Geneva 2009: Ford Tourneo Connect BEV

03 March, 2009 01:23:00

Font size:

At the 2009 Geneva Motor Show, Ford unveiled a new Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) - Ford Tourneo Connect BEV developed in collaboration with Smith Electric Vehicles.

The zero emission Ford Tourneo Connect BEV Concept has a projected range of 100 miles (160km) on a full battery charge and a top speed of 70mph (113km/h). The people carrier demonstrates that Smith's electric vehicle technology in vans and trucks can easily translate into passenger vehicles.

The vehicle displayed at Geneva is driven by an ultra-efficient 50 kilowatt permanent magnet motor, powered by 21 kilowatt-hours of lithium-ion batteries. The Ford Tourneo Connect BEV Concept adapts technology that Smith has developed for the Transit Connect BEV light van, which is already available to order in Europe as the Smith Ampere. Smith has worked with Ford of Europe since 2007 and already produces a Ford Transit BEV, marketed as the Smith Edison.

In the UK and select European markets, Smith already offers battery electric versions of the Ford Transit medium commercial vehicle to fleet customers, and expects to deliver its first Transit Connect small commercial BEVs later this year. It is this technology that has been adapted for the Tourneo Connect BEV concept.

Ford will also work with Smith Electric Vehicles to deliver a Transit Connect van as a full BEV in North America in 2010. The use of the now global Transit/Tourneo Connect vehicle platform showcases Ford's ability to deliver products with worldwide marketing opportunities.

The Tourneo Connect BEV Concept features the latest level battery electric technology. Here are some vehicle highlights:

* A 21 kWh Lithium-Ion Phosphate battery pack accumulates the energy to drive a 50 kW permanent magnet motor, while the drive torque is transmitted to the driveshafts by a single-speed transmission.
* Using this set-up, Smith Electric Vehicles is targeting a range of up to 160 km (100 miles), and a top speed of 113 km/h (70 mph).
* The onboard battery charger can be plugged directly into a standard mains socket.
* A full battery charge is accomplished in 6 to 8 hours.

"The Tourneo Connect BEV concept shows how Ford's collaboration with Tanfield is extending the company's global electric vehicle plan to Europe. The technology is already available for commercial vehicle applications, and at the 2009 Chicago Show we confirmed that we will launch, with Tanfield as our partner, the Transit Connect van as a full BEV in North America in 2010. Although conceptual for now, if there is sufficient interest, this silent, zero emission technology could be applied to the Tourneo Connect quite quickly. We think it would be an ideal solution for taxi use, as a hotel shuttle vehicle or similar inner city application."
- John Fleming, Chairman and CEO, Ford of Europe.

A Transit Connect BEV van will be launched in 2010 in North America - the first vehicle to deliver on Ford Motor Company's aggressive electrification strategy announced at this year's Detroit Auto Show.

Check out the rest of our Geneva Motor Show coverage.

Subscribe to the RSS feed for more information on green cars, green car news & green car technologies.

-----------------------

Follow PureGreenCars on Facebook and Twitter.