Green Car Advisor
Lincoln
February 3, 2009
GM Gets Three Models on 'Greenest' List and Tops 'Meanest' Ranking With Hummer H2
By John O'Dell, Senior Editor
In an anticlimactic repeat, Honda's natural-gas burning Civic GX topped the annual "greenest vehicles" of the year listing being published this morning by the non-profit American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy.
It is the 12th year the Washington-based environmental and economic lobbying group has published its Green Book Online, which ranks passenger cars and light trucks for overall environmental impact.
Although the list for the 2009 model year contained no big surprises, it was marked by the reappearance of General Motors Corp., with trio of small cars among the dozen "greenest" vehicles in the market - the Chevrolet Cobalt compact and its Pontiac G5 twin placed eighth overall and the Chevrolet Aveo subcompact finished10th.
The GM cars, which were rated highly for their fuel economy, knocked Ford's Focus off the "greenest" list after its appearance there last year as the only domestic car in the top twelve.
The Ford didn't get a lower score - but the average scores in the top 12 were higher this year than last.
Evolution, Not Revolution
Generally, the 2009 list was marked by continued improvements in the fuel economy and reduced greenhouse gas emissions of scores of vehicles rather than by stellar performances from just one or two models.
Manufacturers are fine-tuning their engines and transmissions, improving materials, and adding emission control technologies, said ACEEE transportation program director Therese Langer.
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- John O'Dell February 3, 2009, 5:00 AM
- Categories:
- Alternative Fuels, Chevrolet, Daimler, Diesel, Emissions, Flex-Fuel, Ford, Fuel Economy, General Motors, Green Vehicles, Honda, Hummer, Hybrid, Lamborghini, Lincoln, Mercedes-Benz, Natural Gas, Nissan, Plug-ins and Electric, Pontiac, Smart, Subaru, Toyota, Volkswagen
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- ACEEE Green Book Online
, American Council For An Energy Efficient Economy, Fuel economy, Green Car Rankings
January 11, 2009
When Ford Motor Co. launches its 2010 Flex all-purpose wagon and the 2010 Lincoln MKS luxury sedan and MKT crossover later this year, all three will be endowed with the company's new, fuel-efficient but powerful EcoBoost V6 engine (right).
The powerplant, which will later find its way into more Ford vehicles, is tuned to make a V8-like 355 horsepower and 350 foot-pounds of torque while delivering V6 fuel economy.
The automaker will discuss the engine technology at a press conference today as the North American International Auto Show kicks off the first of three media preview days, but provided this early look for those who don't like to follow strict schedules.
In the full-size Flex, all-wheel drive models equipped with the twin-turbo EcoBoost engine are expected to deliver 22 miles per gallon on the highway and combined highway-city mileage of about 18 mpg.
The Lincoln MKS sedan with the EcoBoost V6 delivered 25 miles a gallon on the highway and 16 mpg around town in Ford's preliminary testing and is expected to win federal EPA ratings that are the same, the company said.
Ford executives said the 2010 Lincoln MKT crossover with EcoBoost is expected to get a highway rating of about 20 mpg.
Ford's 2010 EcoBoost lineup: Ford Flex, Lincoln MKS and Lincoln MKT.
A Look Inside
All of Ford's twin-turbo EcoBoost V6s will be mated to a new 6-speed automatic with select shift, the company said. Increasing the number of gear ratios, or "speeds" in a transmission helps improve fuel economy by letting the engine operate in its most efficient range more often.
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- John O'Dell January 11, 2009, 9:01 PM
- Categories:
- Auto Shows, Emissions, Ford, Fuel Economy, Fuels & Technologies, Lincoln
- Technorati Tags:
- Direct Fuel Injection
, EcoBoost V6, Fortd EcoBoost Engine, Turbocharging
January 7, 2009
All that lobbying last year about the need to develop U.S. battery production capacity
for advanced vehicles may have paid off.
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A rack of lithium-ion batteries being tested at Argonne National Laboratory.
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The Detroit News is reporting that congressional Democrats have been talking to President-elect Barack Obama's team about funding battery research and development in the economic stimulus bill being prepared for adoption by the new Congress shortly after Obama's inauguration on Jan. 20.
"I'd be very surprised if there is not serious money for batteries in the stimulus bill," Sen. Tom Carper, a Delaware Democrat, told the newspaper.
"If we're going to put all this money into battery development, it's important to me and I think my colleagues that we build those batteries right here in America."
Most of the world's lithium is located in South America and most lithium-ion battery production is being done in China.
Proponents of a healthy electric vehicle industry in the U.S. have questioned the wisdom of developing vehicles that can help free the country form its dependence on foreign oil only to replace it with dependence on foreign-made batteries.
The Detroit paper reports that Michigan's congressional delegation, led by the House's senior member, Rep. John Dingell, D-Dearborn, met Monday and agreed to push for at least $1 billion in battery research funds.
The money could be used for direct grants for research or for loans or other funding to support development and operation of battery manufacturing operations.
Another option being considered, the paper reports, is a doubling of the $25 billion Advanced Vehicle Technology loan program already established to provide federally backed loans that auto and auto parts makers would use to retool factories to build more fuel-efficient cars and trucks.
Obama said during his campaign that he favored doubling the money in the loan program.
So far, according to the Detroit News' report, more than 70 companies have applied for funds from the retooling loan program, with General Motors, Ford and Chrysler collectively asking for almost $22 billion, or 88 percent of the total.
Other applicants include a consortium of 14 U.S. technology companies, incuding several battery development firms, have applied for about $1 billion to build a plant to produce advanced batteries in the U.S.
John O'Dell, Senior Editor
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- John O'Dell January 7, 2009, 3:31 PM
- Categories:
- Batteries, Countries, Lincoln
- Technorati Tags:
- Advanced Vehicle Battery Development
, Advanced Vehicle Technology Loan Program, Battery Research, Stimulus Bill
November 26, 2008
Above, the instrument panel of the Honda Insight contains lots of tools to help the motorist drive more fuel efficiently.
By Scott Doggett, Contributor
Honda has released images and details of the Ecological Drive Assist System as it appears in the Japanese version of the soon-to-launch Insight hybrid.
The system is similar to Ford's new SmartGauge with EcoGuide instrument cluster for the 2010 Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan hybrids, as well as devices appearing in various Nissan and Toyota models, in that all are intended to help drivers use gasoline as efficiently as possible.
Japan's version of the Insight will also be able to integrate with the optional Honda HDD InterNavi System. When combined with this system, the EDAS can give more advice on how to enhance fuel economy while driving, specifically by looking through a driver's history and suggesting driver-specific changes.
A scoring function provides cumulative, long-term feedback through graphic "leaves" that grow over time as drivers become more fuel-efficient. "The joy of growing these leaves over a long time will encourage drivers to learn how to drive more fuel-efficiently," the company said in a press release.
Among the key features of the EDAS is an ECON Mode, which Honda first implemented on the all-new Odyssey. Since then, the mode has been advanced with added functions to control the idle stop and regenerative braking capabilities of the hybrid.
As soon as the driver presses the ECON Mode button, the system will "harmonize" the continuously variable transmission and engine, flip the air-conditioner to energy-saving mode, extend the idle stop time and increase regenerative recharging during deceleration--all of which will increase the vehicle's fuel economy.
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- Scott Doggett November 26, 2008, 12:10 PM
- Categories:
- Emissions, Ford, Fuel Economy, General Motors, Honda, Hybrid, Lincoln, Mercury, Plug-ins and Electric, Toyota
- Technorati Tags:
- 2010 Ford Fusion
, 2010 Honda Insight, 2010 Mercury Milan, Ecological Drive Assist System, Ford, Fuel Economy, Fuel Efficiency, Hybrid, Toyota
November 18, 2008
Ford Motor Co. announced today that it is offering a new round of incentives to prospective buyers that consists of cash rebates and pricing usually reserved for Ford, Lincoln and Mercury employees, as well as zero-interest financing on the brands' most fuel-efficient models.
Employee Pricing Plus, as the incentive program is called, will be in effect tomorrow through January 5. The employee pricing is offered to buyers of most 2008 and 2009 Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles, plus a per-purchase cash rebate of up to $6,000.
Customers who select one of the eight most fuel-efficient models made by the three brands--the Ford Focus, Fusion, Escape and Flex (pictured); the Mercury Milan and Mariner; and the Lincoln MKZ and MKS--can opt for zero-percent financing for 36 months on top of employee pricing.
Furthermore, Ford Credit will provide a $500 bonus on the purchase of most Ford, Lincoln and Mercury models.
The all-new 2009 Ford F-150 is not offered with employee pricing, but it is available with zero-percent financing. Also excluded from the employee pricing are 2008 and 2009 Ford Escape Hybrids and Mercury Mariner Hybrids, 2008 and 2009 Ford Shelby GT500, Ford F-Series chassis cabs models, and Ford E-Series cutaways models.
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- Scott Doggett November 18, 2008, 3:37 PM
- Categories:
- Ford, Fuel Economy, Hybrid, Lincoln, Mercury, Tax Incentives
- Technorati Tags:
- 0% Financing
, 2008 Ford Escape, 2008 Ford Flex, 2008 Ford Focus, 2008 Ford Fusion, 2008 Lincoln MKS, 2008 Lincoln MKZ, 2008 Mercury Mariner, 2008 Mercury Milan, 2009 Ford Escape, 2009 Ford Flex, 2009 Ford Focus, 2009 Ford Fusion, 2009 Lincoln MKS, 2009 Lincoln MKZ, 2009 Mercury Mariner, 2009 Mercury Milan, Cash Rebates, Ford, Fuel Efficient, Lincoln, Mercury
November 17, 2008
Fueling Alternatives, California's alternative fuel vehicle rebate program, has added the 2009 Honda Civic GX compressed natural gas car to its list of vehicles
that are eligible for a $3,000 rebate under the state-funded program.
The 2009 model joins the 2007 and 2008 Civic GX, as well as the BAF conversions for the 2007 Ford Crown Victoria, Lincoln Town Car and Mercury Grand Marquis, as eligible for $3,000 rebates.
Eleven other models are eligible for smaller rebates and two models--the 2008 Honda FCX Clarity hydrogen-powered fuel-cell sedan and the all-electric 2008 Tesla Roadster--are eligible for $5,000 rebates.
Additionally, the 2009 Civic GX might qualify for a $4,000 federal new-energy tax credit. The 2005-2008 Civic GX models meet the Internal Revenue Service criteria for that tax credit, but the IRS has not yet extended the tax credit to the 2009 model.
The Civic GX is fueled by compressed natural gas for nearly zero emissions. It is fuel-economy rated for 24 miles per gallon equivalent in the city and 36 mpg equivalent on the highway by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The vehicle's suggested starting price is $25,090.
More information about the Civic GX can be found at Edmund's Inside Line Website, where Green Car Advisor Senior Editor John O'Dell has been reviewing a 2007 model on a regular basis for many months, and at Honda's Website for the U.S.
Fueling Alternatives is funded by the California Air Resources Board and administered by the California Center for Sustainable Energy. A total of $1.8 million was appropriated and directed toward vehicle incentive rebates to promote the use and production of alternative fuel vehicles.
Rebates of up to $5,000 are available for California residents who purchase or lease new eligible alternative-fuel vehicles between May 24, 2007, and March 31, 2009, or until funding runs out. For more information, go to Fueling Alternatives' Website.
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- Scott Doggett November 17, 2008, 7:46 AM
- Categories:
- Alternative Fuels, Emissions, Ford, Fuel Cell, Fuel Economy, General Motors, Honda, Hydrogen, Legislation, Lincoln, Mercury, Natural Gas, Plug-ins and Electric, Tax Incentives, Tesla
- Technorati Tags:
- 2008 Honda FCX Clarity
, 2008 Tesla Roadster, 2009 Honda Civic GX, Alternative Fuel, California Air Resources Board, California Center for Sustainable Energy, Compressed Natural Gas, Emissions, Environmental Protection Agency, Ford Crown Victoria, Fuel Economy, Fueling Alternatives, Internal Revenue Service, Lincoln Town Car, Mercury Grand Marquis
August 28, 2008
Right, Todd Cook, eco-driver extraordinaire.
By Scott Doggett, Contributor
I'm a non-mechanical hypermiler. I do everything short of modifying my car to eek out as many miles from a tank of gasoline as is humanly possible.
So when Ford Motor Co. asked me if I'd like to attend an eco-driving class they were hosting in Phoenix yesterday to learn how I could become a more fuel-efficient driver, I quickly agreed.
It's them who would learn from me, I thought. The so-called class is just more green-washing event put on by an automaker that was slow to get with the high-MPG program. So I thought.
And I was dead wrong. It was I who had much to learn about hypermiling -- or as Ford prefers, eco-driving.
There were maybe a dozen journalists in the class and nearly as many people there from Ford. We learned that during the preceding days, Ford had posted an ad on craigslist inviting Phoenix-area residents to evaluate a few vehicles and earn $125 for their trouble.
A diverse group of 48 people participated, only Ford wasn't primarily interested in what the 48 thought of the vehicles. Rather, Ford wanted to see whether or not they could be taught to drive very fuel efficiently in a short period of time.
The participants adhered to an 11.6-mile route, seven miles on 25- and 35-mile-an-hour streets through residential and commercial neighborhoods and 4.6 miles on a fast stretch of Interstate 10. They drove four vehicles: a 2008 Ford Fusion, a 2009 Ford Flex, a 2008 F-150, and a 2009 Lincoln MKS AWD.
Seated beside each participant was a Ford eco-driving trainer, only the participants didn't know that initially. Rather, they were led to believe that the trainers were researchers tasked with recording the participants' likes and dislikes regarding the four vehicles.
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- Scott Doggett August 28, 2008, 2:40 AM
- Categories:
- Alternative Fuels, Ford, Fuel Economy, Fuels & Technologies, Lincoln
- Technorati Tags:
- 2008 F-150
, 2008 Ford Fusion, 2009 Ford Flex, 2009 Lincoln MKS, Ford Motor Company, Fuel Economy, Fuel Efficiency
August 18, 2008
Ford Motor Co. will launch production of the first EcoBoost V6 engines early next spring for installation into the Lincoln MKS sedan and Ford Flex crossover SUV, Automotive News reported today.
The automaker is planning to charge a $700 premium for the new 3.5-liter turbocharged and direct-injected engine, the subscription news service reported, adding that the first vehicles will be rated at 340 horsepower and 340 pound-feet of torque.
Ford spokesman Alan Hall, when asked to confirm the report, said, "We've not announced pricing."
The EcoBoost strategy, unveiled earlier this year, combines a smaller-than-usual engine with a turbocharger and direct injection to deliver 20 percent better fuel economy, 15 percent fewer tailpipe emissions and, often, more horsepower than the larger fuel-injected engines that typically would be offered as standard equipment in most models.
Compared to a similarly powerful V8 engine, the fuel savings from the new V6 were estimated at $339 a year at $3.25/gallon. The savings will be substantially greater at current gas prices.
In 2010, Ford will also add the engine to the F-150 pickup as an alternative to the current 5.4-liter V8, the service reported.
The automaker is expected to introduce four-cylinder EcoBoost engines in other models in the next couple of years. Ford has said that by 2012 it plans to offer EcoBoost engines for almost every model the company makes.
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- Scott Doggett August 18, 2008, 10:45 AM
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- Emissions, Flex-Fuel, Ford, Fuel Economy, Lincoln
August 15, 2008
Ford motor Co. says it will build a retial model of the Lincoln MKT luxury crossover next year - probably as a 2010 model - and will offer one version with its new "Ecoboost" fuel efficiency powertrain.
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Left, Ford designer Peter Horbury introduces MTS concept at Detroit Auto Show.
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The company also said it will use the Ecoboost technology in a new version of the flagship Lincoln MKS sedan, to be launched next year as well.
The Ecoboost strategy, announced earlier this year, combines a smaller-than-usual engine with a turbocharger and direct injection to deliver 20 percent better fuel economy, 15 percent fewer tailpipe emissions and, often, more horsepower than the larger fuel-injected engines that typically would be offered as standard equipment in most models.
Ford intends be producing 750,000 Ecoboost-equipped vehicles a year by 2013, offering the engine package for almost every model it makes.
The Lincoln MKT, a three-row, 7-passenger crossover styled like a sport-wagon, was introduced as a concept model in January at the Detroit Auto Show.
The standard production version will use a new 3.7-liter V6 while the Ecoboost package will use a 3.5-liter V6, the company said today.
The company hasn't released fuel economy estimates for either engine and is keeping power specs for the 3.7-liter engine under wraps as well.
Many analysts expect it to come it at about 300 horsepower.
The company said today that the smaller and greener Ecoboost engine will produce 340 horsepower and 340 pound-feet of torque.
Ford will build the new Lincoln at its Oakville plant in Ontario, Canada.
John O'Dell, Senior Editor
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- John O'Dell August 15, 2008, 3:53 PM
- Categories:
- Auto Shows, Ford, Fuel Economy, Fuels & Technologies, Lincoln
- Technorati Tags:
- EcoBoost
, Ford, Lincoln MTS
July 24, 2008
By Scott Doggett, Contributor
Ford Motor Co. today announced plans to accelerate its transformation away from gas-guzzling pickups and SUVs to fuel-efficient vehicles with the addition of new small cars to its North America lineup and unprecedented production changes as the automaker reported a record-high total net loss for the second quarter of $8.67 billion.
In addition to bringing six small vehicles to North America from the company's European lineup, Ford is accelerating the introduction of fuel-efficient EcoBoost and all-new four-cylinder engines, increasing hybrid production and converting three existing truck and SUV plants for small-car production, beginning this December.
Ford President and CEO Alan Mulally said the company is more focused than ever on its transformation plan, which calls for:
• Aggressively restructuring to operate profitably at the current demand and changing model mix.
• Accelerating the development of new products that customers want and value.
• Financing the plan and improving the balance sheet.
• Working together effectively as one team, leveraging Ford's global assets.
Aggressive Restructuring
Ford will convert three existing North American truck and SUV plants for small car production, with the first conversion beginning this December.
The moves are in addition to Ford's announcements in May and June that it is reducing its North American production plans for large trucks and SUVs for the remainder of 2008, as well as increasing production of smaller cars and crossovers.
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- Scott Doggett July 24, 2008, 7:55 AM
- Categories:
- Emissions, Flex-Fuel, Ford, Fuel Economy, Honda, Hybrid, Lincoln, Toyota
