Car Dealers Biggest Barrier To EV Sales

A new study by Eric Cahill for the Institute of  Transportation Studies at the University of California at Davis says the biggest reason there EV sales aren’t higher is that traditional car dealers don’t want to sell them. Margins on the cars are razor thin, so there is little direct profit to be made. To make matters worse, EVs need less routine maintenance and fewer repairs. Some dealers survive on the money their service and parts departments earn, according to the New York Times.

Most dealers try to sell their EVs the same way they would a Corolla or a Civic. They don’t want to be bothered educating the customer about electric or plug-in hybrids. They are there to sell cars, not give seminars. Salesmen see EV customers as a waste of their time. A good salesman can sell three cars in the time it takes to sell one EV.

So many questions! How do I charge my car? Where are there chargers in the area? What is regenerative braking? Why do I get less range in winter? What does “pre-conditioning” mean? What sort of wall charger should I get for my home? How much does it cost to charge this car? How long does charging take? How long will the battery last? A conventional car buyer doesn’t need to ask all those questions. They only need to pick a color and a few options and then its straight on into the finance office for a few signatures before driving off the lot in that new jewel.

Some EV shoppers report that dealerships are doing such a poor job of training their sales staff, the customers often know more about the cars than the salespeople do. Others say they have felt pressured to buy a conventional car instead of an EV. Clearly, if the electric car revolution is every going to happen, dealers will have to be dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st Century. Eric Cahill calls car dealers a “bottleneck” on the way to greater EV sales.

Tesla and Elon Musk should use this information when they try to get individual states to pass laws that allow direct sales to customers, bypassing traditional dealers. Despite all the protestations from dealer groups about how valuable the franchise dealer model is, the truth is that franchise laws do nothing but protect the financial interests of a small group of business owners. They preserve a process that is the antithesis of the free market that all Americans say they favor.

Regulators can force manufacturers to build cars that get better fuel economy or pollute less, but no regulations can force car dealers to sell them. Until that conundrum gets resolved, the promise of a fossil fuel free future will continue to be delayed.

i-MiEV doesn't survive Mitsubishi's updated EV plan

Mitsubishi will increase the number of electrified models in its lineup through the end of the decade, but the company's focus on crossovers will mean the axe for the aging i-MiEV. The flurry of new or updated models will begin arriving as soon as next year, and the automaker will offer nearly all of them in plug-in hybrid or electric versions, according to Automotive News.

Rather than dedicated EVs like the i-MiEV, Mitsubishi will instead offer gasoline and electrified variants of a future lineup with three sizes of crossovers. The company will follow the current trend of coupe-like CUVs with its own version, including a plug-in hybrid option, between the Outlander Sport and Outlander sometime after the autumn of 2017, Automotive Newsreports. A new Outlander with a PHEV model will come after 2017, and a next-gen Outlander Sport with an EV trim will arrive around 2019. There won't be a Lancer replacement.

"We are strong in SUVs and four-wheel drives. And that is what we would like to focus on as core models in the US market," Mitsubishi CEO Osamu Masuko said to Automotive News.

Mitsubishi already offered a preview of its next-gen CUV design language with the eX Concept at the Tokyo Motor Show. The compact crossover evolved the styling of the refreshed Outlander's X-shape grille, and it featured a floating roof that created the appearance of a wraparound greenhouse. Power came from an electric motor at the front and rear axle and a 45-kWh lithium-ion battery.

In the nearer term, the wait for the Outlander PHEV will finally end because the long-delayed plug-in crossover will launch in the US around the middle of next year. Earlier rumors suggested a possible arrival around April 2016, but the vehicle was previously reported to come here as early as the fall of 2014.

Hyundai going with AeroVironment for dealership PHEV chargers

Hyundai will partner with AeroVironment as the supplier for charging stations at dealers for the 2016 Sonata Plug-in Hybrid. The 240-volt chargers will be able to top up the PHEV in less than three hours. Customers can also order AeroVironment's home chargers directly from the automaker's showrooms.

AeroVironment is a veteran to working with automakers on charging solutions and has experience partnering with Fiat, Ford, Nissan, and BMW. The company also installed a network of locations along the I-5 corridor in Oregon.

Customers can already buy the Sonata PHEV in ten states, including California, for a starting price of $35,435 (after $835 destination but before any tax incentives). The sedan has a total output of 202 horsepower from its 2.0-liter four-cylinder and electric motor. The 9.8-kWh lithium-polymer battery offers 27 miles of electric range and an EPA-estimated 99 miles per gallon equivalent.

Hyundai dealers might have more green cars on the lot to use these chargers in the coming years. The company reportedly has a project codenamed AE under development, and rumor indicates that hybrid, PHEV, and EV models could be on the way.

Hyundai Motor America Picks AeroVironment to Provide Dealer Charging Stations for the All-new 2016 Sonata Plug-in Hybrid Model

• AeroVironment to provide reliable and easy-to-use EV charging stations in Hyundai dealerships
• Hyundai becomes the seventh major auto manufacturer to choose AeroVironment as its preferred dealer charging station provider
• Hyundai drivers have the option to purchase AeroVironment's portable TurboCord charging system or its wall-mounted EVSE-RS charging station

SIMI VALLEY, Calif., Nov. 24, 2015 – Hyundai Motor America has selected AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ:AVAV) as the preferred provider for charging system installation at its dealerships across North America for its all-new 2016 Hyundai Sonata Plug-in Hybrid. Hyundai is the seventh plug-in electric vehicle (EV) auto manufacturer to choose AeroVironment as one of its suppliers.

The 2016 Sonata Plug-in Hybrid comes with a high-capacity lithium-polymer hybrid battery system that delivers an all-electric range of 27 miles before switching to hybrid mode. The Sonata Plug-in Hybrid also comes with a lifetime hybrid batterywarranty.

The AeroVironment 240-volt TurboCord and the EVSE-RS charging station can charge the Sonata Plug-in Hybrid in less than three hours versus the approximate nine hours needed using a standard 120-volt charging cable. AeroVironment's UL-listed products can be installed indoors or outdoors, making it easy to locate the station in the most convenient location.

"Having your own charging station right in your garage or driveway gives Hybrid and EV drivers a special kind of freedom. It makes charging a car as easy as charging a cell phone," said Ken Karklin, AeroVironment senior vice president and general manager of its Efficient Energy Systems business segment. "AeroVironment's portfolio of EV charging solutions gives theHyundai Sonata Plug-in Hybrid and other EVs the benefits and convenience of faster charging and cleaner driving at home and on the road."

Hyundai owners can purchase AeroVironment home chargers and installation when purchasing their vehicles at the Hyundai dealership. AeroVironment-certified, licensed electricians, who are also specially qualified to support EV drivers, perform on-site installation and services.

AeroVironment is the preferred integrated home charging solution supplier for seven global automakers and their growing fleets of plug-in electric vehicles. The company's broad line of charging systems includes the 240-volt TurboCord and the EVSE-RS home charging station, which can be ordered online. More information on AeroVironment's EV charging solutions can be found at www.evsolutions.com.

About AeroVironment

AeroVironment is a technology solutions provider that designs, develops, produces, supports and operates an advanced portfolio of electric transportation solutions and electric-powered Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS). AeroVironment's comprehensive EV charging solutions include the portable, dual-charging (120/240V) TurboCord, EV home charging, public charging, fast charging, data collection, grid-integrated communications and complete installation, training and support services for consumers, automakers, utilities, government agencies and businesses. AeroVironment's industrial electric vehicle charging systems support thousands of electric materials handling vehicles in mission-critical supply chains for Fortune 500 enterprises. AeroVironment's power cycling and test systems provide EV developers and EV battery manufacturers with market-leading simulation and cycling capabilities. The company's electric-powered, hand-launched unmanned aircraft systems generate and process data to deliver powerful insight, on-demand, to people engaged in military, public safety and commercial activities around the world. More information is available at www.avinc.com and www.evsolutions.com.

About Hyundai Motor America

Hyundai Motor America, headquartered in Fountain Valley, Calif., is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Co. of Korea. Hyundai vehicles are distributed throughout the United States by Hyundai Motor America and are sold and serviced through more than 830 dealerships nationwide. All Hyundai vehicles sold in the U.S. are covered by the Hyundai Assurance program, which includes the 5-year/60,000-mile fully transferable new vehicle limited warranty, Hyundai's 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain limited warranty, and five years of complimentary Roadside Assistance. Hyundai Blue Link Connected Care provides owners of Hyundai models equipped with the Blue Link telematics system with proactive safety and car care services complimentary for one year with enrollment. These services include Automatic Collision Notification, Enhanced Roadside Assistance, Vehicle Diagnostic Alert, Monthly Vehicle Health Report and in-vehicle service scheduling.

Safe Harbor Statement

Certain statements in this press release may constitute "forward-looking statements" as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are made on the basis of current expectations, forecasts and assumptions that involve risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, economic, competitive, governmental and technological factors outside of our control, that may cause our business, strategy or actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: the activities of competitors; failure of the markets in which we operate to grow; failure to expand into new markets; failure to develop new products or integrate new technology with current products; and general economic and business conditions in the United States and elsewhere in the world. For a further list and description of such risks and uncertainties, see the reports we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on 10-Q. We do not intend, and undertake no obligation, to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Heuliez Bus introduces new GX ELEC electric bus

France-based Heuliez Bus, a brand of CNH Industrial N.V., has entered the electric bus market with its new battery-electric GX 337 ELEC, which will be tested by the French public transport operator RATP.

The 12-meter bus is propelled by a 175 kW electric motor suited for low operating speeds and frequent stops. The bus is equipped for all-day use with night-time recharging and pre-heating in the winter months at bus depots.

Heuliez Bus represents around 26% of the French Bus market; Heuliez has sold 400 hybrid buses to date.

Sweden Leading The Way To A Fossil Fuel Free Future

Ahead of the Global Climate Change summit that begins in Paris on November 30, Sweden has announced its Fossil Fuel Free Sweden program, which seeks to see the entire nation transition away from fossil fuels by the year 2030. Sweden is also challenging other nations to follow its lead. By doing so, it is following the advice of Tesla’s Elon Musk, who said last spring that burning fossil fuels was the “dumbest experiment in history.”

In an article in The Guardian, Åsa Romson, member of the Green party and deputy premier of Sweden, set forth her country’s case for going fossil fuel free. She says that doing so will cost about 5% more than the investments in infrastructure and urban development all nations must make anyway. That increase will be more than offset by the amount of money saved by using lower cost renewable energy and the new employment opportunities green technologies will create. A recent study by the Club of Rome predicts that “going green” will add 100,000 new jobs in Sweden alone.  Add to that the reduction in health care costs from the decline in air, water and land pollution and the overall economic benefits are enormous.

“Sweden has positive experience of combining emissions reductions with an improved economy and welfare. For many years we have used effective policy levers that put a price on carbon, using a carbon dioxide tax accompanied by political leadership that supports the emergence of climate-smart innovations. This has resulted in reduced emissions and market-based solutions while our economy has grown,” Romson says.

She says the Swedish business community is firmly behind the fossil fuel free initiative. “In Sweden, the business sector, local authorities and other stakeholders are coming together through the Fossil-free Sweden initiative and jointly issuing a challenge to their counterparts around the world. Swedish companies including ABB, IKEA, H&M and Ericsson…..are supporting the initiative and themselves contributing to reduced emissions. Fuel company Preem, which operates petrol stations throughout Sweden, has decided to only offer renewable fuels at its pumps by 2030. The Fourth Swedish National Pension Fund will invest its entire SEK200bn portfolio in low-carbon strategies within five years.”

Sweden’s position is exactly opposite to that of many Congressional Republicans, who have already warned President Obama that they will reject any US commitments made in Paris that will cost one nickel of taxpayer money. That’s despite the fact the the US and other nations spend trillions of dollars a year for subsidies ladled out to fossil fuel industries. Let the seas rise and the heavens rage until every last barrel and ton of fossil fuel has been wrested from the earth. Let our rivers run black with coal sludge. Let out atmosphere poison untold millions, just so long as the people who make a profit from fossil fuels can continue padding their already bloated bank accounts.

If the key to climate change is political leadership, the United States will remain in thrall to fossil fuel polluters in perpetuity. Many of our representatives are perfectly happy to sell the rest of us down the (heavily polluted) river, so long as their benefactors keep doling out campaign cash. America has the best government money can buy, some say, and there seems to be much truth in that statement.

Since leadership from our elected leaders is not forthcoming, it is up to We The People to decide what is in our mutual best interest. If the people will lead, their leaders will follow — reluctantly.

Custom Tesla Model X Thanks Company's Veterans, Model S Too

Seeing a Tesla Model X electric SUV on the roads at all is still a rare occurrence; seeing one in flat black is even rarer.

That's because there's only one that looks like the Model X in these photos, snapped at a Supercharger site 10 days ago by our Tesla-owning author George Parrott.

After chatting with the two gents in the photo, he learned more about the unusual Model X--and its role in promoting the company's outreach to military veterans.

While Tesla Motors doesn't widely publicize these efforts, it now has two different electric cars whose role is to appear at various public events to draw attention to its interest in recruiting veterans as employees.

The newest is this Model X, decked out in full military trim, right down to the fake rivets and an American flag embossed into the hood.

Tesla Model X veterans recruitment vehicle [photo: George Parrott]

Parrott spoke with the two proud, smiling Tesla employees whose job is to move the car among events in California and elsewhere.

Both are veterans who work in the company's assembly plant in Fremont, California.

Both had previously worked at the New United Motor Manufacturing Inc. (NUMMI) joint venture between General Motors and Toyota, which closed in 2010 following the GM bankruptcy and government-backed restructuring.

Toyota sold that plant to Tesla Motors the same year, providing the startup with a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility less than 20 miles from its Palo Alto headquarters at minimal cost.

Tesla Model X veterans recruitment vehicle [photo: George Parrott]

Tesla's Alexis Georgeson elaborated on the company's veteran-recruitment efforts in reply to an e-mail from Green Car Reports.

We are hiring veterans as part of our efforts to hire the best and most exceptional talent in the world. Veterans are a wonderful fit at Tesla because of the advanced technical, electrical and mechanical skills they learn while in the service.

They also bring integrity, discipline, teamwork and leadership skills that fit well in the Tesla environment, where we challenge employees to think creatively and to work hard toward our mission to transform transportation. Our military recruiting efforts are building momentum with veteran numbers averaging 6 percent of our U.S. employee population.

Georgeson also provided photos of the earlier Tesla Model S car, also in flat black with military logos and decorative elements, that fulfills the same mission: promoting the company's #TeslaVets efforts.

Tesla Model S veterans recruitment vehicle

We commend the company's outreach and aggressive hiring of U.S. military veterans--something we can all be thankful for.

Zero Motorcycles Could Teach Tesla, Elio a Thing Or Two

Recently, the guys at Auto Evolution sat down with Scott Harden, Zero’s director of marketing, for an extensive chat about electric vehicles, making it as a start up, battery technology, and what Zero sees as the road ahead in the world of mobility. Harden had some interesting things to say — and some of those things could apply to Tesla and Elio Motors as well.

First off, Harden says starting a new motorcycle company is hard. Like, really hard. It also takes lots and lots of money, and there’s a lot more to it than penning an interesting design or 3-D printing a prototype. “In order to bring that idea to the market, you need a lot of money. A LOT OF MONEY! I can tell you that starting a motorcycle business is not for the faint of heart. It needs a very, very high level of capital investment, whether you produce 100 or 10,000 units. You have to have the R&D, the engineering, the production capabilities …”

“You’d be surprised how quickly you burn through 5 million dollars, or 10 million dollars,” he adds. “Or,even 20 million dollars. It may sound like a lot, but this is not that much money. You need a lot more than that if you want to be a motorcycle producer.” That should sound familiar to followers of both Tesla and Elio Motors, both which have burned through millions of dollars so far, with little sign of slowing down.

Harden is also proud of the people he works with. He thinks Zero has the best batteries in the business — even better than Tesla’s — thanks to its creative engineers.

“I don’t have a cut section battery here, but if you look inside one of our designs, you’ll see the cells stacked like a deck cards, with just enough space between them for expansion and contraction under temperature. That’s the meaning of a ‘compact design.’ Try to do that with a bunch of baseballs and see what you get.

“They [Tesla] are still using cylindrical cells, which,volumetrically, is very inefficient. We are way more efficient in terms of space. We can even teach them a thing or two when it comes to packaging a battery. Taking a bunch of flashlight batteries and taping them together just doesn’t cut it.”

The conversation turned to mobility in general, whether on two wheels, three wheels, or four. Harden showed he had a very firm grasp of how changing attitudes will affect the market for all types of vehicles in the future.

“Young people today are into a world of computers and internet, smartphones and social networks. They aren’t like we were when we were young. They aren’t any longer so eager to get out there and drive a car or ride. In the US, for example, young people are waiting longer and longer to get their driver license. It’s just no longer a big issue for them. When I was young, the very first day I was old enough to drive I was at the DMV office to have my license. I had to have a car! … Nowadays it’s different. Young people are becoming more urban, living in cities, they are tuned more into computers, and there’s a big problem for the motorcycle industry. We are having some success attracting young people to our new technology because if there’s one thing young people are looking for, it’s new ideas and new ways of doing things. I think we may have better chances to bring in new people with electric vehicles than with internal combustion ones, possibly because of what the ICE  represents in their mindset. This is a big challenge and not just for Zero, but for all.”

Zero Motorcycles cost more than conventional bikes, just as Teslas cost more than ordinary cars. So how does Zero plan to appeal to new buyers? The same way Tesla does — by getting people to try them so they can convince themselves.

“We sell a product based on the experience it offers. It’s not here to save the planet, it’s not a low-cost, no-maintenance thing. When you ride our bike, it’s exciting, it’s thrilling, it’s got a great feeling about it, it accelerates really hard. You twist the throttle, there’s no sound. You’re just flying along, with the wind in your hair — a magic carpet ride experience.”

That’s a feeling any Tesla Roadster owners out there can relate to, I’m sure!

Source | Images: Zero Motorcycles, via Auto Evolution.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hoping yours is a blessed day.

BMW i3 Getting 130 Mile EV-only Range for 2017

Despite being a relatively rare and new sight on the road for most Americans, BMW’s i3 has been around since 2013- which means it’s time for an update, according to BMW’s product cycle. Unlike most models that get snazzier headlights and re-shaped passenger mirrors, however, the 2017 BMW i3 is getting something really useful: a 130 mile all-electric range.

While the news was confirmed by a BMW spokesperson, the full details still aren’t available. Exactly how BMW managed to increase the i3’s range by some 30% will be revealed “by the end of the year”, but it’s believed that the update will steal some thunder from the next-generation Nissan Leaf when that car launches.

Even without knowing all the hows and whys involved, you can bet that the bump in range will make the i3 even more appealing than it today … and it’s already one of BMW’s hottest selling cars, even without the extra battery power!

Source | Images: BMW, via AutoExpress UK.

Number of Tesla Chargers Up 200 Percent In US

When we think of recharging a Tesla, we generally think of the company’s network of SuperChargerlocations, those attractively styled high power facilities where Tesla drivers can get free electricity to extend their range while traveling. But Tesla has another arrow in its quiver — destination chargers. Those are lower powered units roughly equivalent to DC fast chargers.

Tesla Electric Car Charging Station Depolyment

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SuperChargers are intended to let you get where you are going with the shortest possible charging time along the way. Destination chargers  are intended to recharge the battery when you get where you are going and the car will be stationary for an hour or two. They are normally found at hotels, upscale B&B’s, restaurants, ski resorts and the like.

The company added 107 SuperCharger locations throughout the US in the past year, bringing the total to 224. But it added 851 destination chargers in the same time period, bring the total in the US to 1,122. All those destination chargers show up on the car’s onboard charger location software. Smart business people are eager to add a destination charger or two in order to attract business from Tesla owners in the area.

Tesla has a number of cooperative arrangements with local merchants. Sometimes it provides the charger free of charge and the destination pays to install it. The local business is permitted to assess a fee for use of the charger, but many merchants quietly absorb that expense in order to attract new business. People who drive $100,000 cars usually are the kind of customers any business would like to have, after all!

Tesla is continuously improving the performance of its SuperChargers, which are typically located along major transportation routes.and can restore a battery to an 80% charge in a half hour or less with charging rates range from 90 kW to 135 kW. Tesla has plans for SuperChargers that can charge at 200 kW. In fact, it has pioneered liquid cooled charging cables to handle the heat that such high powered equipment will generate.

Destination chargers usually have 50 kW of power, considerably less than the SuperChargers but more than enough if a car is going to be parked for a couple of hours or overnight. While other manufacturers fiddle and fret about who is going to pay for electric charger infrastructure, Tesla is just going ahead and building the most comprehensive charging network in the world. One would expect nothing less from Elon Musk and Tesla.

Ford F-150 wins Green Truck Of The Year

The San Antonio Auto & Truck Show was the site of Green Car Journal bestowing its 2016 Green Truck of the Year award to the Ford F-150 pickup. Too bad not many people are buying those trucks. Just kidding.

The 2016 F-150 has a fuel efficiency rating of 26 miles per gallon, which isn't exactly Toyota Prius territory but does account for the best fuel economy rating of any full-size gas-powered pickup truck. We also know that improving the worst gas guzzlers on the road is more important than making the Prius even more efficient. It also helps is that Ford makes versions of its bestselling truck that can run on compressed natural gas (CNG) and propane.

For years, the F-150 has been the country's best-selling vehicle model, so it's a good thing Ford is making a number of moves to make the vehicle greener. The most trumpeted example is Ford's extensive use of aluminum on its 2015 model-year version in order to cut weight from the truck and boost fuel efficiency as a result. Additionally, the truck includes cloth seats that use fiber made from recycled plastic bottles as well as fuel lines made with castor bean oil.

In addition to big sales, the F-150's list of truck-of-the-year awards is starting to get impressively long. Among a number of general and mainstream awards (see list below), the truck won the AAA Green Car Guide Award. Take a look at Ford's press release below.

Related Video:

FUEL EFFICIENCY, ALTERNATIVE FUELS AND SUSTAINABILITY EARN FORD F-150 2016 GREEN TRUCK OF THE YEAR AWARD
SAN ANTONIO, Nov. 19, 2015 – Green Car Journal today named the Ford F-150 its 2016 Green Truck of the Year™ at the San Antonio Auto & Truck Show.

The 2016 Ford F-150 – the toughest, smartest, most capable F-150 ever – includes the highest EPA-estimated highway fuel economy rating of any full-size gasoline pickup on the market, at 26 mpg. A segment-exclusive compressed natural gas/propane gaseous fuel prep package is available for 5.0-liter V8-equipped F-150 – helping reduce operating costs and tailpipe CO2 emissions.

"The 2016 Ford F-150 is a great example of the environmental leadership that can, and should, be accomplished in the immensely popular pickup field," said Ron Cogan, editor and publisher, Green Car Journal and CarsOfChange.com. "Milestone lightweighting through the extensive use of aluminum and high-strength steel, the availability of a powerful and efficient 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6, and a segment-exclusive gaseous fuel prep option that enables the F-150 to run on clean-burning compressed natural gas or propane are all important contributions that raise the bar in environmental performance."

Ford F-150 uses sustainable materials to help reduce its environmental footprint. REPREVE fiber, made from recycled plastic bottles, is available for F-150's cloth seats. By using this recycled material, Ford will divert more than 5 million plastic bottles from landfills this year.

Other eco-conscious materials employed include rice hulls to reinforce plastic used in an electrical harness, fuel lines made from castor bean oil, seats made of soybeans and post-industrial recycled cotton – one 2015 F-150 uses shoddy that includes blue jean material, bath towels and/or T-shirt material.

"We designed Ford F-150 to be a game changer," said Doug Scott, Ford truck group marketing manager. "Many have recognized F-150 as the toughest, smartest, most capable F-150 ever, but this award is proof it's also a fuel-efficient, environmentally responsible option."

Ford F-150, its groundbreaking technology and the engineering team behind it have won the following awards and accolades:

2015 North American Truck/Utility of the Year
2015 Motor Trend Truck Trend Pickup Truck of the Year
Automobile Journalists Association of Canada Pickup Truck of the Year
Automobile Journalists Association of Canada Utility Vehicle of the Year
Detroit News 2015 Vehicle of the Year
2015 and 2016 Kelley Blue Book Best Buy Truck
2015 Kelley Blue Book Best Buy Overall
Kelley Blue Book 10 Best Road Trip Cars of 2015
2015 Popular Science Automotive Grand Award Winner Best of What's New
2015 MotorWeek Best Pickup Truck
2015 Detroit Free Press Truck of the Year
2015 New England Motor Press Association Yankee Cup
AutoGuide 2015 Reader's Choice Truck of the Year
New Car Test Drive 2015 Truck of the Year
2015 Detroit News Reader's Choice NAIAS Awards Most Innovative
Automotive Science Group 2015 Best All-Around Performance Award Winner, Best Full-Size Truck of 2015, Smallest Carbon Footprint
Urban Wheel Award for Urban Truck of the Year
Green Car Technology Award™
Edmunds.com 2015 Most Popular Awards – large truck category
Detroit Free Press Automotive Leadership Award – engineering and technology category
Greater Atlanta Automobile Media Association Best Pickup/SUV
2015 New England Motor Press Association Official Winter Vehicle of New England
AAA Green Car Guide Award – pickup truck category (F-150 SuperCab Lariat)
TFLtruck 2015 TFL Gold Hitch Award – half-ton/light-duty category (2.7-liter V6)
AutoPacific 2015 Vehicle Satisfaction Award – light-duty pickup category (second highest owner score ever and highest truck rating ever)
AutoPacific 2015 Best in Class Ideal Vehicle – overall winner
Altair and Center for Automotive Research Altair Enlighten Award
J.D. Power and Associates J.D. Power APEAL – large light-duty pickup category
Consumer Electronics Show 2016 Innovation Award – Best of Innovation honoree in vehicle intelligence category for Pro Trailer Backup Assist™
Vicentric 2015 Best Certified Pre-Owned Value in America™ – full-size half-ton pickup category