[Truthiness]

Ford and the university of Michigan have announced the opening of a new battery lab that will research and develop smaller, lighter and cheaper batteries for electric vehicles. The new facility cost $8 million to build, $2.1 million of which came from Ford, while the rest came from the University of Michigan, the US Department of Energy and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.

Ford says that the new lab "will use state-of-the-art manufacturing methods to create test batteries that replicate the performance of full-scale production batteries, allowing for faster implementation in future production vehicles."

Ted Miller, who manages battery research for Ford said of the lab, "We have battery labs that test and validate production-ready batteries, but that is too late in the development process for us to get our first look. This lab will give us a stepping-stone between the research lab and the production environment, and a chance to have input much earlier in the development process. This is sorely needed, and no one else in the auto industry has anything like it."

With batteries being one of the things that are most crucial in advancing the EV industry, this investment is a sign of the commitment that Ford has to the EV industry.

 

[Radon]

Good investment for Ford, I think they are smart to invest on a lab for this. That only means they have access to all the tests and whetever the next smallest and most efficient battery is.

 

[MKZFan]

finally, someone had to do this and thankfully it's Ford. EV's need batteries to be lighter, pack more punch, and be cheaper, hopefully ford can deliver

 

[golfball]

thats is a ton of money.

Agree. I think the key here is more powerful and lighter batteries.

And motors that can draw the most power out of electricity.

 

[zep]

I thought the government was broke? Batteries are not the future, Diesel is the future... But of course batteries are the future when the government comes offering Millions to build facilities. Dont you guys see how the gov is meddling in an industry it knows nothing about. Manufacturers can't cater to real demand because the gov earmarks funds for them to use the way the feds say they will be used, so either real demand is ignored or its warped to fit needs.

Theres no research into diesel or hydrogen technologies, let alone energy re-capture or the use of magnets/electromagnets to create power like Nikola Tesla (no association with ugly electric cars). EV's are the future because the government says so...are you really free? Don't you think its funny that to sell Hybrids and EV's the gov needs to offer you $7,000 cash back... If EV's and Hybrids were the revolution that our rational and fully informed public keeps jabbering on about (do i need to say sarcasm?) then WTFeck are incentives needed for?

Again batteries are all well and good, but we need energy creation, stop confusing the tree for the forest.

 

[MKZFan]

I thought the government was broke? Batteries are not the future, Diesel is the future... But of course batteries are the future when the government comes offering Millions to build facilities. Dont you guys see how the gov is meddling in an industry it knows nothing about. Manufacturers can't cater to real demand because the gov earmarks funds for them to use the way the feds say they will be used, so either real demand is ignored or its warped to fit needs.

Theres no research into diesel or hydrogen technologies, let alone energy re-capture or the use of magnets/electromagnets to create power like Nikola Tesla (no association with ugly electric cars). EV's are the future because the government says so...are you really free? Don't you think its funny that to sell Hybrids and EV's the gov needs to offer you $7,000 cash back... If EV's and Hybrids were the revolution that our rational and fully informed public keeps jabbering on about (do i need to say sarcasm?) then WTFeck are incentives needed for?

Again batteries are all well and good, but we need energy creation, stop confusing the tree for the forest.

Thats how it is a lot of times, the people who shouldn't be in power and be the shot callers, are the ones running the show. Fortunately for some that don't join the big brands and do what they're doing still succeed and set an example, Tesla is that company.

 

[zep]

Thats how it is a lot of times, the people who shouldn't be in power and be the shot callers, are the ones running the show. Fortunately for some that don't join the big brands and do what they're doing still succeed and set an example, Tesla is that company.

no its not, Tesla got its start from Government money... Government has no place in business, hands down. Feds are propping up hybrid sales with cash back incentives and the like. That is not healthy for industry and completely warps demand... Its sheer trickery, if the industry or technology cannot survive on its own it should be killed.

 

[Truthiness]

To be fair there are a lot of subsidies to oil companies and subsidies to keep the price of gas down. Maybe if those government programs didn't exist the cost difference between electric vehicles and petrol powered vehicles would make more sense.

 

[MKZFan]

To be fair there are a lot of subsidies to oil companies and subsidies to keep the price of gas down. Maybe if those government programs didn't exist the cost difference between electric vehicles and petrol powered vehicles would make more sense.

Good point. The Gov't does have an impact on it all. But for now and the long run it seems like things won't change for the better, only get worse.

 

[golfball]

we haven't really had any breakthroughs in lithium tech. its still evolving.

they are impressive in terms of tech but not as impressive as how quickly devices and cars can drain them!

We need a new tech to be invented for batterys or lithium needs to become more efficient.

 

[MKZFan]

we haven't really had any breakthroughs in lithium tech. its still evolving.

they are impressive in terms of tech but not as impressive as how quickly devices and cars can drain them!

We need a new tech to be invented for batterys or lithium needs to become more efficient.

New tech is needed, just dont bother waiting for it. people are better off getting the hybrids out now if they really want one.

 

[zep]

To be fair there are a lot of subsidies to oil companies and subsidies to keep the price of gas down. Maybe if those government programs didn't exist the cost difference between electric vehicles and petrol powered vehicles would make more sense.

without oil subsides the cost to produce EV batteries would be astronomical. Oil subsides persist because petrochemicals are used to make EVERYTHING (especially batteries)....

without subsidizing the oil industry we have no economy, so I'd say thats a little apples to oranges.

 

[Vendetta]

without oil subsides the cost to produce EV batteries would be astronomical. Oil subsides persist because petrochemicals are used to make EVERYTHING (especially batteries)....

without subsidizing the oil industry we have no economy, so I'd say thats a little apples to oranges.

Well that is how the world goes round. we all know that...

 

[golfball]

without oil subsides the cost to produce EV batteries would be astronomical. Oil subsides persist because petrochemicals are used to make EVERYTHING (especially batteries)....

without subsidizing the oil industry we have no economy, so I'd say thats a little apples to oranges.

what are we talking about here.

apples and oranges to what?

 

[zep]

what are we talking about here.

apples and oranges to what?

subsidizing the oil industry vs subsidizing hybrid car purchases....

at least oil is a source of energy, what can a battery do for you? the energy still has to come from somewhere else...

 

[golfball]

oh I don't think the government will be subsidizing the oil industry anytime soon.

The oil industry doesnt need any help at all. None at all..