I know a few people who worked there, and all of them jumped ship.

Hi Rich:

___What worries me about Delphi is their ties into GM. I have a bad feeling Ford is following the cheapest cost supplier and they will never receive and then build the highest quality product when doing so.

___Those $9.00/hour positions at Delphi (same as Walmart around here) to build auto parts is going to get messy as well …

___Good Luck

___Wayne