Ford Evos PHEV concept

[Dr Mordrid]

Detroit Free Press....

>
The plug-in hybrid powertrain is based on the engine, battery and transmission of the C-Max Energi which Ford will launch next year in North America and in Europe in 2013.

The system allows the electric motor and gas engine to work together as efficiently as possible. The battery system alone will propel the vehicle initially.

Key exterior design elements of Evos will be applied to new Ford models in the next few years.

[Brian Ellis]

Far too much glass, even if it's heat-reflecting, for hot countries. This will knock hell out of the batteries to provide aircon and push up fuel consumption to keep them charged. In many countries (this one included, with temps sometimes >40°C), darkened glass is illegal all round or for the windscreen only in some others. It's therefore better to keep glass area to a minimum with no wrap-round to the roof.

[Dr Mordrid]

2 points -

1) Electric powered HVAC is returning to CO2 based systems from all the major suppliers. It lowers the power requirements in both fueled and electric/hybrid vehicles.

2) Electrochromic and other dimmable car windows are being pushed by US Govt. agencies and automakers to further cut AC power requirements.

[Brian Ellis]

1. OK. mine is such!
2. Illegal here and in many countries. All windows must be clear glass so that photo evidence of offenders identified for speeding, running red lights, using mobile phones, smoking with children in car, eating/drinking, unbuckled seat belts, no child seat and other offences can be obtained. IIRC, the transmission of the glass across the visible spectrum must be >90%. As the visible spectrum contains >50% of the solar irradiance, this makes for hot cars and the least glass, the better.

[Dr Mordrid]

Here save for a ow single digit number of states where no tint is allowed transmissions of as low as 14% are legal, with the average being around 30%.