• Ford Motor Company will collaborate with Azure Dynamics to begin delivering the Transit Connect Electric to European customers in late summer 2011
• Vehicle is based on the Transit Connect commercial van, a cornerstone of the ONE Ford global product vision and a proven success in Europe with over 700,000 built since its initial introduction in 2002
• Azure Dynamics will integrate its proprietary Force Drive™ battery electric drive train in the Transit Connect Electric
• The Transit Connect Electric is the first of five electrified vehicles (battery-electric, hybrid-electric and plug-in hybrid-electric vehicles) under development as part of Ford’s global electrification strategy and all of which will be launched in Europe by 2013

Cologne, Germany, May 3, 2010 – Ford Motor Company and Azure Dynamics Corporation today announced that they have signed a collaborative agreement to begin delivering a pure battery electric version of the successful Ford Transit Connect van to customers in Europe beginning in late summer 2011.

via FORD AND AZURE DYNAMICS COLLABORATE ON TRANSIT CONNECT ELECTRIC FOR EUROPE | Ford Motor Company Newsroom.

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• Azure, Ford collaborate to introduce Transit Connect Electric (newstatesman.com)
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NEW YORK, March 31, 2010 – For decades, the automobile battery was an essentially static technology, but it’s no longer being taken for granted. Battery technology is now in a starring role in the development of a new generation of electrified vehicles.

But today’s batteries are a far cry from the humble lead-acid battery used for a century in the automobile. The 12-volt lead-acid battery used in traditional automotive applications is rapidly giving way to sophisticated, higher energy and power batteries as the automobile industry shifts further toward electrification.

The advent of hybrid electric vehicles spawned a new generation of batteries, making nickel metal hydride (Ni-MH) batteries the energy storage technology of choice. The nickel used in these batteries is lighter than lead, helping the battery deliver twice the power output for the weight as lead-acid batteries, but the cost of Ni-MH batteries is high – four times that of lead acid. Automakers already believe they have tapped most of the potential of Ni-MH technology and are moving rapidly toward Lithium-ion technology.

Lithium-ion batteries are commonplace in the world of consumer electronics. They’re lighter and more energy dense than other types of batteries, making them ideal for laptop computers, mobile phones and other portable devices.

That makes lithium-ion technology even better for use in cars of the future, right?

via THE CAR BATTERY: FROM THE SHADOWS TO STARDOM | Ford Motor Company Newsroom.

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• Ford’s global electrification strategy will deliver a suite of five new electrified vehicles for differing customer needs in North America and Europe by 2013 and build on the company’s overall vision of offering the widest possible range of fuel-efficient, low-emission technological solutions
• The plan includes the Transit Connect Electric light commercial vehicle, the Focus Electric passenger car, a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle and two next-generation lithium-ion battery powered hybrid electric models
• Ford is working with leading technology suppliers, utility partners and international governments to accelerate commercialization of electrified vehicles

NEW YORK, March 31, 2010 – The drive toward broad commercialization of electric vehicles intensified today as Ford Motor Company and Microsoft jointly introduced a new way for consumers to manage their energy use if they choose to plug in their next vehicle.

Microsoft’s Hohm software application, which allows customers to connect to their local utility provider to better understand and manage their home’s energy usage, is the latest component in Ford’s global electrification plans, and further demonstrates the company’s commitment to working with technology leaders to prepare consumers for a future with electric vehicles.

Ford’s global electrification strategy includes plans to produce five full electric or hybrid vehicles in the compact, midsize and light commercial segments for the North American market by 2012 and European markets by 2013.

via COLLABORATION IS KEY TO FORD’S GLOBAL ELECTRIFIED VEHICLE PLANS | Ford Motor Company Newsroom.

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• New York Auto Show: Ford Transit Connect Electric (wheels.blogs.nytimes.com)

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• Ford and Microsoft are teaming up to use Microsoft Hohm as a platform to help future owners of Ford’s electric vehicles optimize the way they recharge their vehicle and better manage their home’s energy use
• Microsoft and Ford also will work with utilities and municipalities to help develop an energy ecosystem that manages energy usage as consumer demand for electric vehicles grows
• Ford’s aggressive electrification plan includes five new vehicles in North America and Europe by 2013; in North America, they include the Transit Connect Electric later this year, Focus Electric in 2011, a plug-in hybrid and two next-generation hybrids in 2012, joining four Ford and Mercury hybrids already on the road and a new Lincoln MKZ Hybrid coming this fall
• The Focus Electric is expected to be the first Ford electric vehicle to use Hohm

NEW YORK, March 31, 2010 – Today, Ford Motor Company and Microsoft Corp. are leading the way toward a more energy-efficient future by announcing a new solution that will make electric vehicle ownership easier and more affordable for consumers.

The two companies are teaming up to implement the Microsoft Hohm™ energy management application for Ford’s electric vehicles. Ford is the first automaker announcing the use of Hohm, starting with the Focus Electric next year. Hohm will help owners determine when and how
to most efficiently and affordably recharge battery electric (BEV) and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) vehicles. It also should help utility companies manage the added demands of electric vehicles on the electric grid.

“Ford and Microsoft both share a strong commitment to contributing to a better world. Today, we begin the next major step in our working together and leading the way for energy efficiency and environmental sustainability,” said Alan Mulally, Ford Motor Company president and CEO. “For Ford, this is a needed step in the development of the infrastructure that will make electric vehicles viable.”

via FORD, MICROSOFT TEAM UP TO HELP ELECTRIC VEHICLE OWNERS RECHARGE MORE EFFECTIVELY, AFFORDABLY | Ford Motor Company Newsroom.

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• Ford bringing Microsoft Hohm energy management to Focus Electric next year (engadget.com)
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• Live: Ford And Microsoft Working Together On Electric Cars (techcrunch.com)
• Ford, Microsoft to work on electric-car charging (sfgate.com)

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• Small businesses honored today, National Mom and Pop Business Owners Day
• With sales of more than 13,000 since its introduction last August, the Ford Transit Connect is becoming the vehicle of choice for a growing number of “mom and pop” business owners
• Business owners like the Transit Connect’s fuel economy of 22/25 mpg, its ample cargo space and generous payload capacity
• Ford takes the vehicle to businesses with the 2010 Ford Transit Connect Tour, which runs until mid-May; visit www.fordvehicles.com/transitconnect for more information

DEARBORN, Mich., March 29, 2010 – For a growing number of “mom and pop” businesses across the country, the Ford Transit Connect is proving to be the perfect addition to the family. Since its U.S. introduction late last summer, small businesses have added more than 13,000 units to their daily operations.

Now today, as small business owners recognize “National Mom and Pop Business Owners Day,” Ford is taking its popular fuel-efficient commercial van directly to many of their front doors.

Running through mid-May, the 2010 Ford Transit Connect Tour is offering individual test drives to business owners in 18 cities. The compact commercial van is also stopping at local Chambers of Commerce meetings and industry trade shows. Business owners can request a front-door test drive at www.fordvehicles.com/transitconnect.

via FORD TRANSIT CONNECT: PERFECT ‘ADDITION TO THE FAMILY’ FOR ‘MOM AND POP’ BUSINESSES | Ford Motor Company Newsroom.

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• Canada Post to replace fleet with Ford Transit Connect (autoblog.com)
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• Chicago 2010: Ford Transit Connect Electric uses the “Force” (autoblog.com)

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• Small businesses honored today, National Mom and Pop Business Owners Day
• With sales of more than 13,000 since its introduction last August, the Ford Transit Connect is becoming the vehicle of choice for a growing number of “mom and pop” business owners
• Business owners like the Transit Connect’s fuel economy of 22/25 mpg, its ample cargo space and generous payload capacity
• Ford takes the vehicle to businesses with the 2010 Ford Transit Connect Tour, which runs until mid-May; visit www.fordvehicles.com/transitconnect for more information

DEARBORN, Mich., March 29, 2010 – For a growing number of “mom and pop” businesses across the country, the Ford Transit Connect is proving to be the perfect addition to the family. Since its U.S. introduction late last summer, small businesses have added more than 13,000 units to their daily operations.

Now today, as small business owners recognize “National Mom and Pop Business Owners Day,” Ford is taking its popular fuel-efficient commercial van directly to many of their front doors.

Running through mid-May, the 2010 Ford Transit Connect Tour is offering individual test drives to business owners in 18 cities. The compact commercial van is also stopping at local Chambers of Commerce meetings and industry trade shows. Business owners can request a front-door test drive at www.fordvehicles.com/transitconnect.

via FORD TRANSIT CONNECT: PERFECT ‘ADDITION TO THE FAMILY’ FOR ‘MOM AND POP’ BUSINESSES | Ford Motor Company Newsroom.

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• Canada Post to replace fleet with Ford Transit Connect (autoblog.com)
• Chicago 2010: Ford Transit Connect Taxi burns CNG, LPG and four acres of space (autoblog.com)
• Chicago 2010: Ford Transit Connect Electric uses the “Force” (autoblog.com)

McMahon Ford
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Dan Dinzebach
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• DTE Energy, a company that provides natural gas and electric utility services to 3.4 million Michigan homes and businesses, recently purchased 19 Ford Transit Connects and is exploring additional ways to integrate the new compact van into its vehicle fleet
• The Ford Transit Connect is a greener vehicle choice than many of the vehicles currently in use by DTE Energy and it supports the company’s sustainability efforts
• The Ford Transit Connect – 2010 North American Truck of the Year – offers fleet customers a fresh choice with improved fuel economy and maneuverability to operate in crowded urban areas

DEARBORN, Mich., March 19, 2010 – DTE Energy, a company that provides natural gas and electric utility services to 3.4 million Michigan homes and businesses, recently purchased 19 Ford Transit Connects and is exploring ways to integrate the new compact van into its vehicle fleet.

“What interested our team in the Ford Transit Connect was the fuel economy,” said Gerard Huvaere, DTE Energy Fleet Operations. “It provides better fuel economy than many of the full-size pickup trucks and vans we have in our fleet.”

via FORD TRANSIT CONNECT BUILDS ON ENERGY COMPANY’S SUSTAINABILITY EFFORTS | Ford Motor Company Newsroom.

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2011 Ford Transit Connect Electric Vehicle is Powered by Azure Dynamics ForceDriveTM electric drivetrain

St. Louis, Mo., March 9, 2010 – Azure Dynamics Corporation today announced AT&T has agreed to purchase two of the first Ford Transit Connect Electric vans, the latest addition to AT&T’s growing fleet of alternative-fuel vehicles.

The Ford Transit Connect Electric — the all-electric version of the 2010 Ford Transit Connect, the North American Truck of the Year — will be powered by Azure Dynamics’ patented Force DriveTM electric drivetrain with an advanced lithium-ion battery from Johnson Controls-Saft. The vehicle, which goes on sale later this year, has a range of up to 80 miles on a single charge and will be rechargeable using either 240-volt or standard 120-volt outlets. It has a top speed of 75 miles per hour.

“Cleaner, alternative-fuel vehicles are the future of our corporate fleet, and the Transit Connect Electric represents a real breakthrough and will be a strong addition to our range of alternative-fuel vehicles,” said Jerome Webber, vice president of fleet operations at AT&T. “It’s exactly the kind of vehicle we envisioned when we mapped our long-term vision to invest up to $565 million to deploy more than 15,000 alternative-fuel vehicles through 2018.” AT&T currently operates more than 77,000 vehicles in its corporate fleet, including 15 gasoline-powered Ford Transit Connect vehicles AT&T began piloting in 2009.

via AT&T BECOMES LEAD CUSTOMER FOR FORD TRANSIT CONNECT ELECTRIC | Ford Motor Company Newsroom.

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• Ford Unveils Electric Version of Transit Connect Utility Van (treehugger.com)

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• Ford Motor Company and Progress Energy are expanding their plug-in vehicle research partnership to include the utility company’s Florida operations
• Ford is working with a dozen utility companies across the nation to advance the commercialization of electric vehicles under a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Energy
• Ford plans to bring a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle to market in 2012 as part of its electrification product strategy

ORLANDO, Fla., March 2, 2010 – Ford Motor Company is expanding the range of its plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) research program as one of its regional utility partners, Progress Energy, expands its role by adding a Ford Escape PHEV to its Florida operations. Ford and Progress Energy made the announcement today at the University of Central Florida’s Solar Smart Grid in Orlando.

Progress Energy is one of a dozen North American energy companies working with Ford to advance the commercialization of electric vehicles under a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Energy. Progress Energy joined the research program in February 2009 when it announced that it would road-test a Ford Escape PHEV in Raleigh, N.C.

via FORD PLUGS INTO THE SUNSHINE STATE WITH PROGRESS ENERGY | Ford Motor Company Newsroom.

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• Ford Extends Global Electric Vehicles Plan to Europe; Five Models to Launch by 2013 (greencarcongress.com)

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2011 Ford Transit Connect Electric

• Ford Transit Connect Electric, a pure electric-powered version of the award-winning Transit Connect small van, goes into production in late 2010
• Ford is collaborating with Azure Dynamics Corporation to upfit the Transit Connect Electric with Azure’s Force Drive™ battery electric powertrain and Johnson Controls-Saft’s advanced lithium-ion battery technology
• Transit Connect Electric is the first product in Ford’s accelerated electrified vehicle plan, and will be followed by the Focus Electric in 2011, a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle in 2012 and next-generation hybrid technology in 2012
• The all-electric, zero-emission Transit Connect Electric has targeted range of up to 80 miles per full charge, and will be rechargeable using either 240-volt or standard 120-volt outlets
• Transit Connect Electric is ideal for fleet owners that have well-defined routes of predictable distances and a central location for daily recharging

CHICAGO, Feb. 9, 2010 – Ford Motor Company today unveiled the all-electric version of the Ford Transit Connect – the 2010 North American Truck of the Year – at the Chicago Auto Show and confirmed the zero-emissions small van will be in fleet operators’ hands later this year.

via FORD TRANSIT CONNECT ELECTRIC COMMERCIAL VAN HELPS FLEET CUSTOMERS GO COMPLETELY GAS-FREE | Ford Motor Company Newsroom.

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• Ford will invest another $450 million in Michigan as part of the company’s aggressive electric vehicle plan
• Engineering, production and launch of new electrified vehicles, battery systems and hybrid transaxles will create up to 1,000 new jobs in Michigan
• Ford will build a next-generation hybrid vehicle and plug-in hybrid vehicle at Michigan Assembly Plant beginning in 2012 – in addition to producing the new Ford Focus and Focus Electric at Michigan Assembly in 2010 and 2011, respectively
• Ford will design advanced lithium-ion battery systems for the next-generation hybrid in Michigan and move production of battery packs from Mexico to Michigan
• State of Michigan tax credits enabled Ford’s electric vehicle investment

DETROIT, Jan. 11, 2010 – Ford Motor Company today announced it will invest an additional $450 million in its aggressive electric vehicle plan, paving the way to build a next-generation hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicle in Michigan beginning in 2012 and creating 1,000 new jobs.

via FORD INVESTS $450 MILLION MORE IN ELECTRIC VEHICLES; NEXT-GENERATION HYBRID, PLUG-IN HYBRID AND NEW BEV WILL BE PRODUCED AT MICHIGAN ASSEMBLY PLANT | Ford Motor Company Newsroom.

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