Bill Pierre Ford

Hydro-Quebec has joined Ford Motor Company in a North America-wide demonstration and research program on plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs).

Ford, in collaboration with the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), is undertaking a three-year test program on the Escape PHEV designed to develop and evaluate technical approaches for integrating PHEVs into the electric grid. EPRI has identified nine utilities across North America to test drive the vehicles and collect data on battery technology, vehicle systems, customer use and grid infrastructure. In total, Ford has provided 21 vehicles for the real-world trials. Hydro-Québec is the only Canadian company participating in the program.

Ford says vehicle electrification is a sound environmental choice that will play an important role in the fight against climate change. Furthermore, the automaker says it could be very advantageous for consumers to refuel at the plug receptacle rather than at the pump. Refuelling costs for an average vehicle driven 18,000 kilometres a year would be $244 as opposed to $1,383, which is six times less  costly, says Ford.

“We have to accelerate the replacement of oil by electricity for individual transportation and public transit,” says Thierry Vandal, Hydro-Quebec’s president and  CEO. “The transport sector accounts for 42% of Quebec’s greenhouse gas emissions. The reduction in greenhouse gas emissions that could be achieved through the electrification of transport in Quebec, where 98% of the electricity is produced from renewable sources would be considerable.”

The average consumption of one million all-electric vehicles, which represent 25% of Quebec’s cars, is 3 TWh, the equivalent of the annual generation of the Eastmain-1 hydroelectric facility.

The electrification of vehicles has sparked significant interest in Canada and the United States. PHEVs are one element of Ford’s blueprint for sustainability that includes actions ranging from refinements in gasoline-fuelled engines and transmissions to the development of battery electric vehicles.

“We believe collaboration with utility companies to explore new business models, standards, infrastructure, and communication between vehicle and electric grids will be a key component to advancing the commercialization of electric vehicles in the coming years,” says Nancy Gioia, director of Sustainable Mobility Technologies and Hybrid Vehicle programs at Ford.

The Escape Plug-In Hybrid using high-voltage, lithium ion batteries, uses common household current (120 volts) for charging. Full charge of the battery takes six to eight hours.

When driven for the first 48 km following a full charge, the PHEV can achieve up to 2  L/100 km (approximately) when driven on roads. The vehicle is not range limited by the amount of charge available in the battery because, once the charge in the battery has been depleted, the vehicle continues to operate as a standard Escape Hybrid.

The EPA just published fuel economy estimates for the Ford Transit Connect, a small commercial van. The numbers look impressive, even more so than Ford’s original estimate: 22 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway. As always, EPA fuel economy numbers are for comparison only.

Meanwhile, we like the idea of the Transit Connect as a more efficient choice for small business owners and contractors than full-sized vans. The four-cylinder Transit Connect is somewhat smaller inside, but it is almost 50 percent more efficient. For comparison purposes, the EPA rates full-sized Ford E-Series at 13/17 mpg city/highway. The Chevrolet and GMC vans are rated at 14/18, city/highway with a V8 engine, and 15/20 with a V6.

Looking at pickups, the full-sized Toyota Tundra V6 pickup is rated at 15/19 mpg, and even the relatively-efficient Honda Ridgeline is rated at 15/20. Only four-cylinder-powered small pickups like the Ford Ranger can match the Transit Connect’s mileage. And any pickup has much less enclosed cargo space.

But don’t think that Transit Connects will be running around getting 22 to 25 mpg. The EPA tests the truck as if only a driver is aboard. If Transit Connects sell to the commercial buyers that Ford expects, most of them will be driving around with up to 1,600 pounds of cargo. With a relatively small 136-horsepower, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, the weight will definitely hurt their mileage.