Ford is using innovative approaches to reduce the auxiliary energy consumption of its 10-seat Transit Smart Energy concept battery electric minibus. That includes using different colours of ambient light to make passengers feel warmer or cooler as appropriate.
Research shows that using climate control systems in such a vehicle can up to halve its range.
Transit Smart Energy tricks the brain
Ford used red ambient light to make people feel warmer and blue to make them feel cooler. In the former case, the colour led to a 2.5% reduction in power use by the climate control system. In the latter, it saw a 3.3% reduction.
Says Lioba Muller, Lighting Team Engineer: “Our exposure to colour can change our mood in all sorts of ways. Here, it is simply a case of using red ambient lighting to make passengers feel warmer and blue ambient light to make them feel cooler.”
The Smart Energy minibus also has heated panels and seats. Future versions will allow the driver to control heating and cooling of individual seats, and deactivation of unoccupied positions that will be enabled by automatic passenger detection.
A minibus full of technology
Other innovations to reduce heat loss and optimise energy use include six roof mounted solar panels that charge a 12v battery. It powers the seat heating, cabin lighting and onboard systems.
Waste heat is recovered from the drivetrain, the outside air and from within the cabin. That increases range by 20%. Double-glazing reduces cold contact surfaces and insulates against heat loss.
The manufacturer has also insulated the floor and the roof. The powered sliding side door opens to halfway, again reducing heat loss. The heating, ventilation and air-conditioning blower turns off automatically when the door is open.
Although the minibus is a concept vehicle, energy-saving measures allow it to deliver a 150km range from a charging time of four hours. On road trials are expected before the end of the year.
