article thumbnail

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

Green Car Congress

The survey, conducted by the Consumer Reports National Research Center, found that car owners were open to different ways of saving at the pump, from downsizing to looking at hybrids, electric cars, or models with diesel engines.

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

SUV/Minivan) compared to about 5% with conventional cylinder deactivations, and about 7.2% Christopher Thomas, BorgWarner VP, Advanced Engineering, Engine Group and VP, Advanced Engineering, Drivetrain Group presented the basic concepts of VEMB and current BorgWarner test results at the recent SAE 2012 High Efficiency IC Engine Symposium.

article thumbnail

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

Green Car Congress

In April 2009, Chrysler unveiled four all-electric Chrysler Town & Country minivan concepts to the US Postal Service (USPS) in Washington, DC. In August, Chrysler took $70 million in grants from the US Department of Energy to develop a test fleet of 220 hybrid pickup trucks and minivans. Earlier post.). Earlier post.).

Chrysler 210
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.

Ford 261
article thumbnail

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

Green Car Congress

Develop and demonstrate technologies including engine downsizing, electrification of auxiliary systems such as oil and water pumps, waste heat recovery, improved aerodynamics and hybridization. 38,831,115. Daimler Trucks North America, LLC. 39,559,868. Navistar, Inc. 37,328,933. . 37,328,933. Grantee Project Award. Chrysler Group LLC.

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
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