Posts Tagged auto

Electric Car Drivers to Stage Country’s Largest Plug-in Parade on First National Plug In Day

20 Cities Coast-to-Coast Stage Activities for Largest Grassroots EV Event in History

WHAT: Some 200 EV drivers will take to the streets for the country’s largest-ever plug-in parade to champion the benefits of EVs. Parade in Santa Monica, CA is the flagship event of the first National Plug In Day, taking place in more than 20 cities across the country where EV owners and interested citizens will participate in other parades, “tailpipe-free” tailgate parties, lectures, a ceremonial plugging-in and other grassroots events. For a complete list of national Plug In Day cities and event details, visit: http://www.pluginamerica.org/pluginday

New and legacy plug-in vehicles by GM, Nissan, Mitsubishi, Toyota, SMART, Ford, Tesla, Coda and others will be driven in the flagship parade through downtown Santa Monica. Director Chris Paine, whose film, “Revenge of the Electric Car,” will hit theatres across the country on October 21st, is among confirmed speakers at the press conference preceding the parade. For parade details, visit http://www.pluginamerica.org/pluginday/los-angeles

QUOTE: “Only a few years ago, major automakers were literally crushing electric cars. Today, virtually every auto company in the world is selling or developing a plug-in car, and consumers are snapping up each and every one, stimulating our economy while helping the environment. You’ll see hundreds of these vehicles in National Plug In Day activities. And remember: EVs are powered by domestic electricity, so every cent we spend to run them stays in America,” says Plug In America co-founder and Sierra Club member Paul Scott.

WHEN: Sunday, Oct. 16, 2011: 9:30 a.m. press conference; 10 a.m. parade

WHERE:
·       Press Conference: Santa Monica City Hall, 1685 Main St., Santa Monica, CA 90401.
·       Parade: Starting from Main Street and Pico Boulevard, two blocks from Santa Monica City Hall press conference.

PHOTO OPP: 200 PLUG-IN VEHICLES STREAMING DOWN ONE OF SANTA MONICA’S MAIN THOROUGHFARES. B-ROLL WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE.

WHO: Plug In America is organizing the flagship National Plug In Day parade in Santa Monica. Plug In America, the Sierra Club and the Electric Auto Association are national organizers, teaming up with other local groups across the country to organize events.

Local sponsors: Title Sponsor of the National Plug In Day Flagship Event: Chevy Volt; Nissan Leaf, Recargo, Leviton, Collaborative Project Consulting.

About Plug In America: Plug In America is leading the nation’s plug-in vehicle movement. The nonprofit organization works to accelerate the shift to plug-in vehicles powered by clean, affordable, domestic electricity to reduce our nation’s dependence on petroleum and improve the global environment. We drive electric. You can, too. www.pluginamerica.org.

About the Sierra Club: The Sierra Club is the nation’s oldest and largest grassroots environmental organization with 1.4 million members and supporters and chapters in all 50 states.  The Sierra Club’s national electric vehicles campaign advocates for a switch to EVs as one important way to reduce emissions and cut our addiction to oil. www.sierraclub.org/ev.

About the Electric Auto Association: The Electric Auto Association, formed in 1967, is a nonprofit educational organization with 75 chapters worldwide that promotes the advancement and widespread adoption of electric vehicles. www.electricauto.org.
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Here Comes the Sun: Ford and SunPower Team up to Let Focus Electric Customers ‘Drive Green for Life’

  • Ford and SunPower  team up to provide a high-efficiency rooftop solar system that will provide Focus Electric owners enough renewable energy production to offset the energy used for charging.
  • The 2.5 kilowatt SunPower system will produce an estimated 3,000 kilowatt hours of electricity annually. SunPower systems are backed by a 25-year warranty.
  • Ford’s aggressive electrification strategy includes the launch of five electrified vehicles in North America by 2012 and Europe by 2013. The new Focus Electric is a zero-emissions, gasoline-free version of Ford’s popular global Focus model.

Dearborn, Mich., Aug. 10, 2011 – Ford and SunPower Corp. (NASDAQ: SPWRA, SPWRB) have teamed up to offer customers a rooftop solar system that will allow Focus Electric owners to “Drive Green for Life” by providing customers with enough clean, renewable energy to offset the electricity used to charge the vehicle.

“Under the ‘Drive Green for Life’ program, Focus Electric owners can reduce their total cost of ownership by generating enough energy from their high efficiency SunPower rooftop solar system to offset the electricity required to charge the vehicle at night,” said Mike Tinskey, Ford director of Global Vehicle Electrification and Infrastructure. “It’s an eco-friendly solution that perfectly complements our plug-in products and other green initiatives.”

“SunPower’s innovative partnership with Ford is a win-win for customers, providing a comprehensive sustainability program,” said Tom Werner, SunPower president and CEO. “By taking advantage of this program, Focus Electric customers can receive the added benefit of installing a SunPower solar system, the highest-efficiency, most reliable on the market today, generating the electricity needed to charge their vehicles.”

The 2.5 kilowatt rooftop solar system is comprised of the SunPower® E18 Series solar panels that produce an average of 3,000 kilowatt hours of electricity annually. These high-efficiency solar panels generate approximately 50 percent more electricity than conventional panels and utilize a smaller footprint on the roof. The system was sized to accommodate a customer who drives about 1,000 miles per month.

The complete SunPower solar system is offered at a base price of less than $10,000*, after federal tax credits. Local and state rebates, along with other incentives, may drive the system cost down even more, depending on a customer’s location. Included in the purchase is a residential monitoring system, which includes the ability to track the performance of their solar system on the web or through an iPhone application. Affordable financing options for the solar system are available through SunPower. This price point does not include local sales tax.

Interested Focus Electric customers will be contacted by a participating SunPower dealer who will visit their home to begin the installation process. SunPower leads the industry with more than 400 dealers in the U.S., and can support the initial Focus Electric roll out in all 19 markets.

In addition to the Focus Electric, the SunPower rooftop solar system will be compatible with the C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid electric vehicle Ford is rolling out in 2012.

Two Complementary Charging Solutions for Focus Electric Owners
By partnering with SunPower, Ford now offers Focus Electric owners two complementary charging solutions to make the overall experience of owning an electric vehicle easier. In January, Ford announced an agreement with consumer electronics leader Best Buy to offer a 240-volt home charging station for the Focus Electric and future electric vehicle owners.

“The goal of working with both SunPower and Best Buy was to offer Focus Electric owners solutions to charging needs that help lower the vehicle’s overall cost of ownership,” said Tinskey.

The Power of Choice
Electrification is an important piece of Ford’s overall product sustainability strategy, which includes the launch of five electrified vehicles in North America by 2012 and in Europe by 2013. Ford launched the Transit Connect Electric small commercial van in 2010 and will launch the all-new Focus Electric later this year. In 2012, these models will be joined in North America by the new C-MAX Hybrid, a second next-generation lithium-ion battery hybrid and C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid. This diverse range of electrified vehicles allows Ford to meet a variety of consumer driving needs.

*This offer assumes normal installation conditions, not including modifications to a roof, electrical service panel or excessive wire requirements.

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About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 166,000 employees and about 70 plants worldwide, the company’s automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford’s products, please visitwww.ford.com.

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

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Toyota, Ford hybrid vehicles rank highest

“Toyota and Ford are producing the best hybrid vehicles, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists.

In its annual review of hybrids, the organization ranked the Toyota Prius, Ford Fusion hybrid and Honda Civic hybrid as the top vehicles in the nonluxury segment of the market. The nonprofit group rated the Lincoln MKZ hybrid, built by Ford, and the Lexus CT 200H, a Toyota product, as the top luxury models.”

Toyota, Ford hybrid vehicles rank highest via Jerry Hirsch – LA Times

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Ford’s Safety Technology Tells a Sustainability Story

“Reporting from Dearborn, MI, I was pleasantly surprised by Ford’s “safety technology” demonstration – a ride in a kitted out Ford Explorer to demonstrate various ways new cars will avoid collisions.  After the demonstration, which turned out to be fascinating, it struck me that public safety is an obvious aspect of sustainability – not to mention common-sense business.  Keeping people safe matters.

Let’s start with the basics:

Ford has had something called “adaptive cruise control” for a couple years now (PDF here).  It’s a simple radar on the front of your car which determines whether a distant vehicle in front of you is travelling a slower rate of speed.  As you get close to it, your car automatically adjusts its cruise control to a slower rate to avoid a rear end collision.  It will automatically increase your speed if the other car moves out of the way or speeds up.

More exciting, however was a system called the “Blind Spot Information System” and a host of ways cars will “talk” to each other to communicate their positions and speed – avoiding more complex collisions hundreds of yards in advance.  Take a look at this:”

Ford’s Safety Technology Tells a Sustainability Story via Nick Aster – Triple Pundit

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Why CSR Reports Are a Useful Tool for Greening Your Business

“Let’s be honest. Creating an environmentally sustainable business is a challenge. There are several factors that go into the green equation, from water and energy use to ecological impact, but the idea is to start somewhere and, often times, the best way to start is by tracking the sustainability footprint of your own company.

Twelve years ago, Ford Motor Company began releasing its annual sustainability report, designed to both highlight the company’s progress in sustainable practices and also show us where our efforts could be improved. Over the years, we’ve seen significant progress in reducing vehicle emissions, increasing the volume of sustainable and recycled materials used in manufacturing, and putting fuel-efficient vehicles on the road, among other things.”

Why CSR Reports Are a Useful Tool for Greening Your Business via John Viera – Ford – GreenBiz.com

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Ford Announces Extension to Range of Electrified Vehicles

“It was just a few years ago that Ford, along with the rest of Detroit’s auto manufacturers, found themselves sidelined for ignoring fuel efficiency. How times have changed. These days, Ford likes to stress that theyoffer 12 vehicles which achieve best-in-class fuel economy across various market segments, and sell four vehicles that get in excess of 40 mpg. Yesterday, Jim Farley, Group Vice President of Marketing, Sales and Service at Ford Motor Company announced their future vehicle electrification plans will continue to deliver on their so called “green-pillar” commitment, further enhancing consumer choice of fuel efficient vehicles.”

Ford Announces Extension to Range of Electrified Vehicles via Phil Covington – Triple Pundit

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Ford to Triple Production Capacity of Electrified Vehicles in North America by 2013, Led by C-MAX Hybrid, C-MAX Energi

  • Ford to triple production capacity of electrified vehicles in North America by 2013, investing in even more C-MAX Hybrid and C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid vehicles
  • Expanding production capacity of electrified C-MAX lineup brings a stronger business case than introducing gasoline-powered seven-passenger vehicle in North America
  • Ford adding more than 220 green technology jobs in Michigan, including total of 170 at Rawsonville and Van Dyke Transmission plants, plus more than 50 new electrified-vehicle engineers based in Dearborn in the past year
  • Production of all-new C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid and C-MAX Hybrid scheduled to begin at Michigan Assembly Plant in 2012, with locally sourced battery packs and electric drive transaxles built by Michigan workers

Sterling Heights, Mich., June 9, 2011 – Ford Motor Company announced today it is tripling production capacity of its electrified vehicle lineup through 2013, further boosting volumes of its all-new C-MAX Hybrid and C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid, which begin production next year.

“Customers have come to expect fuel efficiency with every new vehicle Ford delivers today, and now we are further differentiating our electrified vehicle lineup with something else people truly value – choice,” said Jim Farley, Ford’s group vice president of Marketing, Sales and Service. “Whether people want a hybrid, a plug-in hybrid or full battery electric vehicle, we have a family of vehicles for them to consider, providing a range of options to best meet their needs and support their driving habits and lifestyles.”

Ford is electrifying platforms – versus a single vehicle – to offer customers the most choice. Five electrified vehicles are planned for North America by 2012 – including the Transit Connect Electric, on sale now, and Focus Electric this year. The C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid and C-MAX Hybrid will be followed by another next-generation hybrid in 2012.

Today, Ford sells approximately 35,000 electrified vehicles a year, led by the Fusion Hybrid and Escape Hybrid – the most fuel-efficient midsize sedan in America and the most fuel-efficient SUV in the world, respectively.

Ford will grow its electrified vehicle production capacity to more than 100,000 annually by 2013, thanks to growing consumer appetites for green vehicles and growing desires for stylish new Focus-sized vehicles.

The new Ford C-MAX five-passenger vehicle, which is the base for the C-MAX Hybrid and C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid, is leaving European dealer lots at twice the rate of last year’s model. More than 100,000 of these new vehicles have been sold in Europe since its launch in late 2010, and Ford is already finding new ways to produce more European C-MAX models than originally expected at its Valencia, Spain, plant.

“European customers are snapping up our C-MAX five-passenger models, telling us they love the vehicle’s sporty appearance, driving quality, interior comfort and clever use of space,” Farley said. “We plan to be aggressive in delivering products like this that people really want and make smart decisions supporting our One Ford plan.”

Ford’s plan to invest in even more capacity for its five-passenger C-MAX electrified models for North America replaces an earlier plan of introducing the gasoline-engine-powered seven-passenger C-MAX multi-activity vehicle.

This also marks the first time North American customers will have the choice of a dedicated body style for a range of Ford electrified vehicles.

Emerging “Green” Center of Manufacturing Excellence

Both the C-MAX Hybrid and C-MAX Energi models will be built alongside the all-new 2012 Ford Focus and Focus Electric at Ford’s Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne, Mich., the first plant in the world to produce gasoline-powered vehicles, full-electric vehicles, hybrid and plug-in hybrids under one roof.

The plant’s production is powered in part by one of the largest solar energy generator systems in the state.

The new green vehicle lineup also is bringing jobs to Ford and America.

In total, Ford is adding more than 220 green technology jobs in Michigan alone as the state becomes its center of excellence for vehicle electrification. This includes a combined 170 jobs at Ford’s Rawsonville and Van Dyke Transmission plants, plus more than 50 new engineers based in Dearborn in the past 12 months specifically for the design and development of key component for Ford hybrids, plug-in hybrids and full battery electric vehicles.

Employees at the Rawsonville Plant in Ypsilanti, Mich., are on tap to assemble advanced lithium-ion battery packs for C-MAX Hybrid, and today Ford confirmed the larger lithium-ion battery packs for C-MAX Energi also will be produced at Rawsonville. Production currently is performed by a supplier in Mexico.

Both battery packs are being designed in-house by Ford engineers. Although the battery packs differ in size, energy storage and power output, they are designed for efficient production in the same flexible manufacturing facility.

Ford’s Van Dyke Transmission Plant in Sterling Heights, Mich., also benefits from electrified versions of the C-MAX. Employees there are building the electric drive transaxles, work currently outsourced to a supplier facility in Japan for current model hybrids.

“Ford’s commitment to grow our electrified vehicle family brings good news for our customers, employees, the economy and the environment,” Farley said.

Efficiency comes standard

The new Ford C-MAX Hybrid is targeted to deliver better mpg than Fusion Hybrid and is the first of two new Ford Hybrids to use lithium ion battery technology. Lithium-ion batteries are up to 50 percent lighter and 25 percent smaller than current nickel-metal-hydride batteries and increase the amount of energy available to extend the vehicle’s driving distance and boost fuel economy.

This all-new hybrid also will travel at a higher all-electric speed than Fusion Hybrid’s 47 mph.

The C-MAX Energi, featuring a 240-volt charging system, will be able to fully recharge faster than Chevy Volt and is being engineered to deliver more overall driving range than any other plug-in or extended range electric vehicle. It is also targeted to achieve AT-PZEV status.

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About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 166,000 employees and about 70 plants worldwide, the company’s automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford’s products, please visit www.ford.com.

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Corporate Innovator Ford Showcases Progressive Eco-Efforts at San Francisco Green Festival

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Ford Focus Electric named 2011 Green Car Vision Award winner

“Green Car Journal’s annual Green Car Vision Award was presented to Ford at the Washington Auto Show. Honoring the Ford Focus Electric vehicle that will come to market late in 2011, the Green Car Vision Award celebrates an industry-leading, environmentally focused vehicle that is in its early stages of commercialization or in demonstration programs, but not yet on sale.”

Ford Focus Electric named 2011 Green Car Vision Award winner via ABC Green Right Now

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VIDEO: Ford’s New Mobile App for Electric Cars In Action!

“Ford launched a new mobile app at CES earlier this year to help drivers remotely manage energy consumption in the automaker’s upcoming Ford Focus Electric vehicle. The software, called MyFord Mobile, allows users to remotely monitor the car’s battery level and to plan trips with recharging stations in mind.”

VIDEO: Ford’s New Mobile App for Electric Cars In Action! via Katie Fehrenbacher – Earth2Tech

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