Apr
21
A New Automotive Business Model Opens Up to the U.S.
April 21, 2008 | 4 Comments
Last Tuesday Ford Motors of the U.S. and the U.K. company Tanfield Group’s division Smith Electric announced the coming sales of the Ford chassis “Transit Connect” with a full electric drive train equipped with Smith’s newest version of iron phosphate lithium ion batteries.
At double the capacity and 35% lighter than lead acid, the batteries recharge in 8 hours. Available in the UK and soon in the North American market the vehicle is meant for longer-range delivery. With over 100 miles of range and top speeds up to 70 mph it can fill U.S. requirements from post office, delivery courier, utilities and other needs that can use a payload rating below 1720 lbs. Ford North America has already prepared a taxi model.
The announcement is a giant crack in the business model of auto manufacturers offering vehicles that are complete captive designs from the road up. The new model offered by Ford and Tanfield uses Ford’s “chassis,” effectively everything but the Tanfield supplied power unit, power storage and drive train. The new business combination is a model which offers a massive shift in the resources brought to bear in product engineering offering customers a true and complete escape from gasoline and diesel fuel expenses.
The Tanfield announcement reveals that it has a broad agreement with Ford to collaborate on more vehicle projects. The agreement is known to allow both Ford and Smith Electric to engage in vehicle sales. Tanfield is committed to its own marketing and has named its model the “Ampere.”
These vehicles are about the same size as Americans expect in “minivans.” While zero emissions were the key in last week’s prepared announcements, the cost of gasoline will likely be in the front of everyone’s mind in the U.S. Smith’s website describes the battery set as having a 14 year lifespan and warranty of 5 years or 1000 cycles. The charge rate at 8 hours from essentially a zero charge state to 100% charge over eight hours seems to be marketable with the range and top speed well within the marketable zone. Whether the seemingly short warranty will fly with consumers is yet to be tested.
This may mark an opening to electric drive makers worldwide. Ford’s willingness to serve the consumer with what is the most important option that personal vehicles have offered to date is a masterstroke of executive strategic thought. When considering the range of models across the Ford line worldwide the opportunities for electric drive manufacturers and the consuming public is breathtaking.
Its just a crack for now, but a call to your local Ford dealer asking for your model choice in electric drive will get passed on. You can bet they are watching.
The reach of this innovation in vehicles doesn’t stop here. There will be a flood of aftermarket option like capacitors and battery enhancements, portable generation sets, and everything yet to be imagined that will improve the range, performance, comfort and appearance. Much more is sure to come.
Congratulations are in order for Ford and Tanfield. Encouragement is offered to others seeking to source top quality new chassis for their power sets. All given with a sigh of relief, this is a turning point, that’s more than welcome, it is needed.
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[…] admin wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptWhen considering the range of models across the Ford line worldwide the opportunities for electric drive manufacturers and the consuming public is breathtaking. Its just a crack for now, but a call to your local Ford dealer asking for … […]
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