Nickel metal hydride (NiMH) batteries offered In California and some limited areas outside of California, a NiMH (nickel-metal hydride) battery version was offered, but only for lease [10/05/06 update: some leased Ford Ranger EVs were sold to leasees, so there are some Ford Ranger EVs that have been and may be available for purchase as used]. The NiMH version delivered a true 65-mile (105km) range at a steady 65mph (105km/h) speed on flat highways (normal operation with some reserve; in comparison the lead-acid version which is said to have a range of up to 65miles (105km) with hard tires and careful driving. Actual range of the lead-acid Ford Ranger EV is less). The Ford Ranger EV controller electronics will allow strong acceleration even when in 'E' economy shifter mode. Thus a heavy foot will reduce the EV's range. The above the line cost of this vehicle (before manufacturer discounts and other public agency subsidies) was $50,000. Early life problems There were numerous problems with the NiMH Ranger associated with an inability to accept a charge in hot environmental conditions, and some other problems requiring replacement of major components, but Ford successfully addressed these problems early in the vehicle's life cycle. There were some range issues around the 25,000-mile (40,200km) service life with the batteries, and due to the great expense of these batteries, Ford elected not to fix this range problem (as allowed under the lease terms). Some leases were continued despite the shorter range. Performance Performance was generally considered as quite acceptable. Early versions through the 1999 model year were programmed for a higher acceleration than later models, which could advertise a higher EPA mileage. External appearance Charge door in grille distinguishes the EV from the front The appearance of the front charging door in a grille location that is open on ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) Rangers, and the missing tailpipe and Hotchkiss drive and the visibility of the EV's unique rear suspension and the traction motor from behind the vehicle are the principal identifiers indicating that this is an electric Ranger. From the side, the vehicle is almost indistinguishable from the ICE Ranger except for a modest script Electric on the side. Only the slight projection of the battery trays below the frame rails is noticeable at a distance. Vehicle height is close to that of four wheel drive vehicles. Instruments Instrument panel A miles to go indicator to the left of the speedometer is accurate only when the battery system is performing to specification, otherwise it may mislead the driver. A charge indicator at the lower left is in the place of the normal fuel gauge, but with underperforming batteries, cannot be relied upon owing to its tendency to decline from a full charge to about 3/4 and then drop to empty within a mile or two. Above the state of charge is a rate indicator showing energy usage and recovery. At the upper right an off-run electric gauge will come up to the run position in a few seconds after Start is commanded by a keyswitch turn. This appears to show the pack voltage applied to the main bus upon start-run relay contact closure and the time delay probably reflects the charging of the motor controller's input capacitors. The vehicle's main contacts will not close until the pre-charge is complete. At the lower right a temperature gauge monitors the liquid coolant temperature. The usual speedometer and odometer complete the analog portion of the instrument panel. Various indicator lights are included, one of which indicates that the truck is plugged in for charging. This is interlocked with the start circuit, disabling it if the Avcon paddle is inserted. Charging Charging Charging is through an Avcon conductive connector, provided beneath a hinged door to the right side of the grille. A NiMH pack would take six to eight hours to charge, storing about 30 kW, and the charging and discharging is regulated through passive control devices. Controls Ford attempted to make the driving and operating experience as similar as possible to that experienced in an ICE vehicle with an automatic transmission. A selector operates similar to that for an automatic transmission with the following positions: Park Reverse Neutral Drive Economy The economy position will reduce the maximum speed available, will also reduce the throttle response, and will engage energy recovery, and so is useful for long downgrades and when approaching a stop or for start and stop traffic. Drive is normally used only for freeway use. A conventional switch arrangement is used to provide key inserted detection at Off, Accessory, Run, and Start. Other controls are identical to that of the ICE version. The heating system uses a ceramic core resistance heater. Air conditioning is provided with an electric-motor driven compressor-condenser-evaporator system, also used to provide battery cooling during charging (this may be a NiMH-only feature). Chassis The Ford Ranger EV was built upon a Ford Ranger four wheel drive chassis. Battery trays Batteries are contained in one big battery box that is bolted to the underside of the vehicle. It can be removed using specialized shop equipment. Individual batteries are then serviced and replaced from the open top of the module. The battery layout inside the box is not the same for the Lead-Acid and NiMH battery type. The Lead-Acid setup is using 39 x 8V batteries setup on two layers. The NiMH setup is using 25 x 12V batteries on one layer. The Lead-Acid setup has a weight of 2,000lb (907kg). As for the NiMH setup, it only weighs 1,050lb (476kg). Battery heating The lead-acid batteries are sensitive to temperature, losing a substantial portion of capacity in winter conditions. When plugged in for charge the battery temperature is sensed and battery heaters used to maintain temperature sufficient to retain specified range - a necessity for colder climate fleet use, where vehicles are usually parked outdoors. This would suggest that to enhance the economy of use in such climates that the vehicle should be sheltered.
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