Quote:
Originally Posted by thingstodo
I believe that Ford could release an EV right now. The drivetrain is no longer a challenge. I don't mean to minimize the work involved - there is much engineering to get the features and power right .. to make the whole package feel 'Right' .. but you are not breaking any new ground. I think it boils down to balancing the size and cost of the battery pack with the expected usage.
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Nowadays the electric motors are the least-challenging components. ZF has a modular electric motor which can be fitted between an ICE and a transmission instead of a torque converter or a clutch pack, more commonly used in hybrid trucks and buses. That would clear some space either for some batteries to be distributed inside what would otherwise be an engine bay, for example, or allow the fitment of a range-extender to address the range-anxiety...
But anyway, I wouldn't hold my breath for Ford to become the first traditional automaker to release an electric truck to the consumer market, even though I'm sure some fleet customers would be satisfied even with a front-wheel drive approach which could resort to the Focus BEV powertrain in a way similar to what Chevrolet has done with the S10 Electric using the Saturn EV1 powertrain. Not to mention Nissan did a similar approach fitting the motor of a Leaf at the rear-end of a class-3 truck in Japan.