• 2017 Ford Focus Electric to get new DC fast charger

    December 11, 2015

    Ford has published a teaser sketch that gives us a better idea of what to expect from the 2017 Focus Electric.

    The updated compact will inaugurate a new DC fast charger that will gradually trickle down to other eco-friendly members of the Blue Oval’s lineup. In the Focus, the charger will provide an 80-percent charge — enough to drive for 100 miles — in as little as half an hour. Solving a quick math equation reveals the 2017 Focus Electric will boast a total driving range of approximately 125 miles, a nearly 50-mile improvement over the current model.

    The 2017 Ford Focus Electric will make its debut at a major auto show next year. A more specific time frame hasn’t been provided, but we wouldn’t be surprised to see it in the metal for the first time in April at the New York Motor Show. Regardless of when it’s introduced, it will go on sale in time for the 2017 model year.

    What’s next?
    Ford is investing $4.5 billion in the development of hybrid and electric vehicles. The company will launch no less than 13 electrified vehicles by the year 2020, and it predicts that 40% of its global nameplates will be offered either with a hybrid drivetrain or with an all-electric drivetrain by the end of the decade.

  • Ford hints at 2017 Fusion Energi debut in Detroit

    December 11, 2015

    Ford has dropped a hint pointing to the 2017 Fusion Energi’s unveiling at the Detroit auto show.

    The company has published an image of a veiled mystery vehicle with a charging cord attached. The photo accompanied an announcement focusing on global research-and-development efforts for battery technology.

    The car’s shrouded form appears to resemble spy shots of the 2017 Fusion, while the cord suggests it is the Energi hybrid model.

    As for the announcement, Ford detailed plans to expand battery research to Europe and Asia. Scientists and engineers will collaborate globally via a “hub and spoke” network centered in Michigan.

    The company has hired more than 120 vehicle engineers to join its Electrified Powertrain Engineering program in Dearborn. The team has been moved to its own facility, known as the Ford Engineering Laboratory, which will direct research at global sites located in China, England, Germany and the US.

    Ford’s engineers are said to be taking advantage of a “Hardware-in-the-loop” (HIL) hardware and software system that allows battery innovations to be put through a range of trials that simulate punishing real-world environments across the globe.

    The announcement did not include any direct reference to the Fusion Energi hybrid, though more details will likely be disclosed ahead of the Detroit debut.

  • VW blames ‘chain of errors’ for emissions fiasco; still no US fix

    December 11, 2015
    Volkswagen has provided a few more details of its investigation into the diesel emissions scandal.

    The company has continued to blame a small group of employees, though its characterization of the individuals has shifted slightly. No longer describing them as ‘rogue‘ workers, the automaker now acknowledges that their illegal actions were overlooked due to a higher-reaching culture that ‘tolerated’ such improprieties.

    “There was not one single mistake, but rather a chain of errors that was never broken,” said VW chairman Hans Dieter Poetsch said today at a press conference in Wolfsburg.

    Echoing earlier comments and leaks, the executive suggests the team tasked with developing the EA 189 diesel engine “simply couldn’t find a way to meet tougher US NOx limits by permissible means.” He also admitted that budget and time constraints contributed to their decision to employ a ‘defeat’ device rather than delay or scrap the launch.

    The company has promised to implement new process controls that will help monitor compliance and better track employee actions.

    In the meantime, the German automaker still must bring existing vehicles back into compliance. Notably, the company is still hesitant to disclose its plan for offending vehicles sold in the US market, where NOx limits are much tighter than in Europe.

    “Retrofitting the vehicles [in the US] to meet valid emissions limits is quite simply a much bigger technical challenge,” said VW chief Matthias Mueller.

    The executive claimed that significant progress is being made with the Environmental Protection Agency and California Air Resources Board, however the company will not publicly announce its solution until the proposal has has been accepted by both agencies.

  • Redesigned Nissan Maxima aces IIHS crash tests

    December 11, 2015

    Nissan’s 2016 Maxima has earned top crashworthiness honors from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

    The eight-generation ‘four-door sports car’ received ‘good’ ratings in every crash scenario, along with a ‘superior’ assessment for front crash prevention. The strong all-around performance was deemed worthy of a Top Safety Pick+ award.

    The structure was well optimized for the challenging small-overlap test, with maximum intrusion of 12 cm measured at the parking brake pedal. Dummy measurements point to a low risk of serious injuries, despite a risk of head contact with the forward structure.

    In contrast, the seventh-generation Maxima received ‘acceptable’ ratings in two crash tests, disqualifying the car from earning Top Safety Pick status. In the small-overlap test, intrusion reached 22 cm at the hinge pillar and the steering column was pushed back 7 cm toward the driver.

    Interestingly, the older Maxima received a ‘good’ mark in for restraints and dummy kinematics in the small overlap test, but earned a lower rating overall due to structural deformation. The 2016 model proved to have a stronger structure, contributing to the ‘good’ rating overall, but showed poorer performance in the subcategory related to dummy movement.

    The IIHS has implemented tougher criteria for 2016-model-year cars, requiring ‘good’ overall ratings in all crash categories and an ‘advanced’ or ‘superior’ assessment for automatic emergency braking.

  • NHTSA confirms $70M penalty for FCA death reporting

    December 11, 2015
    Confirming an earlier leak, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has announced a $70 million civil penalty for Fiat Chrysler Automobiles’ failure to properly report death and injury data.

    The company had admitted to deficiencies with its Early Warning Reporting system, which the NHTSA uses to spot potential trends related to safety defects that could warrant recalls.

    The automaker has reportedly blamed a problem with its database software. The issue appears to have gone unnoticed for years — since the system was put in place in 2003. The NHTSA first spotted discrepancies in July, as the company was under scrutiny for alleged improprieties related to nearly two dozen recall campaigns.

    The EWR penalty has been wrapped into the previous consent order, which involved $105 million in fines. FCA now owes $140 million in cash, while the other $35 million will be deferred and only come due if the company fails to meet its obligations.

    “We need FCA and other automakers to move toward a stronger, more proactive safety culture, and when they fall short, we will continue to exercise our enforcement authority to set them on the right path,” said US Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx.

    The agency has penalized five other companies in the past 14 months for failure to meet EWR requirements. Other violators include Honda, Ferrari, Triumph, Forest River and Spartan Motors.