Here is an article written about how Super Shuttle has started to convert their fleet into a "green" fleet by converting their vans to run off of the ROUSH LPI conversion on their shuttle vans. This is going to be an exciting summer with the release of the van conversion in CA. Also, look forward to the end od the year with the 6.8L V10 E-350/450 cutaway engine becoming available with the ROUSH LPI conversion. Pretty soon everyone will be taking the bus with a ROUSH conversion on it!
"SuperShuttle, a U.S. airport shared-ride ground transportation company, has been running a test program involving ROUSH propane-powered Ford E-Series vans at the Phoenix Sky Harbour International Airport. So far, the company has been impressed with the switch to propane. Suppershuttle currently runs 5 15-passenger ROUSH propane Ford E-350 vans as part of the Phoenix fleet, with ten more units on order. These are helping the company fulfill the airport’s new requirement that all servicing vehicles run on approved alternate fuel such as propane. "We started over the past two years looking into propane and the advantages and it just seemed like the smart thing to do," explained Ken Brooks, national purchasing manager for SuperShuttle. "Fuel savings is going to be the biggest thing. There is going to be a minimum of 75-cents per gallon savings (over gasoline).""If this solution continues to work at the level it is proving then we will continue to add ROUSH propane-powered vans to the SuperShuttle fleet," he said.re powered by 5.4L V8 engines that feature ROUSH’s liquid propane injection system, which has been EPA certified, with CARB (California Air Resources Board) approval pending. “The ROUSH propane-fueled vehicles have no additional weight added as with some other alternative fuel options.The 25-usable gallon fuel tank offers a range of approximately 300 miles. The fuel system is covered with a ROUSH 3-year/36,000 mile warranty; the Ford warranty covers the remainder of the van and engine when ordered with the gaseous prep package now offered,” stated the press release."
Ford is setting their standards high stating that they will offer 100 percent of its fleet vehicles this year with fuel-efficient powertrains and other sustainable technologies - including battery electric, hybrid, natural gas, propane, E-85, biodiesel (B20) and EcoBoost. "Companies and the government are greening their fleets, and Ford is here to help," said Mark Fields, Ford's president of The Americas. "Ford is driving America with a full line of vehicles featuring alternative fuel powertrains and advanced sustainable technologies aimed at improving fuel economy, reducing CO2 emissions and significantly reducing the cost of owning our vehicles for fleet customers nationwide while providing healthy returns to our business." Ford said the latest EPA report shows it has improved the fuel efficiency of its lineup more than any other automaker. Ford is building on the success of its Transit Connect by offering a pure electric-powered version of the Transit Connect later this year. Additionally, a Transit Connect Taxi comes to market later this year with compressed natural gas (CNG) or propane (LPG). The all-new 2011 Super Duty is available with diesel and gas engines that have flexible fueling options. The 2011 F-150 will be available with EcoBoost engines, and E-Series will be offered with engine prep packages that allow conversion to CNG or LPG. In addition to the hybrid models, the Escape and Fusion also will be available with E-85 fuel capabilities. Looks like Ford plans to turn a green leaf for 2011, and what a great way to start this decade.
Ford has strategically joined forces with global auto supplier Magna International to produce new battery electric vehicles (BEVs) that don’t use a drop of fuel. The partnership between Ford and Magna, located out of Ontario, Canada, was announced at the 2009 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, as Ford unveiled its global vehicle electrification strategy. “The BEV passenger car developed jointly with Magna is slated to reach customers by 2011, and is one piece of Ford’s strategy to bring BEVs, a plug-in hybrid and hybrid electric vehicles to market by 2012. Ford’s director of Sustainable Mobility Technology, Nancy Gioia, stated, “Magna is a world-class automotive supplier that’s an ideal partner for our BEV,” says. “Developing these new technologies requires a major investment, so it’s especially important to have strong supplier alliances.” Gioia explained that Ford’s global vehicle platforms provide an ideal stage for Magna-engineered BEV components and systems. Ford’s customer insight – especially its experience with hybrid electric vehicles and specialized electric vehicles – dovetails with Magna’s system-development expertise to deliver a world-class product. Magna will provide the BEV electric traction motor, transmission, motor controller, energy storage system, battery charger and related systems. Magna will also share in the engineering responsibility to integrate the electric propulsion system and other new systems into the vehicle platform architecture.” Ford really seems to know how to pick friends. BEVs are really going to change the playing field. I can only hope that someday, in a not so distant future, that EVs are the only cars we’ll be driving. Hopefully, with the mapping of the electrical grid that Ford and GE are trying converge on, and the production of the BEVs, we will soon reach a new heights for our Go Green movement.
As 2009 comes to a close, I want to reflect upon the amazing year that Ford has had. There have been some pretty big milestones, and it’s only fitting that I do a recap of all the great steps Ford has taken to become the greenest car company in the US.
January brought the kick off of the all new 2010 Fusion Hybrid, which boasts an amazing 41 miles per gallon, and set a record of 1,445 miles on a single tank of gas! Now if that won’t save you money, I don’t know what will. February brought the announcement that ROUSH® Performance Engineering was teaming with Ford this time to build Liquid Propane Injection (LPI) engine conversions for the 2009/2010 F250s and F350s, and soon to come Econoline vans and wagons for the fleet market. This dramatically changed the field for the fleet market by giving them a way of utilizing an existing alternative fuel source, cutting operating costs dramatically and reducing their carbon footprint by “going green” with propane. The summer brought with it the unveiling of the newly redesigned 2010 Taurus with Ecoboost. Ecoboost delivers more power and better performance with 20% better fuel economy and reduces emissions up to 15%. Also, Ford had two vehicles, the Focus and Escape, in the top 5 vehicles sold under the government’s Cash for Clunkers program this summer. Finally, the year finished off strong with the 2010 Fusion receiving Motor Trend’s 2010 Car of the Year award.
So all in all, Ford has really come out on top this year in leading the “go green” revolution. They are committed to reducing our carbon footprint and really saving money, therefore spending less time at the pump. 2010 is set to bring even more great things for Ford with the arrival of Electric Vehicles. The EV Transit Connect is set to arrive sometime late 2010, and the EV Focus sometime early 2011. Ken Grody Ford looks forward to having an awesome “green” 2010 with our ROUSH® propane trucks and vans. Keep tuning in for all new blogs and updates as we say goodbye to 2009, and hello to 2010.
I recently had the pleasure of attending the 2009 Los Angeles Auto Show. I was thoroughly impressed with the large scale format of Ford’s display, as well as excited to see all the cool interactive features Ford incorporated with the new cars on display. Ford unveiled some awesome vehicles including the new 6.7L V8 turbocharged diesel 2011 Super Duty, the 30 MPG 3.7L 2011 Mustang, and finally the much anticipated 2011 Fiesta. I will say I’m slightly partial to the Fiesta, but only because it’s fun, gets 40 MPG highway, and has got all the great exclusive Ford features like SYNC. This car will come in every color imaginable including bright magenta, lime squeeze, and yellow blaze. This car will take best-in-class fuel efficiency when it hits dealerships in early summer 2010 with 30 MPG city and 40 MPG highway. This car is going to be great because it will be able to go farther for less gas, which is what Ford’s really hitting a home run on. If you still have time this weekend check out they show in downtown LA. It’s definitely worth it!
Congratulations to Ford once again for having one of the best cars in the market. The 2010 Ford Fusion has been named Motor Trend’s 2010 Car of the Year! This year marks the 60th anniversary for the Motor Trend award, which is the longest standing editorial automotive award of its kind. Motor Trend stated that the “Ford Fusion offers a sweep across one of the market’s more hotly contested segments, and the combination of performance, comfort, fuel efficiency, and technology made it a clear winner among our panel of judges.” Also, because the Fusion has a vast model line-up, it demonstrated an “impressive bandwidth, from a fun-to-drive entry-level model with a four cylinder engine and six speed manual transmission, to a high-tech, highly fuel efficient hybrid, to a sporty version with a 3.5-liter V-6 and all-wheel drive.” As Ford continues to out shine the rest, this addition to the 2010 Fusion’s award line-up only proves once again that Ford’s determination at developing the best and most fuel efficient cars will be able withstand the economic hard times without any hesitation.
As the popular and successful Fiesta Movement, which asked 100+ agents to document adventures the new Ford Fiesta via social media outlets like Facebook and Twitter, draws closer to the end, it begs the questions…What’s next for Ford? The next social media tour on the agenda is for the new 2010 Fusion Hybrid. Ford Fusion owners who frequent sites like Facebook have a chance to compete in a social media campaign and get their new ride paid off. Ford announced that Fusion drivers with “a minimum of 100 Facebook friends and an active photo collection” can enter Fusion 41, a cross-country relay race named after the Fusion Hybrid’s city MPG estimate. Ford will choose the winning team “based on their ability to complete the activities and provide proof by uploading photos and videos to various social media sites, including Facebook.” Interested participants have until November 6th to enter their team in Fusion 41, when eight owners will be chosen to build teams of five people. Ford will assign each team different tasks, which they must complete within 41 hours and then document on social media websites. I’ll be sure to add these Fusion 41 contestants to our Facebook and Twitter. I can’t wait to see what wild and crazy tasks Ford will make them do!
The 2010 Fusion Hybrid embarks on an incredible journey this month, accompanying comedian Mark Malkoff on a 28-day quest to see how many mayors east of the Mississippi he can convince to give him keys to their cities. As the Fusion Hybrid is America's most fuel-efficient midsize sedan and Ford is as American as cars come, it was only fitting that this car was the one chosen to help him travel, and complete the “odd” jobs the mayors might assign him. So far, tasks have ranged from “picking-up” after the police horses in Harrisburg, PA, to climbing into the Fairfax, VA town fountain to collect all of the coins and donate them to charity. Malkoff's adventures behind the wheel of the Fusion Hybrid will be chronicled in cyberspace. Videos, photos and blogs will be featured daily at http://www.markmalkoff.com/keystothecity/, and Malkoff will provide interested followers with regular updates on social networking sites such as Twitter, Flickr and Facebook. I’ll be sure to check on the updates. Maybe I can try to convince him to come to the West Coast!
ROUSH® has been working very hard these past few months with the upcoming release of the LPI F-250/350 in California. Finally, they are being recognized for their ground breaking achievements and hard work developing cleaner vehicles for the fleet market. Department of Energy Secretary, Steven Chu, announced the selection of 25 cost-share projects under the Clean Cities program that will be funded with nearly $300 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. These projects will speed the transformation of the nation’s vehicle fleet, putting more than 9,000 alternative fuel and energy efficient vehicles on the road, and establishing 542 refueling locations across the country. The DOE also estimates they will help displace approximately 38 million gallons of petroleum per year. Congratulations to ROUSH® who received a grant on the amazing work they have done developing the ROUSH® LPI engine. The grant awarded was enough for approximately 650 LPI conversions!
The Clean Cities program is helping give state and local governments the tools they need to help build cleaner vehicles. They are also assisting fleets in converting to alternative fuel vehicles and therefore helping reducing our carbon footprint. ROUSH®’s dedication to developing cleaner technology only proves that they will be contenders in the green market for years to come.
The all-new battery electric Ford Focus will be showcased on the new “Jay Leno Show” on ABC. Celebrities will be driving vehicles for the segment the host calls the “Green Car Challenge.” The battery electric vehicle (BEV), which was specially made for the show, features some of the elements of the electric Focus that Ford will begin selling in North America in 2011. “Having our Focus BEV on the show is a great way to demonstrate how fun to drive these cars really can be,” said Lisa Drake, chief engineer, Ford Hybrid and Battery Electric Vehicle Programs. “Beyond the immediate excitement of driving, it demonstrates that Ford is investing in this technology and that we’re committed to electric vehicles.”
The show kicks off tonight, where the electric Focus will be showcased as celebrities race cleaner vehicles. It took three weeks to build the car and another couple of weeks to properly tune the suspension so it could be driven fast on a racetrack. The Focus built for the show has a split battery pack, with one battery in the cargo area and one underneath the car in the space normally occupied by the fuel tank. Because this Focus is built to race, it is equipped with a roll bar and a five-point harness for the driver. I’m going to make sure to tune in to watch the Focus zoom past the competition!
In an earlier blog I mentioned that Ford was introducing their line of Electric Vehicles (EVs) with the Transit Connect in 2010 and the Focus in 2011. However, with the mass production of EVs in the US, it begs the question “What happens if everybody charges up at once?”
Fortunately, Ford’s already working on a solution before it even becomes a problem. Working together with different utility companies, such as Southern CA Edison and Progress Energy, Ford unveiled a very cool bit of technology. It’s an in-car display that allows an EV driver to interact with the grid and dial in charging times – so that not everyone is plugging their car in at 7 p.m. The driver will also be able to communicate to the vehicle. For instance, "as long as the car is charged by 8:00am, I don't mind when you charge.” As well, the driver can choose price controls, which will mean using cheaper off-peak electricity, and even opt for green options such as wind and solar power. On top of all this there will also be a wireless feature built in! So, you might get an alert on your cell phone telling you that your car is fully charged. Or in some cases you could send a message from your iPhone telling the car to start charging so you can join your friends at the 9 o’clock movie. The display is scheduled to be installed on the new plug-in hybrids, but a version of it could make it into production on next year’s Transit Connect or the Focus. I’m thinking about buying a new car, and I might just have to hold out for a 2011 e-Focus!
Ford has yet again taken another giant leap into the Green market. Ford recently launched the release of the brand new 2010 Taurus Sho with EcoBoost! EcoBoost is designed to bring not only more power and better performance quality, but it also gives drivers up to 20% better fuel economy on top of it! The new twin-turbo takes energy from the exhaust that would otherwise be wasted. It’s coupled to a compressor which pressurizes the incoming air, significantly increasing the output per liter of the engine completely reducing “turbo lag” and engine knock. Furthermore, highly pressurized fuel is injected directly into the combustion chamber of each cylinder rather than traditional mixing with the incoming air in the inlet port. This leads to more precise delivery of fuel for lower emissions. You can go farther and faster for less! Drivers will experience fewer trips to the gas pump without sacrificing performance. It’s good to know what when I’m running late, which happens quite often, I don’t have to worry about wasting any gas when I press on that fuel pedal.
I can’t decide which fuel efficient car I like better, the hybrid or the electric vehicle? Well, pretty soon I don’t have to decide between the two. I can get them both in one car! Ford Motor Company plans to offer a full line of Ford Plug-In Hybrid vehicles (PHEV) in the next two years, which will include the Ford Transit Connect commercial van, Ford Focus, and later on the Ford Escape. These next generation hybrids will have the ability to recharge battery packs from a standard home outlet. Just like your coffee machine! These plans will come along side the Advance Technology Vehicle Manufacturing Incentive Program by the DOE that Ford was approved for. The battery electric vehicles (BEV) will first be introduced with the 2010 Transit Connect. These plans to bring more fuel efficient vehicles to the American car buyers proves even more that Ford is raising the bar and is two steps ahead with fuel efficiency ion vehicles.
There are many different ways a car buyer can “go green,” but I would have to say the one of most important ways is by increasing one’s fuel economy. Not only does that save money, but it can also reduce CO2 emissions. Fortunately, the new Ford Fiesta, to launch in the US starting 2010, has a fuel economy rating of 47.9 MPG, and it runs on pure gas. So cool. Ford’s been leading the way with the best fuel economy ratings with the Fusion Hybrid getting 41MPG city/36MPG highway. The Ford Fiesta proves again that Ford is leading the American car buyers in the right direction to “go green.”
