Opening and Closing Front Grille

FocusE · Feb 27, 2011

Ford announced last week that the Ford Focus Sedan (non Electric Ford Focus) with the Super Fuel Economy package (SFE) will make over 40 MPG on the highway.

The most interesting feature is what Ford calls an 'Active Grill Shutter System'. The car automatically opens the grill when the engine needs extra cooling - otherwise it stays closed. This increases aerodynamics as well as speeding up vehicle warm up times.

Question of the day is whether or not Ford will incorporate this system onto the Ford Focus Electric? Or better yet, is it even necessary to have a grill on an electric car? Since the motor itself generates little heat, perhaps an opening and closing grill would be most beneficial for cooling the battery packs. The Ford Focus EV is coming with liquid cooled batteries. If they could incorporate a nice way of opening and closing grills to cool the batteries they could save some weight. Overall it comes down to whether the extra pounds for liquid cooling is less of a hindrance to range than drag co-efficient wrecking air ducts?

mrpalerider · May 25, 2012

If the FFE is coming with liquid-cooled batteries than they`ll need some form of radiator to displace that heat...so that would tell me they still need a grill. The electric motors would still require cooling like any electric motor, particularly at low speeds when the motor is producing high torque, heat and consuming large amps. If the engine compartment was sealed it would be too hot for sure! Seen any pictures for any of this stuff ?

Rwbill · May 26, 2012

The batteries are under and behind the rear seat, so the front grill would have no impact on temperature regulation (on the batteries). The electric motor will surely generate heat, one gear cranking wheels at 60 mph.

The Ford Focus battery temperature system is a huge technical advantage over the Leaf, which has no active system to cool the batteries. Some Leaf owners have already noticed that the capacity bars do not go as high as they did when new, after just 8 or 10 months of ownership. High temperatures can kill the life expectancy of a battery, as cold can greatly reduce the present time capacity. For proper charging and maintaining life expectancy a battery's temperature should be moderate. This is why you will see the FFE cool its batteries if plugged in after a trip before it even begins to charge. Likewise, if programmed to charge in off peak times, normally after midnight, the Focus will first warm the batteries using grid electricity if in a cold climate in winter, then charge the battery.

If it was easy to produce a practical, battery powered car it would have been done long ago. I think Ford's engineering and design is incredible and worth the wait.

mrpalerider · May 26, 2012

I don't know how the batteries under the seat would have no bearing on a grill, because the grill is the entrance for air flow to whatever cooling system Ford is using to liquid cool the batteries (regardless of location). Good placement for the batteries tho.

focusbev · May 27, 2012

I hadn't really thought about that, but I guess it wouldn't make sense to take cooling air from under the focus electric up and around the battery pack. So - there must be a radiator that's under the hood.

Rwbill · May 27, 2012

The radiator for the cooling can be just as effective below the traditional ICE engine location as behind a grill. I've been trying to find out where the FFE radiator is for the cooling system. There are some nice diagrams showing major components but I haven't found where they put whatever sized radiator they will use. They show most everything else but not the radiator of the motor/battery/cabin heating cooling system.