Latest news with #ChevroletVolt
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Two car vs. semi crashes on I-90 in Boone County cause minor injuries
BOONE COUNTY, Ill. (WTVO) — A driver suffered minor injuries in a collision with a semi on I-90 on Monday; while rescue personnel were on the scene, a second car vs semi crash happened, also resulting in injuries. According to the Boone County Fire Protection District 2, around 6 p.m., crews were dispatched to Mile Marker 31 in Garden Prairie where a black Buick had collided with a semi truck. The driver was out of the car and walking around with minor injuries when responders reached the scene. Authorities said they were sent to the hospital as a precaution. While the rescuers were on the scene, they were dispatched to a second accident near Mile Marker 19 in Belvidere, where a white Chevrolet Volt had collided with a semi. Officials said the vehicle had minor damage and one person was also taken to the hospital. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
USA Today
29-04-2025
- Automotive
- USA Today
Ford said it's made a breakthrough in battery tech to make cheaper EVs with longer range
Ford said it's made a breakthrough in battery tech to make cheaper EVs with longer range Show Caption Hide Caption When will replacing EV battery be cheaper than cost of gas car engine? Experts predict that by 2030, the cost of replacing an electric vehicle battery could be cheaper than a new gas-powered car engine. Straight Arrow News Ford Motor said it has made a breakthrough in electric vehicle battery technology. Ford expects to be able to offer more affordable EVs with longer range by the end of the decade. Ford Motor Co. said it is getting closer to offering car buyers more affordable and longer-range electric vehicles thanks to a breakthrough it made in battery technology, though the announcement lacked details, leaving some experts underwhelmed. Charles Poon, Ford's director of electrified propulsion engineering, on April 23 announced that the Dearborn-based automaker plans, by the end of the decade, to offer lower-priced EVs that can travel farther on a single charge thanks to its work on new battery cell chemistry. "Today marks a pivotal moment in Ford's electrification journey and for the future of electric vehicles," Poon wrote in his LinkedIn post. "After intense research and development at our state-of-the-art Battery Center of Excellence, Ion Park (in Romulus, Michigan), I'm thrilled to share that the Ford team is delivering a game-changing battery chemistry: Lithium Manganese Rich (LMR). This isn't just a lab experiment. We're actively working to scale LMR cell chemistry and integrate them into our future vehicle lineup within this decade." Poon said the Ford team is already producing its second generation of LMR cells at its pilot line. But experts said lithium manganese batteries aren't new. The first-generation Chevrolet Volt used cells with manganese spinel cathodes, said Sam Abuelsamid, vice president of market research at Telemetry Insights. He said spinel refers to a specific type of 3D molecular structure. Tariffs shake the auto industry: Ford stops shipping Michigan-built vehicles to China due to soaring tariffs There are other battery formulations as well, Abuelsamid said, explaining that Our Next Energy, a battery startup based in Novi, is developing manganese cells and the Gemini hybrid battery pack. Gemini as an architecture designed to double the range of EVs by using two cells: a lithium iron phosphate cell for daily driving and an anode-free cell for longer trips. "The big advantage of manganese is that it's plentiful, cheap and very stable (it doesn't readily experience thermal runaway the way nickel chemistries do)," Abuelsamid told the Free Press in an email. "At least some varieties of manganese cells don't last as long, though." LMR is an answer Ford spokeswoman Emma Bergg clarified to the Free Press that while LMR has been researched by many companies, the technology poses challenges with voltage decay and gas generation. What is unique about the Ford LMR development is that the automaker is directly addressing these issues while "not sacrificing energy density," Bergg wrote in an email. Abuelsamid said manganese cells have had a short charge cycle life, and Ford's comments imply that they may have found a way to address this, but Ford did not provide details on how. Sam Fiorani thought the clarification suggested progress more than a breakthrough. "'Directly addressing' does not sound like they've 'found a solution,' but rather getting better and working toward an eventual produceable solution," Fiorani, vice president of global vehicle forecasting at AutoForecast Solutions, told the Free Press. In his post, Poon said Ford's LMR battery technology has the potential to make a "step change," by giving its EVs enhanced safety and stability comparable to lithium iron phosphate batteries as well as a higher energy density than even high-nickel batteries, which provide longer range on a single charge. Poon said Ford is also targeting a significantly lower cost than current mid-nickel batteries, which would bring down the prices of EVs. Batteries represent at least a third of the cost of an EV, and Ford believes lowering prices on EVs is key to achieving true cost parity with gasoline-powered vehicles. "Ford started by offering nickel cobalt manganese batteries and later added lithium iron phosphate batteries in 2023," Poon wrote. "LMR is the answer to 'what next?'' But battery technology for EVs is in its infancy compared with the development of internal combustion engines, said Fiorani. "There will be many improvements over the coming years and decades as the automotive industry is finally focusing on this technology," Fiorani said. He said efforts such as LMR batteries, however, cannot be overlooked because they show promise in getting EVs positioned as a practical replacement for gasoline-powered vehicles, ultimately leading to broad EV adoption. But he exercises caution without further details from Ford. "Like all of the reported breakthroughs over the last few years, LMR has its shortcomings and isn't likely the panacea we're looking for at this point," Fiorani said. "Getting over the problems with voltage decay and short charge-cycle life are huge hurdles to jump." Losing cobalt cuts costs, child labor Ford's current all-electric lineup includes: Mustang Mach-E, F-150 Lightning pickup and the E-Transit van. In the first quarter, Ford reported it sold 22,550 all-electric vehicles, an 11.5% increase from the year-ago period. Ford Chair Bill Ford has long advocated for greater EV affordability. At the Detroit Auto Show in January, Bill Ford said that the company is working hard on making EVs more affordable because EV affordability will be "the catalyst for much wider adoption." Ford's news comes after the New York Times reported on Monday that China's CATL — the biggest supplier of batteries for the world's EVs — said it had made technological advances that would allow it to make batteries that are cheaper, lighter, faster to recharge and more resistant to cold — all while providing greater driving range. CATL said most of the changes will not be widely available in new EVs for a couple of years, but its new system would allow a driver to charge an EV in five minutes with enough juice to drive 320 miles. Wall Street autos analyst David Whiston with Morningstar told the Free Press that Ford's announced battery cell technology advancements might eliminate or reduce the need for cobalt, an expensive mineral often mined with child labor, making it a human rights concern. Whiston admitted he is not an expert on battery chemistry, but said LMR batteries use more abundant elements rather than cobalt for the cathode, so sourcing LMR is easier and cheaper. Jamie L. LaReau is the senior autos writer who covers Ford Motor Co. for the Detroit Free Press. Contact Jamie at jlareau@ Follow her on Twitter @jlareauan. To sign up for our autos newsletter. Become a subscriber.
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Ford said it's made a breakthrough in battery tech to make cheaper EVs with longer range
Ford Motor Co. said it is getting closer to offering car buyers more affordable and longer-range electric vehicles thanks to a breakthrough it made in battery technology, though the announcement lacked details, leaving some experts underwhelmed. Charles Poon, Ford's director of electrified propulsion engineering, on April 23 announced that the Dearborn-based automaker plans, by the end of the decade, to offer lower-priced EVs that can travel farther on a single charge thanks to its work on new battery cell chemistry. "Today marks a pivotal moment in Ford's electrification journey and for the future of electric vehicles," Poon wrote in his LinkedIn post. "After intense research and development at our state-of-the-art Battery Center of Excellence, Ion Park (in Romulus), I'm thrilled to share that the Ford team is delivering a game-changing battery chemistry: Lithium Manganese Rich (LMR). This isn't just a lab experiment. We're actively working to scale LMR cell chemistry and integrate them into our future vehicle lineup within this decade." Poon said the Ford team is already producing its second generation of LMR cells at its pilot line. But experts said lithium manganese batteries aren't new. The first-generation Chevrolet Volt used cells with manganese spinel cathodes, said Sam Abuelsamid, vice president of market research at Telemetry Insights. He said spinel refers to a specific type of 3D molecular structure. There are other battery formulations as well, Abuelsamid said, explaining that Next Energy, a nonprofit that is researching alternative energy technology, has also been working on lithium manganese cells as part of its Gemini hybrid battery design. Next Energy describes Gemini as an architecture designed to double the range of EVs by using two cells: a lithium iron phosphate cell for daily driving and an anode-free cell for longer trips. "The big advantage of manganese is that it's plentiful, cheap and very stable (it doesn't readily experience thermal runaway the way nickel chemistries do)," Abuelsamid told the Free Press in an email. "At least some varieties of manganese cells don't last as long, though." Ford spokeswoman Emma Bergg clarified to the Free Press that while LMR has been researched by many companies, the technology poses challenges with voltage decay and gas generation. What is unique about the Ford LMR development is that the automaker is directly addressing these issues while "not sacrificing energy density," Bergg wrote in an email. Abuelsamid said manganese cells have had a short charge cycle life, and Ford's comments imply that they may have found a way to address this, but Ford did not provide details on how. Sam Fiorani thought the clarification suggested progress more than a breakthrough. "'Directly addressing' does not sound like they've 'found a solution,' but rather getting better and working toward an eventual produceable solution," Fiorani, vice president of global vehicle forecasting at AutoForecast Solutions, told the Free Press. In his post, Poon said Ford's LMR battery technology has the potential to make a "step change," by giving its EVs enhanced safety and stability comparable to lithium iron phosphate batteries as well as a higher energy density than even high-nickel batteries, which provide longer range on a single charge. Poon said Ford is also targeting a significantly lower cost than current mid-nickel batteries, which would bring down the prices of EVs. Batteries represent at least a third of the cost of an EV, and Ford believes lowering prices on EVs is key to achieving true cost parity with gasoline-powered vehicles. "Ford started by offering nickel cobalt manganese batteries and later added lithium iron phosphate batteries in 2023," Poon wrote. "LMR is the answer to 'what next?'' But battery technology for EVs is in its infancy compared with the development of internal combustion engines, said Fiorani. "There will be many improvements over the coming years and decades as the automotive industry is finally focusing on this technology," Fiorani said. He said efforts such as LMR batteries, however, cannot be overlooked because they show promise in getting EVs positioned as a practical replacement for gasoline-powered vehicles, ultimately leading to broad EV adoption. But he exercises caution without further details from Ford. "Like all of the reported breakthroughs over the last few years, LMR has its shortcomings and isn't likely the panacea we're looking for at this point," Fiorani said. "Getting over the problems with voltage decay and short charge-cycle life are huge hurdles to jump." Ford's current all-electric lineup includes: Mustang Mach-E, F-150 Lightning pickup and the E-Transit van. In the first quarter, Ford reported it sold 22,550 all-electric vehicles, an 11.5% increase from the year-ago period. Ford Chair Bill Ford has long advocated for greater EV affordability. At the Detroit Auto Show in January, Bill Ford said that the company is working hard on making EVs more affordable because EV affordability will be "the catalyst for much wider adoption." Ford's news comes after the New York Times reported on Monday that China's CATL — the biggest supplier of batteries for the world's EVs — said it had made technological advances that would allow it to make batteries that are cheaper, lighter, faster to recharge and more resistant to cold — all while providing greater driving range. CATL said most of the changes will not be widely available in new EVs for a couple of years, but its new system would allow a driver to charge an EV in five minutes with enough juice to drive 320 miles. Wall Street autos analyst David Whiston with Morningstar told the Free Press that Ford's announced battery cell technology advancements might eliminate or reduce the need for cobalt, an expensive mineral often mined with child labor, making it a human rights concern. Whiston admited he is not an expert on battery chemistry, but said LMR batteries use more abundant elements rather than cobalt for the cathode, so sourcing LMR is easier and cheaper. Jamie L. LaReau is the senior autos writer who covers Ford Motor Co. for the Detroit Free Press. Contact Jamie at jlareau@ Follow her on Twitter @jlareauan. To sign up for our autos newsletter. Become a subscriber. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Ford says it has breakthrough Lithium Manganese Rich battery for EVs
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Should I have had the transmission fluid flushed out of my SUV?
A: I am not a fan of flushing of most fluids unless there is catastrophic failure of the component. In fact, General Motors states that the use of external transmission fluid exchange or flush machines is not recommended for automatic or manual transmission. Use of external machines to replace the fluid may affect the operation or durability of the transmission. Transmission fluid should only be replaced by draining and refilling following procedures in the Service Information. Based on GM's statement you made the right decision. Q: In your article in The Providence Journal, you stated that every car manufacturer you have seen recommends annual oil changes. I just wanted to point out that the Chevy Volt says to change theirs when the oil life indicator says to, in two years. Just as a fun fact. A: You are correct. I should have said every conventional powered vehicle. Some hybrids, such as the Chevrolet Volt, Hyundai and Kia models, do have longer oil change intervals. Chevrolet does state in the service manual that more frequent changes may be required when the vehicle is exposed to a corrosive environment, such as areas of high humidity, along an ocean coast, and/or areas that apply road salt during winter. Then there are electric vehicles. Since they do not use oil, they have no oil change interval. Thanks for the reminder. Q: I have a 2013 Chrysler 200 convertible (second owner) with about 33,000 miles on it. It is a beautiful vehicle and runs well. We're thinking of replacing it with another convertible that would have more modern safety features but a similar size. Another option would be to have an aftermarket backup camera and Apple CarPlay installed (easier-to-view GPS). I'm leaning toward that option, since I like the car so much, but would a more modern vehicle be the better option, safety-wise? The cost is secondary at this point. If a newer car is the better option, do you have suggestions on make/model I should look for that would be a similar size? A: In 2013 there were several convertible choices; today there are few. Popular models include the Ford Mustang, Audi A4/5 (soon to be discontinued), BWM, Mercedes-Benz, and Mazda Miata. At this point, it may be better to maintain and upgrade the car you have. A good auto stereo/electronics shop can add a backup camera and upgrade the sound system with GPS and Apple CarPlay with wireless or wired charging. Prior to going with the upgraded electronics, have a thorough inspection performed on the car, just to see how it is doing. Q: I am considering a new vehicle. Over time, V-8 engines have been replaced with V-6 engines, and now some of those are being replaced with four-cylinder engines. How do those engines perform? How do you think they will hold up over time? A: It is a bit of a balancing act when it comes to engine size and design. A four-cylinder engine can perform like a V-8 engine at certain times. To maintain 60 miles per hour on the highway, you only need about 15 horsepower. Yes, under hard acceleration, that four-cylinder engine works hard, but that may only be 20% of the time. If the engine is well designed, it should last hundreds of thousands of miles. I recently evaluated an Infiniti QX60 and, to my surprise, the V-6 engine was replaced with a 2.0-liter variable compression turbo-charged engine. The performance matches the previous V-6 engine with slightly better fuel economy. Q: I hated the brighter headlights on new cars until I purchased my new car that has them. These light up road signs and stripes in the road better and, perhaps, let me be a better driver, at least at night. Still, I have a problem with glare from other bright lights. My eye doctor says it's just age. What do you think of these yellow night-driving glasses I see advertised? The glasses I see are about $30. A: I think every day I get at least one email from companies selling these 'night-driving' glasses. What is interesting is that the companies all have different names selling the same product deigned by some unnamed Silicon-Valley start-up. Also interesting is that some of the websites have the same typos in them. Some drivers have told me they work, although eye care professionals say no. When I get an email from one of these companies, I email the contact on the website and ask them to send me a pair to evaluate. So far, no glasses have been delivered. So based on that alone, I am skeptical they work. John Paul is the AAA Northeast Car Doctor. He has more than 40 years of experience in the automobile industry and is an ASE-Certified Master Technician. Write to John Paul, The Car Doctor, at 110 Royal Little Drive, Providence, RI 02904. Or email jpaul@ and put 'Car Doctor' in the subject field. Follow him on X @johnfpaul or on Facebook. This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Should I have transmission fluid flushed out of my SUV? | Car Doctor
Yahoo
28-01-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
GM just hit a huge EV milestone as the auto industry faces a tumultuous year
General Motors passed a major milestone in its efforts to make electric vehicles profitable. The Detroit automaker said EVs were "variable profit positive" in 2024. GM built 189,000 EVs last year and aims to build 300,000 this year. General Motors is finally making some money in the electric vehicle business. The automaker reported its EVs were "variable profit positive" in 2024, meaning that they earned more money than GM spent on manufacturing costs like labor and parts. GM doesn't break out its EV earnings like Ford, so there are likely still other costs that it needs to overcome to achieve full EV profitability, including the cost of adding assembly lines. Still, the triumph over manufacturing costs marks an important milestone. Despite the achievement — and overall results that topped analyst expectations for the quarter — shares fell more than 10% in trading Tuesday amid investor concern over the new Trump administration's effect on the automotive industry. GM has long been a leader in the transition to electric vehicles, with early offerings like the Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid and the Bolt battery-electric vehicle. GM committed to a fully electric future back in 2017, a promise executives have stood by even as EV sales hit a plateau. It's not easy to profit from EVs, given the high costs associated with development and materials. In fact, GM's legacy competitors are still losing billions of dollars on EVs. Ford recorded losses of $1.2 billion in the third quarter alone. Ford reports fourth-quarter and full-year results next week. So far, the only company to make money from electric vehicle sales in the US is Elon Musk's Tesla, which first turned a profit in 2020 after years of major losses. But even Musk's profitability has been threatened by an industrywide slowdown in EV sales over the past two years. The automotive industry continues to struggle with a rapid change in demand for EVs, driven by a new cohort of shoppers who are less interested in the large, expensive EVs companies previously counted on to usher them into profitability. GM took a risky approach to this shift last year, flooding the zone with more EV offerings aimed at average customers while its competitors pulled back on their EV offerings. In the end, GM fell just short of its 200,000 EV production goal for the year, producing 189,000 battery-powered cars. The company has upped its production goal this year to 300,000 EVs, but GM CFO Paul Jacobson told reporters Tuesday morning that the company will continue to respond to changes in demand and economic policy. The automotive industry faces a lot of uncertainty under the new Trump administration. The president has threatened tariffs on Canada and Mexico, which could be very costly for the automotive industry. And when it comes to electric vehicles, Trump has floated the idea of pulling back on government incentives that have been critical for EV adoption in recent years. Read the original article on Business Insider Sign in to access your portfolio
