Ford patents F150 EV with toolbox ICE as a range extender

[whynot]

Ford have submitted a patent to use an ICE as a range extender for their proposed F150 EV. (Well, the rest of us would call it a PHEV.) Nothing too remarkable about that.

What is interesting is that the ICE will be mounted/disguised as a removable toolbox in the rear cargo area. If the driver wishes to have more range, they can install the range extender. (I imagine it would be a heavy little sucker, and not exactly a single person lift.) The range extender plugs into the F150 engine management system and has the modes of Maximum Fuel Efficiency, Maximum Power, Maximum Driving Range. When it isn't needed, it can be removed and the F150 runs as a pure EV.

https://www.scribd.com/document/4785...ent#from_embed

It would be interesting to see what size engine would be in the Range Extender (TM). From memory, my old Outlander PHEV use to draw around 20kW of power at 100kph. Just digging through a generator catalogue, a 20kVA generator in a sound enclosure (similar to a tool box) is around $10K and weighs around 990kg. A smaller single phase petrol around 12kVA was around $6K and weighs in at 135kg (without sound enclosure). I am sure that Ford engineers will be able to shave weight and cost of those figures. but it would still be a hefty little sucker.

It will be interesting to see if this comes to market.

[jpd80]

As I understand it this is a removable generator for the BEV F150, so is correctly named as a range extender.
Somehow, I always imagined the range extender being mounted in a trailer that could be hired.

[whynot]

Originally Posted by jpd80

As I understand it this is a removable generator for the BEV F150, so is correctly named as a range extender.
Somehow, I always imagined the range extender being mounted in a trailer that could be hired.

I think it would work as a hire, plug in generator, tool box. Most tradies run around town in their work SUV barely doing 100km per day, well inside EV range. Before, say, going camping on the long weekend, go down to the hire shop and get the plug in generator.

[Franco Cozzo]

Kinda sounds like Nissan's e-Power except removable for some unknown reason.



Just keep the engine under the bonnet, use the 1L Ecoboost thats tiny, make it run only a generator to power a small battery also under the bonnet and **** off the plug in part and removable engine, keep it simple.

Won't cost a bazillion dollars or require mind bending engineering either.

How big is the fuel tank in an F150? 1L Ecoboost running a generator at its most efficient RPM, charging a small battery to power two electric motors powering the rear wheels will probably do 1200km on a tank of fuel.

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

Kinda sounds like Nissan's e-Power except removable for some unknown reason.



Just keep the engine under the bonnet, use the 1L Ecoboost thats tiny, make it run only a generator to power a small battery also under the bonnet and **** off the plug in part and removable engine, keep it simple.

Won't cost a bazillion dollars or require mind bending engineering either.

How big is the fuel tank in an F150? 1L Ecoboost running a generator at its most efficient RPM, charging a small battery to power two electric motors powering the rear wheels will probably do 1200km on a tank of fuel.

What you've just described is already happening in a Euro Transit, the 1.0 EB is a perfect
bubby range extender engine. I think the yanks are building both dedicated BEV F150 and
hybrid F150 with 3.5 EB, so they'll have most things covered. The portable range extender
is only there for when travelling really long distances, it's not really needed otherwise.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by jpd80

What you've just described is already happening in a Euro Transit, the 1.0 EB is a perfect
bubby range extender engine. I think the yanks are building both dedicated BEV F150 and
hybrid F150 with 3.5 EB, so they'll have most things covered. The portable range extender
is only there for when travelling really long distances, it's not really needed otherwise.

To me this is the perfect implementation for electric vehicles in 2020 - Nissan is on point with this, you just fill it up with fuel like normal but its only driven by an electric motor, the engine is just there to charge the tiny battery that powers the motor.

No infrastructure problems around charging points
Fill her up, takes 5 minutes at the servo
Good fuel economy
Cheaper than full EV (Affordable for the masses)

Its a good stepping stone/low hanging fruit until battery technology improves significantly.

Note e-Power is mint:



There's a NISMO variant, 100KW/320NM electric motor.

[Yellow_Festiva]

Probably something in the scope of 10-12kva. Would be able to be handled by 2 to 3 men and reduce the discharge by 50% therefore extending range by the same.

What would the burn rate be on a decently efficient unit?? 2-3 litres per hour??



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[whynot]

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

Probably something in the scope of 10-12kva. Would be able to be handled by 2 to 3 men and reduce the discharge by 50% therefore extending range by the same.

What would the burn rate be on a decently efficient unit?? 2-3 litres per hour??



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From memory, the portable generators (e.g. Honda et. al.) use around 0.5/l per kWh. Assuming 20kVA load (@100kph), gives a rough fuel burn around 10l/h, but that would exclude losses. (Working the other way, this implies a petrol fuel consumption of 10l/100km, which is about right.)

Just say for argument sake that the F150 EV has a range of 500km. Then a 20l auxiliary petrol tank on a tool-box generator extends that range to 700km.

[Yellow_Festiva]

Originally Posted by whynot

From memory, the portable generators (e.g. Honda et. al.) use around 0.5/l per kWh. Assuming 20kVA load (@100kph), gives a rough fuel burn around 10l/h, but that would exclude losses. (Working the other way, this implies a petrol fuel consumption of 10l/100km, which is about right.)



Just say for argument sake that the F150 EV has a range of 500km. Then a 20l auxiliary petrol tank on a tool-box generator extends that range to 700km.

My figures were for diesel generators as I recently looked some up. Petrol would be more, in tune with your suggested consumption.

The idea as a whole has merit. You can think that should you run out of battery power you can park anywhere and let the generator run for the time needed to get you home.



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[whynot]

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

My figures were for diesel generators as I recently looked some up. Petrol would be more, in tune with your suggested consumption.

The idea as a whole has merit. You can think that should you run out of battery power you can park anywhere and let the generator run for the time needed to get you home.

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I agree with your diesel consumption figures, they seem about right. It would be interesting to see what Ford USA put in. Given the US market, I would hazard a guess they would go for gasoline????? The more I think about the concept, the more I think the idea has some merit. Particularly if there was a hire market.

[jpd80]

A series hybrid like that is arguably better in stop-go driving than a partake hybrid,
the parallel hybrid gives greater mechanical efficiency at highway speeds by reducing
the losses of generating current and then using it, the direct engine link is better at that.

[jpd80]

The Nissan system holds great promise with simplicity but also comes at a cost,
it's a way for Nissan to avoid developing a split drive.