Ford Touts Reliability Of Fusion Hybrid, Escape Hybrid
Here’s an interesting fact that may just help you win a trivia challenge someday: your odds of experiencing an issue with a battery cell in a Ford hybrid are 8.5 million to 1. Those are the same odds as being struck by lightning – twice.
Ford wants consumers to know that its hybrid technology has been proven durable by years of testing, so the automaker recently published some impressive statistics. The company has built 190,000 battery packs to date, using nearly 43 million individual cells. The failure rate to date? Five cells.
Ford has put 380,000 electric motors into its 190,000 hybrid vehicles assembled to date, and the failure rate for motors is equally impressive: despite use in taxi fleets around the country, not a single electric motor has failed.
The Ford Escape Hybrid has earned a solid reputation for durability in the New York City taxi fleet, but Ford is equally proud of the Fusion Hybrid's reputation in taxi service. In San Francisco, where Ford Fusion Hybrid taxis are common, fleets rack up 80,000 to 90,000 miles per vehicle per year. Such heavy usage quickly weeds out problems and design flaws, but both the Escape Hybrid and Fusion Hybrid have exceeded expectations for durability.
Yellow Cab San Francisco general manager Jim Gillespie calls the hybrids “incredibly durable,” citing their use in stop-and-go traffic, and up and down San Francisco’s many hills, for 21 hours per day. Gillespie also praises the vehicles’ fuel economy, noting that his drivers use only one-third of the fuel they previously used.
Ford’s battery research and development will become even more critical in the near future, as Ford increases electrification across their product line. Five new electrified vehicles are set to be launched by Ford in North America by 2012, including the Focus Electric, the Transit Connect Electric, the C-MAX Hybrid and the C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid.
[Ford]
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
2011 Ford F-150: New V-6 Gets Top Highway Rating Of 23 MPG
Ford Motor Co. [NYSE:F] has revealed fuel economy figures for most of its 2011 F-150 lineup, all pending final EPA approval. And while the numbers aren't yet out for the much-anticipated EcoBoost V-6 version, Ford is claiming a best-in-class 23 mpg highway for both its 3.7-liter V-6 and 5.0-liter V-8 versions.
The Dearborn automaker said that it found in a poll of F-150 owners that 70 percent wanted improved fuel economy, and it hopes to conquest more current owners of full-size trucks from the other brands with these higher-mpg offerings.
Regarding Ford's best-in-class claim, the key phrase here is "in the respective segments." However, their claim might be disputed; the figure ties with the highway mileage of the 2011 Chevrolet Silverado Hybrid and 2011 GMC Sierra Hybrid—models that achieve 20 mpg city, 23 highway, for a better EPA combined figure than the F-150. To its defense, Ford assumes—probably correctly—that shoppers looking at the V-6 aren't going to consider the Hybrids; for the V-8, we're not as sure that's true.
The base engine on the 2011 Ford F-150 will be a version of the new 3.7-liter V-6 that's also used in the 2011 Ford Mustang, among other models. Here, it makes 302 hp and 278 lb-ft, effectively replacing last year's base V-8 for some customers, and will get 16 mpg city, 23 highway mated to a six-speed automatic transmission (Ford is the only automaker to equip all of its full-size trucks with six-speed transmissions). Ford has installed a higher-capacity, deep-sump oil pan in the truck application to allow effective lubrication even under severe towing situations—and to extend oil changes to 10,000 miles under normal use. The Car Connection has driven this version and found it
With the new 5.0-liter 'Coyote' V-8, the 2011 F-150 comes with EPA ratings of 15 mpg city, 21 highway. Ford assures truck shoppers that it "didn't just put a car engine in a truck." The engine makes 360 horsepower and 380 lb-ft of torque, and has a lower 10.5:1 compression ratio to work well on regular fuel, as well as a different intake cam profile that's been optimized for truck use. In a first drive last month, High Gear Media editorial director Marty Padgett especially liked this engine, saying it "rips off squares of pavement at launch if you want it to, and spins pretty freely up through the rev range."
At the top of the lineup is a 6.2-liter V-8, which Ford says brings "the heart of a Super Duty but available in the F-150." The big V-8, producing 411 hp and 434 lb-ft, has two valves per cylinder, but they provide as much flow as four according to engineers, and the roller-rocker valvetrain and overhead-cam design helps allow huge valves that aren't shrouded by the bore. A fuel economy rating of 12/17 mpg accompanies this engine.
The star of the F-150 lineup is quite possibly the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6, which will provide a full 11,300-pound tow rating. Versus the car-duty EcoBoost V-6 that's featured in a number of vehicles including the Ford Taurus SHO and Lincoln MKT, the truck-duty EcoBoost is different; Ford points to a different fuel system, completely different airflow, and various durability improvements—such as to the pistons—in the truck.
The EcoBoost model won't be out until later in the model year; stay tuned for the numbers.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
2010 Detroit Auto Show: 2011 Volkswagen Jetta Coupe
Volkswagen unveiled a sleek New Compact Coupe concept, with a 45-mpg hybrid powertrain and an off-white leather interior with bucket seats for four.
According to Volkswagen, “the New Compact Coupe (NCC) shows, both technically and visually, how Volkswagen envisions a front-wheel-drive hybrid for the compact class that would be implemented when the time is right.”
This is the second U.S. concept debut from Volkswagen focusing on fuel-efficiency. At the Los Angeles Auto Show last month, the automaker unveiled the Up! Lite, a lightweight, high-mileage model with numerous design details all emphasizing efficiency gains.
In the NCC, Volkswagen supplemented its 150-horsepower 1.4-liter TSI four-cylinder engine—employing direct injection and intercooling—with a 20 kW electric motor. The motor is between the engine and seven-speed Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG) transmission.
The electric motor is about the strength of those employed in mild-hybrid systems and functions mainly to boost the TSI engine and help it operate in its most efficient range, though Volkswagen says that this could be considered a full hybrid system as the NCC can operate in electric mode alone when cruising or coasting. When braking, the system recovers energy, storing it in the 1.1 kW-hour lithium-ion battery.
The concept gets a combined fuel economy of 45 mpg, according to VW, yet can reach a top speed of 141 mph or get to 60 mph in just 8.1 seconds—which looks to be a compelling compromise between efficiency and performance.
Inside, there’s an eight-inch touch screen for the navigation system and audio, with chrome trim and bezels used throughout the dash, but the standout aspect of the interior is the Berry White leather used throughout, contrasted with slightly darker Quartz trim details. The interior is said to be good for four adults, while the trunk is a roomy (for a small coupe) 13.4 cubic feet. Overall, it’s about 178 inches long, which puts it just slightly longer than the 2010 Kia Forte Koup.
The NCC, if produced, would likely be closely related to the all-new 2011 Volkswagen Jetta, termed NCS (New Compact Sedan) within the company, that’s expected late this year.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
Chrysler Retools Its EV Program, Possibly For The Better
Last week, Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne unveiled the company's five-year recovery plan. This week, we've received details about Chrysler's electric vehicle program, which has been given a fairly extreme makeover and a new direction.
Most notably, Chrysler's EV development initiative -- known as ENVI -- has been "absorbed into the normal vehicle development program", according to a Chrysler spokesperson. That doesn't mean that electric vehicles are off the proverbial table, however; as many or slightly more workers will be dedicated to EV programs, but in organizational terms, the ENVI team has been split and rolled into Chrysler's existing vehicle development and powertrain development pods.
While some have read this as the end of Chrysler's EV interests, it looks quite the opposite to us. The integration of ENVI into Chrysler's regular development chain signals an understanding that EV technology is crucial for the company's future and shouldn't be thought of as a side-project. Ideally, incorporating those engineers and product technicians into the regular development process will increase communication and collaboration and lead to faster deployment of EVs. In short, it appears that Chrysler is moving toward efficiency, away from divisiveness; EVs are becoming a more legitimate part of the Chrysler family, less a brood of redheaded stepchildren.
Two other bits of good news:
- Chrysler is still on-target to release hybrid versions of the Dodge Ram pickup and a yet-to-be-named plug-in hybrid minivan over the next two years. Chrysler may be late to the hybrid game, but better late...
- The company has scrapped plans to release the Dodge Circuit sportscar as its first BEV; instead Marchionne has given that honor to a commercial van modeled after the Fiat Doblo. It won't be as snazzy or exciting as the Circuit, and it won't make the Dodge brand any sportier, but switching to a commercial van -- perhaps something to compete with the upcoming Ford Transit Connect EV-- is a smart, sensible move that might actually result in sales.
Of course, Chrysler is far behind the curve on hybrids and EVs (case in point: General Motors made headlines yesterday with its plans to produce the critically acclaimed Cadillac Converj extended-range EV concept), but at least it's still in the game.
[DetNews]
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
Toyota Passes Two Million Hybrid Sales
Toyota today announced that global cumulative sales of its hybrid vehicles have topped the two-million mark, with the latest milestone closely following the launch of the third-generation Prius, which itself has become the world's best-selling hybrid.
It took almost 10 years for Toyota's hybrid sales to reach one million units, but only two years and three months for the second million. According to Toyota, total hybrid sales to the end of August were more than 2.01 million, with all three generations of the Prius accounting for 1.4 million units.
Toyota calculates that its worldwide sales of hybrid vehicles since 1997 have contributed greatly to the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions, claiming that the two million odd hybrid vehicles now on the road have generated approximately 11 million fewer tonnes of CO2 than gasoline-powered vehicles of similar size and driving performance.
Toyota currently sells 13 different hybrid vehicle models in approximately 50 countries and regions around the world, including three commercial-vehicle models in Japan. Its first hybrid, incidentally, was not the Prius but in fact a Coaster Hybrid EV, which went on sale in Japan in August of 1997.
The automaker's goal for the long term is to sell one million hybrid vehicles per year as early as possible in the next decade and eventually introduce hybrid models in its entire lineup around 2020.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
Honda Confirms CR-Z And Fit Hybrids For 2010
It's official. Honda plans to launch two new hybrid vehicles next year: a sporty coupe based on 2007's CR-Z concept car and a hybrid version of the compact Fit. Including the current Insight and Civic hybrids, Honda's tally of the gasoline-electric vehicles will be up to four but there are plans for even more of the fuel-efficient models just on the horizon.
The CR-Z will be heavily influenced by 2007's concept car of the same name and is expected to make its world debut in production trim at this October's Tokyo Motor Show. It is currently being designed and engineered in Europe, its expected key market, and is rumored to feature a 140hp peak power rating from its hybrid drivetrain. First sales are scheduled for Japan in February next year.
The Fit hybrid will be based on the regular compact hatch already on sale in the U.S. and is estimated to cost a little over $15,000. Not much else is known about the car but its release date is slated for late 2010.
Both cars will be powered by Honda's Integrated Motor Assist (IMA), also found in the Insight. In the case of the Insight, the IMA incorporates a 13hp electric motor and a compact Intelligent Power Unit (IPU) recapturing and storing kinetic energy from vehicle braking and deceleration and supplying additional power for acceleration when needed.
Along with today's announcement, Honda also confirmed today that it was working on a new hybrid system designed for mid and fullsize vehicles but no release dates for these vehicles have been mentioned yet.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
Driven: 2009 Chevrolet Silverado Hybrid
In TheCarConnection.com's Bottom Line review of the 2009 Chevrolet Silverado Hybrid, Rex Roy points out that the Hybrid is nearly as capable as its gasoline-only counterparts, able to tow a powerboat (up to 6,100 pounds).
Though we didn't have anything to tow, testing the Silverado Hybrid's hauling ability seemed like the natural thing to do. In just the course of a few days, we'd hauled furniture. For one short stretch we had five adults aboard plus and a band's worth of equipment, including a heavy bass cabinet and PA. The gasoline engine came on earlier and more frequently when loaded down, but the hybrid drive system didn't flinch and the brakes remained just as confident.
The 2009 Chevrolet Silverado Hybrid comes with a folding tonneau cover that we're assuming provides some aerodynamic advantage to the truck. The cover settles into a rail and fits snugly back by the tailgate to create an almost weatherproof seal, with just a small gap remaining when parked, though the whole arrangement still flaps noisily above 65 mph or so. However, there's no bed liner included, and there are no tie-downs or tie-down places, which meant we had to wedge other items back there to keep things from sliding (and scratching).
Whether fully loaded or not, the Silverado Hybrid moves confidently, thanks to a hybrid system that includes GM's 5.3-liter V-8 along with dual 81-hp electric motors. A 300-pound battery pack is mounted just below the back seats. In the 4WD form that we tested, the Silverado Hybrid is rated at 20 mpg city, 20 highway, though the 2WD model gets 21 mpg city, 22 highway—yes, that's in the vicinity of 50 percent better than the gasoline-only versions!
Overall, the Silverado Hybrid has one of the smoothest full-hybrid systems we've tested. Taking off at a respectable pace, the Silverado Hybrid launches with electric power only, then the gasoline engine typically turns on at 10 mph or so and moves the truck with more authority. If you're cruising at a low speed (under 25 mph) the gasoline engine cuts off and the system moves the truck with electric power only.
Roy reported that there are no drivability quirks, and to that I say, it depends on what kind of driving you're doing. If you're driving the Silverado Hybrid gently, you might have trouble coming to a smooth stop; the brake pedal feels quite normal at higher speeds, but if you're slowing down to a gradual stop the pedal becomes very touchy below 15 mph or so, grabbing harder for the last bit; even after a week of driving we were still stopping a few feet earlier than we'd intended, then inching forward. On the bright side, the Silverado Hybrid coasts much better than most hybrids and maintains expressway speeds without twitchiness.
The electric mode is surprisingly robust. We were able to get the electric-only mode to work at up to 29 mph on mostly level ground, and setting the cruise control at around 25 mph—which it surprisingly would allow—we were able to maintain on electric only for more than a mile and a half before the gas engine restarted. With the right light throttle foot, you can creep around quiet subdivision streets without a sputter from the ol' petrol one.
For those who don't like long-wheelbase trucks, there's a bit of disappointment here. The Silverado Hybrid is at this time only available in one body style, the Crew Cab and long bed. It wasn't the best combination for this city-dweller, and we ended up making lots of three-point turns in the course of the week.
By the end of our time with the Silverado Hybrid, we'd averaged 19 mpg, in mostly city driving with lots of starting and stopping and several cold starts. Even with the Adaptive Fuel Management that most of GM's full-size trucks now get, we probably would have seen 12 or 13 in a standard Silverado.
At three dollars a gallon for gas, that's about $7,000 saved on gas alone over five years, assuming about 15,000 a year—and more than 460 gallons of fuel saved annually.
Unfortunately, the Silverado Hybrid is a pricey truck. Our 4WD test rig had only one option—an eight-way seat adjuster—and it stickered at $42,420. That's about $10k more than the Work Truck (W/T) version of the Silverado Crew Cab but just a few thousand more than a standard Silverado optioned up with the same features. It'll pay off, all said, in a few years. And that's before counting the $2,200 federal tax credit that's still in effect.
We hope GM soon makes a more simply equipped, affordable version of the Silverado Hybrid available to those who want to stock their fleets with these trucks, because altogether the difference they could make is staggering.
Check out TheCarConnection.com's model page on the 2009 Chevrolet Silverado Hybrid for the Bottom Line, plus a full review, photos, specs, prices, and more news. The Silverado Hybrid has also recently been covered by our partner site, GreenCarReports.com.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
First Drive: 2010 Mercedes-Benz ML450 Hybrid
Mercedes-Benz today unveiled its latest effort to reduce the fuel consumption of its large luxury vehicles with the launch of the 2010 ML450 Hybrid. This new mdoel of the ML sport utility, built in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, is fitted with the Two-Mode Hybrid system jointly developed by General Motors, Daimler, Chrysler, and BMW.
Combining its 275-horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6 gasoline engine and two electric motors, the complete powertrain delivers 335 horsepower and 381 pound-feet of torque. And the 2010 ML450 definitely delivers the mileage, returning 21 mpg city and 24 mpg highway.
The ML450 Hybrid hasn't been priced yet, and Benz is likely sweater the numbers to work out how to sell it at a profit. The Benz uses a larger 2.4-kilowatt-hour nickel-metal-hydride battery pack than other Two-Mode vehicles—half again as large as the Cadillac Escalade Hybrid pack—along with liquid cooling to keep it at the right temperature. Those components aren't cheap, but Benz also isn't commenting on how many it expects to sell.
The Two-Mode Hybrid transmission packs a pair of electrical motors and several gear-sets into the same space as a conventional automatic transmission. It can operate solely on electric power at lower speeds, but unlike smaller hybrid systems like those in the Toyota Prius, it also offers electric assist at highway speeds.
A 45-minute test drive in the ML450 Hybrid showed that Benz has done its homework, with very little drivetrain noise and the customary levels of luxury. The regenerative braking blends seamlessly into the friction brakes, with imperceptible engine starts and stops. Ignoring the power split display on the center stack and the charge meter next to the speedometer, the only sign of the hybrid under the hood was an occasional disconnect between engine noise and road speed.
For those drivers disconcerted by that CVT-like experience, Benz offers a "Shift" mode that changes the control software to imitate the behavior of an engine linked to an eight-speed automatic transmission. It costs about 3 percent of the gas mileage, but drivers using "S" mode may literally never know they're driving a hybrid.
The Mercedes-Benz ML series will now become the only one sold in North America that offers standard gasoline engines (15 / 24 mpg for the 3.5-liter), a diesel option (18 /24 mpg for the 3.0-liter BlueTec diesel) and a hybrid system. May the best green system win.--By John Voelcker
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
GM, CMU: Who’s Right About The Electric Car? (Hint: Neither)
A week ago, Carnegie Mellon University issued a report that said long- and mid-range electric cars are "not cost effective in any scenario". Their rationale?
- The expense of installing a battery big enough to get 40 miles per charge is never going to pay for itself in fuel savings.
- Furthermore, just producing those batteries has a more negative impact on the environment than the C02 emissions of a hybrid car with a shorter electric range--say, something around seven to ten miles per charge.
- Electric car batteries don't seem to hold up more than seven years max, and when they run out, owners face junking the car after less than a decade or installing a new battery for a chunky $16,000 or so.
All that is to say that cars like the gas-electric 2011 Chevrolet Volt, which shoot for the 40-mile option on electric only, then back it up with a small gas engine, should be reconfigured to run off hybrid powertrains with smaller, lighter, cheaper, shorter-range batteries.
A week later, General Motors' VP of Global Program Management, Jon Lauckner, has posted the official GM response. His arguments?
- A battery with only a seven-mile range means a major inconvenience for buyers, since they'll be recharging more often.
- With only a seven-mile range, the 78% of drivers who commute 40 miles (or less) to work would spend most of their time running off their gasoline engines, which would erase the environmental benefits of driving an electric car.
- Batteries for the Volt are expected to run closer to $4,000, not $16,000.
- When CMU was crunching cost-effectiveness, it forgot to take into account the federal tax credits for purchasers of electric vehicles, which run from $2500 to $7500.
A very unscientific poll conducted in the TCC employee lounge has revealed that both CMU and GM are, in business lingo, full of it. And here's why:
- In GM's favor: If CMU was that far off on battery cost estimates, that's a major strike against the study's accuracy. Since battery cost is one of the cornerstones of CMU's argument, you have to wonder what else they might've flubbed.
- Also in GM's favor: Who's gonna want a car with an electric-only range of seven miles? How can that begin to offset the cost of the powertrain?
- In CMU's favor: Even with the reduced battery expense, the Volt is still going to run around $40,000. If Americans drive around 12,000 miles per year, and they save around 10 cents per mile with an electric car, the buyer of a $40,000 Volt would have to drive it for over 13 years to make that purchase more beneficial than buying a $24,000 hybrid like the 2009 Prius. Even the most commitment-friendly folks are gonna wince at that.
- Also in CMU's favor: As one commenter on the GM site so succintly put it, "If the business plan for success of the Volt requires a sweetheart legislation package of incentives, then it's not a good business plan."
- And thirdly in CMU's favor: GM never addresses the environmental impact of producing the 40-mile-range batteries and whether that might be offset by performance. Seems like sloppy debate technique to us--but then, we were statewide Lincoln-Douglas champs back in high school. (Go 'Naders!)
Feel free to rip us a new one via email or in the comments below. Go on: we dare you.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
Lexus Celebrates 20 Years
Toyota proudly notes that its wildly successful Lexus division debuted exactly 20 years ago at 1989's Detroit Auto Show. The cars that started the brand were the LS 400, a Benz S-Class fighter, and the ES 250, a Camry-based sedan with a V-6, frameless windows, and stellar fit and finish.
Despite a chorus of doubters, Lexus quickly established itself as a formidable contender, sending both engineers and marketing managers at rival German luxury car makers back to the drawing board in attempts to produce cars as reliable, efficient, and affordable as the Japanese upstart. Consistency has been Lexus hallmark - to this day, it is nearly impossible to find a Lexus product that doesn't offer remarkable quiet, finesse, and serene operation in every imaginable driving scenario.
Then again, critics have aimed squarely at Lexus' inoffensive nature, lobbing insults like "bland" and "vanilla" at the automaker. True, perhaps, but Lexus' sales numbers tell a very impressive story regardless. And accolades through the years from all the major automotive journals like Automobile and Car and Driver suggest that the brand has succeeded in its relentless pursuit of perfection.
To be sure, Lexus has built some slow-sellers, vehicles that haven't resonated so well with U.S. tastes. Replacing its fantastic SC 300/SC 400 line, for example, with the uncomfortably tight and expensive SC 430 folding hardtop was a true head-scratcher. On the other hand, Lexus has led the luxury car world in the gas/electric hybrid realm, producing the likes of the RX 400h and the LS 600h L. True, those models focus more on performance than they do efficiency, but they paved the way in the minds of the Lexus faithful for a hybrid vehicle fitting into the company fold, and the brand new HS 250h, just shown in Detroit and going on sale this fall, finally turns fully toward uber efficient operation by using the proven powertrain from the Toyota Camry hybrid.
Concludes John F. Thompson, editor of Toyota's Open Road blog, "this use of technology that didn't even exist 20 years ago is a pretty good way, we think, to begin our second 20 years in the pursuit of excellence."
Happy birthday, Lexus, and congratulations on a remarkable first 20 years.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
