Today’s news is all about electric cars, or at least electrified variations of the cars, trucks, and SUVs we’ve come to rely on over the years. It wasn’t always that way. In fact, for decades there was wide recognition that our driving needs might be well-served with an array of fuels and technologies and that maximum mpg was an increasingly important goal. The reason was, and is, clear: Greater fuel economy means less fuel is used for every mile driven, and thus carbon emissions are greatly reduced. This was the focus of the Automotive X Prize and the innovative teams that strived to demonstrate extreme fuel efficiency. The Alé shown here from FuelVapor Technologies was one such entrant that caught our editors’ attention back in 2007. This article, drawn from Green Car Journal’s extensive archives, appears here just as it ran in the magazine’s Summer 2007 issue.
Excerpted from Summer 2007 issue: FuelVapor Technologies has shown the technology it plans to use to capture an Automotive X-Prize, a competition with multi-million dollar prizes for the fastest car that gets over 100 miles per gallon. Entered in the alternative category requiring only two-passenger capacity, the company’s innovative and futuristic three-wheel Alé carries two in tandem. The mainstream X-Prize category requires four seats.
Power delivered to the front two wheels comes from a modified 1.5-liter, four-cylinder Honda engine. The turbocharged, two-stage single cam VTEC engine produces 180 horsepower. To achieve its super-high mpg goals, FuelVapor Technologies has developed a sophisticated electronic gasoline vapor fuel management system that vaporizes the gasoline, allowing the engine to run with extremely lean air-fuel ratios for maximum mpg.
How important is this? Compared to most gasoline engines that operate on a 14.7:1 air-to-fuel ratio, FuelVapor’s patent pending system can run on a ratio of over 20:1. The vaporized mixture is delivered to the front of the stock throttle body. During light-duty cruising, the engine’s regular fuel injectors are shut off and the engine runs only on the vapors.
Currently, the system appears to be optimized for performance, so the company claims “only” 92 mpg on regular gasoline at this point in time. For example, the 1400 pound, 174-inch long car can accelerate from 0-60 mpg in under 5 seconds and has an electronically limited top speed of 140 mph. It achieves super-low emissions without a catalytic converter and CO2 emissions are also reduced by 30 percent.
The car’s aerodynamically efficient design uses a hand-laid fiberglass composite body over a full tube frame with roll cage. Other features include a Honda CRX-based adjustable coilover spring front suspension, single-sided swing arm with fully adjustable coilover spring rear suspension, Porsche 911 rack-and-pinion steering, and disc brakes on all three wheels.
All this comes together to allow the Alé to easily pull 1.7 g’s in corners...on street tires. Plans are for limited production of Alés to begin in 2008.
The clean fuels industry has always been about more than emissions reductions. It’s about economic opportunity, rural investment, health benefits, and energy security. This spring, we’ve seen those priorities drive meaningful investment and policy momentum.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently released $537 million in funding for 543 projects in 29 states through the Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program (HBIIP). The HBIIP grants provide matching funds for companies investing in new pumps, fuel storage, distribution, and transportation infrastructure needed to deliver clean fuels to consumers. The program, which receives bipartisan congressional support, is effectively expanding market access for biodiesel across the country. These infrastructure upgrades will help producers supply better, cleaner fuels to states and regions where consumer demand is quickly increasing.
This commitment from USDA arrives at a moment of remarkable progress and unity in clean fuels policy. After more than 15 years of regulatory and political battles over Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) volumes, fuel producers, farmers and refiners are speaking with one voice. Clean Fuels Alliance America, the American Petroleum Institute, American Soybean Association, National Oilseed Processors Association, and other stakeholders have come together to support timely, robust RFS volumes for 2026.
In March, we joined industry partners in a unified request to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): set the 2026 Biomass-Based Diesel (BBD) volume at 5.25 billion gallons. This target reflects both the industry’s current capacity and the growing demand for low-carbon fuels. Following lower-than-expected volumes set for 2023-2025, which contributed to delayed facility startups and job losses, there’s a clear opportunity for EPA to restore certainty and confidence. Setting a 5.25-billion-gallon volume for 2026 would signal stability and help the industry regain momentum.
Demand is already surging. In 2024, U.S. consumption of biodiesel, renewable diesel, and SAF reached 5.1 billion gallons. The Energy Information Administration (EIA) projects that will grow to 5.5 billion gallons in 2026. Rail and shipping companies are joining the clean fuels movement because biodiesel and renewable diesel are decarbonization tools readily available now. Six major U.S. railroads became Clean Fuels members in the past year alone. The new infrastructure supported by HBIIP grants will help meet this surging demand.
The feedstock side is equally strong. Soybean processors have invested over $6 billion to expand or build 20 crush plants in 10 states, according to analysis by S&P Global on behalf of NOPA. Those investments will support an additional 1.4 billion gallons of biofuel production by 2030. In 2024, U.S. producers used over a billion pounds of domestic soybean oil each month – a 15 percent increase since 2022. That strong demand added an estimated $1.10 of value to every bushel of soybeans grown.
The economic case is just as compelling. The U.S. biomass-based diesel industry currently supports 107,400 jobs and adds $42.4 billion to the U.S. economy, according to GlobalData. With expected growth, that impact could rise to 145,700 jobs and over $60 billion in economic activity. From farms and rendering facilities to processing plants and fuel terminals, this is American energy in action.
As 16 bipartisan U.S. Senators reminded EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin in April, we’ve seen what happens when RVOs are set too low. Producers pull back. Markets decline. Communities suffer. We cannot afford another year of policy misalignment. With stakeholders united and the infrastructure investments in place, EPA must seize this moment to align policy with opportunity.
Clean Fuels and industry stakeholders are urging EPA to finalize a 5.25-billion-gallon BBD volume for 2026 and to raise that target to 5.75 billion gallons in 2027. These numbers aren’t ambitious, they’re realistic, and they reflect where the industry is today and where it’s going.
Clean fuels are America’s opportunity to lead in climate, commerce, and community. With smart policy, strategic investment. and continued collaboration, we can deliver cleaner air, stronger farms, and a more secure energy future.
Donnell Rehagen serves as the CEO for Clean Fuels Alliance America, the U.S. trade association representing the entire biodiesel, renewable diesel, and sustainable aviation fuel supply chain, including producers, feedstock suppliers, and fuel distributors.
Let’s face it, even though the stakes are quite often very high, environmental rule making is rarely dramatic. Rules generally move at a glacial pace through extensive review processes at both the state and federal levels. That is why the California Air Resources Board’s (CARB) decision on January 13, 2025, to drop its pursuit of a federal approval for its Advanced Clean Fleet’s (ACF) rule stunned the state and nation!
Adopted on April 28, 2023, the ACF would have required approximately 532,000 of the estimated 1.8 million trucks operating in California to reach zero emission between 2024 and 2045. The rule represented a sea change for the trucking industry, introducing new technologies and fuels. For the long-suffering environmental justice communities, it represented a vital chance to reduce the double threats of unhealthy air and future climate change that result from truck tailpipe emissions.
However, the Trump administration had loudly vowed to kill this rule, largely based on significant opposition from the trucking industry and other states, from Trump’s own fossil fuel agenda, and from a fundamental objection to California setting its own vehicle emissions standards. Many who followed the rule believed that California would go to the courts to defend the ACF as a cornerstone of the state’s environmental justice, air quality, and climate policies. But it was not to be and the ACF died with a whimper and without the expected legal knife fight.
In its statement explaining the sudden shift, CARB Chair Liane Randolph said, "The withdrawal is an important step given the uncertainty presented by the incoming administration that previously attacked California's programs to protect public health and the climate and has said will continue to oppose those programs." However, many of those closest to the rule believe that this was just a smoke screen to cover California’s retreat from what they describe as a fatally flawed regulation reliant on unworkable and immature technologies.
During the lead up to the ACFs adoption in April 2023, CARB was deluged with comments from the trucking industry, environmental activists, local, state and federal agencies, and nongovernmental and special interest groups including local chambers of commerce and the powerful Western States Petroleum Association (WSPA). To its credit, CARB tried to provide access to its rule making process to as many stakeholders as possible. But with so much noise coming from every corner, the agency largely stuck with its own council.
This is not unusual, and many of us who have worked with CARB believe that the input process is largely performative – a box is checked and they move on. In their defense, CARB has had extraordinary successes operating like this. Take for example California’s passenger electric vehicle (EV) rule making, its cap-and-trade program, and the large reductions of harmful diesel emissions its rules have achieved at California’s container ports. So, while the trucking industry was animatedly pointing out that there was no electric power or hydrogen infrastructure capable of fueling their fleets, they were largely being ignored.
CARB was also ignoring significant concerns being voiced by California’s Investor-Owned Utilities (IOUs), possibly viewing their input as foot dragging. In written comments on the ACF on October 17, 2022, PG&E noted “as the provider of electricity for approximately two in five Californians, CARB should include additional flexibility to the Infrastructure Delay Exemption given that many of the eligible reasons for delay, including interconnection delays, are likely to take longer than one year.” And PG&E gave an excellent reason for this since the utility wasn’t planning to have the infrastructure built out to fully accommodate truck charging for almost another decade. In their own words:
“In the long-term, PG&E will address 90 percent of the capacity constraints currently anticipated on our system for the next decade by 2032 through our integrated grid planning effort and will continue working to address all capacity constraints on the grid thereafter. In the near term there will likely be longer interconnection timelines to support the substantial distribution upgrades necessary to energize fleet customers’ projects.”
On top of these grid issues, PG&E also cited supply chain shortages, permitting, and environmental remediation as being problems that would seriously delay truck charging site energization.
However, instead of pulling back, CARB chose to rely on promises made by two other state agencies, the California Energy Commission (CEC) and the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to forge ahead. At an October 27, 2022, hearing, CARB received assurances from both the CEC and CPUC that grid and hydrogen infrastructure would be ready to handle the additional fueling that the ACF required. CEC testified that its work with the CPUC, IOUs, and California’s Independent Systems Operator (CASIO) would ensure there was enough electricity for truck charging. CEC further stated it would ensure hydrogen fuel production and dispensing infrastructure would be there also.
The CPUC testified that it had been working on site energization issues (getting power from the grid to the trucks) and that – because of California Assembly Bill 841 – it now required IOUs to pass the costs of energizing truck parking sites “before the meter” to rate payers.This meant that truckers would not have to pay the significant costs of getting power lines to their parking sites directly. Also, the CPUC established a 125-day average connection time requirement for IOUs to bring that power to the truck parking sites – so problems solved! (What the CPUC didn’t mention was the fine print on energization. but more on that later). And so, ignoring industry and IOU concerns in favor of the state agency echo chamber, CARB adopted the ACF on April 28, 2023.
Almost immediately, the California Trucking Association sued, then WSPA, then 17 states led by Nebraska, and then others until there were at least six lawsuits against the ACF in state and federal courts. Some alleged procedural violations by CARB as part of the rule making process, but others, perhaps most significantly, challenged California’s right to set the emissions standards for trucks in the first place.
Historically, because California’s air pollution problems are so severe, it has been allowed to set its own stricter emissions standards for motor vehicles by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This is done through what is known as the preemption waiver process. Essentially, motor vehicles – or in this case truck emissions standards – adopted in California must be approved by EPA. The lawsuit from Nebraska and the other states objected to CARB proceeding forward with ACF implementation prior to EPA’s review and approval of the emissions waiver request.
Faced with the lawsuits and without EPA approval, ACF implementation stalled in early 2024, with CARB rolling back multiple rule requirements including compulsory Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) truck purchases.
While the lawyers battled it out in court and CARB scrambled to roll back the rule, on the ground the implementation issues were insurmountable for many heavy-duty fleets.
When looking for the trucks that would meet CARB mandate, truckers were initially stunned by sticker shock. The trucks available were double (in the case of battery electric) and triple (in the case of hydrogen) the cost of conventional vehicles. Truck suppliers tried to entice purchases by touting supposed operational savings with both technologies relative to the maintenance and fueling cost of conventional diesel trucks. However, that initial cost, on top of the lack of availability of electric charging and hydrogen infrastructure, was too great a barrier for most to overcome. This caused a spike in diesel truck purchases by California drayage (port) fleets in 2023 before the rule deadline – the exact opposite effect that the ACF was intended to have. For those who bought the electric or hydrogen trucks, or those lucky enough to secure grant funding to help defray their costs, the waiting time to get power to their truck parking facilities was frequently quoted in years by the IOUs or the hydrogen infrastructure was simply unavailable. This left those assets stranded and grant monies unused.
Looking at the fine print on the CPUC’s requirements, it turns out the IOUs had multiple options to stop the clock on supplying power, including if a power request was over two megawatts. This meant that – depending on how the trucks were charged – fleets with as few as four to six Class 8 trucks were out of luck. This struggle was reported on in detail by Canary Media in September 2024 by Jeff St. John. His excellent piece details efforts by the California legislature to address the truck charging issue with the IOUs, the years-long wait for power in many areas, and the mounting incredulity with ACF requirements. However, in November 2024, Donald Trump was reelected, sounding the death knell of the ACF and perhaps sparing California and CARB’s blushes.
At the start of this article, we rightly praised CARB for the work that led to their significant successes in improving health outcomes and their programs to protect global climate for Californians. However, they have also been responsible for more than a few calamitous outcomes including the use of methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) in gasoline, the failure of California’s first EV mandate, the various scrambles around the implementation of the original truck, bus, and car rules, and now the ACF debacle.
While regulatory setbacks are to be expected when pushing the technological envelope, in this charged political and economic environment CARB simply must take more care to ensure that the rules it adopts will stick. This may mean being more conservative in the short term and making smaller and better understood technological leaps with willing partners. For example, there were some notable successes in ACF implementation. Companies like FEDEX and Amazon deployed significant numbers of electric trucks. However, these companies had duty cycles that suited those solutions, corporate commitments to greenhouse gas emissions reductions targets, available power at warehouse locations, and over a decade of advanced planning to ensure smooth integration of those ZEVs.
Ultimately, small steps forward are still progress. Large defeats like the ACF, especially where the technology is arguably unworkable, significantly undermine the credibility of the environmental movement. This fuels critics’ attacks on rule making and makes progress harder to achieve. It also serves to discourage allies in industry from doing the right thing and frustrates impacted communities who are relying on these types of rules to ensure better health outcomes.
So how can CARB avoid this in the future? It needs to fundamentally change how it takes and values input – no more checking boxes! This will mean exiting the state echo chamber and coming to a real understanding of the industries it is trying to regulate, the technologies that are available to help, and the expectations of the communities it is seeking to serve.
About the Author: Damian Breen is the founder of Environmental Communication Strategies and former Deputy Executive Officer of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District. He has worked at the crossroads of the environment, people, business, and future technology for over 29 years. For more information on this article, contact Damian at damian@ecs-ca.com.
The midsize Honda Prologue EV gets a new and more powerful and efficient front motor and upgraded power inverters for 2025 to boost range and horsepower in both front- and all-wheel drive versions. Despite the power and range boosts there’s only a slight price increase – $55 – due to a hike in Honda’s mandatory delivery and destination fee. There are no design or feature updates for the new model year.
Honda engineers had hoped to be able to boast of a 300-mile range estimate when the Prologue debuted as a 2024 model, but they weren’t in complete control because the EV was co-developed with General Motors and uses a GM platform and battery shared with the Chevrolet Blazer EV. The official EPA range estimate for the single-motor, front-drive version missed the desired mark by a scant 4 miles.
For the 2025 model, though, new power inverters and front motors enabled a bump to 308 miles for the front-drive Prologue, an increase of 12 miles. Range for dual motor all-wheel drive versions rises to 294 miles, up 13, for the EX and Touring trims, and to 283 miles, up 10, for the Elite.
The hardware boosts power output for front-drive models to 220 hp and 243 lb-ft of torque, up from 212 ponies and 236 lb-ft. For all-wheel drive models, output increases to 300 hp and 335 lb-ft, up 12 and 25, respectively.
Because the basic vehicle doesn’t change, the Prologue retains a CCS charging port for 2025, meaning that on road trips its default fast charging is at non-Tesla stations. It will require an adapter to hook up to a Tesla Supercharger once Tesla adds Honda EVs to its list of approved Supercharger users this spring.
On non-Tesla DC fast charges, the Prologue can take on juice up to a maximum of 150 kW per hour. Its 85 kWh battery needs about 35 minutes to recharge from 80 percent depleted to 80 percent full. For 240-volt Level 2 home charging, the Prologue has an 11.5 kW (maximum) on-board charger, good for overnight replenishment of a fully depleted battery.
For as long as the federal clean vehicles tax credit remains available, all versions of the 2025 Prologue qualify for the full $7,500 credit and this can be applied at the dealership as an immediate discount if a buyer meets federal eligibility requirements. Those who lease will see the credit applied as a buy-down, resulting in reduced monthly payments.
Before any federal, state, or local incentives, pricing for the 2025 Prologue starts with the base front-drive EX at $48,850 including Honda’s $1,450 destination fee (up from $1,395 for 2024). All-wheel drive adds $3,000 for a pre-incentive price of $51,850.
Standard equipment for the EX includes 19-inch aluminum alloys, power-adjustable driver’s seat, heated front seats, dual-zone climate control, wireless phone charger, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, and a Google built-in operating system. All Prologue EV trims also get the Honda Sensing suite of advanced safety and driver assistance technologies, including Honda’s first applications of automated rear cross traffic emergency braking, rear pedestrian alert, and blind zone steering assist. Other features include front collision and road departure mitigation, lane departure warning and lane keeping assist, and adaptive cruise control. Like all Prologue trim levels, the base model comes in Mercury Silver Metallic with other exterior color choices available at a $455 upcharge.
Including delivery fee, the mid-level Touring trim jumps to $53,150 with front-drive and $56,150 with dual motor all-wheel drive. It adds to the base standard features package with a 12-speaker Bose premium sound system, leather upholstery, a driver seat memory system, auto dimming rear view mirror, panoramic sunroof, hands-free powered tailgate, and front and rear parking assist. At the top of the Prologue lineup, the Elite is available only with all-wheel drive and starts at $59,350 including destination. It adds to the Touring’s standard equipment with a number of upscale features including 21-inch wheels, ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, a Sport driving mode, and a color head-up display.
Honda is carrying over its charging bonus for 2025. Prologue buyers get 60 kWh of free public charging at Electrify America stations. Plus, buyers can opt for an additional valuable charging incentive.
Those choices include an additional $750 public charging credit, or alternatively, an 11.5-kilowatt Level 2 home charging station, a $500 installation credit, and a $100 public charging credit through Honda Home Electrification (HHE). The third option is a 7.6 kW portable Level 2 charging kit, a $250 installation credit (in case a new circuit is needed for the portable unit), and a $300 public charging credit, also via HHE.
This was originally published on thegreencarguy.com. Author John O'Dell is a distinguished career journalist and has a been an automotive writer, editor, and analyst specializing in alternative vehicles and fuels for over two decades.
Our Prius Prime long-term test car was plugged in and ready for its usual around-town electric car duty, something it did with ease every day with its up to 44 mile range exclusively on batteries. It had been a while since we had to go beyond those all-electric miles and take advantage of the Prime’s long-range capabilities as a hybrid. Yep. A road trip was calling.
This time we’re heading out from Green Car Journal’s headquarters in San Luis Obispo on California’s Central Coast, up the Cuesta Grade, and through bucolic Paso Robles, one of the most important wine regions in California. But it isn’t wine we’re focused on this trip so we continue northbound amid wide-open countryside dotted with the occasional small city beckoning those needing fuel or food.
Our destination 145 miles ahead is the picturesque Monterey Peninsula, home of charming Carmel-by-the Sea, the laid-back Carmel Valley, and historic Monterey with its Fisherman’s Wharf and Cannery Row of Steinbeck lore. This is an area steeped in history that beckons one to experience and explore, with one of its highlights the dramatic 17 Mile Drive that winds along some of the most spectacular coastline on the planet. It’s no wonder that the Monterey Peninsula is an incredibly popular tourist destination that attracts visitors from all over the world.
Drawing our attention as auto enthusiasts is that the peninsula is the home of the annual Monterey Car Week, Pebble Beach Concourse de Elegance, The Quail Motorsport Gathering, and the Monterey Motorsports Reunion historic car races at nearby Raceway Laguna Seca. While this wasn’t our focus now, visiting Monterey in August provides some of the best auto enthusiast immersions possible anywhere. Beyond the week's many official gatherings, you'll find automotive eye candy in abundance plying the streets of Carmel-by-the-Sea and Cannery Row as classics and exotics show their stuff amid everyday life.
As the miles rolled by during our drive, we couldn't help but appreciate the accommodating features of our Prius Prime and how ideal it is for this, or really any, road trip. There were four of us this time – three adults and a child – with our Prius loaded with the gear and trappings required for a fun weekend getaway. As we made our way northbound it wasn’t lost on us that these days, a great majority of trips, local and long distance, are made in SUVs of one stripe or another. We've done plenty of that and the sheer number of these on the road during our drive illustrated their popularity. But we have a great interest in efficiency and the capabilities that family sedans and hatchbacks with a smaller footprint continue to bring to the highway. The Prius Prime is a poster child of this efficiency and functionality.
Speaking of efficiency, one can't help but be impressed with how frugal this Toyota plug-in hybrid is with a gallon of gas. While numbers can vary depending on speed, terrain, and driving style, it's a given that more often than not we're seeing 50-plus mpg displayed on our instrument panel, including on this trip. That's a testiment to the Prius Prime's newest-generation Hybrid Synergy Drive. This powertrain combines a 2.0-liter engine, 151 horsepower motor-generator, and 13 kWh battery pack to not only deliver this high level of efficiency, but welcome performance as well with its overall 220 horsepower. While we appreciate the ability to plug-in during travels to enable a degree of all-electric driving at an EPA rated 127 MPGe, we only did that before leaving home and upon our return from this quick weekend journey.
On our list of high points for this trip was stopping by Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo, also known as Carmel Mission, in Carmel Valley. The second of 21 missions established from 1769 to 1823 by Franciscan missionaries led by Padre Junipero Serra, the mission is fully restored and an important touchstone in the region’s history. We’ve traveled to all 21 missions in the California Mission System over the years and a stop at Carmel Mission was a must during this trip.
No trip to the Monterey Peninsula is complete without spending time exploring the many distinctive shops and eateries in quaint Carmel-by-the-Sea. There's no doubt this is an art town given the sheer number of art galleries present along its charming streets. Pastries? Sure. Unique and hand-made gifts? Absolutely, at an endless sea of shops. And dining experiences? There's no shortage to choose from, but you won't want to miss breakfast at Village Corner California Bistro or lunch at Clint Eastwood's Hog's Breath Inn.
There are so many activities to experience here that time isn’t on your side. A weekend getaway is always fun but additional days afford the luxury of taking in all the area has to offer. No matter how long a trip to this Central Coast jewel, you can't come to the Monterey Peninsula without a visit to the truly impressive Monterey Bay Aquarium, located on Cannery Row. That's how it was with us considering we had a five year-old in tow who patiently tagged along during our shopping in Carmel-by-the-Sea, visits to historic sites, and explorations of other points of interest. A visit here is truly a treat for kids and adults alike and a great way to cap off a Monterey Bay vacation.
Electric vehicles reached a new record market share in 2024, so it seems the enthusiasm for electrification won’t be powering down anytime soon. Adoption of electric vans and trucks continues to grow on the commercial side, including among large cities, small towns, and businesses of all sizes. That’s what we’re seeing every day at Ford Pro, the commercial vehicles division of Ford Motor Company.
Based on conversations with real-world Ford Pro customers, we’ve gleaned three trends for 2025 on electric vehicles in business and government fleets that are worth considering.
Early adopters are entering their next phase: Many companies that were early adopters of electric vehicles in pilot programs are now expanding their fleets. That’s likely to continue in 2025, having found that electrification made good business sense for them.
Elite Home Care, a South Carolina-based senior and disability care provider, started their electrification journey with a single Ford E-Transit electric van in 2022. Today, they have 27 E-Transit vans upfitted with lifts providing over 10,000 trips per month for their patients while saving $6,500 per van each year.
Chris Russo, co-founder of Elite Home Care, shared with us what these savings have meant for his business: “E-Transits have allowed us to expand our business because we save so much money. Now we can expand our reach to more people needing care. Moving to E-Transit vans has lowered our fixed costs. It’s allowed us to do more of the things we’d like to do to give back.”
Business and government customers are increasingly learning from their connected vehicles and relying on those learnings to make informed business decisions. These insights include realizing fuel and cost savings, tracking efficiency, staying ahead of the curve on maintenance, and even knowing when to replace vehicles.
DHL Express, a global delivery and logistics company, uses Ford Pro E-Telematics to see how much gas and carbon dioxide emissions they’re saving by switching to electric vehicles.
Chris Wessel, director of U.S. Fleet for DHL Express, told us how important that data is for a sustainable company with a stated goal of 60 percent of its last-mile delivery fleet being zero-emission by 2030: “In conjunction with other tools, we’re using Ford Pro E-Telematics to look at the fuel savings of our fleet, and then we’ll tie that back to our carbon reporting, making sure that we have a holistic view of our fleet and greenhouse gases avoided.”
Data is also helping customers decide when – or if – to electrify their fleet. Ford Pro E-Switch Assist, our free online tool that uses vehicle telematics data to determine fleet suitability for electric trucks and vans, has already assessed more than 38,000 vehicles.
If you’re reading this, chances are good there’s an electric vehicle charger installed outside your office, warehouse, or other place of business. But commercial electric vehicle charging is increasingly moving beyond the vehicle depot or company parking lot and into employees’ homes and other locations – and not just in warmer locales like California or Texas, but across a wide range of climates, terrains, and geographies.
With nearly a third of fleet managers reporting company vehicles being taken home at night, that trend will likely grow throughout 2025.
Fize Électrique, an electrical contractor in Canada, has installed six Level 2 chargers at its office. But their employees who take their company electric vehicles home at the end of the workday also have chargers installed at their homes.
Alain Fiset, director of smart energy for Fize Électrique, explained why they’ve split their charging between depots and employee homes: “Having a charging station for each EV is necessary for a smooth experience. The key to success with an electric vehicle is to charge it every night on a Level 2 charger.”
Behind these trends is an important fact: having the right team behind you makes adopting electric trucks and vans easier. That’s why Ford Pro offers an end-to-end solution of vehicles, charging, software, service, and financing to help streamline the process and maximize uptime for small, medium, and large business and government fleets. Just ask BellaVista Landscaping in San Jose, California, which has used the full spectrum of Ford Pro solutions in adding 25 hybrid and electric vehicles to its fleet since 2023.
As we enter 2025, look for companies to charge ahead with electric trucks and vans, the chargers and software that power them, and the service solutions that keep them on the road.
Trevor Blum is Senior Manager, Commercial Electric Vehicles at Ford Pro
Manufactured in Tennessee on Volkswagen’s MEB modular world electric car platform, the 2021 VW ID.4 presents a new and compelling all-electric SUV that enters a segment presently dominated by Tesla, Chevrolet, and a select few others. What ID.4 brings to the battery electric SUV segment that Tesla doesn’t is price, coming in at a base cost of $39,995, some $10,000 less than Tesla’s Model Y.
For this, electric vehicle buyers get SUV hatchback utility, three-foot legroom in all seating positions, and ample luggage capacity for 5 adults. VW estimates ID.4 driving range at 250 mile on a full charge, and additionally points out that an additional 60 miles of range is attainable in just 10 minutes from a public DC quick-charge station.
Sporting a stature similar to that of Honda’s CR-V, the Volkswagen ID.4 rides on a steel-framed architecture featuring strut-like front suspension and multi-link suspension with coil-over shocks at the rear. This, combined with a long wheelbase and short overhangs, promises a smooth ride dynamic. Braking is handled by front disk and rear drum brakes.
A single permanent magnet, synchronous electric motor directs power to the rear wheels. The ID.4 produces 201 horsepower and 228 lb-ft torque that’s expected to deliver a 60 mph sprint in about 8 seconds. Electricity to power the motor is provided by an air-cooled, frame-integrated 82 KWh lithium-ion modular cell battery. An onboard 11KW charger enables three charge modes via standard 110-volt household power, 220-volt Level 2 charging, or DC fast charging. Typical charging with a home wall charger or public Level 2 charger will bring a full charge in 6 to 7 hours.
A minimalistic yet futuresque cabin with segment leading cabin volume rounds out ID.4’s architecture. Features include a driver-centric, touch sensitive steering wheel and a view-forward 5.3-inch ID information center that replaces conventional gauges. Vehicle operation is through steering wheel-mounted switches, with infotainment, climate control, device connectivity, navigation, and travel information accessed through a 10.3 inch touchscreen monitor. A 12 inch monitor is available with the model’s Statement Package.
Topping the list of features is expanded voice command and a communicative dash-integrated ID light bar. ‘Intuitive Start’ driver key fob recognition enables pre-start cabin conditioning capability. Base model upholstery is ballistic cloth with leatherette seat surfaces optional.
Volkswagen’s IQ Drive driver assist and active safety suite features travel assist, lane assist, adaptive cruise control, front and rear sensors, emergency assist, blinds spot monitoring, rear traffic watch and more. All this comes standard along with Pro Navigation, a heated steering wheel and front seats, wireless phone charging, and app connectivity for compatible devices.
The ID.4 EV is available in six colors and two trim levels, Gradient and Statement, for personalization. The optional Gradient package features a black roof, silver roof trim, silver accents, and silver roof rails along with 20-inch wheels to complete the upscale look. Looking forward, while rear-wheel drive is the choice today, Volkswagen is already talking up an all-wheel drive variant for early 2021 along with a lower-priced base model.
As the world’s largest automotive group, Volkswagen has the capacity to change the ever-expanding electric-car landscape. Looking at the style and utility of VW’s all-new ID.4, you can sense the renewed “people’s car” direction of the brand that accompanies the automaker’s commitment to electrification. VW says it’s aiming at selling 20 million electric cars based on the MEB electric car platform by model year 2029. Certainly, the potential for selling in truly significant numbers is reinforced by ID.4 pre-orders selling-out in just weeks, it’s safe to say.