At a recent conference, the first plug in conference and expo, Hybrid
Electric vehicle technologies Inc, known as HEVT showed off to the public the
worlds first plug in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) version of the Ford
F150 .
Converted with a proprietary adaptive controller and using a scaled-down
version of the proprietary drive train HEVT has designed for transit buses, the
F-150 has been transformed from a standard combustion engine vehicle getting
about 16 MPG to a PHEV getting up to 41 MPG for a typical day's driving.
The speaker Dr Andrew Grove claimed that it is a priority that the less fuel
efficient vehicles Like trucks, SUVs, 4x4 and vans to be converted in this
way using state of the art hybrid technologies available now.
The Proof here with the F150 showed that is is possible to convert these
vehicles as a retro fit and displace the use of oil based fuel with electric
power as a alternative fuel source. Commercialising this process is the way to
go Dr Grove said.
This also is a significant step for the technology to be utilised in transport
industry vehicles as a way of reducing overall cost in their fuel consumption.
Trucks will be a main target for the commercial release of this form of
alternative fuel. On a practical note we must also add the advantage of reducing
harmful carbon emissions
On a recent press release it was stated:
"One way to reduce fossil fuel use is to find ways to plug in some of the
hundreds of millions of internal combustion engines already on the world's
roads,” said CalCars founder Felix Kramer. “The pioneering PHEV designs for
trucks and buses from Dr. Ali Emadi and his team at HEVT are especially
promising."
Engineers at HEVT have developed a sophisticated electronics and software system
called the Adaptive Control Unit (ACU) which serves to control the hybrid drive
train. While driving, the ACU controls use of the electric motor and gasoline
engine to optimize fuel economy and performance. An in-dash display unit
monitors performance, indicating the charge remaining in the battery pack and
the energy recovered through regenerative -braking.
“HEVT's solutions apply to not just smaller passenger cars and hybrids, but
almost any vehicle including larger gas guzzlers,” said HEVT founder Ali Emadi.
“Our laboratory simulations show that the larger the vehicle, the greater the
benefits – in gas costs, particulate and greenhouse emissions, and sound
pollution. For this reason we are currently focused on PSVs and will later
expand to school buses as well as transit buses.”
HEVT will begin with a small pilot program of Ford F-150 pickup truck
conversions available to organizations and individuals on a custom basis. The
pilot program will help HEVT's continued development and optimization, pushing
conversion costs down and lowering lifetime cost of ownership for converted
vehicles.
For Australia hybrid F150 and f250 are a way off but this technology may soon
see available on a custom use basis for conversion of existing vehicles.
Further hybrid information is available at
Alternative fuel 4x4
Dodge Ram 3500 SLT 4x4 2007
USA Models F250 for 2008-2009
History of the F series
LPG FOR F SERIES TRUCKS
LPG Gas Facts LPG for petrol F250
Ford F150 2009
