Ford teams with SunPower for solar power for electric vehicles

Electric cars not green enough for you? How about a solar powered car? Ford will be working with SunPower, an established solar provider, to build a solar energy system for the Focus electric vehicle that goes on sale later this year.

Solar panels will be mounted on the car owner’s house or garage, to power the vehicle. The panels won’t directly charge the electric car’s battery but will provide power to the house at a rate sufficient enough to offset nearly 1,000 miles of driving a month in the Focus.

The solar power option will allow for green electricity, rather than traditional electricity from a house, which is often made by burning fossil fuels at power plants. The 2.5-kilowatt system will produce about 3,000 kilowatt hours of electricity per year. The power will be generated by 147 square feet of roof panels (11 panels that are 4 feet by 2 feet). The solar power option will be offered through Ford dealers for about $10,000 after federal tax credits. The Best Buy Geek Squad will work with Ford to install home chargers at the customers house, after the purchase.

Ford has yet to announce the price of the 2012 Focus electric, but the first vehicles go on sale in California and New York later this year.

SunPower Announces Electric Vehicles Partnership With Ford

Ford is announcing that it is teaming with an established solar provider, SunPower, to sell a solar energy system through Ford dealers in conjunction with the Focus electric car sedan that goes on sale later this year.

SunPower Corp. (NASDAQ: SPWRA, SPWRB) and Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F), will unveil their new partnership that will bring consumers the latest innovation in electric vehicles and the opportunity to charge them exclusively with solar power.

The event is being held at the historic former Ford Assembly Plant in Richmond, Calif.
WHO: SunPower Corp. and Ford Motor Company
Tom Werner, CEO, SunPower Corp.
Mike Tinskey, Director of Global Electrification Infrastructure, Ford

WHEN: Wednesday, August 10, 2011
11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. PT

WHERE: Craneway Pavilion
1414 Harbour Way South
Richmond, CA 94804

SunPower Corp. (Nasdaq: SPWRA, SPWRB) designs, manufactures and delivers the highest efficiency, highest reliability solar panels and systems available today. Residential, business, government and utility customers rely on the company’s quarter century of experience and guaranteed performance to provide maximum return on investment throughout the life of the solar system. Headquartered in San Jose, Calif., SunPower has offices in North America, Europe, Australia and Asia.

www.sunpowercorp.com