BMW i3 Named Green Car Of The Year

The BMW i3 was named Green Car Journal’s 2015 Green Car of the Year at the Los Angeles Auto Show this week. The i3 beat out the Audi A3 TDI, Chevrolet Impala Bi-Fuel, Honda Fit, and VW Golf to win the award.

The Green Car Of The Year award takes into account not only a car’s environmental friendliness but also its “availability to the mass market.” Unlike many other EV’s, the i3 can be found at BMW dealers everywhere in America. It is the first electric vehicle to win the award.

“BMW’s i3 is a milestone vehicle in many respects and illustrates the automaker’s expansive vision of future motoring,” said Ron Cogan, editor and publisher of Green Car Journal and CarsOfChange.com. “It is purposefully designed with a small environmental footprint and zero emissions, offering the best features of an electric vehicle with the functionality of an available on board engine-generator that nearly doubles its battery electric range.”

In the world of EV’s, weight is a critical consideration. BMW’s decision to use carbon fiber extensively instead of steel or aluminum to build the i3 means it weighs hundreds of pounds less than its competitors. Avid car collector and enthusiast Jay Leno was one of the members of the panel that chose the i3 for the award. He said at the award ceremony, “Unlike other manufacturers that build vehicles and then create advanced powertrains to go in them, BMW rethought the whole process of building a car from the ground-up, using new materials and techniques.”

The BMW i3 with range extender is rated 117 MPGe with an EV range of 72-miles. In gasoline powered mode, it is rated at 39 mpg. The EV-only version is rated 124 MPGe combined (137 in the city and 111 on the highway) and has an EV range of 81 miles.

The i3 is enjoying strong sales in the US, prompting BMW to allocate more of them to the American market. Now, if they could just get that sticker price down from $41,350, I might be willing to sign on the dotted line and put one in my own driveway.

Source: Gas2

Car Makers Giving Away Free Hydrogen

As part of the hoopla surrounding the official introduction of Toyota’s Mirai fuel cell car this week, the company announced that customers would receive free hydrogen for up to three years. Previously, Hyundai also said it would provide free hydrogen for buyers of its Tucson fuel cell vehicles. Are the manufacturers just being generous or is there something else going on here?

Actually, according to AutoBlog, the real reason is it’s not possible right now to accurately measure how much hydrogen is being dispensed at today’s refueling stations. Says Toyota’s national manager of environmental, safety and quality communications, John Hanson, “There are no set standards, so there is no way to charge people for anything.”

Alberto Ayala, the deputy executive officer for the California Air Resources Board, told the group attending the Mirai introduction, ” If you think about it, it’s a real simple yet real practical challenge. If you’re going to pay for X amount of hydrogen, you’re actually getting that amount of hydrogen.” Ayala said it’s not a difficult technical problem to measure the hydrogen as it goes into the car, but “we just have not done it. We are at a point where we are solving multiple remaining questions [with hydrogen infrastructure], and that just happens to be one of them.”

Last summer, the National Institute of Standards said it wants to set the standard tolerance for delivery accuracy at 1%. That’s half of the current 2% standard and would allow motorists to be sure of getting the amount of hydrogen they pay for every time they fill up. Last summer, NIST announced it had developed a hydrogen pump with an accuracy of 99.55%, but that equipment is not in widespread use yet.

Also earlier this year, the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) promulgated new standards for hydrogen refueling, including the shape of the nozzle and the pressures at which the gas will be delivered.  The new SAE J2601 establishes two standard pressures – 35 and 70 megapascals (MPa) – it says will permit refueling times of 3 to 5 minutes.

Hydrogen is the most active element on the periodic table. Containing it and making it bend to man’s will takes some doing. A few years from now, hydrogen refueling standards will be finalized and fuel cell cars will go mainstream. Or not. Until then, we all get free hydrogen.

Tesla Model S P85D Demand “Off The Charts”

The idea behind a halo car is to create a vehicle that gets people talking, and the 691 horsepower Tesla Model S P85D did just that. In an interview with GQ Magazine, Elon Musk says that demand for the top-of-the-line Model S is “off the charts,” but knocking off those last few 10ths of a second was hard, but necessary to change the perception of EVs.

According to Musk’s estimates, about 70% of the orders for the new Model S include the new Dual Motor Drive unveiled in October, and many of them are for the top-end, P85D version that will rocket from 0 to 60 MPH in just 3.2 seconds. That makes it the quickest four-door sedan in the world, and has served to stimulate Model S sales in the face of yet-another-delay for the Model X SUV. Even at $120,000, the Model S P85D represents an incredible performance bargain, and the electric automaker now has a car that can draw the interest of both electric car fans and those seeking insane levels of acceleration.

In the interview, Musk also discussed the reason behind open-sourcing Tesla’s patents, and reaffirming that the cheaper Model III will be 20% smaller than the Model S, and about half the price. Musk also let it slip that the battery pack will be about 20% smaller as well, which will help reduce costs but makes it more difficult to reach the promised 200 miles of driving range. Musk also rehashed his desire to force the rest of the auto industry to start making long-range electric cars, and say its “mind blowing” that Tesla is still the only automaker offering an EV with over 250 miles of range.

But that will soon change as numerous competitors are lining up to challenge the Tesla Model S. Audi confirmed it was working on an electric sedan with over 280 miles of driving range, and GM is rumored to be at work on a 200-mile Chevy Sonic EV of its own. Even Ford is saying it could build a Tesla for the masses, and they just might.

But it wouldn’t have happened were it not for Elon Musk.

Mercedes CLA Shooting Brake Aims For 60 MPG

Mercedes-Benz has recently been accused of cooking the books when it comes to rating the fuel economy of their new cars in Europe, which rarely meet real world expectations. But until regulators crack down on MPG ringers, Daimler will continue to be able to market cars like the new Mercedes-Benz CLA Shooting Brake as offering as much as 60 MPG.

The CLA Shooting Brake may not be everybody’s cup of tea, but station wagons are clearly making a comeback, and Mercedes designers have made a beauty in this case. I seriously dig this Merc, and as a child of the 80s, I’m glad to see a staple of my formative years returning to the road with such style.

That incredible fuel economy figure comes courtesy of a 2.1 liter turbodiesel making 136 horsepower and a 221 lb-ft of torque, though a more potent version will offer buyers up to 177 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque. Both engines will offer fuel consumption figures of about 4.0 liters per 100km, which works out to about 60 MPG.

Mind you, this is on the more generous (and easier to cheat) European testing standards; should this engine/car combo ever come stateside, I’d expect a rating more in the 40 MPG range. The 1.6 liter gasoline engine gets a rating of 5.5 liters per 100km, which works out to 42 MPG on the highway, and as much as 211 horsepower if speed is more your thing. All CLA models will come with the award-winning ECO start/stop system, which does help improve fuel economy somewhat.

Mercedes also claims that in its Blue EFFICIENCY form, the CLA Shooting Brake has a drag coefficient of just 0.26, making it one of the slipperiest cars on the road. The sedan version of the CLA managed to set a benchmark of just 0.22 though, so you sacrifice some aerodynamics in the name of style. Alas, we won’t be getting the CLA Shooting Brake here in America, which means adding it to our list of wish-we-had-it vehicles. All we’re getting is the B-Class Electric Drive, which isn’t half as exciting as its main rival, the BMW i3.

Nissan and Renault Sell 200,000th EV

With 58% of the market, the Nissan-Renault alliance announced that it has sold its 200,000th electric vehicle. To date, those EVs has covered an estimated 4 billion kilometers, or about 2.85 million miles, saving some 450 million kg of CO2 from entering out atmosphere.

So far in 2014, the two automakers and their subsidiaries have sold over 66,500 electric vehicles, twice as many as their next-nearest competitor, Tesla Motors. Europe has proven particularly hungry for electric vehicles, and this year’s total represents a 20% increase over 2013. The U.S. leads the way in adoptions of electric vehicles with over 67,000 sales to date, with Japan following with 46,000 purchases of its own. Europe trails with 31,500 sales since the LEAF went on sale, though sales are up over 90% this year.

While electric vehicles haven’t been the breakout hit some had hoped for, the word seems to be getting out there as plug-in cars have seen slow-but-steady growth. In the U.S. Nissan remains a sales leader, and the LEAF is a regular contender for the most sales in Norway and continues to set sales records. This year Nissan also began sales of the e-NV200 electric van for commercial buyers in Europe, particularly as taxis, and is testing the waters here in the U.S.

“Renault and Nissan’s electric vehicles are the zero-emission volume leaders and, most important, they enjoy high satisfaction rates from customers around the world,” said Carlos Ghosn, Chairman and CEO of the Renault-Nissan Alliance. “Based on positive owner feedback and the increasing demand for cars that run on renewable energy, it’s no surprise that EV sales are accelerating – particularly in regions where charging infrastructure is well developed.”

Despite a frenzy over several new hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, Nissan has restated its commitment to electric vehicles here and now. More importantly, Nissan is nearing profitability with the LEAF. We may have already reached the tipping point in terms of market acceptance for plug-in cars, and Nissan put together a video to show that once you go electric, there’s no going back.

Source:  Gas2

BMW i8 Deliveries Taking Up To 18 Months

Supply and demand drives the economy in its simplest form, and some automakers would rather limit supply in order to induce demand. Since there’s no lack of demand for the $136,000 BMW i8 hybrid supercar though, the German automaker is considering increasing production to reduce wait times for well-heeled buyers.

Automotive News reports that would-be buyers of the i8 are facing wait times of up to 18 months, and some buyers have paid 50% over the MSRP just to get behind the wheel of the plug-in sports car. BMW says that six months should be the maximum length of time people should have to wait to get a bespoke BMW i8, but in some markets the wait could be costing BMW potential customers.

So far in 2014 BMW has delivered some 760 cars to customers around the world, including over 400 in October. Those are no doubt customers who placed their orders earlier in the year; but somebody wanting to put money down on a BMW i8 today might not see it until mid-2016. That’s a long time to wait for a six-figure vehicle, but good things come to those who wait I suppose.

Of course long wait times for in-demand products are nothing new. Even with the recent factory retooling, many Tesla customers need to wait two or three months before taking delivery of their personalized Model S. There are more than 20,000 deposits for the upcoming Model X too, but those placing an order today were recently told that they shouldn’t expect their cars until “well into” 2016.

Who would have thought that two of the most in-demand cars would both be plug-ins?

Nissan Stays Committed To EVs In Face Of Fuel Cell Fever

Last week we saw a flurry of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles make their official debuts, led by the Toyota Mirai. Audi, Volkswagen, and Honda also brought concepts to the show floor, and other automakers have demonstrated interest in their own fuel cell vehicles. But for Nissan, the future is still all about electric cars.

In an interview with the Japan Times, Nissan’s Vice Chairman Toshiyuki Shiga said that governments and automakers should “promote the electric vehicle first rather than hydrogen.” Asked if Nissan has any plans for a hydrogen car of its own, Shiga indicated such a vehicle might come about “in the long-term future.”

Shiga claims to be optimistic about the future of electric vehicles, and he has good reason to be. Europe has proven especially hungry for electric vehicles, which benefit from a multitude of tax breaks, cash incentives, and driving perks. But it also wasn’t that long ago that a Nissan executive was apologizing for slow EV sales and reminding people that the automaker was taking a $1 billion longshot on a technology with a discouraging track record.

In the past year though, the Nissan LEAF has become a hit in several countries, and sales seem to be growing despite an overall downward trend in sales of hybrids. The price cut helped out, but so do generous incentives like “No Charge to Charge” tax rebates that can amount to $10,000 or more. Hydrogen remains a long shot for widespread market acceptance anytime soon, but for what it’s worth I think Shiga is right. Hybrids like the Prius were a stepping stone to plug-in hybrids and all-electric cars.

If hydrogen cars are indeed a superior alternative, they will have their chance to prove it…but the costs are still too high and the infrastructure still too little for hydrogen to have any impact on the near-term. We need a solution today, and with an all-new Nissan LEAF just around the corner, electric cars are a solution a lot of Americans can get into today.

Source: Gas2

Eco-Motive gets patent for CNG-gas hybrid H-Motor - Press Release

Press Release

ECO-MOTIVE RECEIVES PATENT FOR REVOLUTIONARY DUAL-FUEL H-MOTOR POWER PLANT

MORENO VALLEY, California – Nov. 18, 2014 – Eco-Motive has received a patent (#8807098) for the world's first dual-fuel "H" power plant. The patent is the next step toward adoption by major original manufacturers worldwide of a revolutionary, cost-effective technology that can cut global emissions, slash oil consumption and increase fuel flexibility for consumers.

"The Eco-Motive dual fuel 'H' engine is a masterpiece of smart engineering that replaces a single fuel design that has been powering cars for over 100 years," said Herns Louis, founder and CEO of Eco-Motive. "Our design will offer significant benefits for both consumers and the environment. Best of all, the technology can be easily adapted to existing engines, making the implementation very cost effective. We're offering auto manufacturers a leap forward that is as revolutionary as Henry Ford's adoption of the assembly line."

The principle behind the engine is brilliant in its simplicity and flexibility. The Eco-Motive H-motor can be powered by either gasoline or compressed natural gas (CNG), at a driver's prerogative. Each bank of the engine is powered exclusively by one of the two fuels; with the push of a button, the engine can switch from the bank of cylinders fueled by gasoline to the other set using CNG, or vice versa.

"Our unique H-shaped motor uses a pair of individual cylinder banks and respective crankshafts," said Louis. "Each side is controlled by an engine selector gearbox, which connects to the transmission. Thus an OEM can adopt our idea to any internal combustion engine with an even number of cylinders to any truck, SUV or car they currently build, regardless of its transmission or configuration."

The H-motor is fed by dual gas tanks on either side of the drive shaft. A fuel inlet for each tank can be located on the side of the car where its tank will reside. Users can switch from natural gas to regular gasoline from inside the vehicle; the vehicle will stay in this mode until switched by the driver. The exact specifications may vary depending upon the OEM.

The engine was invented by Herns Louis, veteran of more than 30 years in the parts manufacturing industry ranging from automotive to aerospace, specializing in computerized parts machining. This twin-bank engine is a result of Louis's experience, along with his vision to help meet an emerging market need for more efficient, lower-exhaust CNG engines.

"Our intent is to help automakers leverage the plentiful natural gas supplies and existing infrastructure to meet the pending government regulations for emissions and fuel economy," said Louis. "The internal combustion engine can still be optimized with innovations such as the patented H-Motor without a budget-busting expenditure. Our intent is to partner with visionary auto manufacturers who want to leverage this flexible technology worldwide"

According to the Southern California Gas Company, CNG powered vehicles offer substantial advantages over those running on gasoline. SCGC states that CNG usually costs significantly less than a gasoline or diesel gallon equivalent at the pump, saving consumers money. In addition, CNG typically has a much higher octane rating than gasoline, allowing for more engine compression and combustion efficiency so the vehicle uses less fuel. Because of the clean burning attributes of natural gas, the H-engine is projected to offer a much longer engine life compared to most gasoline-powered vehicles.

A driver in an H-motor power vehicle can fill their CNG tank at home or at a filling station, as well as buy gasoline nationwide. In addition, natural gas is becoming much more prominent with 530 CNG stations nationwide. There are also over 112,000 natural-gas vehicles in the U.S. and 15 million in use worldwide. Since almost all natural gas currently consumed in the U.S. is also produced in North America, CNG powered vehicles help reduce dependence on foreign oil.

While CNG is plentiful, it is not yet universally available at the pump. Thus, the H-motor incorporates a bank of cylinders that use traditional gasoline. Unlike electric cars, this gives the vehicle similar range, power and utility to a conventional gasoline powered engine.

"Receiving this patent is a huge step forward for my company," said Louis. "Now we can push our engine technology into a market that's hungry for smart, effective solutions. The infrastructure for CNG powered vehicles is established and will be prominent in the next couple of decades due to its low costs and high efficiency."

About Eco-Motive USA
Eco-Motive USA is developing an innovative new bi-fuel power plant that runs on gasoline and CNG. The Eco-Motive "H" engine was developed by Herns Louis, who has over 30 years as a machinist and in the manufacturing sector. The H-motor will be manufactured in California and marketed directly to OEM automotive manufacturers worldwide. This engine can be a disruptive technology that gives manufacturers an edge in cutting emissions and fuel consumption.

Electric-Car Charging Station At Gas Station In Tar-Sands Land

Electric-car charging stations are still remarkably rare at gas stations, though a handful exist in the Pacific Northwest.

But earlier this year, the Petro-Canada station in Crossfield, Alberta, installed a charging station. It's free to use, too.

Perhaps not too remarkable, except that this is the heart of Canada's tar-sands oil region.

Petro-Canada gas station, Crossfields, Alberta, with electric-car charging station

The charger itself is a Sun Country 100-amp model that delivers up to 19.2 kilowatts of power, if the plug-invehicle can accept Level 2 charging at those speeds.

All about Crossfield

Crossfield is about 30 miles (50 km) north of Calgary, Canada's fossil-fuel capital, along Highway 2, which connects the business center to the provincial capital of Edmonton.

The cities are about 185 miles (300 km) apart, a distance that only Teslas can cover in one shot.

Happily, there are an assortment of chargers along the way, so other battery-electric drivers can make the trip.

Not that many may do so: Thanks to cattle ranchingand oil rustling, Alberta is prime pick-up truck country.

Despite an Oregon-sized population of about 4 million, Alberta is presently home to only about 100 battery-electric vehicles, along with perhaps 100 more plug-in hybrids.

Services for every car

Gasoline producer and retailer Petro-Canada – a division of Suncor, the world's largest producer of tar-sands bitumen – isn't necessarily making a push to be plug-in electric vehicle owners' pit stop of choice.

Petro-Canada gas station, Crossfields, Alberta, with electric-car charging station

The Petro-Canada station in Crossfield is independently owned and operated by a franchisee.

The company owning the franchise operates about 20 gas stations across Canada – and depending how well things go with this pilot installation, they may consider adding electric vehicleinfrastructure to other stations as well.

To quote a company representative, the electric-vehicle outreach is another way of providing services to motorists, "and that's what we do".

If you're one of Alberta's plug-in owners, or if you're planning a cross-continent trip, here's a chance to show support for charging stations in unlikely areas.

Petro-Canada gas station, Crossfields, Alberta, with electric-car charging station

Petro-Canada vs 'greenwashing'

Oil conglomerates around the world generally and in the oil sands specifically have a somewhat mixed record on issues from emissions to climate change.

That may lead some readers to have mixed feelings about the idea of gas stations offering electric-car charging stations. Or of oil companies sponsoring such events as Sun Country Highway's E-Mazing Race, which Petro-Canada did.

Sun Country CEO Kent Rathwell addressed the "greenwashing" question head-on at the recentEV2014VE conference in Vancouver.

He commented that he would've vetoed Petro-Canada's sponsorship, if he thought that accusations of greenwashing would become a factor in coverage of the event.

Petro-Canada gas station, Crossfields, Alberta, with electric-car charging station

He related his experience working to help Suncor reduce its environmental footprint.

He emphasized that individuals he worked with obviously cared deeply and sincerely about sustainability and stewardship.

They did their utmost to make a positive difference, he suggested, within the constraints of the industry they found themselves in.

The broader lesson may be that if the world were black and white, we would all be moral zebras of one stripe or other.

Petro-Canada gas station, Crossfields, Alberta, with electric-car charging station

Tesla Talks Batteries And Charging Stations With BMW

After Elon Musk announced that he was opening the book on Tesla’s multitude of EV patents, it didn’t take long for BMW to initiate a discussion with the electric automaker. Apparently those discussions have been fruitful, as Elon Musk told Germany’s Der Spiegel that he had met with BMW representatives to discuss batteries, charging stations, and carbon fiber.

“We are talking about whether we can collaborate in battery technology or charging stations,” Musk said in the interview with the weekly magazine. He also said that BMW’s efforts with carbon fiber are both “cost efficient” and “interesting” to the Tesla CEO, and it’s easy to see why. By using carbon fiber, the BMW i3 manages to be the lightest electric car on the road, tipping the scales at a svelte 2,600ish pounds.

BMW aims to bring carbon fiber prices down some 90% to make it more viable as a replacement for steel. Compare that to the nearly 5,000 pound Tesla Model S P85D, and you start to understand why Musk might be interested in BMW’s expertise on the matter. Word has it that the Tesla Model III will be made mostly from steel instead of aluminum like the Model S; could a partnership with BMW could put carbon fiber on the table.

That’s less likley than Tesla teaming up with BMW on batteries and charging stations though. The California automaker already sells batteries and drivetrains to rival Mercedes-Benz, and of particular interest to BMW are the Supercharging stations. BMW also has a few ideas regarding EV charging though, and both the i3 and i8 have been well received. and considering Elon has always targeted the BMW 3 Series as a benchmark for the Model III, it seems to me these two companies may have more in common than most automakers.

But that’s not to say all their goals align. Musk is keeping Tesla all-electric, while BMW is exploring hydrogen fuel cells with Toyota. Toyota and Tesla recently parted ways, and the Japanese automaker has since come out saying that nobody wants to buy EVs.

Tell that to Tesla.

It’ll be interesting to see what, if anything, comes from talks between Tesla and BMW. Will future BMWs plug into the Supercharger network? Will next-gen Teslas be made from carbon fiber?

Source: Reuters

Is The Toyota Mirai The Next Edsel?

The Toyota Mirai is supposed to be the future of alternative fuels, and the automaker is hoping to replicate the success of the Prius with its hydrogen fuel cell vehicle. Yet with a high price, polarizing looks, and perhaps a little too much hype, the Toyota Mirai looking more like the next Edsel.

In the late 1950s, Ford launched the Edsel brand with a car famously described as looking like “am Oldsmobile sucking a lemon” in a bid to make it stand out. Customers flocked to showrooms to see the unveiling, but left without placing an order, underwhelmed by what many considered to be just another, kinda-funky Ford. Just a couple of years after its launch, the Edsel brand was dead and forever ruined, due in parts to its looks but also because the marketing hype didn’t meet consumer expectations.

Prior to the launch of the Edsel, Ford ran a nationwide ad campaign hyping up the car as something new and exciting, a real game changer. Despite offering a lot of cool techie features though, consumers weren’t exactly wowed by the high-price and complicated technology. The polarizing horse-collar grille also created a love-it-or-hate-it sentiment among consumers.
If all of this sounds familiar to you, it’s because Toyota is pursuing a similarly aggressive hype campaign for a vehicle that really only offers an incremental improvement over conventional cars or electric vehicles. Toyota claims nobody wants to buy EVs, yet Tesla Model S sales are taking a big bite out of sales of established luxury automakers.

Then there’s the look of the Mirai, which can best be described as a swing and a miss. While the front and rear fascia were designed to look futuristic, the entire middle section of the car is as plain as a four-door sedan could be Then there’s those awful, awful side vents, which Toyota claims drive air to the extra radiators required for the fuel cell stack. What they’ve actually done though is create a polarizing but mostly-awful feature that distracts people from seeing anything else. If anybody thinks the Mirai is a good looking car, please leave a comment below, because so far I haven’t heard one positive review of its looks.

That alone is enough to turn a lot of people off to Toyota’s hydrogen fuel cell vehicle, but in fairness the original Prius wasn’t much of a looker either. Today the Prius dominates the hybrid car market and has even become synonymous with the world. But the Prius also had virtually no competition, and by the time it did it was already the go-to hybrid for a lot of car buyers. It also doesn’t cost all that much more than a comparable conventional car, whereas the Mirai costs almost twice the average new car cost in America.

There’s also the fact that the Prius can fill-up anywhere and was rolled out nationwide; meanwhile the Mirai will only be sold in limited numbers in a handful of locations around the world. Just 700 are expected to be sold by the end of 2015, centered around the few dozen operational hydrogen fueling stations, which makes the 10% range advantage the Mirai offers over the Model S seem kinda pointless.

With a paltry 134 horsepower, the Mirai isn’t likely to wow many speed enthusiasts either, leaving just true believers to take the plunge. Once you start really digging into the technical aspects of hydrogen, and realize just how much energy (often sourced from fracking) it takes to create said hydrogen, and one can understand why Elon Musk would call fuel cell vehicles “bullshi*.”

The barriers to the success of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are far more than those facing electric vehicles. Toyota may be trying to play the long game, but I think it’ll take a much better car than the Mirai to convince people that this is truly the path forward.

Source: Gas2

How Tesla is getting around Michigan's 'no sales' law

A fully-charged Tesla Model S can get from Detroit to Toronto if the driver doesn't have a lead foot. A more important US-Canada city tour would be from Detroit to Windsor, Ontario, which is only a two-mile journey through the Detroit Windsor Tunnel. This is key, because Tesla is thinking some Michigan folks will make that trip to check out the all-electric Model S, perhaps rattling some political cages as well.

The California automaker recently drummed up some Detroit/Windsor-area exposure by holding Model S test rides in Windsor, according to CBC News. While the act itself isn't that brazen, it's a not-so-subtle dig at the state that the Big Three US automakers call home and which recently joined the ranks of states that take a hardline approach against Tesla legally selling its vehicles directly to customers. Michigan joined states like Texas, New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia and Arizona requiring the automaker to work through third-party dealerships. Michigan Governor Rick Snyder said that House Bill 5606, "doesn't change current law at all," but if Canada all of a sudden gets a lot of positive attention for being more open and Tesla's online sales rise, perhaps some minds will change.

News Source: CBC News

2015 Ford F-150 to get up to 26 miles per gallon - PRESS RELEASE

FORD'S BLUEPRINT FOR SUSTAINABILITY ADVANCES TO NEXT LEVEL; NEW F-150 LINEUP INCLUDES HIGHEST EPA-ESTIMATED FUEL ECONOMY RATINGS AMONG GAS-POWERED PICKUPS

The new 2015 F-150 lineup – featuring the toughest, smartest and most capable F-150s ever – now includes the highest EPA-estimated fuel economy ratings of any full-size gasoline pickup on the market

When equipped with available 2.7-liter EcoBoost® engine, new F-150 4x2 has EPA-estimated 19 mpg City, 26 mpg Highway and 22 mpg Combined fuel economy ratings

2015 F-150 can tow as much as 1,110 pounds more, haul as much as 530 pounds more, has a 5 percent to 16 percent better power-to-weight ratio and new F-150 EPA fuel economy ratings are 5 to 29 percent better than current models, depending on engine

Ford advances to the next level in providing customers with more fuel-efficient vehicles, as the new 2015 F-150 lineup includes the highest EPA-estimated fuel economy ratings of any gasoline-powered full-size pickup sold in America.

Up to 700 pounds lighter than current models, the new F-150 4x2 with Ford's 2.7-liter EcoBoost engine has EPA-estimated ratings of 19 mpg City, 26 mpg Highway and 22 mpg Combined. That is 5 percent to 29 percent better than current F-150 models, depending on engine and driveline configuration on the combined cycle.

"We set out to create the future of tough with the new F-150," said Raj Nair, Ford group vice president, Global Product Development. "We are delivering with the toughest, smartest and most capable F-150 ever – and now the highest EPA-estimated fuel economy ratings of any full-size gas-powered pickup in America."

The improved performance is enabled by saving weight through the use of high-strength steel and high-strength, military-grade, aluminum alloys plus smart engineering. The weight savings not only improve fuel efficiency, they improve the new F-150's capability and performance. Combined with EcoBoost engine technology, the F-150 now tows as much as 1,100 more pounds and hauls as much as 530 pounds more than today's model with a 5 percent to 16 percent better power-to-weight ratio.
Ford is producing trucks and now has started shipping the all-new pickups to its dealers.

Delivering Ford's Blueprint for Sustainability

The F-150's fuel economy leadership pays off two key elements of Ford's Blueprint for Sustainability – making high volumes of internal combustion engines as efficient as possible through EcoBoost technology and achieving substantial vehicle weight savings.

Introduced in 2007, the Blueprint is a plan of near-, mid- and long-term product and technology actions that incorporate fuel-saving technologies into the company's vehicles, while continuing development of breakthrough technologies.

Today, Ford has 2 million EcoBoost engines on the road in cars, utilities and trucks.

EcoBoost technology was first offered for F-150 customers in early 2011 with the 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine. To date, Ford has sold 600,000 F-150 trucks equipped with 3.5-liter EcoBoost engines, helping Ford customers save an estimated 68 million gallons of gasoline.

New truck, even more engine choices

Ford offers new F-150 customers four engine choices: the available 2.7-liter EcoBoost with standard Auto Start-Stop, a new standard 3.5-liter V6 Ti-VCT engine, a more powerful available 5.0-liter V8 Ti-VCT engine and an available premium 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine.

These trucks represent a substantial improvement over trucks of the past. Owners of seven- or eight-year-old trucks who are in the market for a new truck may be surprised by the impressive capability of the 2015 F-150. For example, returning owners of 2008 model year F-150s could see EPA-estimated fuel economy rating improvements of up to 43 percent and power-to-weight increases of up to 46 percent, while towing could improve as much as 3,900 pounds and payload could improve as much as 1,390 pounds, depending on engine and configuration.

The chart below compares the 2015 2.7-liter EcoBoost 4x2 F-150 to the 2008 4.6-liter V8 4x2 F-150, and to its current major competitors:

Engine	EPA-Estimated Fuel Economy City/Hwy/Combined	Horsepower	Torque	Max Towing	Max Payload
2015 Ford F-150 2.7-liter EcoBoost 4x2	19/26/22 1	325	375	8,500	2,250
2008 Ford F-150 4.6-liter V8 4x2	14/19/16	248	294	7,200	1,970
Improvement from 2008 F-150 to 2015 F-150	+5/+7/+6	+77	+81	+1,300	+280
2015 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 5.3-liter V8 4x2	16/23/19	355	383	11,200	2,260
2015 Toyota Tundra 4.6-liter V8 4x2	15/19/16	310	327	6,800	1,605
2015 Ram 1500 5.7-liter Hemi V8	15/22/17	395	410	10,650	1,820

The all-new standard 3.5-liter Ti-VCT V6 offers performance customers expect from a full-size pickup truck, while offering unsurpassed EPA-estimated ratings of 18 mpg City, 25 mpg Highway and 20 mpg Combined for 4x2 models. The 3.5-liter Ti-VCT V6 can tow an unsurpassed 7,600 pounds among light-duty trucks with standard V6 engines. The chart below provides details compared with the 2008 4.2-liter V6 4x2 F-150 and current major competitors:

Engine	EPA-Estimated Fuel Economy City/Hwy/Combined	Horsepower	Torque	Max Towing	Max Payload
2015 Ford F-150 3.5-liter V6 Ti-VCT 4x2	18/25/20 2	282	253	7,600 3	1,910
2008 Ford F-150 4.2-liter V6 4x2	14/19/16	202	260	5,700	1,910
Improvement from 2008 F-150 to 2015 F-150	+4/+6/+4	+80	-7	+1,900	0
2015 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 4.3-liter V6 4x2	18/24/20	285	305	7,600	1,980
2015 Ram 1500 3.6-liter V6 4x2	17/25/20	305	269	7,600	1,900

The 5.0-liter Ti-VCT V8 provides customers with robust capability for frequent towing and hauling with a best-in-class maximum payload of 3,300 pounds and maximum tow rating of 11,100 pounds, which is an improvement of up to 3,900 pounds over the 2008 4.6-liter V8 F-150. In the 4x2 configuration, the 5.0-liter has EPA-estimated fuel economy ratings of 15 mpg City, 22 mpg Highway and 18 mpg Combined. The chart below provides details compared with the 2008 4.6-liter V8 4x2 F-150 and current major competitors:

Engine	EPA-Estimated Fuel Economy City/Hwy/Combined	Horsepower	Torque	Max Towing	Max Payload
2015 Ford F-150 5.0-liter V8 Ti-VCT 4x2	15/22/18	385	387	11,100	3,300 4
2008 Ford F-150 4.6-liter V8 4x2	14/19/16	248	294	7,200	1,970
Improvement from 2008 F-150 to 2015 F-150	+1/+3/+2	+137	+93	+3,900	+1,330
2015 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 5.3-liter V8 4x2	16/23/19	355	383	11,200	2,260
2015 Toyota Tundra 4.6-liter V8 4x2	15/19/16	310	327	6,800	1,605
2015 Ram 1500 5.7-liter Hemi V8	15/22/17	395	410	10,650	1,820

The available 3.5-liter V6 EcoBoost engine provides customers a strong combination of gas fuel economy and capability, with best-in-class 12,200 pounds of maximum towing and EPA-estimated ratings of 17 mpg City, 24 mpg Highway and 20 mpg Combined for 4x2 models. The chart below provides details compared with the 2008 5.4-liter 4x2 F-150 and current major competitors:

Engine	EPA-Estimated Fuel Economy City/Hwy/Combined	Horsepower	Torque	Max Towing	Max Payload
2015 Ford F-150 3.5-liter EcoBoost 4x2	17/24/20	365	420	12,200 5	3,270
2008 Ford F-150 5.4-liter 4x2	13/17/14	300	365	10,500	3,020
Improvement from 2008 F-150 to 2015 F-150	+4/+7/+6	+65	+55	+1,700	+250
2015 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 6.2-liter V8 4x2	15/21/17	420	460	12,000	2,130
2015 Toyota Tundra 5.7-liter V8 4x2	13/18/15	381	401	10,500	2,080
2015 Ram 3-liter EcoDiesel V6 4x2	20/28/23	240	420	9,200	1,610

Better Value, Too

Equipped with 2.7-liter EcoBoost, the all-new F-150 is a better value than even diesel-powered pickups. For instance, the $495 option on the Ford is significantly less than the $4,470 3.0-liter Ram EcoDiesel option.

In addition, with diesel prices currently 76 cents per gallon more6 at the pump, each 3.0-liter Ram EcoDiesel fill-up costs over $24 more than the new 2.7-liter F-1507. That means at today's fuel prices Ram EcoDiesel owners are not able to offset the additional cost of their EcoDiesel engines with fuel savings8.

"Once again, the Ford F-150 establishes new standards in durability, capability and efficiency, defining the future of tough," said Nair.

New F-150 Lineup EPA-Estimated Fuel Economy Ratings

	EPA Fuel Economy City/Hwy/Combined	Horsepower	Torque	Max Towing	Max Payload
2015 Ford F-150 3.5L V6 Ti-VCT 4x2	18/25/20 1	282	253	7,600 5	1,910
2015 Ford F-150 3.5L V6 Ti-VCT 4x4	17/23/19	282	253	7,500	1,690
2015 Ford F-150 2.7L EcoBoost 4x2	19/26/22 2	325	375	8,500	2,250
2015 Ford F-150 2.7L EcoBoost 4x4	18/23/20	325	375	8,400	2,160
2015 Ford F-150 5.0L V8 Ti-VCT 4x2	15/22/18	385	387	11,100	3,300 3
2015 Ford F-150 5.0L V8 Ti-VCT 4x4	15/21/17	385	387	11,000	3,060
2015 Ford F-150 3.5L EcoBoost 4x2	17/24/20	365	420	12,200 4	3,270
2015 Ford F-150 3.5L EcoBoost 4x4	17/23/19	365	420	12,000	3,050

# # #

1 Highest EPA-estimated fuel economy ratings of any gasoline-powered full-size pickup truck in America

2 Unsurpassed EPA-estimated City and Highway ratings for light-duty 4x2 V6 pickup trucks

3 Unsurpassed standard V6 engine maximum towing rating

4 Best-in-class light-duty pickup truck maximum payload rating

5 Best-in-class light-duty pickup truck maximum towing rating

6 AAA Fuel Gauge Report fuel economy figures as of Nov. 21, 2014 – $2.84 regular gasoline, $3.60 diesel price

7 32 gallon fuel tank

AAA fuel economy figures

8 Based on EPA estimated combined fuel economy ratings of 2.7 liter EcoBoost 4x2 (22 mpg) vs. Ram EcoDiesel (23 mpg)

News Source: Ford

Image Credit: Copyright 2014 Drew Phillips / AOL