Driving a plug-in Escape and fuel-cell Equinox at the Detroit auto show

[Right Lane Cruiser]

"This has the potential to reduce your fuel consumption by two thirds and offset part of that by energy from the grid."

Sven Gustafson - The Oakland Business Review – Jan 14, 2009

When can consumers really have one? -- Ed.

At the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, much of the media spotlight was on automakers' plans for next-generation alternative-fueled vehicles.

I took advantage of a rare opportunity to drive two of them whose commercial releases are still a ways off: a plug-in Ford Escape and a fuel cell Chevrolet Equinox.

While shiny metal and massive video screens rule the main floor of Cobo Center, the basement resembles a garden show, with hundreds of native pine, spruce and birch trees, the air smelling heavily of fresh mulch and evergreens. In the middle of this bizarre scene is the Michigan EcoXperience, a looping course where visitors to the show can ride along in some of the cars of the future.

Ford's plug-in Escape uses a 10 kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery that is about 1.5 times heavier than the 2 kilowatt-hour nickel-metal hydride battery pack that powers the production Escape hybrid. The plug-in's lithium-ion batteries can be fully recharged from a standard 120-volt outlet in between six and eight hours.

The small sport utility vehicle boasts an electric-only driving range of up to 30 miles, provided you drive below... [Read More]

[ArizonaChris]

I can live with that kind of milage! BUT I wonder how much THAT battery will cost to replace? The dealer says my FEH battery replacement is currently $7k. Plus installation. THey must get the costs of the batteries down to less than 2k.

[rdprice64]

I truly hope they are readying this PEV for the FFH as well. If it could go 30 miles with a limit of 47 mph, that could make for one very reasonable EV mobile

Originally Posted by ArizonaChris

... The dealer says my FEH battery replacement is currently $7k.

A couple of points to consider:
1. It should be under warranty for 8 years/100k
2. The current tests have them holding up well into the 150k range.
3. By the time you hit either of these limits, better batteries should be ready to replace the current NIMH anyway (hopefully).

[chibougamoo]

4. Battery efficiency (read driving distance) is going to be considerably reduced in extreme cold (like minus 25 degrees around Niagara Falls today).

[Right Lane Cruiser]

You are correct -- though you can make your own battery warmer to counteract that. I was just looking at a Solectria on Ebay today and it has a battery warmer built in -- specifically to counteract that temperature hit you are referring to.