Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Legislation and Policy
Ford asks, DOE delivers: U.S. will spend $30m to fund PHEV development
Just yesterday, Ford's Mark Fields gave a speech in Washington, D.C. asking for U.S. government help in developing plug-in hybrids. Today, the Department Of Energy announced a $30m, three-year, three-project PHEV funding program that is intended to help create vehicles that can drive 40 miles on battery power. ETA of these vehicles is "cost-competitive by 2014 and ready for commercialization by 2016."
The three PHEV projects are:
- General Motors has been selected for negotiation of an award for a project aimed at enhancement of Lithium-Ion battery packs, charging systems, powertrain development, vehicle integration, and vehicle validation. Following development, the PHEVs will be deployed over a three year period into a demonstration fleet in three regions of the U.S. Other team members include Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute, and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.
- Ford Motor Company has been selected for negotiation of an award for a project to identify a pathway that accelerates commercial mass-production of PHEVs. The project will focus on development of battery systems and deployment of prototype PHEVs. The project will test and demonstrate the propulsion system design, controls, and communications necessary to develop a viable PHEV production program. Team members include Southern California Edison, Electric Power Research Institute, and Johnson Controls-Saft, Inc.
- General Electric has been selected for negotiation of an award for a demonstration of PHEVs that relies upon an innovative dual-battery energy storage system capable of 40 miles accumulated electric driving range. The project will focus on developing the dual-battery energy storage system in parallel with vehicle integration. GE is partnering with Chrysler for this project.
Read the details from the DOE. While plug-in advocates will certainly welcome this news, the DOE isn't funding PHEVs the same way as other gasoline alternatives. For comparison, the DOE recently announced $130m for fuel cells and $86m for cellulosic biofuels.
[Source: DOE via Green Car Congress]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
jake 4:38PM (6/12/2008)
'Today, the Department Of Energy announced a $30m, three-year, three-project PHEV funding program...For comparison, the DOE recently announced $130m for fuel cells and $86m for cellulosic biofuels.'
You just had to ruin it for us didn't you?
There was talk about this when Fields delivered his speech that it would make much more sense for that money to go to actual battery manufacturers to improve batteries and drive down costs by developing better ways to mass produce large battery packs so it can benefit the whole industry. Obviously it's not just the batteries, but it's a significant reason why PHEVs/BEVs aren't cost competitive w/ conventional cars.
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mlf 4:44PM (6/12/2008)
Screw Ford. Give the money to companies like Apterra.
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Erik 4:51PM (6/12/2008)
When I read $30M, I thought it was surely a mistake. $30M? That's approximately two hours of what we're spending in Iraq+Afganistan. Wow, the government must REALLY be serious about reducing our dependence on foreign oil.
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mike 4:52PM (6/12/2008)
Ican't believe the gov't is spending $30m, over 3 years, on 3 project for technology the already exists. To go 40 miles on a charge! All the car companies can built that kind of vechicle.
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MarcT 6:14PM (6/12/2008)
I dont want to hear any more whining about the Jaoanese govt funding the Prius.
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Wave54 6:50PM (6/12/2008)
* You just had to ruin it for us didn't you? *
How about $341 million/day to liberate the Iraqi people from an evil dictator?
$30 million over 3 years is a few teensy crumbs in relation to all other monies spent, much of it on bloated federal programs, a near-useless public education system and ill-conceived weapons programs that are shelved without ever being used... and on and on...
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Speqtre 7:05PM (6/12/2008)
Yeah, great idea, have the government fund technology that the domestic automakers have been ignoring for years, meanwhile convincing the American public they needed big, gas guzzling suv's and trucks. Nice work, Washington... oh, and enjoy your taxpayer-funded European vacation you lame-duck bastard.
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jake 8:09PM (6/12/2008)
@Wave54
:P Yes, I realize that (that point is brought up all the time on autobloggreen) but PHEV development is lucky to get ANY money. You can't seriously expect them to actually give much more than that esp w/ Bush still in the President's seat. If you look at previous grants, that's about right in terms of scale, though I still resent Hydrogen getting more. $30 million is only a little, relatively, but it's better than nothing, and as others mentioned the 40 mile target is already attainable. What this will probably focus on is lowering the cost.
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Mike Weston 9:26PM (6/12/2008)
Let's at least swap the order of the numbers: $130 million for PHEVs, 86 for cellulosic, and 30 for fuel cells. That seems like a way more sane priority scheme.
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harlanx6 11:45PM (6/12/2008)
A day late and a dollar short again!!!Ready to commercialize by 2016? 40 miles on batteries? What makes you think that will be competitive in 2016?
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Luke 4:26AM (6/13/2008)
Too little too late.
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terrence_bethea 12:54PM (6/13/2008)
Well, I will be blunt. This is the level of competency exhibited throughout the last 7 years. Not to be partisan . . . it's not like Democrats are a prize either. But it's clear the Bush claim to restore honor and dignity to government was a euphemism for 'if you voted for me, I can get you a job with the gubment'.
Pickens is right. Without a dramatic change in course we will be a 2nd tier country in a generation. We certainly cannot afford to 'invest' in billion dollar embassies and weapon programs while leaving crumbs to develop technologies of the future.
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CanaDoc 4:27PM (6/13/2008)
How sad... 30M over 3 years is an insult - professional athletes make more. Jake’s right though, as long as Texas is in the White House all we’re gonna get is PHEV lip-service.
Personally, I like pretty much all ‘alternative’ fuel vehicles - but I love the idea of PHEV because it has the best market potential for the North American driver... BEV-equivalent operation for 20-40-60 miles and then a small displacement ICE keeps the charge topped up. Sure, they have their drawbacks but, from a feasibility point of view, they’re years ahead of the hydrogen/biofuel alternatives.
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