Posts Tagged ‘fuel efficiency’
Government Goes Green with Peterbilt
Monday, September 28th, 2009
Peterbilt Motors Company delivered a Peterbilt Model 330 hybrid electric truck to the United States House of Representatives on September 23, the legislative body’s first hybrid vehicle ever.
“It makes sense, both for the environment and for the bottom line, to replace our aging vehicle fleet with low-emissions trucks,” said Chief Administrative Officer Daniel Beard, in a statement. “It means that the House will be driving into the future leaner and greener.”
The new, greener truck is currently being used to carry thousands of pounds of office furniture and other equipment on the Capitol Campus and throughout the greater Washington, D.C. area. The Model 330 was chosen by the House because it provides a 30% increase in fuel efficiency while also reducing tailpipe emissions of hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and oxides of nitrogen.
“The House of Representatives made a very wise decision in selecting a Peterbilt truck to add to their fleet, and I am proud to represent Peterbilt in Texas’ 26th Congressional District,” said Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (TX-26). “Peterbilt is honored to have been chosen by the House of Representatives to supply their first hybrid electric vehicle,” said Bill Jackson, Peterbilt general manager and PACCAR vice president.
According to the manufacturer, the model 330 can also be configured for non-CDL drivers, so perhaps we will see more of these efficient carrier vehicles making their way into fleets everywhere.
Photo courtesy of Rich Man under the Creative Commons License.
Tags: fuel efficiency, House of Representatives, low-emissions, Peterbilt, Peterbilt Model 330, Peterbilt Motors Company
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Ford Begins Building Own Diesel Engine
Thursday, September 10th, 2009
Ford Motor Company has announced that it will build its own diesel engine to be installed in the next generation on the F-series Super Duty pickup truck, ending its relationship with Navistar International Corp.
The 6.7-liter turbocharged V-8 diesel will be manufactured at Ford’s Chihuahua engine plant in Mexico. It is planned to be included with the 2011 model-year Super Duty. The new engine promises better fuel efficiency while still delivering more torque and greater horsepower. In addition to these major improvements, Ford claims that the new engine can last for 250,000 miles without any major problems.
“This all-new diesel engine has been so extensively tested both in the lab and in the real world that we’re confident we’re giving our customers the most reliable and productive powertrain available today,” said Derrick Kuzak, group vice president in charge of global product development for Ford.
Navistar International has been Ford’s exclusive supplier of diesel engines for the Super Duty line since 1979. In 2003, the engine supplied by Navistar received a host of quality complaints, prompting Ford to sue them to recoup warranty costs. Navistar then countersued Ford, blaming them for the issue. A new engine was produced for 2007 forward that fixed the issues, but Ford announced last year that the relationship between the two companies would end after the 2010 model year.
Analyst Jim Hall of 2953 Analytics LLP in Birmingham said the move makes sense.
“If you buy an engine from outside, that money leaves the company,” he said. “Ford has gotten a lot of experience from its diesel joint-venture with PSA Peugeot Citroën in Europe. They should have the experience and capability to do it.”
The new engine will be ready to meet strict new emissions standards for diesels that take effect in 2011.
Tags: 2953 Analytics LLP, emissions standards, F-series, F-series Super Duty, Ford, Ford Motor Company, fuel efficiency, Navistar, Navistar International Corp, PSA Peugeot Citroen
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Michelin Supports Rating Tires for Fuel Efficiency
Tuesday, September 1st, 2009
Michelin North America Inc. has filed comments with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that support a proposed program to provide customers with information about the fuel efficiency of tires. The program is currently in the rulemaking phase.
If the proposed program were to be implemented, a system of rankings for consumer tire fuel efficiency would be created “that will clearly communicate to consumers at the point of sale the fuel efficiency of individual tires via an objective rating system,” say MNA officials.
“Michelin further supports setting maximum rolling resistance standards for all passenger tires sold in the U.S. to guarantee minimum levels of tire fuel efficiency performance and spur further progress in tire performance.”
“Tires account for up to 20% of fuel consumption for passenger vehicles. Allowing consumers to understand this fact and compare fuel economy performance among tire brands at the point of purchase is an important step in improving the overall fuel efficiency of vehicles, reducing fuel costs to consumers and lessening the impact of road transportation on the environment.”
Photo courtesy of The Dana Files under the Creative Commons License.
Tags: fleet card, FleetCards USA, fuel efficiency, Michelin North America Inc, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, NHTSA
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Cash for Clunkers: The Statistics
Thursday, August 27th, 2009
Now that the Cash for Clunkers program is over, the numbers are rollin’ in. During the program, 690,114 cars were destroyed. However, only 40% of cars purchased by consumers after trading in their old vehicles were American-made.
Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood called the CARS program “wildly successful” because of the large jump in sales during its run and added that “American consumers and workers were the clear winners thanks to the Cash for Clunkers program.” Consumers definitely won with CARS. Demand was so high that the program’s initial funding was exhausted in less than a week. It is not yet known exactly how many of the 690,114 sales were pull-forward sales and how many were purchases that would not have been made without the incentive.
Sales of more fuel-efficient vehicles saw a huge spike during the run of Cash for Clunkers, with the average mileage on trade-ins at 15.8 mpg compared to new vehicle mileage of 24.9 mpg. That’s an average improvement in fuel economy of 58%. Although, it is debatable whether the sales of environmentally friendly cars offset the impact of manufacturing those cars.
American automakers did get a boost from Cash for Clunkers. Ford reported its first increase in sales since 2007 and GM added factory shifts to meet product demands. Manny of the cars sold were at least assembled in the United States, but the Big Three automakers only had 38% of total sales.
The biggest seller under the program was Toyota, with 19.4% of final sales. GM and Ford had 17.6% and 14.4% respectively.
*An interesting side note: all of the ten most traded-in vehicles come from US companies.
10 Most Traded-In Vehicles under CARS
- Ford Explorer 4WD
- Ford F150 Pickup 2WD
- Jeep Grand Cherokee 4WD
- Ford Explorer 2WD
- Dodge Caravan/Grand Caravan 2WD
- Jeep Cherokee 4WD
- Chevrolet Blazer 4WD
- Chevrolet C1500 Pickup 2WD
- Ford F150 Pickup 4WD
- Ford Windstar FWD Van
10 Most Purchased Vehicles under CARS
- Toyota Corolla
- Honda Civic
- Toyota Camry
- Ford Focus
- Hyundai Elantra
- Nissan Versa
- Toyota Prius
- Honda Accord
- Honda Fit
- Ford Escape FWD
Tags: Big Three Automakers, CARS, Cash for Clunkers, Ford, fuel efficiency, GM, Ray LaHood, Toyota, US Secretary of Transportation
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Diesel Prices to Average $2.46
Wednesday, August 19th, 2009
The US Department of Energy has released their latest forecast for diesel prices over the next year. The average price this year is expected to level off at $2.46 per gallon, as was included in last month’s forecast. The prediction of prices in 2010, however, has risen 5 cents to an average of $2.84 per gallon.
Diesel prices should remain relatively low in the United States for the next few months before seeing a rise toward the end of the year. Prices are not expected to rise to the point of 2008’s average of $3.80 per gallon. Last year saw the highest diesel price in history, with one gallon of fuel costing $4.76.
The current average price of diesel stands at $2.62, slightly higher than gasoline which is expected to average at $2.34.
With fuel costs a constant cause of concern for the small business fleet, utilizing efficient fuel practices is important regardless of the price of fuel. For information on how to maximize your fleet’s fuel efficiency, click here
Photo courtesy of futureatlas.com under the Creative Commons License.
Tags: business fleets, Diesel fuel, fleet efficiency, fuel efficiency, fuel prices, US Department of Energy
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GM’s Vision for the Future
Tuesday, August 18th, 2009
The newly-resurrected General Motors recently announced its plans for new vehicles to debut between now and 2011. Ten Chevrolet models, another ten Buick and GMC models, and five new Cadillacs will make their way onto the market in the next two years. This announcement comes only months after GM declared bankruptcy and transferred ownership primarily to the United States government.
The most talked-about vehicle in the new GM lineup is the 2011 Chevrolet Volt, a plug-in electric hybrid. Recent tests estimate the city fuel economy of the volt at 230 miles per gallon. The Volt is capable of traveling up to 40 miles on one charge of its battery and can extend its range to over 300 miles with its hybrid gasoline engine. The Volt is likely to be marketed as a commuter vehicle, as studies from the US Department of Transportation show that 80 percent of Americans commute fewer than 40 miles a day. With the Volt’s fuel efficiency, vehicle owners could commute to and from work purely on electricity.
The rest of GM’s branches also have big plans: Cadillac is planning to release a new luxury sport sedan as well as the CTS Sport Wagon and SRX crossover, both of which offer lower emissions and greater fuel economy than previous models. Buick also plans to release a new luxury vehicle with the LaCrosse as well as a compact SUV with a fuel economy of over 30 miles per gallon, to be followed later by a hybrid version. GMC will also release a more efficient crossover SUV.
GM’s plan also involves a new approach in its relationship with customers. A combination of online communication and face-to-face meetings with customer will better inform GM of customer satisfaction and concerns. An addition to the FastLane blog, “The Lab” is a microsite that will allow customers to have input on future designs and qualify for later studies.
With more fuel-efficient vehicles entering the market, FleetCards USA reminds you that we have a fuel plan to suit your needs whatever they may be. For more information on customizing your plan, click here.
Photo courtesy of dsix under the Creative Commons License.
Tags: Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Chevrolet Volt, FastLane blog, FleetCards USA, fuel efficiency, General Motors, GMC, Miles Per Gallon, US Department of Transportation
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Honda’s Natural Gas-Powered Civic GX Comes to Utah Fleets
Thursday, August 13th, 2009
As of July 30th, dealers in Utah are now selling the Honda Civic GX, a natural gas-powered car, to their customers on a retail basis. Honda has eight dealers in Utah, two of which are already offering the GX as a fleet vehicle.
“The expansion of Honda’s Civic GX retail program is an expression of our commitment to natural gas vehicle technology,” said Elmer Hardy, senior manager of Alternative Fuel Vehicle Sales & Marketing, in a recent press release. “Honda seeks market opportunities for the Civic GX where strong natural gas refueling infrastructure exists, and we continue to see its promise as a clean, sustainable, domestically-sourced alternative fuel.”
Built on the same line as the standard Civic sedan, the GX has been available to the average consumer in California and New York for a few years. However, the GX has enjoyed great success as a fleet vehicle, with a total of 129 dealers in 32 states. Utah dealers’ new deal with Honda allows for a $4,000 federal and $3,000 state tax credit to be passed on directly to the customer. And as if that weren’t enough, the GX saves even more money by way of its fuel. In Utah, natural gas is priced at 99 cents per gasoline gallon equivalent. The GX runs efficiently, with an estimated city/highway fuel economy of 24/36.
Honda is hoping that the widespread use of the GX and other natural-gas powered cars will reduce nationwide emissions and pave the way for other technologies, mainly hydrogen fuel cells, to be embraced in the future of fleet and consumer operations.
Photo courtesy of Rockershirt under the Creative Commons License.
Tags: Alternative Fuel Vehicle Sales & Marketing, Civic GX, emissions, fleet vehicles, fuel efficiency, Honda, Honda Civic GX, hydrogen fuel cells, natural gas, natural gas-powered car, Utah
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Car Owners Looking for Longevity in Recession
Tuesday, July 21st, 2009
The harsh economic climate has hit the auto industry hard with sales drastically down, and it seems that consumers aren’t helping.
A recent study conducted by AutoPacific found that 72 percent of the general public plans not to buy a new car in the next year, and 59 percent of new car buyers intended to keep their car for at least four years. Last year, that number was 45 percent.
So what does this mean for the commercial fleet? A fleet owner may want to jump at the chance to haggle with desperate automotive sellers for a good price on new fleet vehicles. But unless keeping up with new vehicle trends is of great importance to your fleet, the most affordable way to keep your fleet in top condition is to follow a strict maintenance routine. Regular maintenance can double the useful life of your vehicles and keep them from suffering costly breakdowns and spending time in repair shops. Even something as simple as making sure tire pressure or oil and coolant levels are correct can extend the life of your vehicles. The less money you spend replacing your fleet vehicles prematurely, the more money you will have to invest in your business.
With credit becoming harder to come by every day, weathering the economic storm with your current vehicles is a smart choice. However, if you do wish to replace some of your fleet, you can make it more economically viable by investing in more fuel efficient cars: lighter models, vehicles with smaller engine sizes, and hybrids. This will save you money over time in fuel costs and even help the environment!
Whether you decide to keep your current vehicles or replace them, remember that the most important thing is for your fleet to remain efficient and on the road, doing their job and making you money. For more information on keeping your fleet as efficient as possible, check out FleetCards USA’s tips for improving fuel efficiency.
Photo courtesy of Beth and Christian under the Creative Commons License
Tags: auto sales, AutoPacific, commercial fleet, Fleet Owner, FleetCards USA, fuel costs, fuel efficiency, hybrids
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