Chicago 2010: Ford Transit Connect Electric

As expected, Ford brought the latest (and greatest?) incarnations of the Transit Connect utility van to the Chicago Auto Show today. The battery-powered Transit Connect Electric was up first, perhaps because it fits so well into Ford's strategy of vehicle electrification (see also: Focus Electric coming next year, followed by a plug-in hybrid and a next-gen hybrid in 2012). At the very least, this is Ford's first battery-powered vehicle, said product development vice president Derrick Kuzak.

The practical and battery-powered delivery van (the standard version was named the North American Truck of the Year this year) uses a powertrain developed with help from Azure Dynamics Corporation. Called Force Drive, the 55 kW system uses a 28 kWh lithium ion battery pack from Johnson Controls-Saft, has a 75 mile per hour top speed and can drive up to 80 miles on a charge. Will these specs be enough for customers? Praveen Cherian, program manager for the Transit Connect Electric, said in a statement that:

We're excited about the potential for our electrified vehicles. People were a little hesitant about hybrid technology at first, but now they accept it and embrace it. We expect the same will be true of electric vehicles.

[Source: Ford]

Chicago 2010: Honda Odyssey Concept

Honda just unveiled a concept version of its next-generation Oddity Odyssey minivan at the 2010 Chicago Auto Show, and it was one of those rare instances where the media was actually seeing it for the first time, as God intended unveilings to be. Although billed as a concept, the 2011 Honda Odyssey Concept looks almost production ready... other than its door handles, lights and a few other details.

While the current third-generation van is the best selling minivan in America two years running, Honda decided not to play it safe with the redesign. The all-new fourth-generation Odyssey is a big departure for Honda. It's lower and wider, taking an almost Mercedes R-Class stance. Although they claim it's only one inch lower and 1.4 inches wider, it looked like a lot more than that. The 2011 Odyssey also features a "lightning bolt" lower greenhouse border that reminded us of the Nissan Quest a bit. Honda says it helps with rearward visibility.

The production version of this 2011 Honda Odyssey should be in dealerships this fall, and will likely look a lot like this concept. While no specifics were mentioned, it is said to have a V6 that will deliver slightly better fuel economy. The interior was completely blocked off so we aren't sure what they have in store for us inside, but Honda reps promised something big. One thing Honda did share was the fact that this Odyssey is all-American. From inspiration to target market, styling to assembly, this is truly a product of the U.S. of A.