Category Archives: Ford

Another sustainability milestone for Ecocabs

August 20, 2020Charging, Electric Cars, Ford, News, Reviews and CommentRepost

Sustainability pioneer Ecocabs, a taxi operator in Hexham in the North East of England, are proud to announce the arrival of the first Ford Tourneo Custom Plug-In Hybrid Vehicle (PHEV) to be operated anywhere in the UK.

Technology is developing all the time, but currently all-electric vehicles cannot fulfil the operational demands of a rural taxi service in terms of practicality due to the limited range and lack of fast charging points. This is where the hybrid vehicle makes much more sense for a rural operator currently.
The vehicle is purpose-built to help transport passengers more efficiently than ever. Smart, hybrid technology helps keep emissions to a minimum, whilst intelligent design creates a refined and sophisticated interior for passengers.
Commenting on the purchase of the eco-friendly 9-seater vehicle, Matthew Kirkby, founder and Managing Director of Ecocabs, said, “Sustainability remains top of our agenda at Ecocabs, and the introduction of the new Ford Tourneo continues our commitment to cutting the CO2 emissions of our fleet, and reducing our overall impact on the environment.”

About Ecocabs
Ecocabs — the sustainable taxi, travel and tourism support company, based in Hexham — provides community taxi services in Tynedale and surrounding areas, and supports sustainable travel and tourism across much of Britain.
Ecocabs offers guided tours and support to increasing numbers of health-conscious, eco-aware travellers and tourists seeking more sustainable holidays and pastimes. Based in Hexham — close to the Hadrian’s Wall Path and Hadrian’s Cycleway — Ecocabs is ideally situated to support walkers and cyclists wishing to experience the history, countryside, sites and attractions along the Roman Wall.

Ecocabs also supports cyclists tackling the various coast-to-coast cycle routes, as well as the Sandstone Way — the 120-mile mountain biking route between Berwick upon Tweed and Hexham. Further afield, Ecocabs supports nationally known activities, including the 3-Peaks Challenge, during which walkers scale the three highest mountains of Scotland, England and Wales — Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon — all in 24 hours.

About the Ford Tourneo PHEV
The new Ford Tourneo Custom Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV) uses two sources of power to get passengers where they need to be more efficiently than ever. An advanced electric powertrain, with zero emissions, can be used for shorter trips, while on longer journeys the multi award-winning 1.0 litre EcoBoost engine kicks in to extend the Tourneo’s range. The vehicle uses technology designed to maximise efficiency without compromising on the reliability and flexibility customers expect in a Tourneo.

Source: Ecocabs

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2020 Ford Mustang Mach-E electric SUV revealed: price, specs and release date

November 30, 2019Electric Cars, Ford, Mustang Mach-E, News, Reviews and CommentRepost

The Ford Mustang Mach-E has the longest range of any electric SUV and a high-tech interior. Here’s everything you need to know about it…

When it comes to living up to a name, the new Ford Mustang Mach-E has one of the greatest. You see, the original Ford Mustang was such a hit that almost 22,000 of them were sold on the day it was unveiled at the 1964 World’s Fair. Buyers loved the idea of a family car with a big engine that didn’t cost the Earth to buy or run – and those attributes have contributed to the Mustang becoming one of the best-selling nameplates in the world. The Mach-E, however, is a very different type of Mustang.

2020 Ford Mustang Mach-E power and range

For one thing, it’s electric. It will be offered with a choice of two battery capacities and three power outputs, plus the option of four-wheel drive. Entry-level models come with a 75kWh battery and 255bhp, while the 99kWh model offers 282bhp as standard but can be boosted to 333bhp. How far you’ll get on a charge depends on which version you go for, but the Mustang Mach-E’s anticipated WLTP range varies from 260 to 370 miles. If you go for the bigger battery and stick with rear-wheel drive, then, the Mustang Mach-E should have the longest official range of any electric SUV.

As well as a long range, Ford is also promising performance that befits the Mustang badge, with the Mach-E able to reach 62mph from a standing start in less than seven seconds. Buyers wanting even more performance won’t have long to wait, either, because Ford has confirmed that a high-performance GT model will be coming later. For now, every Mustang Mach-E model is limited to 111mph.

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Who’s Winning the Electric Vehicle Race?

March 29, 2019Audi, Electric Cars, Ford, Honda, News, Reviews and Comment, Nissan, Porsche, Sales, VolkswagenRepost

Automakers are focused on developing models, but ad spending surge is sure to follow

Oil-rich Texas is an unlikely spot for an electric vehicle demand surge. But John Luciano, general manager of a Volkswagen dealership in Amarillo, says his customers are juiced about EVs, suggesting the market might finally emerge from niche status nationally.

“If there is interest in Amarillo, Texas—which is truck country—there is definitely interest,” he says.

Automakers are banking on it. Billions of dollars are flowing into the sector, with Ford, General Motors, Nissan, Honda and other big auto brands making grand pronouncements about their electric vehicle ambitions. Volkswagen Group, whose brands include Audi and Porsche, last week announced it will launch an estimated 70 new electric models in the next 10 years—up from its previous 50-model projection—accounting for 22 million vehicles globally. Audi last month ran a Super Bowl ad touting its claim that one-third of its new models will be electrified by 2025. “A thrilling future awaits. On Earth,” the ad boasted.

But there could be plenty of chills along with the thrills as brands look to overcome long-held consumer concerns about EVs. These include their relatively expensive pricetag when compared to similar gas-powered models, and so-called “range anxiety,” which refers to fears of being stranded, out of power, with no charging station in sight.

Technological advances, including investments in charging infrastructure, will quell some of the angst. But it will be up to marketing departments to get the word out with advertising that reaches beyond tree-hugging EV loyalists or wealthy, tech-obsessed buyers—all without overspending on a sector that remains unpredictable.

Ford to unleash more than a dozen electrified vehicles by 2021

October 2, 2017Electric Cars, Ford, News, Reviews and CommentJo

More details have emerged regarding Ford’s €4.2 billion plans to release 13 new electrified vehicles globally by 2021.

One of the first of these models set to launch will be a plug-in version of the Escape SUV crossover planned for 2019, sources told Automotive News. The North America-only Escape is near-identical to the Ford Kuga, suggesting a hybrid version of this is in the works for Europe.

The source also revealed American market models including the Escape platform partner Lincoln Navigator, as well as the Ford Expedition large SUV and platform partner Lincoln Navigator will all also come in hybrid drive from 2019. These four new hybrids follow the first of the 13-strong new wave of electric vehicles (EVs), the Police Responder hybrid sedan, coming in 2018.

The first model Ford has officially announced for Europe will be a plug-in hybrid version of the best-selling Ford Transit. Launching in 2019, the Ford Transit Custom plug-in hybrid, which is taking part in emission trials in London this autumn, will be followed by Ford’s flagship new all-electric small SUV, which is targeted at models such as the Opel Ampera-e, Volkswagen I.D. Crozz, 2018 Nissan Leaf, Jaguar i-Pace and Tesla Model S, all targeting 300-mile (482km) ranges.

Although Ford has only officially announced seven of the 13 models, most have now been revealed through sources, as outlined in the list below:

2018 – Police Responder hybrid sedan (officially announced)
2019 – Ford Escape plug-in hybrid, Lincoln MKC plug-in hybrid, Ford Expedition hybrid, Lincoln Navigator hybrid, Transit Custom plug-in hybrid (latter officially announced for Europe)
2020 – Small all-electric SUV with 300-mile range, Ford Mustang hybrid, Ford F-150 pick-up hybrid (all officially announced)
2021 – autonomous hybrid vehicle, for commercial mobility services (officially announced)
A second hybrid police vehicle (officially announced)
Two more currently unknown.

Following new CEO Jim Hackett taking the helm in May, analysts believe Ford will be taking a much more aggressive approach to EVs going forwards, while being cautious to launch models before there is enough of a market to realise significant returns on investment.

Ford CEO cannot see robots taking over the world’s roads

September 11, 2017Autonomous Driving, Ford, News, Reviews and CommentJo

The new CEO of Ford Motor Company, Jim Hackett, has suggested that there will be no ‘robot takeover’ when it comes to the introduction of autonomous vehicles on roads around the globe.

Speaking at the manufacturer’s City of Tomorrow event, Hackett, who headed up Ford’s Smart Mobility subsidiary before taking over as CEO, predicted that rather than a pod-based landscape, similar to robo-taxi services being tested in a number of cities, the technology will instead gradually augment current challenges such as limited parking and vehicle access.

‘When you paint the robots as perfect and humans as imperfect, we’ve made a big mistake,’ Hackett said. ‘We don’t need the robot to get around.’

Ford has been behind its rivals when it comes to developing autonomous technology, however Hackett has been tasked with turning this around. Since his appointment in May 2017, replacing former CEO Mark Fields, the company has invested in various transportation technologies, including lidar-maker Velodyne, mapping company Civil Maps, bike-share company Motivate, ride-sharing start-up Chariot and autonomous driving start-up Argo AI.

Hackett also said a combination of analogue and new technologies will be necessary to create a better transportation environment:

‘Networks only get stronger by inclusion, there’s no gain by carving someone out,’

he added.

The CEO also added his thoughts about vehicle ownership, particularly when it comes to less congested cities due to autonomous vehicles allowing for sharing and more efficient movements:

‘I don’t believe there’s going to be a big degradation of sales as the cities become less congested,’ Hackett said. ‘It’s probably going to give people more options to keep their cars, because they can choose to use them in ways that they couldn’t before.’

Ford launches ‘green’ police car to save the environment while fighting crime

April 23, 2017Electric Cars, Ford, News, Reviews and CommentJo

Ford says US forces with fleets of more than a thousand vehicles will save millions of dollars a year using “gas-electric” cars.

US police will soon be saving the environment as well as fighting crime thanks to a new hybrid car powered by both petrol and batteries.

The Ford Motor Company says its new Police Responder hybrid sedan – a modified Ford Fusion – is the first “gasoline-electric” car to be “pursuit rated”, which means it can race through city streets and navigate crowded areas or high kerbs.

The car averages 38 miles a gallon when driven in the city and on highways – more than twice that of the current Police Interceptor model.

Ford estimates police forces will save more than £2,000 on fuel for every car over a year, which would translate into savings of millions of pounds for forces with fleets of more than a thousand cruisers.

The new car, which was unveiled in New York and Los Angeles, will be on the streets in the summer of 2018 and can go from zero to 60mph in 8.7 seconds.

Ford Focus Electric gets 140-mile range and new charging tech

March 1, 2017Electric Cars, Focus EV, Ford, News, Reviews and CommentTrevor Larkum

Ford puts European spec Focus Electric on par with US market counterpart, with additional range and fast-charging technology

Ford has quietly issued an update to the electrified version of its popular family hatchback, the Focus Electric, boosting the range European buyers can expect and fitting fast-charge technology.

The updates bring the European spec Focus Electric on par with the US market version, with a larger, denser battery pack at the heart of the package. The 23kWh capacity cell has been replaced by a 33.5kWh version, though it’s still mated to a 107kW electric motor – the equivalent of 143bhp.

As such, performance remains the same as before, with 0-62mph dealt with in 11.4 seconds. The jump in quoted range is noticeable though and Ford claims the Focus Electric can do 140 miles on a single charge – up from 100 miles previously.

Alongside the denser battery pack, Ford has introduced new charging technology. The Focus Electric uses the industry-standard Combined Charging System (CCS), compatible with roadside and service station fast charging points and can now be topped up to 80 per cent in 30 minutes.

Charging technology and battery packs aside, the Focus Electric gains updates in the cabin too. It’s now fitted with Ford’s SYNC 3 infotainment and connectivity setup with voice commands, plus Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

Order books for the updated Focus Electric are open across Europe now.

Source: AutoExpress

Electric Ford Focus on sale within the year

January 17, 2016Electric Cars, Focus EV, Ford, News, Reviews and CommentTrevor Larkum

Ford will launch a Focus EV during 2016 – and add another 13 such cars within the next five years

Soon, Ford dealers will have an electric focus

The only place to find an electric focus used to be your camera. But soon, Ford dealers will have them too.

During the next 12 months, the new Ford Focus Electric will go on sale. And it’ll be the first of many such cars, as Ford aims to be offering electric options across 40% of its product range by the end of the decade.

There’s already an electric Focus in the US. Its 143bhp motor is good for 85mph and a range of something like 100 miles on between two and three hours’ charge – but Ford says the new one will do much better.

Ford increases focus on electric vehicles

January 16, 2016Electric Cars, Ford, News, Reviews and CommentTrevor Larkum

A global electric vehicle outlook report published in 2013 suggested that the goal of 15 countries that are part of the Electric Vehicles Initiative is to have 20 million electric vehicles on the road by 2020.

The report states that, as countries seek to address future energy requirements, achieving sustainable transport has emerged as an important mission. Electric Vehicles have emerged as one of the most promising solutions to increase energy security and reduce emission of pollutants.

Ford Motors‘ announced on December 10th that it will invest an additional $4.5 billion in electrified vehicle solutions by 2020 to answer the increasing global trends calling for cleaner and more efficient vehicles. Although the cars segment in North America along with Lincoln cars and SUVs accounts for less than 10% of Ford?s valuation, as per our estimates, focusing on trends which will drive the industry in future will ensure that Ford maintains its market share in this segment.