GM to Invest $36 Million in Lansing Plant

GM to Invest $36 Million in Lansing Plant Since 2009, GM has invested more than $600 Million in Lansing Delta Township 2019-02-18 Lansing, Mich. — General Motors is investing $36 million at its Lansing Delta Township, Michigan assembly plant for future crossover production. Lansing Delta Township (LDT) currently builds the Chevrolet Traverse and Buick Enclave… Continue reading GM to Invest $36 Million in Lansing Plant

Closure of PSA: Hérimoncourt (Doubs) prepares his day “dead city”

Since it fell, mid-January, the news worries the inhabitants of Hérimoncourt (Doubs) The closure of the PSA site, a historic site that saw the birth of the Peugeot adventure, would be a major blow for the town of 3700 inhabitants . The 200 employees who work there do not hide their distress, just like traders.… Continue reading Closure of PSA: Hérimoncourt (Doubs) prepares his day “dead city”

BMW and Daimler launch joint car sharing and carpooling service

Daimler and BMW are jointly striving for global market leadership in car sharing and mobility services. The automakers put together existing offers – 1000 new jobs are to be created. Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche (left) and BMW boss Harald Krüger (right) Friday, 22.02.2019 14:51 clock Daimler and BMW In total, more than € 1 billion… Continue reading BMW and Daimler launch joint car sharing and carpooling service

Federal Court of Justice strengthens rights of VW customers

For the first time, the Federal Court takes a position on the VW diesel affair concrete position: In the illegal defeat device one must assume a material defect. This increases the chances of customers for damages. VW with manipulated software in the workshop Friday, 22.02.2019 15:55 clock The Federal Court (BGH) has strengthened the legal… Continue reading Federal Court of Justice strengthens rights of VW customers

Inside Tesla’s solar energy astroturfing

Tesla has been masking its lobbying efforts on solar panels and battery storage through the Energy Freedom Coalition of America, a trade association that is little more than a front for the automaker and alternative energy company, public documents suggest. SolarCity, which Tesla bought in 2016, began the practice of using the EFCA to promote… Continue reading Inside Tesla’s solar energy astroturfing

Ford investigates its own fuel-economy testing methods

2019 Ford Ranger
Ford announced on Thursday that it opened an investigation into the fuel economy testing it does to receive official EPA ratings and federal certification to sell its vehicles in the U.S.

The company plans to start by retesting its 2019 Ranger midsize pickup, after employees raised concerns through Ford's internal reporting channel called Speak Up.

The concerns involve how Ford measures the energy required to drive a car down the road, called “road load,” which then becomes a factor in further fuel economy measurements.

MUST READ: Ford Cuts Gas Mileage On 6 Models: What You Need To Know, And Open Questions (2014)

Under EPA fuel-economy testing regulations, automakers test road load by letting a car coast from 60 mph to a stop and measuring the time and distance required to stop. This gives an indication of how much wind and road resistance and friction a vehicle generates going down the road and various speeds.

The results of the coast-down test are then fed into a dynamometer, a kind of treadmill for cars used in emissions and horsepower testing to mimic that load as the car drives a simulated road loop in lab for emissions and fuel-economy testing. It is designed to make the engine work as if the car were actually driving on the road.

But multiple factors can affect the road load, such as exact tire pressures, ride height and various aerodynamic parameters—and can affect the resulting fuel economy and emissions numbers. (In an equivalent European test, now outdated, engineers have even been known to tape doors closed in the coast-down test to cover the gap between the door and body to improve aerodynamics and increase fuel economy ratings.)

READ MORE: EPA Wants Carmakers To Verify Gas Mileage With Road Testing Too (2014)

Automakers are required to achieve certain emissions targets to sell cars in the U.S., and can face big fines if they don't meet fuel economy targets across their whole model lineups.

As a result of the employees' reports, Ford has hired an outside investigation team to examine the specifications it uses in testing road load and retained independent technical experts in the industry as part of its investigation team. The company has also hired an outside laboratory to conduct independent coast-down tests on its vehicles, starting with the Ranger.

2019 Ford Ranger

Ford spokesman Said Deep said the company is starting by retesting the 2019 Ranger, but “if we need to expand our investigation beyond that, we will.” The Ranger is currently rated at 21 mpg city, 26 highway, and 23 combined for 2-wheel-drive models, and 20/24/22 for 4WD models.

Other automakers, such as Hyundai, have had to restate fuel economy numbers and pay consumers for extra fuel costs above what some of their cars' fuel-economy labels indicated. Subaru and Nissan have faced similar concerns in Japan, in some cases also flagged by employees.

In 2013 and 2014, Ford had to lower fuel economy labels on its Fusion and C-Max Hybrids and its Ford Fiesta and offered gas rebates to buyers to compensate for additional fuel the cars used above what their EPA ratings indicated. Deep says the current investigation involves separate issues from those instances.

CHECK OUT: Hyundai, Kia Rapped By EPA Over Misstated MPG Stickers (2012)

Since those concerns, along with the VW diesel emissions-cheating scandal, came to light, the EPA has been conducting more of its own tests and has insisted that automakers do more real-world testing on the road.

Deep said the current question over Ford's road-load testing does not involve an emissions cheat device, such as those used in Volkswagen and Fiat Chrysler diesels, that restricted emissions controls to fully function only in testing, and allowed those cars to emit far more pollution when driven on the road than federal standards allow.

He said he expects the investigation to take several months.

Car maker: Volkswagen beats better than its competitors – profit and dividend rise

Volkswagen The group made a profit of 17.1 billion euros last year. (Photo: AP) WolfsburgDer Volkswagen Group has increased its profit slightly in the past year. The operating result before special items amounted to 17.1 billion euros, as the car maker announced on Friday after a meeting of the Supervisory Board. That was around 100… Continue reading Car maker: Volkswagen beats better than its competitors – profit and dividend rise

VW warns of headwinds, to redouble efforts to meet targets

The Volkswagen show floor is seen under setup at the Canadian International AutoShow in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, February 13, 2019. REUTERS/Mark Blinch FRANKFURT (Reuters) – Volkswagen warned investors about a tough year ahead as the 12-brand car and truck making group posted disappointing preliminary full-year results on Friday. “The headwinds in key markets are expected… Continue reading VW warns of headwinds, to redouble efforts to meet targets

Waddle for VW

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New partnership: Mytaxi becomes Free now – Daimler and BMW combine their mobility services

BMW boss Harald Krüger (left) and Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche In a former subway tunnel under Potsdamer Platz in Berlin, two long-time rivals became partners on Friday. (Photo: AP) Berlin have been more than a hundred years Daimler and BMW bitter rivals. There were times when people in Stuttgart only mockingly talked about Munich and… Continue reading New partnership: Mytaxi becomes Free now – Daimler and BMW combine their mobility services