Category Archives: Green Cars

Environment and Auto Industry, Latest improvements to reduce green house gases.

06Jan 2012

Electrification Leadership Council to Focus on Large-Scale Electric Vehicle Demonstration Projects

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LISLE, Ill., Jan. 6, 2012 /Coal Geology-PRNewswire/ — A new coalition of executives from blue chip companies in the transportation and utility industries announced today it has come together to design a large-scale electric vehicle (EV) demonstration project that will help create a comprehensive national model for EV deployment.

The Electrification Leadership Council (ELC) is a coalition of key stakeholders throughout the EV supply chain who have the expertise and resources required to engage federal, state, regional and local agencies and coalitions, utility companies, vehicle manufacturers and financial institutions to help overcome the barriers to broad scale EV deployment.

ELC members include FedEx Express, Hertz, Navistar, Azure Dynamics, A123 Systems, CODA Automotive, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, ECOtality, Automatiks, GE Capital, large delivery service companies and vehicle manufacturers among other members, along with representatives from national, state and local agencies.

“Our Council recognizes that no one entity can create a comprehensive solution for the broad scale deployment of EVs,” noted Mark Aubry, vice president of Navistar’s eStar® Electric Vehicle Brand. “That’s why we have come together to create a public and private model that will help us understand what will be required to operate thousands of EVs within a community.”

The ELC’s strategy also leverages the work of other prominent national organizations such as the Electrification Coalition and the Electric Drive Transportation Association that are promoting public policies and education to facilitate the deployment of EVs. The ELC’s strategy is designed to ultimately achieve the broader societal goals of fostering an EV industry, improving urban quality of life, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and supporting energy independence.

The ELC’s initial task is to design its demonstration project which will focus on a large-scale deployment of EVs within densely populated local markets where all of the components of an EV Ecosystem can be brought together to better understand the interoperability between EVs and the electric grid across a variety of vehicle classes and applications. The EV Ecosystem components include everything from EV deployment, charging stations, the electrical grid, energy storage devices and battery second-life applications, to communication systems and support networks.

“This is about developing a more efficient, effective and environmentally friendly EV Ecosystem,” said Dennis Beal, vice president of Global Vehicles for FedEx Express. “We work with many companies across the EV Ecosystem, have learned a lot and are hungry to share our learning, expand collaboration and further the future of transportation electrification with this large-scale, cross-industry project. It is the responsible thing to do across the board – environmentally, economically and for our national security as we reduce our dependence on foreign oil and move towards environmentally friendly technologies.”

The ELC will engage with communities that have already developed collaborative efforts to foster EV readiness related to:

Infrastructure Planning
Regulatory Alignment
Public Awareness
The ELC will help these communities close their EV readiness gaps at the grassroots level by addressing barriers to EV deployment that typically include:

Charging Infrastructure
Government and Regulatory Policy
Vehicle Availability and Demand
Cost of Ownership and Vehicle Support
Public Awareness and Acceptance
The ELC is evaluating a number of local markets for the demonstration projects and will announce sites once plans are in place.

For more information about the ELC go to www.ELCouncil.com.

SOURCE Electrification Leadership Council (ELC)

CONTACT: Jennifer Fettchenhauer of Eidson & Partners, Inc., 1-800-711-0747 Ext. 261, or +1-816-474-0747 Ext. 261, Jennifer@eidsonandpartners.com, for Electrification Leadership Council (ELC)

28Dec 2011

Top 6 Winter Driving Vehicles for 2012 with User-Friendly All-Wheel Drive Systems

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IRVINE, Calif., Dec. 28, 2011 /Coal Geology-PRNewswire/ — Kelley Blue Book www.kbb.com, the leading provider of new car and used car information, today announces the Top 10 Winter Driving Vehicles for 2012

The days are short, the nights are cold and the chances of encountering rain, snow, sleet or some other form of weather-related treachery during the course of any daily drive are at their peak.  It just may be time for consumers to consider upgrading their current rides for vehicles more befitting the season.  To help you ponder the possibilities, kbb.com expert editors put together a list of the Top 10 Winter Driving Vehicles for 2012.

“Although this purposefully diverse roster includes a full spectrum of highly capable alternatives, all share one common trait: Each boasts some type of user-friendly all-wheel drive system that can help keep you on the road – figuratively and literally – as you head to your final destination,” said Jack R. Nerad, executive editorial director for Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com.  “Whether that journey involves a mundane commute to work or a well-deserved weekend getaway to a favorite ski resort is up to you.”

Top 10 Winter Driving Vehicles for 2012

#10: 2012 Subaru Outback
Classy, comfortable and capable, the 2012 Subaru Outback is a superb year-round travelmate that truly rises to the occasion whenever Mother Nature does go on a rampage.  Even the base Outback 2.5i with its economical 2.5-liter flat-four engine packs an impressive feature set, highlighted by Subaru’s excellent Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive and a comprehensive Vehicle Dynamics Control system.  The more potent six-cylinder Outback 3.6R as well as the Premium and Limited variations available for each respective Outback model make it easy to find the best match to up the creature comforts ante even further.  An options list that includes a GPS navigation system, harman-kardon premium audio, a Cold Weather Package and Mobile Internet access further bolster the Outback’s appeal.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fi2aQW83h_A
#9: 2012 Toyota Sienna AWD
If only a minivan can really meet your basic transportation needs, there’s just one choice to be made: the 2012 Toyota Sienna with optional On-Demand All-Wheel Drive System with Active Torque Control.  Available on V6-powered Sienna LE, XLE and LTD models, this totally transparent upgrade adds a new level of sure-footed confidence to Toyota’s well-appointed space ship.  Like its front-drive kin, this even-more capable Sienna offers easily reconfigurable room for seven or eight, loads of standards and the choice of adding a passenger-pleasing Dual-View Entertainment Center on the XLE/LTD models as well as a Navigation Package and Dynamic Radar Cruise Control on the primo LTD variant.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QeFd6I1Fn6E
#8: 2012 Acura MDX
Well-mannered, richly appointed and offering room for seven, the 2012 Acura MDX makes a strong case for its spot on our list by matching a refined 300-horsepower V6 engine with a smooth-shifting six-speed automatic transmission and Acura’s stellar Super Handling All-Wheel Drive system. Couple the MDX’s dynamic prowess with standards like power heated leather seats, a premium audio package, tri-zone climate control and a power rear liftgate, plus available Technology, Advance and Entertainment Package upgrades, and this well-rounded Acura takes on all the charm of a safe and secure mobile living room.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfVA_bzgyHE
#7: 2012 Ford F-150 AWD
Perennial best-seller in the full-size pickup segment, the 2012 Ford F-150 in 4WD configuration won our votes for its smart blend of style, comfort and, yes, even fuel economy, thanks to the available 365-horsepower EcoBoost V6 – which has become the most popular engine in the entire F-150 lineup. Like the base V6 and two optional V8s, the EcoBoost/4WD combo can be had in Regular, SuperCab and SuperCrew body styles and multiple trim levels.  While all F-150 4WD models boast Hill Start Assist for 2012 and upline versions add a new 4×4 “auto mode” to the existing 4Hi/4Lo setup, only EcoBoost 4WD models also get a new 36-gallon fuel tank that lets them match their best-in-class 21-mpg highway mileage with a best-in-class 756-mile range.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZaoHFQu0Gc
#6: 2012 Honda CR-V AWD
A generational makeover brings a more contemporary appearance as well as many welcome new features to the 2012 Honda CR-V, not the least of which is the introduction of Honda’s Real Time AWD with Intelligent Control System. Optional on all models of the automaker’s compact, crossover-style SUV, this smaller, lighter and quicker-responding upgrade of the previous Real Time AWD setup helps the latest CR-V cope with challenging traction conditions even more effectively.  The people side of the CR-V package benefits from a similarly well-measured upgrade regimen that includes a quieter, more stylish cabin, better ride comfort and a new rear-seat entertainment system option, plus significantly improved fuel economy from its 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine and five-speed automatic transmission.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rmt7yQdFVY
For the full list of Top 10 Winter Driving Vehicles for 2012 from Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com, visithttp://www.kbb.com/car-news/all-the-latest/top-10-winter-cars-for-2012.

For more information and news from Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com, visit www.kbb.com/media/, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/kelleybluebook (or @kelleybluebook), or like our page on Facebook at www.facebook.com/kbb.

About Kelley Blue Book ( www.kbb.com)
Founded in 1926, Kelley Blue Book, The Trusted Resource®, is the only vehicle valuation and information source trusted and relied upon by both consumers and the industry.  Each week the company provides the most market-reflective values in the industry on its top-rated website www.kbb.com, including its famous Blue Book® Trade-In and Retail Values and Fair Purchase Price, which reports what others are paying for new cars this week.  The company also provides vehicle pricing and values through various products and services available to car dealers, auto manufacturers, finance and insurance companies as well as governmental agencies.  Kbb.com provides consumer pricing and information on minivans, pickup-trucks, sedan, hybrids, electric cars, and SUVs.  Kelley Blue Book Co. Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of AutoTrader.com.

SOURCE Kelley Blue Book

CONTACT: CONTACT: Brenna Robinson of Kelley Blue Book, +1-949-267-4781, berobinson@kbb.com

Web Site: http://www.kbb.com

13Dec 2011

Economic and national security costs of oil dependence far outweigh costs of accelerating deployment of electric vehicles

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WASHINGTON, Dec. 8, 2011 /Coal Geology-PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — As the plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) industry begins to gain a foothold in the U.S. automotive market, it will be critical that the nation’s leaders do not let short-term obstacles derail important progress, said Robbie Diamond, President and CEO of Securing America’s Future Energy (SAFE), a nonpartisan organization that aims to improve America’s energy security. PEVs must be viewed as a critical component of the nation’s long-term strategy to enhance energy security through reduced oil dependence, said Diamond.

“Our oil dependence poses a real and immediate threat to the entire nation—and it exacts enormous costs in terms of national and economic security. Economically, there is a direct transfer of wealth taking place, taking capital out of the U.S. economy and driving up our trade deficit. The U.S. military is forced to secure the world’s oil supply lines and infrastructure, and this dependence compromises our foreign policy options,” said Diamond.

“The challenges to electric vehicles resemble those of many innovative transportation technologies throughout history. It would be a tragic decision to allow temporary obstacles to deny the nation the potentially transformative benefits of leveraging electric vehicles to reduce the threat of oil dependence,” added Diamond, referring to recent attention regarding battery technology, sales rates, and the use government funding for the industry. Diamond noted that sales of plug-in electric vehicles are off to a better start than the introduction of traditional gasoline hybrids more than a decade ago. In their first full year of availability, plug-in vehicle sales have surpassed 15,000 units in the United States. Hybrid vehicle sales totaled 9,350 in their first full year of availability, which was 2000.

Diamond also noted that the near-term outlook for PEVs was more promising than critics contend. Major global automakers plan to introduce as many as 30 PEV models in the next two years, which will utilize the newly developed battery manufacturing capacity. At the same time, mainstream U.S. companies such as FedEx, UPS, Frito-Lay, Staples, and others have placed orders for hundreds of PEVs over the past year. Early in 2011, GE announced an intended purchase of 25,000 PEVs by 2015—12,500 of which are Chevy Volt plug-in hybrids.

According to researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. oil dependence is estimated to have cost the nation more than $5 trillion in economic damage since the 1970s. This year alone, the U.S. trade deficit for crude oil and refined products will be around $300 billion. According to an estimate by the RAND Corporation, the ongoing expense of oil dependence to our military is between $67.5 billion and $83 billionannually.

To fully combat the costs of oil dependence, SAFE advocates for aggressive energy reform that includes increased domestic production of hydrocarbons and improved automotive fuel-economy standards in the near term and a transition to electrification of transportation over the long term.

“Plug-in electric vehicles are a strategic weapon to combat oil dependence. Electricity is generated from a diverse set of domestic energy sources—from nuclear and natural gas, to coal and renewables. Electricity prices are also more stable than oil prices, and there is an existing infrastructure with spare capacity already in place,” added Diamond. “With as much as 90 percent of global oil and gas reserves held by national oil companies—many of which are in countries that share neither our values nor our goals—the global oil market is not a free market. Electrification offers the opportunity to break the oil monopoly in the transportation sector.”

Diamond believes that the relatively new electric vehicle industry will continue to evolve and will face obstacles, as all industries do. But the enormous costs of oil dependence, paired with the fact that there is no free market for oil, justify support for promising technologies that reduce oil consumption while growing the economy and providing mobility.

“It is essential to put the cost of supportive policies in context of the total cost of our oil dependence. Every technology experiences challenges, and electric vehicles are no different. But to stop, or even slow down support for an industry that has the potential to dramatically improve our economic and national security would only jeopardize the nation’s prosperity and security.”

SOURCE Securing America’s Future Energy

CONTACT: CONTACT: Justin Kitsch, +1-202-461-2365

17Nov 2011

Seat Fabric in All-New Ford Focus Electric Uses Waste To Create a Better World

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NEW YORK, Nov. 17, 2011 /Coal Geology-PRNewswire/ –Sitting on empty plastic bottles while driving or riding in a car would be less than ideal. That’s not the case when it comes to the all-new Ford Focus Electric, as it features seat fabric made of recycled material that includes the equivalent of more than 20 plastic bottles per car.

The fiber – called REPREVE® – is made from a hybrid blend of recycled materials and manufactured by Unifi, Inc. (NYSE: UFI), a global leader in sustainable textile solutions.

Unifi officials say 22 plastic, 16-ounce water bottles are used in the seat fabric of a single Focus Electric. The figure is based on the amount of REPREVE branded fiber used in the production of fabric in each vehicle.

Ford is the first automaker to use REPREVE branded fiber in its seat fabric.

“What better vehicle than the Focus Electric to put seat fabric made of recycled materials?” said Carol Kordich, lead designer of Sustainable Materials for Ford. “Not only does the use of this fabric in Focus Electric help reduce waste, it also helps to offset the need to produce new raw material from crude oil – a process that consumes precious energy and natural resources.”

The 2012 Ford Focus Electric is green in other ways, too. Focus Electric runs on battery power alone, requiring no gasoline and producing zero carbon dioxide emissions.

“We are excited to work with Ford for the introduction of REPREVE into the automotive industry,” saidRoger Berrier, president and COO of the Greensboro, N.C.-based Unifi. “As REPREVE continues to expand into new applications and markets, consumers are becoming more aware of companies like Ford and Unifi working together to make a positive impact on the environment.”

In 2009 Ford mandated that fabric suppliers use a minimum of 25 percent recycled content for all 2009 and beyond model year vehicles. Since then, 37 different fabrics meeting the requirements have been developed and incorporated into Ford vehicles.

Kordich said Ford is taking it a step further by mandating that fabric be 100 percent sustainable in vehicles with eco-conscious powertrains like Focus Electric.

REPREVE fits the bill, she said, because it is a combination of post-industrial fiber waste and post-consumer waste, like the plastic water bottles made of polyethylene terephthalate plastic. Using REPREVE also reduces energy consumption by offsetting the need to use newly refined crude oil for production.

“It made sense when we were designing the Focus Electric to keep pushing for even more innovative ways to offer our customers the best, most environmentally sound products without sacrificing quality,” said Kordich.

REPREVE meets all Ford performance requirements, said Kordich, and Ford already is considering other uses across its entire car and truck lineup.

Eco-conscious solutions
Ford’s “Reduce, reuse and recycle” commitment is part of the company’s broader global sustainability strategy to reduce its environmental footprint while at the same time accelerating the development of advanced, fuel-efficient vehicle technologies around the world.

Last month, Ford announced it is using 25 20-ounce plastic bottles to make the carpeting in every all-new Ford Escape utility vehicle it builds. It’s the first time Ford has used this type of carpeting in an SUV.

Over the past several years Ford has concentrated on increasing the use of nonmetal recycled and bio-based materials whenever possible, provided these materials are environmentally favorable in the specific application. Examples include soy foam seat cushions and head restraints, wheat straw-filled plastic, castor oil foam in instrument panels, recycled resins for underbody systems, recycled yarns on seat covers and natural-fiber plastic for interior components.
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 .

REPREVE® is a registered trademark of Unifi Inc. and is registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and with others and is used by Ford under license.

 

SOURCE Ford Motor Company

CONTACT: Wes Sherwood, +1-313-390-5660, wsherwoo@ford.com; or Eddie Fernandez, +1-415-677-2742, eddie.fernandez@ogilvy.com

Web Site: http://www.ford.com