Ford Announces Conductive Charging Sites in Key States
12 December 1997
Ford Announces Conductive Charging Sites in Key States
ORLANDO, Fla., Dec. 12 -- Ford Motor Company today
announced the opening of a public conductive charging site in California in
conjunction with American Honda.
Located at the Anaheim Hilton, the site provides for the charging of
electric vehicles that use conductive charging technology. The companies also
have selected 15 additional charging locations throughout California, which
will be installed by Edison EV.
"Ford has long believed that we need to help increase EV infrastructure.
Together with Honda, we're taking significant steps toward that goal," said
John Wallace, director of Alternative Fuel Vehicles. "We think offering
public charging stations in these cities will boost the popularity of EVs by
adding convenience and increasing the daily EV driving range for our
customers."
Ford also has joined the Arizona Public Services Co. and the Arizona
Department of Commerce Energy Office in opening nine public charging locations
in Arizona. The sites, offering a total of 11 charging stations, will be
installed by Electric Transportation Engineering Corporation (ETEC). All
stations feature conductive charging and will be located in the Phoenix area.
In addition, Ford will open a public charging station in Orlando in
conjunction with the Orlando Utilities Commission ETEC. That station will be
the city's first station suitable for charging the 1998 Ford Ranger EV.
The Ford Ranger EV is equipped with conductive charging technology -- a
safe, efficient, low-cost method of charging.
"Our commitment to the success of EVs led Ford to choose the conductive
system," said Wallace. "Conductive charging is safe, reliable, easy to use,
cost-efficient and compatible with most consumer's current home or office
electrical systems. In addition, conductive charging doesn't require special
tools or expensive equipment and training and, most importantly, it is very
user-friendly."
"Agreement on worldwide standardization of charging technology is crucial
to the long-term success of electric vehicles," Wallace added. "We believe
that consumers themselves will eventually choose conductive charging because
of its ease of use and lower operating costs." Another benefit of conductive
charging is its efficiency when used with fast-charging battery systems.
The first-of-its-kind partnership between Ford and American Honda is
designed to offer increased public access to conductive charging. Each
company is contributing toward a matching fund to help finance public charging
stations at locations including shopping malls, airports and parking garages
-- areas which research shows are the most likely "refueling" sites for EVs.
The two companies also are promoting a common charging station technical
standard, conductive equipment using a common connector/receptable
combination. Each company is contributing $100,000 of seed money to the
project which will provide matching funds for public charging. Ford and Honda
have designed their EVs to work with common conductive charging equipment and
are encouraging other EV manufacturers to do so as well.
"For most customers using electric vehicles, EV driving range is one of
the primary concerns," said Wallace. "By offering incentives to open a
greater number of public conductive charging stations, we are increasing the
EV driving range in a given day, making EVs even more attractive and
convenient to current and potential users."
SOURCE Ford Motor Company
