Cloud computing and Google Prediction in future Fords will optimize your daily drive, plan your routes, and save energy in the process. How can it do this? Imagine this scenario: You get behind the wheel of a plug-in hybrid and turn the ignition key. A computerized voice asks, ‘Good morning, are you going to work?’ […]
The Lotus Evora 414E series hybrid that first saw the light of day at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show has now begun testing. This is a move important to proving the viability of its advanced powertrain and other high profile technologies in the Lotus portfolio. Based on the slippery-looking production Lotus Evora model, the Evora […]
Repurposing spent electric car batteries is a smart move that can keep them out of the waste stream and provide value to seemingly useless products. This line of thought is gaining believers because it addresses both environmental and economic challenges. One of the major hurdles holding back the widespread popularity of electric vehicles is their […]
Just-completed field trials have produced a steady stream of natural gas from ice-bound methane hydrates in Alaska. How important is this to the future outlook of commercial and light-duty natural gas vehicles? According to the Department of Energy, natural gas produced from methane hydrates may exceed the energy content of all other fossil fuels combined […]
When it comes to on-board fuel economy computers that help you achieve the best mpg, automakers aren’t the only ones in this game. There’s a healthy aftermarket for this as well. In fact, when testing vehicles, we often use an aftermarket gauge to more accurately monitor fuel economy. Our favorite is the ScanGauge II from […]
Clean diesel keeps marching forward, even as American consumers continue to warm slowly to the idea of moving beyond familiar gasoline-powered vehicles. The slow pace is unfortunate considering advanced diesel variants are inherently more fuel efficient than their gasoline counterparts and, might we add, often more fun to drive because of diesel’s copious low-end torque. How […]
There’s increasing use for all the advanced electronics we’re finding in today’s connected vehicles, it turns out. A case in point is a collaboration between Ford and State Farm insurance that could find Ford SYNC-equipped drivers potentially saving up to 40 percent on their car insurance. The State Farm Drive Safe & Save insurance discount […]
High-tech apps enable smart phones to find your car in a parking lot, remotely start the engine, and control charging your EV. There’s good reason for the push toward integrating smartphone-based remote control with electric vehicles and this trend should only accelerate. Remote control is a vital function for plug-in electric vehicles because of the need […]
'Eyes on the road,' we’re told. But a growing array of on-board electronics systems are inspiring or requiring our attention. Today, we have assistance in keeping our focus with lane departure, pedestrian, and drowsy driver warning systems, along with brake assistance and active cruise control. All are now standard equipment on many high-end cars and they're […]
Production of the new smart fortwo electric has begun at the automaker’s newly expanded Hambach plant in France. This is the first time that electric smarts have been produced as an integral part of a conventional smart assembly line alongside internal combustion engine variants. The ability to accept diverse powerplants is a key attribute of […]
For decades, both natural gas and electric vehicles have competed as alternatives to vehicles running on gasoline or diesel fuel. Now, it looks like sales of EVs may finally get traction in the U.S. But what about NGVs? While there are over 13 million natural gas vehicles in use worldwide, fewer than 200,000 NGVs, mainly […]
Advanced powerplants represent but one method of gaining better fuel efficiency. In the propulsion realm, high-tech transmissions also play an important role. Their evolution is notable. In earlier years, cars came with three-speed manual transmissions while automatics had only two or three gear ratios. Today, five-speed manuals are the rule with some high performance cars […]
The huge gulf between environmentalists and the auto industry is shrinking. The relationship between these two interests has evolved to where we are finding a way to agree, and not just reflexively oppose everything the other side has to say. Last summer, automakers and environmentalist joined together to support the historic new clean car agreement […]
Revenge has come. In April, 200 Sierra Club members across the country hosted screenings of Revenge of the Electric Car. Thousands gathered to watch a great film and welcome electric vehicles that seemed impossible only a few years ago. As EVs are hitting the market, Big Oil, their cronies on Fox News, and even presidential candidates […]
A bi-fuel natural gas/gasoline vehicle using low pressure natural gas fueling at home means there will always be plenty of fuel in the tank.
President Obama has announced proposals for continued support of advanced car and truck technologies, including EVs and other alternative fuel vehicles as well as infrastructure needed to support these vehicles. These proposals, and others like it, are essential for advancing technology that can help alleviate pain at the pump and dependence on oil. The proposal […]
Can Michigan become the Silicon Valley of mobility? Ford Motor Company executive chairman Bill Ford seems to think so. He’s calling for policy reform to make this happen, pointing at the integration of communications and vehicle technologies as key to solving urban mobility challenges while creating more high-tech Michigan jobs in the process. These aren’t […]
The auto field has seen interesting twists and turns over the years as it has explored the use of alternative fuels and advanced technologies to improve environmental performance. I have witnessed the ebb and flow of focus on fuels ranging from hydrogen, methanol, ethanol, propane, and natural gas to battery electric, gasoline-electric hybrid, plug-in hybrid, […]