2014 Ford Fiesta With 1.0 Liter EcoBoost Rated At 45 MPG

Everyone want hybrid-like fuel economy, but not everyone wants to pay the premium price for a hybrid car. The Ford Fiesta with the 1.0 liter EcoBoost could be the proper alternative to a more-expensive hybrid, offering up to 45 mpg on the highway for a starting price of just $16,445 (plus a $795 destination fee). Ford may have just undercut its own hybrids with this move.

To wit, the 1.0 liter, 3-cylinder EcoBoost engine provides the 2014 Ford Fiesta with 32 mpg in the city and up to 45 mpg on the highway. While Ford has reportedly played fast-and-loose with the fuel economy numbers of its new line of hybrids, I am thinking they learned their lesson regarding customer expectations. The 2014 Fiesta had damn well better get 45 mpg, or customers will be up in arms. Again.

While the city fuel economy leaves some room for improvement, the 45 mpg highway rating is better than every other compact car offering, including Honda’s CR-Z mild hybrid. Ford also kept the price as low as possible, starting at $17,240 for the sedan or $17,850 for the hatchback. That’s right in line with competitors pricing, and is low enough for most consumers to want to make the upgrade to the better engine. The standard Fiesta gets up to 29 city and 40 highway (with the SFE fuel saver package) and has a 120 horsepower 1.6 liter engine.

That means the 1.0 liter EcoBoost engine package (which includes a decklid spoiler, 15-inch steel wheels, and regenerative brakes) adds about $995 to the price of the Fiesta, while improving the gas mileage by some 4 mpgs on the highway. Customers can expect to have about 123 horsepower to play with in an engine that has proven wildly popular. Also, this motor is no slouch in the right car, as Ford has proven.

That works out to approximately 40 to 50 miles extra between fill-ups, and at that rate it won’t take too long to make up the extra money. The Ford Fiesta and EcoBoost line of engines is proving to be amazingly versatile, offering both high-mpg models and high-performance from engines with less displacement than a bottle of soda. With compacts like the Fiesta now offering hybrid-like fuel economy though, could Ford lose out on sales of cars like the Fusion hybrid, which carries a higher sticker and profit margin?

Source:  Ford

Stock Analyst Encourages Apple To Buy Tesla

Tech giant Apple has been mentioned in the same breath as electric automaker Tesla Motors time after time, and the similarities are easy to see. A German stock analyst is calling on Apple to buy Tesla Motors as a future-proof form of income, uniting two tech giants and giving Apple yet another platform to develop products for.

Andaan Ahmad, an analyst for Germany’s Berenberg investment bank, called on Apple CEO Tim Cook to buy Tesla Motors. Ahmad thinks Tesla will be one of the great automakers of the 21st century, and that the income from Tesla’s operations will give Apple a sustainable income as the market for smartphones and tablets becomes increasingly competitive. Everyday there are more players and innovations in the market, and Apple’s domination is slipping with each new product launch.

The match seems natural, after all, though Apple almost certainly isn’t the only interested party. Google, which is developing in-car motion controls and self-driving cars of its own, has also been called on to invest in Tesla. The electric automaker has seen its stock valuation soar to more than $20 billion in recent months are strong sales and rave reviews keep pouring in. Tesla’s emphasis on technology and performance has struck a chord with luxury car buyers, and the wait list for the Tesla remains months long.

It seems increasingly likely that some tech giant is going to align itself with Tesla sooner rather than later, and just who gets in bed with Elon first could mean a profound shift one way or another in the automotive market. This could be just the disruption the car market needs.

 Source: CNN Money

'Huge interest' in Volkswagen XL1 doesn't mean production will be increased

The Volkswagen XL1 will be expensive (roughly $145,000 US, if reports are to be believed) but that doesn't mean buyers aren't interested in the sleek, hyper-efficient machine. InAutoNews reports that more peopleare telling VW they want to buy the 261-mpg car than VW plans to make.

We asked VW's Carsten Krebs about the situation, and he said there has been no decision regarding increasing production beyond the 250 VW is panning to build. VW has no comment on how it will deal with too-high demand, but Krebs told AutoblogGreen, "We are figuring out the best process, because we have huge interest in potential XL1 buyers." As far as we can tell, the company has three options if it doesn't want to hand-make enough cars: first come, first served, offering the cars to whoever will pay the most or make it a random lottery. We wonder where the people who won't get their mitts on an XL1 will spend their money instead. Any ideas?

The diesel-electric plug-in hybrid XL1 uses less than a liter of fuel to go 100 kilometers (burning one liter would equal 235 mpg). The plans call for the limited run of 250 to be finished by the spring of 2014.


News Source: In Auto News, Volkswagen via Green Car Reports

2014 Porsche Macan Specs, Pricing Revealed: Diesel Gets 43 MPG

Officially set to debut at the LA Autuo Show next month, Porsche has leaked a few details on its upcoming 2014 Porsche Macan model SUV. The most interesting of these details by far, however, is the fact that the new Macan will feature a 254 hp 3.0 L V6 diesel that will, reportedly, take the SUV more than 43 miles for every gallon of dino-juice you feed it!

In keeping with the company’s recent “green” leadership, that diesel version isn’t the only MPG champion in the 2014 Porsche Macan lineup. The range-topping twin Turbo V6 Macan model is expected to give back just over 30 MPG, along with its more than 390 screaming horsepower and (what’s sure to be) class-leading acceleration. A gasoline-sipping 4 cylinder engine is also expected, with rumors suggesting that this will be a 2.0 L “boxer” four-cylinder, Porsche’s engineers denied this engine’s existence. If that doesn’t pan out expect a version of the ubiquitous Volkswagen 2.0T engine (like Bugatti, Porsche is owned by Volkswagen).

Pricing for the US-bound 2014 Porsche Macan SUVs, which slot beneath the Cayenne and Panamera in Porsche’s current pricing model, will start at $52,000 for the base model, and $75,000 for the Turbo model. Keep in mind that, even though all the Macans are expected to have turbocharged engines, the “Turbo” model name is meant to designate the top performer.

I’ll leave that bit of Porsche marketing ridiculousness for you to unravel. Until November, then, these images, below, will probably be the best look you’ll have of the upcoming 2014 Porsche Macan. If you want more, head on over to Auto Express’ UK site, which has a few more pictures, in addition to these. Enjoy!

Source | Photos: Auto Express UK.

Check Out This Custom Honda Grom Cafe Racer

When is a Honda Grom not a Honda Grom? When it’s a Mike Hailwood-inspired, one-off custom Honda Grom cafe racer like the one Honda rolled out in Thailand a few days ago. The bike was built by Honda to demonstrate the little Grom’s potential for customization – something that’s critical to a bike’s success in the bike/scooter obsessed countries of Southeast Asia.

That potential for customization is fully realized in the Grom Cafe Racer, which features a hand-formed aluminum fairing and historical details like the green number signs, the tank cutouts for the rider’s knees, and the general shape of the exhaust – all reminiscent of the RC166 that Hailwood rode to the 1966 250 cc Grand Prix title. Clip-on handlebars and a cafe racer-style seat round out the custom touches,

What do you guys think? Is this custom Grom cafe racer this just the thing for chasing down Yamaha Zumas at the next Mods and Rockers ride in your town? Should you just buy a Royal Enfield Continental? Would you be better off building a cafe racer out of a boneyard CB200, like that super-awesome 10 year-old, Zeke, did? You can let us know how you’d set up your Grom in the comments, below. As for the rest of the market?

Judging by the Honda Grom’s envy-inducing sales figures, I think the market has heard Honda’s message loud and clear.

Source | Photos: Honda Thailand, via Motorcycle.com

Audi Announces Early 2015 Launch of A3 Sportback E-tron Plug-In Hybrid in US

Audi A3 Sportback e-tron

According to Audi, its A3 Sportback e-tron will launch in the US in “early 2015.”

Audi A3 e-tron Rear

Though we’ve known for some time now that the A3 e-tron was US-bound, Audi had never before set a timeframe for its US launch.

Unfortunately for us, the rest of the world will get the A3 e-tron well in advanced of its US launch.

Audi says the A3 e-tron will launch in Europe in Spring of 2014.

As expected, the plug-in hybrid A3 will be the last version of the revamped A3 lineup to launch here.  Ahead of the plug-ins launch, we will get the A3 sedan, A3 cabriolet, A3 TDI diesel and S3 high-performance sedan.

As Audi states:

“The A3 sedan plays a pivotal role in the soon to be expanding Audi A3 family. It will be joined later in 2014 by the recently announced Audi A3 Cabriolet, A3 TDI clean diesel, the high-performance S3 sedan and in early 2015, the A3 Sportback e-tron® gasoline electric hybrid (PHEV).”

A3 Sportback e-tron Cutaway

As for price, we’ve got two tidbits of info to go on.

• The standard 2015 Audi A3 will have a base MSRP of $29,900
• The Audi A3 Sportback e-tron is priced at 37,000 Euros in Germany, or approximately $51,100 when directly converted to US dollars.

Specs for the A3 e-tron, at least those we know, break out like this:

• The Audi A3 Sportback e-tron accelerates to a speed of 100 km/h (62.14 mph) in just 7.6 seconds
• It has a top speed of 222 km/h (137.94 mph).
• Its average fuel consumption is just 1.5 liters of gasoline per 100 kilometers (156.81 US mpg)
• It offers a 50 kilometers (31.07 miles) driving range in electric mode
• total driving range is 940 kilometers (584.09 miles).
• The battery of the A3 Sportback e-tron has an energy capacity of 8.8 kWh and can be charged in less than 2.5 hours using a 16 A electrical outlet.
• The five-door, five-seat vehicle has weight of  1,580 kilograms (3,483.30 lb)

Chevy Spark EV Tech Performance Concept to Debut at SEMA

Chevy Spark EV Tech Performance  Concept

The annual SEMA show in Las Vegas, Nevada is often where you’ll see some of the world’s most radical automobiles.

Tech Performance Spark EV

While most SEMA debuts are of the gas-guzzling, extreme horsepower type, this debut will be electrifying.

Genera Motors says it’ll bring all sorts of concepts to display at SEMA in early November (Nov. 5-8), but the only one that interests us is the Chevy Spark EV Tech Performance.

Spark EV Tech Performance Concept

A pure-electric urban mini-car designed for fun driving, easy ownership and head-turning style, the Spark EV uses no gasoline, but its GM-built motor and drive unit deliver 400 lb-ft of instant torque – more than the classic 1969 Camaro SS muscle car with a 350 V-8 – for exhilarating acceleration. It can go from 0 to 60 mph in 7.5 seconds.

The Tech Performance concept builds on Spark EV’s performance with a unique power-delivery algorithm that enhances acceleration. Stronger axles support the greater power – helping transform this electric mini car into a mini-muscle car. Additional features:

Spark EV Tech Performance

• Custom exterior color and graphics, a unique backlit Chevrolet “bowtie” emblem in the grille and performance billet aluminum wheels
• Chevrolet Accessory sill plates, floor mats and pedal covers
• Body-color trim plates and green stitching on the shifter boot and steering wheel
• A military-style flip-up “activation switch” on the instrument panel adds a fun, high-performance-oriented touch of style to this plug-in performer
• Lightweight features that enhance performance

Will GM build it?  Most likely not, but we all know by now that the Spark EV is a hoot to drive and this EV Tech Performance version surely offers even more thrills.

Op-Ed: More All Electric Miles Equal Less Range Extender Need For 2nd Gen Chevrolet Volt

The 2nd Gen Chevrolet Volt Volt Gen 2 Would Benefit From A Smaller, Lighter Pure Series Range Extender.

With More Electric Range Comes The Need For Less Range Extender

I think we would all agree that, as AER increases, the need for a range extender decreases. This is depicted graphically in figure 1.

If we have an EV with 200-300 miles range, no range extender is required: witness Tesla Model S. If we have an EV with 100 miles range, a small range extender will suffice: witness BMW i3.

How does the Volt fit into this picture? We need to put some numbers to the words. (Engineers love numbers..yes?)

What Does Voltstats Say?

GM pitched the Volt by saying: “We will just make the battery big enough to cover the daily driving distance of the average driver of 40 miles.”

But how many miles does the average fleet driver really drive in a day?

50 Mile Mark Is More The Sweet Spot

Referring to figure 2, we see a high concentration of drivers at the 50 mile mark using the range extender. Also, referring to figure 3 we see an average fleet MPG of 135 miles/gallon.

Figure 3 (click to enlarge)

In figure 4 the AER/ER split is calculated that gets 50 miles total range and 135 MPG. The breakdown of the average fleet driver is: 36 miles on electricity and 14 miles on gas for a total of 50 miles. The 36 mile AER is probably less than 40 because some of the fleet miles are in cold weather.

Not Use Of Sophisticated Technology To Highlight # Miles

Using this average driving cycle, we can now derive partial derivatives (influence coefficients) for the effect of AER and ICE cycle efficiency on fleet fuel consumption.

Just 5 More Miles Of AER Makes A Big Difference

Figure 5 shows that adding only 5 miles of AER has a HUGE effect on fleet fuel consumption equaling a whopping36% savings in fuel.

How does this compare with a more efficient range extender? Often discussed is a turbo 3 cylinder for Volt Gen 2. It is expected that the turbo 3 would have approximately 10% better cycle efficiency than the current Volt ICE.

The comparison of the influence coefficients is presented in figure6.

Demonstration Of Better Use Of Resources To Provide More AER Than Engine Efficiency

Five more miles of AER decreases fuel consumption by 36% while going to a Turbo 3 cylinder decreases fuel consumption by only 10%. The influence of AER is nearly 4 times as great as the influence of the Turbo 3.

Keep in mind that one of the goals for gen 2 Volt is to reduce costs. GM’s turbo 3 undoubtedly will be a pricy piece of equipment compared to the current 1.4, 4 cylinder. Is this costlier range extender justified? I say no. One would be better off by increasing AER instead.

But you say: “How much does another 5 miles AER cost? Batteries are exensive. Wouldn’t it be cheaper to go with the turbo 3 than with expensive batteries?” Again I say no. The cost of another 5 miles AER is zero. All we do is switch to Spark EV chemistry which is more robust and has a higher cycle life. We increase DOD to achieve the added 5 miles of range. Spark EV DOD is 80% versus 65% for the Volt. That is a 23% increase and it is worth an equivalent percentage increase in AER of 9 miles. Spark EV battery article found here (http://gm-volt.com/2013/08/02/spark-ev-versus-volt-battery/).

A more expensive range extender is not justified.

Conclusion

Volt Gen 2 With Smaller Range Extender/Single Transmission Is The Way To Go

Volt Gen 2 would benefit from a smaller, lighter pure series range extender. Not only do we save money on the range extender, we save money on the transmission. We can eliminate the costly 2 mode transmission we have now.

We could have a Gen 2 Volt that is:

• Lower cost
• Lower weight
• Higher performance
• More Interior room

It is hard to argue against that combo.

More Women Buying The Nissan Leaf

It’s been said  that women control most of the major purchasing decisions in the traditional family unit, especially when it comes to cars. Women are driving the growth of the small car and green car segments, and the Nissan Leaf is high on the list of many lady car buyers. Women now account for about 30% of Leaf purchases, and the average age of Leaf buyers is dropping too.

At the beginning of 2013, women accounted for just 10 to 15% of Nissan Leaf sales, but the $6,400 price cut has opened the floodgates to even more buyers, many of them women. In the first three quarters of 2013, the Nissan Leaf had over 16,000 sales, 60% more than the sales for all of 2012, and according to Nissan women now make up 25 to 30% of all Leaf sales.

With women projected to out-earn the average men as soon as 2020, which is around the same time electric car sales are projected to really start taking off. As it stands, electric car sales are up over 500% this year compared to 2012, with the Leaf leading the pack. The Nissan Leaf no doubt owes its popularity to the fact that it falls in both the small car AND green car categories, as well as the inherent cuteness of the model compared to alternatives like the Chevy Volt. It’d be interesting to see how many women contributed to the run on the Fiat 500e electric car as well.

The price cut is also helping more families and younger people buy the Leaf as well. Whereas the initial wave of buyers was driven by affluent, older men, the average age of Leaf buyers has declined from 53 to 51 in just the past few months, and by this time next year it will almost certainly be under 50.

Looks like the slow burn of electric cars is really starting to catch on with one of the most important consumer groups of the next decade. And from there, who knows?

Source: The Detroit News

Of Course it is: Honda Grom 125 is Selling Like Hotcakes

Surprising absolutely no-one who was paying attention to what the cool kids were riding, Honda’s Grom 125 new-age monkey bike is sold out. The Grom is so hot right now that, not only have dealers sold out, there are waiting lists. In some cases, waiting lists 40 buyers deep, with many would-be buyers offering to pay more than Honda’s $2999 asking price – which is, itself, a bit more than what most 125 cc scooters currently go for.

As I said, this should surprise absolutely no-one.

When photos of the 2013 Honda Grom 125 first surfaced, I immediately lost my mind. I squee’d and squealed at the little bike, calling it “the most fun you can have without an overwhelming karmic retribution getting portioned out by the cosmos” and craving, desperately, to get my grubby little mitts on one.

Here we are, months later, and the closest I can come to riding a new Honda Grom 125 is sit in the waiting line with – well, probably not 40 other similarly-minded bike nutters. Hopefully not, anyway.

As for all those “no surprise” comments up there? It really shouldn’t come as any surprise that a bike like this is successful. Sure, it’s not a big-bore chopper or blistering sport-bike, but that’s stuff for old guys, anyway. Like, “baby boomer” old guys – and Honda gets that. “We need this market to grow,” says Bill Savino, manager of American Honda MC Press. “The boomers are going out. We need new riders coming in.”

Those new riders are buying scooters, small-bore sport bikes, and vintage UJMs – sometimes to cut into Cafe Racers, sometimes to restore, and sometimes just to ride. The big cruisers? The bullet-bikes? They’re cool, I guess. Maybe my dad will buy one.

As for Honda, they got the message loud and clear. At Huntington Beach Honda, owner Greg Guthrie sees a broad appeal for the little Grom 125 as a go-anywhere, traffic-carving super-fun machine that defies the various motorcycling stereotypes and cliques of my youth in the 90s and 00s. “Every day we have three or four people asking about it,” he explains. “I’ve been in the business 25 years, and I can’t remember a unit that has had a wider cross-section of buyers. There is no demographic for this bike. It’s everyone. That’s the demographic.”

Well said, Greg. Well said.

Source | Photos: LA Times | Honda.

Poll Shows 80% of Americans Support E15 and Ethanol Availability

According to pro-ethanol group Fuels America, more than 1000 consecutive days of average fuel prices well over $3/gallon have taken their toll on Americans’ budgets and opinions – resulting in more than 80% of those polled saying they would support having E15 (a fuel blend that is, at most, 15% ethanol) available at their local gas stations.

In addition to high fuels prices, it appears that a number of previous “undecideds” have fallen on the side of freedom – that is, the freedom to choose which fuel they’d like to pump into their cars once they get to the gas station. That they also seem to have fallen on the side of more stable food costs, cleaner air, and lower, more stable fuel costs is probably giving guys like Gulf Oil’s sweaty CEO and that Saudi Prince d-bag fits, as well.

“The overwhelming majority of Americans understand that having options when you fill up at the gas station is a good thing,” Growth Energy CEO and ethanol advocate Tom Buis said recently, in a statement to Farm Futures regarding the poll results. “(Americans) have spoken loud and clear that they want access to clean, homegrown renewable fuel.”

Here’s a few other points from the survey, with results that may surprise you. If you’re a psycho.

82% of those polled said wanted access to E15 at their local gas pump (as above).

76% of those polled said wanted access to even higher ethanol fuel blends, such as E20 or E30 (20 or 30 percent ethanol).

79% of those polled believe that the oil industry’s efforts to block the availability of E15 is bad for consumers.

Sources | Photos: Farm Futures, Fuels America.

Volvo charges C30 wirelessly in less than three hours

Volvo completed what it called a "successful" study of wireless charging systems for electric vehicles by fully charging up an all-electric C30 in about two and a half hours.

The Swedish automaker used words like "comfortable," "effective" and "safe" to describe the inductive charging system. Such a process involves induction coils on both the station and the vehicle and uses electromagnetic waves to conduct the necessary electricity. Volvo is working with Siemens to develop electric-drive powertrains and hopes the study helps move the industry towards some sort of yet-to-be determined wireless-charging standard.

Other automakers are also looking at wireless charging as another way to get more people to gravitate towards plug-in vehicles. Toyota is working on a wireless charging system for its Prius Plug-in Hybrids, while Nissan's Infiniti division said last year that it aimed to make the first production model with a wireless charging system as standard equipment.

As for Volvo and its plug-ins, the company has been making the electric C30, albeit in limited numbers, since 2011. Volvo also started making its V60 plug-in diesel hybrid late last year and said at the time that it would produce between 4,000 and 6,000 cars for the 2014 model year. Check out Volvo's press releasebelow.

Show full PR text

News Source: Volvo