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Ford's electric car battery pack costs $12,000-$15,000
Fox News ^ | April 19, 2012

Posted on 04/19/2012 11:39:05 AM PDT by jazusamo

One of the auto industry's most closely guarded secrets, the enormous cost of batteries for electric cars, has spilled out.

Speaking at a forum on green technology, Ford Motor Co. CEO Alan Mulally indicated battery packs for the company's Focus electric car costs between $12,000 and $15,000 apiece.

"When you move into an all-electric vehicle, the battery size moves up to around 23 kilowatt hours, [and] it weighs around 600 to 700 pounds," Mulally said at Fortune magazine's Brainstorm Green conference in California.

"They're around $12,000 to $15,000 [a battery]" for a type of car that normally sells for about $22,000, he continued, referring to the price of a gasoline-powered Focus. "So, you can see why the economics are what they are."

Ford is currently promoting its $39,200 Focus EV at events around the country. It has a 23 kilowatt-hour battery pack. A Ford spokeswoman said Mulally's comments were designed to provide an indication of the car's battery costs.

(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: battery; carbattery; chevyvolt; electriccarbattery; fordescapehybrid; fordfocus; fordfusionhybrid; fordhybird; hybrid; lithiumion
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To: jazusamo

Let’s do some math based on those commants:

Cost of Focus with gas engine: $22,000
Cost of Battery: $12,000 to $15,000
(Let’s assume $15,000 and say that this number includes the extra electronics and such).

Price of car should be: $37,000
Price of car actually is: $39,200
Extra profit: $2,200.

Note as well, this was the price of an all-electric car as compared to a gas-powered car... in other words, Ford is also saving on the cost of the gas engine. I would guess that’s probably another $2000 in their favor.

[Ford is clearly counting on the tax subsidies: $2500 for Californians; $7500 Federally]


21 posted on 04/19/2012 12:25:47 PM PDT by alancarp (Liberals are all for shared pain... until they're included in the pain group.)
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To: jazusamo

Imagine what this trend will do to the automobile industry’s retail business model. Instead of a trade in allowance, they would have to charge a disposal fee and add it to the price of a new car.


22 posted on 04/19/2012 12:32:55 PM PDT by Chuckster (The longer I live the less I care about what you think.)
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To: Roccus
A bunch of cautions and a full three GWC’s and we may see it die on the track. ;)

Ha! Good point - in this instance, I bet it will be plugged in every second it's not in use... and the Focus actually does charge up in 4 hours... so it's probably good for around 100 miles on that track.

23 posted on 04/19/2012 12:32:55 PM PDT by alancarp (Liberals are all for shared pain... until they're included in the pain group.)
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To: Roccus

I own a 2010 Fusion Hybrid. Bought it slightly used and have enjoyed it. You do not have t plug these vehicles into anything. The breaking system charges the battery. I have registered up to 46 mpgs. The car is solid, rides nice, and has a host of amenities. I actually want to trade my 2011 Honda CRV (which gets no where near the rating it stated on the sticker in mpgs) in on a new Escape Hybrid. As for the battery, I have the extended warranty so if anything goes wrong with it, it’s on Fords dime. Seriously, go and take a look at the hybrids, I have saved tons of money on gas, and it’s nice seeing a sedan that states you have “765 miles to empty”. I usually fill up every two weeks, before I was filling up twice a week. Big big difference.


24 posted on 04/19/2012 12:38:50 PM PDT by msfortyseven
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To: BuffaloJack

I can get a Die Hard at less than 1% of 15,000.


25 posted on 04/19/2012 12:39:27 PM PDT by dancusa (“The urge to save humanity is always a false front for the urge to rule it.” H.L Menkin)
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To: dancusa

A new gasoline engine can run between 3,500 and 5,000.


26 posted on 04/19/2012 12:43:48 PM PDT by dancusa (“The urge to save humanity is always a false front for the urge to rule it.” H.L Menkin)
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To: jazusamo

And in any of these high gas mileage automobiles—why have they not mentioned safety??????? If you drive one pull along side of and 18 wheeler you ar looking at the tire and rim.....if you get hit by a larger car-—you will have serious if not fatal injuries...course you could say its your time to go......


27 posted on 04/19/2012 12:44:09 PM PDT by rxtn41
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To: EDINVA
A Prius-driving friend told me @ 3 years ago that its replacement battery would be $10K+. Don’t know if the cost has gone up during that time. So far they haven’t needed a new battery.

New traction batteries for Prius were always around $3K new - and you could get them cheaper from damaged cars. Reports of Gen. II Priuses asking for a battery are extremely rare, on par with the usual rate of manufacturing defects in other components. Today $10K will buy you a 5-6 years old Prius.

They did, however, need some other part I think of as costing around $400, but cost them $1200 for the Prius.

This is actually normal for many Japanese cars. If you need a bolt or a bracket or a bumper you can have them made locally, out of pure gold, for less money. One of my coworkers, owner of some Japanese sports car, hit something in an underground parking and needed a new bumper with hardware. That, with labor, was around $4K. So on one hand parts are expensive; on the other hand, you probably won't need them :-)

28 posted on 04/19/2012 12:52:45 PM PDT by Greysard
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To: BuffaloJack

As one who used battery powered instrumentation for the past 40 to 50 years, it is obvious to me that we need a fundamental breakthru in battery technology, or a change in approach. How aboun a small nuclear generator?


29 posted on 04/19/2012 1:06:15 PM PDT by Citizen Tom Paine (An old sailor sends)
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To: Citizen Tom Paine

I want a Mr. Fusion too!


30 posted on 04/19/2012 1:38:26 PM PDT by zeugma (Those of us who work for a living are outnumbered by those who vote for a living.)
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To: jazusamo

The battery in Hyundai’s Sonata Hybrid is guaranteed for life.


31 posted on 04/19/2012 1:50:48 PM PDT by Rudder
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To: jazusamo
$15,000

That doesn't include dealer mark up, special shipping cost (delivery truck with full sized forklift), installation, and disposal/shipping cost of the old battery. When the battery needs to be replaced an electric automobile is essentially totaled. Econoboxes do not do well in accidents vs. SUVs and now there's a 700 pound mini-SUV pushing from the inside. The thin metal and squishy passengers between the two heavy masses have no chance.

32 posted on 04/19/2012 2:31:49 PM PDT by Reeses
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To: Greysard

We had a Celica years ago, very little problem every. Mercifully, we didn’t get into replacement parts. On cost of Prius battery, just repeated what one owner told me, I will NEVER know.


33 posted on 04/19/2012 3:18:03 PM PDT by EDINVA
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To: msfortyseven
The vehicle mentioned is NOT a hybrid, but a full electric vehicle....it needs the plug.
34 posted on 04/19/2012 4:51:13 PM PDT by Roccus
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To: alancarp

I’m thinkin’ there’s a reason Ford chose a 3/4 mile track and not The Glenn, Pocono, etc.
Imagine if they have to make laps to dry off the track....


35 posted on 04/19/2012 4:55:35 PM PDT by Roccus
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To: jazusamo

One little consideration about batteries in general, and very likely applying here: They wear out as they are charged and discharged. So even if they last as long as promised, the vehicle might be down to a range of 40 miles on a good day, and 20 miles on a bad day.

It’s no different than having your gas tank shrink over time, and starting with a very small tank at that!!


36 posted on 04/19/2012 6:28:40 PM PDT by BobL
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