article thumbnail

Consumer Reports survey shows high fuel costs cause downsizing, less driving; 73% would consider alt fuel vehicle

Green Car Congress

Two-thirds of owners surveyed said they expect their next vehicle to get better fuel mileage than the one they’re driving now, and fuel economy topped the list as the most important consideration when shopping for their next car, followed by quality and safety.

article thumbnail

Ford: boomers leading trend to compact utility vehicles

Green Car Congress

Industry data supplied by Ford Motor Company and Del Webb, part of the multi-brand homebuilder PulteGroup, show that the baby boomer segment (ages 55 to 64), which comprised the growing market for large homes and made minivans and big SUVs vogue are now shifting to still lavish, but smaller homes and utility vehicles. cubic feet.

Ford 261
article thumbnail

BorgWarner suggests Valve-Event Modulated Boost system can offer 6-17% fuel economy benefit over already downsized and turbocharged engines

Green Car Congress

improvement in fuel economy on an E-class vehicle (e.g., SUV/Minivan) compared to about 5% with conventional cylinder deactivations, and about 7.2% Although this reduces the window of operation and fuel economy benefit to 2-4%, it also eliminates vehicle adaptation cost. VCD can deliver about a 4.5% and Sisson, J.

article thumbnail

Chrysler Disbands ENVI Electric Vehicle Group; Function Absorbed into Traditional Line Organization

Green Car Congress

Reuters reports that Chrysler has disbanded its ENVI team, formed in 2007 to bring electric-drive vehicles and related advanced-propulsion technologies to market. In April 2009, Chrysler unveiled four all-electric Chrysler Town & Country minivan concepts to the US Postal Service (USPS) in Washington, DC. Earlier post.)

Chrysler 210
article thumbnail

DOE to Award $187M to 9 Projects to Improve Vehicle Efficiency for Heavy-Duty Trucks and Passenger Vehicles

Green Car Congress

The US Department of Energy (DOE) will award more than $187 million to nine projects to improve fuel efficiency for heavy-duty trucks and passenger vehicles. The remaining six projects totaling more than $71 million will support efforts to increase the fuel economy for passenger vehicle engines and powertrain systems. 38,831,115.

article thumbnail

National Research Council Study Finds That Available Technologies Can Result in Significant Fuel Savings for Passenger Vehicles Over the Next 15 Years, But at Higher Purchase Prices for Consumers

Green Car Congress

Various combinations of commercially available technologies could greatly reduce fuel consumption in passenger cars, sport-utility vehicles, minivans, and other light-duty vehicles over the next 15 years without compromising vehicle performance or safety, according to a new report by the National Research Council.

Purchase 210
article thumbnail

Rare Rides Icons: The Lincoln Mark Series Cars, Feeling Continental (Part XLII)

The Truth About Cars

There were simply fewer coupe buyers as Americans ran to minivans and the earliest family-friendly SUVs. It had been quite some time (1979) since any Mark used its own platform, and in that instance it was only because the Thunderbird had moved to a new platform via downsizing. Only trim remained to tell them apart.

Parts 52