William Maley

William Maley Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com December 14, 2011 Ford is making the hybrid and electric market a bit more exciting with some recent announcements today with their new Focus Electric, C-Max Hybrid, and C-Max Energi models. Starting with Focus Electric, Ford says it will be "the first all-electric vehicle to achieve a 100 miles per gallon equivalent (MPGe) fuel efficiency rating." However, the Mitsubishi i EV gets 112 MPGe on the EPA combined cycle, thus beating the Focus Electric? Kind of; the Mitsubishi i EV can only seat four people while the Focus Electric can seat five, thus the Focus Electric can keep it's title. Ford also says the charging time of the Focus Electric is about 3 to 4 hours when plugged into a 240V charger. That's in part to some new battery charging technology. Then we come to the C-Max Hybrid and Energi models. Ford says the C-Max Hybrid will get "better fuel economy than Toyota Prius V." The C-Max Energi is expected to have "miles per gallon equivalent rating in electric mode better than Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid" and travel a full 500 miles on a single tank of fuel. If so, that would eclipse the Chevrolet Volt's 310 mile range. Press Release is on Page 2 Ford Introduces Gas-Free Focus Electric with 100+ MPGe Expected; Nearly a Third of Lineup Now Offers 40-mpg Model Ford introduces gasoline-free 2012 Focus Electric, expected to be the first five-passenger electric vehicle with a 100 miles per gallon equivalent (MPGe) Nearly one-third of Ford’s vehicle lines will feature a model with 40 mpg or more in 2012 Focus Electric is the first all-electric vehicle to offer faster charging technology, allowing it to charge in half the time of a Nissan Leaf using 240-volt outlets C-MAX Hybrid is projected to achieve better fuel economy than Toyota Prius v and C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid projected to achieve better miles per gallon equivalent in electric mode than Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid.With the C-MAX lineup, Ford becomes the largest hybrid transmission producer in North America Visit the Ford Electrified Vehicles Media Site for more information. WAYNE, Mich., Dec. 14, 2011 – Ford’s world-class Michigan Assembly Plant is starting production of the 2012 Focus Electric, expected to be the first five-passenger, all-electric car to achieve more than a 100 miles per gallon equivalent (MPGe) fuel efficiency rating. Focus Electric also is the first of its kind to feature faster charging, which will halve Nissan Leaf’s time to fully recharge the battery and help drivers to more than double the expected single-charge range in a busy day of driving and recharging. The car headlines Ford’s transformed lineup, one-third of which will feature a model with 40 mpg or more in 2012, building on the company’s commitment to give fuel-efficiency-minded customers the Power of Choice. “The Focus Electric is a shining example of the leading fuel economy Ford is offering for each new vehicle,” said Derrick Kuzak, group vice president, Global Product Development. “Whether people want a hybrid, 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.” Even with relatively stable gas prices, fuel economy is the top purchase consideration for new vehicles. Nearly 45 percent of customers say fuel economy is their top consideration based on a Ford survey of Americans in 36 cities this fall. Styling is the next consideration, with only 16 percent of study participants saying it is their top purchase driver. Ford’s rollout of electrified vehicles began in December 2010 with the 2011 Ford Transit Connect Electric – a small commercial van built in collaboration with Azure Dynamics. Ford’s other 40-mpg vehicles include: Focus SE Fiesta Focus Electric C-MAX Hybrid C-MAX Energi Three vehicles yet to be announced With 20 years of Ford research and innovation behind the software and hardware technology, the company offers proven engineering and design with Focus Electric. Ford holds approximately 500 patents on the hybrid technology used in the new Focus Electric and its other electrified vehicles. Faster charging Focus Electric is designed to offer enough range to cover the majority of daily driving habits of Americans. Its expected 100 MPGe is better than Chevrolet Volt and all electric vehicles with seating for five. It will be the first electrified vehicle to offer faster charging with 240-volt outlets, which can be installed in customer homes. The battery can be recharged in just more than three hours using a 240-volt charging station, about half the charging time of the 2012 Nissan Leaf. Faster charging with 240 volts also can extend range as drivers can more quickly recharge between stops – up to 30 miles per charge hour – so they can more than double the vehicle’s range with multiple charging stops during a busy day of driving. A unique value charging feature, powered by Microsoft, will help owners in the U.S. charge their vehicles at the cheapest utility rates, lowering the cost of ownership. Elec-tech Focus Electric introduces new features and technologies – including a unique version of the MyFord Touch® driver connect system especially for electric vehicles and a smartphone app called MyFord® Mobile that helps plug-in owners control their vehicles remotely. The sleek and stylish five-door hatchback is designed to deliver real driving enjoyment as well. The all-electric powertrain and single-speed transmission provide immediate responsiveness and smooth acceleration when the driver steps on the accelerator, up to a top speed of 84 mph. The Focus Electric is a dynamic driver’s car, sharing the steering, handling and braking feel with the agile, sporty, fuel-powered Focus models upon which it’s based. At the same time, the absence of a gasoline or diesel engine and outstanding aerodynamics lead to a remarkably quiet, comfortable in-car experience. A limited number of Focus Electrics will first be available in California and the New York/New Jersey areas. Availability of the Focus Electric will expand in 2012 to the remaining 15 launch markets as production ramps up. The 19 launch markets also include Atlanta; Austin and Houston, Texas; Boston; Chicago; Denver; Detroit; Los Angeles; San Francisco; San Diego; New York; Orlando, Fla.; Phoenix and Tucson, Ariz.; Portland, Ore.; Raleigh-Durham, N.C.; Richmond, Va.; Seattle; and Washington, D.C. MAXimum efficiency The Ford C-MAX Hybrid and C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid are Ford’s first compact multi-activity vehicles (MAVs) in North America and offer high mileage and low emissions as well as a distinctive design and flexible interior. The C-MAX Hybrid and C-MAX Energi use the company’s next-generation powersplit hybrid technology in combination with a lighter, smaller lithium-ion battery system. Both models provide maximum fuel efficiency by pairing the high-voltage lithium-ion battery and electric traction motor with a high-efficiency Atkinson-cycle gasoline engine. This technology enables the gasoline engine to run less than the previous generation. C-MAX Hybrid is targeted to deliver better fuel economy than the Toyota Prius v. C-MAX Energi is expected to deliver better MPGe in electric mode than the Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid and to achieve more than 500 miles of driving range using the battery and engine. The C-MAX Hybrid and C-MAX Energi, like the Focus Electric, have been engineered and built to deliver engaging driving dynamics and technologies. In addition, C-MAX Energi and Focus Electric will offer MyFord Touch and MyFord Mobile, designed to make charging and driving the vehicle even more efficient, affordable and easier to live with. Hybrid transmission leader When C-MAX Hybrid launches, Ford becomes North America’s largest maker of hybrid transmissions. Ford engineered the transmission and upgraded the controls with a goal of creating the industry’s highest-performing and smoothest-operating hybrid transmission. Among the hybrid transmission’s innovations: Electric motors capable of operating at higher electric speeds A new, super-efficient cooling system that enables higher speeds in electric drive Optimized gear ratios enabling improvement in fuel economy More precise controls to deliver higher levels of refinement as the powertrain transitions between engine and electric drive Reduced weight to help increase fuel economy This is the first hybrid transmission to be designed and built by Ford. Production is moving from a supplier in Japan to the Van Dyke Transmission Plant in Sterling Heights, Mich., which also will assemble battery packs for Ford’s hybrid and electric vehicles. Building green vehicles cleaner Ford completely transformed Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne, Mich., into an environmentally friendly workplace with flexible manufacturing capability. With the new electrified vehicles and the new Focus ST performance model also coming in 2012, Ford’s Michigan Assembly Plant is the first facility in the world capable of building a full array of vehicles – gas-powered, EcoBoost®, electric, hybrid and plug-in hybrid – all on the same production line. The plant also features one of the largest solar power generation systems in the state as well as several electric vehicle charging stations, allowing the facility to operate on a blend of renewable and conventional electricity. Renewable energy collected by the solar panels directly feeds the energy-efficient microgrid, helping power the plant. When the plant is inactive, such as holidays, the stored solar energy will provide power during periods of insufficient or inconsistent sunlight. Projected energy cost savings are approximately $160,000 per year. The plant also has 10 electric vehicle charging stations that recharge the electric switcher trucks that transport parts between adjacent facilities – saving an estimated 86,000 gallons of gas a year. Plus, 50 percent of the parts arriving for the all-new Focus are packed in cardboard, are carefully collected, sorted and recycled, as is the bubble wrap, the Styrofoam and the water bottles used by employees. View full article

We’ve told you about the Chevrolet Malibu’s engine lineup; a 2.4L mild hybrid system in the Malibu ECO producing 180 HP and a 2.5L inline-4 producing 190 HP. Now, there’s a third engine coming to the new Malibu. This week, General Motors announced a 2.0L Turbo-4 would be available a year after the Malibu goes on sale. GM hasn’t said anything about the engine, but we can take a guess as to what could lie under the Malibu’s hood. The Buick Regal offers two variations of a 2.0L Turbo; the Regal Turbo with 220 HP and 258 lb-ft of torque and Regal GS with 270 HP and 295 lb-ft of torque. Most likely, the Malibu will get the Regal Turbo’s setup or be somewhere in the middle. The decision to offer a turbo-4 seems to following in the footsteps of Hyundai and Kia which both offer turbo-4s instead of V6s. We’ll learn more about the turbo engine in the coming months. Source: Automobile Magazine Related: How Much For The Chevrolet Malibu ECO? View full article

I might have been the only person who actually liked "The Mechanic" articles. Didn't always agree with them, but it made me think.

Because they are (most of time). An example would be the Dart Interior pictures; most automotive sites got the pictures and press release some time before the Embargo broke (Today @ 12:00 AM). For C&G, I had to go to Chrysler Media site and pull the pics and press release; from there I banged out a story (about 10+ hours later). I do wish that I or someone got the emails or the privilege to access this stuff earlier. As for other stories, I can only write so many stories in a day due to my day job and other goings on in my life. If I can get three to five stories done in day, I consider that success for day. Yes, that does mean some stories do get put off for a day or more. But I do get around to them and write them up. I'm trying my best to get fresh stories as best as I can. Just my two cents here..