Cars and trucks represent only 20 percent of America’s annual carbon emissions, yet automakers are the only industry committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions of new products by 30 percent in just five years. This reduction is the carbon equivalent of
eliminating 50 coal plants.
The EPA estimates that achieving this standard could cost automakers nearly $52 billion in research and development costs alone. Retooling, materials and manufacturing costs will also be substantial.
Already, automakers offer more than 150 new hybrids, all-electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. Chrysler, Ford and GM alone are putting millions of flex fuel vehicles on the road each year.
SAARLOUIS, Germany, June 12, 2013 – Ford Motor Company today began a new chapter in its vehicle manufacturing history with the start of production of the all-new Focus Electric – the first full-electric vehicle to be built by Ford in Europe – in Saarlouis, Germany.
The zero-emission Focus Electric is spearheading Ford’s line-up of electrified and highly fuel-efficient vehicles, and will be joined in Europe by the C MAX Energi plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) next year, followed by the all-new Mondeo Hybrid soon after.
DETROIT – Imagine quick off-the-line acceleration reminiscent of a classic muscle car combined with the efficiency of a fuel-sipping compact sedan. Dream on? Believe it. The all-new 2014 Chevrolet Cruze Clean Turbo Diesel uses a turbocharging feature called “overboost,” but still gets the best highway fuel economy of any non-hybrid passenger car in America.
WARREN, Mich. – Following several days of joint testing, General Motors and BMW AG engineers are confident that DC “Combo” Fast Charge stations from several suppliers will consistently allow an electric vehicle to take on an 80 percent charge in about 20 minutes.
The first electric vehicles expected to benefit from the Society of Automotive Engineers new industry standard for DC fast charging are the Chevrolet Spark EV and the BMW i3.
