News

Sanyo Electric to Provide Ford Motor with HEV Batteries

January 11, 2001 by Jeff Shepard

Sanyo Electric Co. Ltd. (Japan) was chosen by Ford Motor Co. (Detroit, MI) to be the sole supplier of battery systems for Ford's first hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), the Escape HEV, which will debut in 2003.

Sanyo's battery system contains a battery holder with 240 batteries in a series/parallel configuration, as well as the ECU, which controls the charge/discharge capabilities. The new year 2000 pack offers higher performance in a smaller space than previous years; Sanyo claims that the new pack is 50 percent smaller and has a 10 percent higher power output than the 1999 version.