The fifth iteration of Europe's antipollution rules arrives in September. This might be a bit too soon for the automakers, since all new models being sold from that date onwards will be subject to stricter emissions rules (there's a comprehensive table of the limits after the jump). The German car association ADAC has taken the calculator out and has found that, among the 7,875 different model cars Germans can buy today, only 20 percent (1,539 models) are ready for the Euro V standards. Ouch. Looking a little further ahead, ADAC found that only four models are Euro VI compliant. Surprisingly, the brand that sells the most Euro V compliant cars is not German: Ford has 13 models ready, and two of them are diesels.

[Source: Auto News, Wikipedia]

At the Geneva Motor Show in March, Ford showed off its new iosis Max concept to preview its next generation C-segment platform. The nose of the concept gives us an idea of what the new Focus will look like, while the rest of the car is similar to the next generation C-Max MPV. The C-Max is a slightly longer and taller vehicle than the Focus and it is expected to join the U.S. Ford lineup in 2011. In fact, this may well be the vehicle that gets the electric powertrain that Ford is developing with Magna.

The concept is powered by a prototype version of Ford's new 1.6-liter EcoBoost four cylinder that will also debut in the new Focus. The folks from AutoCar had a chance to try out the concept and it looks very promising. Like most concepts, the iosis Max could only be driven at low speeds, but the video after the jump gives a pretty good idea of what to expect size- and package-wise from the new car. According to AutoCar, the production version will debut at the Frankfurt show this fall and go on sale in Europe in the spring. We won't get the new Focus here until the end of next year. Check out a video after the jump.



[Source: AutoCar]
Photos Copyright ©2009 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.

With Ford taking on a $5.9 billion loan from the DOE and President Obama in favor of a million plug-in vehicles by 2015, how might the money help Ford put plugs on upcoming vehicles. Ford was quite clear that the DOE money will be used to improve the fuel efficiency of 13 models and get them on roads soon, but the medium-term plans do call for more outlets. Speaking to Reuters recently, Ford's director of hybrid vehicle programs, Nancy Gioia, predicted that "from 10 to 25 percent" of Ford's vehicles will be electrified in some way by 2020. The first step is to convince drivers that plugging in makes sense. For this, Ford is working with utilities around the U.S. to gather data on driver behavior with plug-ins, especially with the Escape plug-in hybrid. As Ford CEO Alan Mulally said last week, "We cannot do it alone."


Photos Copyright ©2009 Sebastian Blanco / Weblogs, Inc.

[Source: Reuters]

Diesel's near-term prospects in America took a huge hit with the revelation that nine diesel-powered 2010 models are on hold. Ford, General Motors, Chrysler, Toyota, Honda, and Nissan have put the kibosh on rolling out more oil burners due to cost and perception issues.

Toyota's obviously on a hybrid run and doesn't want to expelnd the effort or expense of investing in diesel for the American market - and having to overcome America's dirty diesel perceptions. The others, as mass market manufacturers, simply need more justification for the cost and complexity of oil burners in order to make the case for consumers to spend more.

Additionally, diesel's benefits are weighted differently according to EPA or CAFE standards. The EPA mileage numbers present diesels well, but CAFE's differing fuel mileage equation makes gas-hybrids look better than diesels, and CAFE is something all automakers are looking at. However, you'll notice that German brands aren't mentioned - their price premium and European diesel volumes make a worthwhile case for diesels, so those diesel Jetta Sportwagons won't be going away any time soon.


[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.]

Ford CEO Alan Mulally says the automaker is on track to return to profitability by 2011, despite posting a record $14.7 billion loss in 2008 and a forecast to continue posting losses through the rest of 2009 and 2010. A major portion of Ford's turnaround plan revolves around "more and more electrification, both hybrids and battery electric vehicles," Mulally said shortly after the automaker accepted $5.9 billion in U.S. Department of Energy loans as part of the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing program to retool factories to build more environmentally friendly cars and trucks. Ford plans to use the DOE funding to convert a couple of former truck plants into new automobile assembly facilities and help fund its planned electric van in 2010 and the Focus EV in 2011.


[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]

The Focus-based electric car that Ford is developing with Magna for a 2011 introduction is not the only EV program in the company. Early next year, Ford will start testing a fleet of battery-powered Focuses in the UK with funding from a British government program. The Technology Strategy Board announced a total of £25 million for eight projects, including the Ford EV test (we'll have details on the others up soon). Unlike the production-intent program in the U.S., Ford is collaborating with its partner for the Transit Connect EV, Smith Electric vehicles. The battery Focuses will be used by staff from Scottish and Southern Energy in Hillingdon, Middlesex, a utility which is partnering with Smith and Ford on the program. The Focus will use the same lithium iron phosphate batteries that Smith put into the Tourneo Connect BEV concept that we saw at the Geneva Show in March.


[Source: AutoCar]

The U.S. Department of Energy will finally announce the first recipient of low interest loans under the Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing Incentive Program. The first winner is Ford, and analysts expect the DoE to announce Nissan and Tesla Motors, as well. Ford applied for up to $11 billion in loans, but the amount it will get has not been disclosed and will likely only be a small fraction of that in this first round. The Dearborn-based automaker will use the money to fund its electric vehicle program that will launch a battery-powered version of the Transit Connect in 2010 followed by a C-segment car in 2011.

Nissan wants to add production of its upcoming electric car and lithium ion batteries at its assembly complex in Smyrna, Tennessee. Tesla, however, would be the big winner this round, as the money it may receive will allow the fledgeling EV maker to proceed with completing development and production of the Model S. Recent investment in the company by Daimler was probably a big help in getting the loan approved, since companies had to demonstrate viability. And since the ATVM program favors re-tooling of older existing plants, Tesla will probably look at acquiring a closed factory from another company. Recent rumors had the company possibly getting a former McDonnell-Douglas factory in Long Beach, although there are plenty of other properties available.

The current Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings at General Motors and Chrysler made those companies ineligible in the current round. It's not known if any announcements will be made about loans for battery makers like A123 or EnerDel.



Photos Copyright ©2009 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.

[Source: Detroit Free Press]

Ford of Europe is expanding its Mondeo ecoNetic line with a new 115 hp 2.0-liter model. The latest variant gets a CO₂ rating of just 139 g/km on the EU drive cycle and consumes diesel at the rate of 45.2 mpg (U.S.). Like other ecoNetic vehicles (and the low CO₂ models from other automakers) the Mondeo gets low-rolling resistance tires, a suspension setup with lower ride height for reduced drag and an upshift indicator light. The upshift light is tied into the engine management system to help guide the driver to shift at the optimum time for the driving conditions.

Ford already offers a Mondeo ecoNetic with a 1.8-liter diesel. The 2.0-liter is a version of Ford's TDCi diesel engine family and the ecoNetic comes with a 6-speed manual transmission. Even though it's optimised for low fuel consumption, the Mondeo still retains all the comfort features like dual zone climate control, lots of airbags, heated windshield and bluetooth connectivity.


[Source: Ford]

Completing the Obama Administration's plan to replace its fleet of government vehicles with newer, more efficient vehicles, the U.S. General Services Administration is reporting that it has purchased roughly $210 million worth of new vehicles from Chrysler, Ford and General Motors.

Of the three American automakers, Ford was the clear winner of government funds with a total of 7,924 Blue Ovals bought and paid for at a total of $129 million (about $16,280 per car). GM was well represented too with the Fed's $105 million outlay bringing in a total of 6,348 cars from The General (about $16,540 per car). Predictably, Chrysler held up the rear with a total of 2,933 vehicles purchased for $53 million (about $18,070 per car).

Though the breakdown of actual models purchased has yet to be released, the GSA says each of the new vehicles will replace a fully operational older vehicle that was ready to be retired. To qualify for the program, the new vehicle needed to achieve better fuel efficiency than the car it is destined to replace. In other words, we can only assume that the old fleet of Crown Vics are being turned over with new Fusions.

Soon, the GSA plans to complete its spending ways by investing another $15 million on a new fleet of advanced technology buses and electric vehicles. See the official press release after the break.

[Source: General Services Administration]

Back in the 1970s, a Bobcat at Ford was a Mercury-badged version of the infamous Pinto. Hopefully, the new usage of the name at Ford will turn out with better results. So far, it's looking very promising. Our buddy Mike Levine has been doing some digging in the document treasure trove at the U.S. Department of Energy and uncovered some materials on Ford's new Bobcat. It turns out Bobcat is the code name for the new ethanol boosted engine being developed in Dearborn. Ford recently presented some data on Bobcat to the DOE that has fallen into Mike's hands.

The Bobcat engine is a new 5.0-liter V8 with gasoline port injection and turbocharging. A second set of direct injectors is used to feed a small amount of ethanol directly to the cylinders. The ethanol is used primarily for charge cooling allowing the engine to run at higher boost and compression levels. It also allows the engine to run much leaner. Normally, running lean causes higher combustion temperatures, increasing production of NOx. However, the ethanol helps to alleviate the NOx by reducing combustion temperatures. According to the data presented by Ford, they have been able to increase the brake mean effective pressure of a prototype E85 DI V6 engine from the standard 17 BAR to about 27 BAR.

BMEP is a measure of specific output of an engine that is independent of displacement. That BMEP of 27 BAR in a 3.5-liter V6 translates to a torque output of 553 lb-ft. Compare this to 350 lb-ft from a standard 3.5-liter Ecoboost. The 5.0-liter Bobcat can produce over 500 hp and 750 lb-ft of torque. That's the kind of torque number typically associated with big diesel engines and handily beats the 650 lb-ft of the 6.4-liter diesel currently offered in the Super Duty pickups.

The beauty of ethanol boosting in this way is that it can potentially offer better-than-diesel performance and efficiency without the expensive particulate filter and urea injection after treatment systems. If the concept can be scaled down effectively to smaller displacement engines, it could be the next step beyond the Ecoboost engines that are coming over the next couple of years.

[Source: PickupTrucks.com]