The Car

For the trial 11 new Ford Focus sedans have been converted to electricity by EV Works Pty Ltd. The internal combustion engine has been removed and a battery pack and electric motor take its place.

This is what the motor looks like after conversion to electric:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A converted vehicle was chosen over an existing electric vehicle to give Western Australia an opportunity to learn about the technology involved, and utilise the expertise that exists in the State. The Ford Focus was chosen as the vehicle for conversion based on its weight, space, price, and the resale value of unused parts.

The range of the electric vehicle conversion has a combined city/country cycle of up to 130km. The actual driving performance of the converted cars are very similar to the petrol version. The converted cars will have up to 100kW peak power and 300Nm or torque.

For a brief Comparison of Ford Focus CL (Petrol) versus EV Ford Focus CL (100% Electric by EV Works Pty Ltd), please see Comparison of Ford Focus Petrol vs EV

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Benefits of electric cars

• Electric cars and electric motorbikes are zero emission vehicles, which means they do not produce any pollutants when charged with electricity from renewable sources, such as solar, wind, tidal or geothermal energy. Transport as a sector contributes around 14% of Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions.

• Electric cars are ideal for city traffic and commuting in metropolitan areas, even when charged with electricity generated from coal or gas, as the pollution is moved away from urban centres and can be more efficiently dealt with at the power generator.

• Electric vehicles are very silent (although a certain level of warning noise can be added for safety reasons) and will significantly reduce street noise levels.

• Electric vehicles have significantly less service requirements (as most service costs in conventional cars are associated with combustion engines). This will result in lower maintenance costs.

• Electric cars are significantly cheaper to run, as their electricity costs are only a fraction of the cost of petrol or diesel.

• Electric vehicles will reduce the nation’s dependence on imported foreign oil, as electricity can be produced locally from traditional power stations and renewable energy sources.