Ford Motors has delivered its flexi-fuel plug in hybrid SUV to US Department of Energy for further testing. This vehicle is one in series of 20 Plug-in hybrids that Ford plans to develop in collaboration with Southern California Edison and the Electric Power Research Institute. This collaboration aims to develop and create new business models to advance plug in hybrid variants closer to mass production. Previously an Escape Plug-in variant was delivered to Southern California Edison that is already in road testing stage. This new flexi-fuel variant can run on both gasoline and E85 ethanol variant. When run on ethanol it can deliver 88miles/gallon in urban driving ad nearly 50miles/gallon on highway. Ford estimates hat this vehicle can reduce CO2 emissions by nearly 60% as compared to a conventional gasoline powered vehicle. Utilizing cellulosic ethanol demonstrated potential for 90% emission reduction if cellulosic ethanol is used.
Mark Fields, President of the Americas, Ford Motor Company believes that Ford can effectively employ is expertise in hybrid and flexi-fuel technology in a plug–in variant. Fields adds “We recognize commercialization of plug-ins, powered by gasoline or biofuels, may represent part of a long-term energy solution, but significant challenges remain to bringing this technology to market”. Seems that Ford plans to identify and remedy such challenges through its escape plug-in variant.
