Ford will use for the Focus a lithium-ion battery pack which will use heated and cooled liquid to handle one of the most dreaded things in an EV: overheating batteries. The liquid will be used by the car to keep the heat level to a minimum, hence increasing both the range and life span of the pack.
According to Ford, the system allows the battery to react to the external temperature changes. When outside the temperature is high, cold liquid is used to absorbs heat from the batteries and disperse it through a radiator. The liquid is then pumped back through the chiller again, creating some sort of a loop.
When the outside temperature is low, the batteries are being warmed by the liquid, to make it capable to operate at its optimum capacity.
“Extreme temperatures impact a battery’s life and performance, making it crucial to have an effective cooling and heating system to regulate temperature for these demanding applications,” said Anand Sankaran, Ford executive technical leader, Energy Storage and HV Systems.
But that's not all there is to this system. It also allows for better recharging of the battery. When the car is plugged in, the control system will precondition the battery the optimal temperature before accepting charge. If the battery is already at the optimal temperature, the system will automatically accept charge and maintain an optimal temperature.
Capable of traveling up to 100 miles on a single charge (160 km), the electric Focus will be released in late 2011. By then we expect Ford to keep releasing details about the vehicle.
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