CleanMPG

The best Super Duty on the planet is now even better.

Wayne Gerdes – CleanMPG – Sept. 28, 2022


2023 Ford Super Duty Drivetrain(s)

The all-new Super Duty is defined by its power and capability by offering the broadest range of engines in the segment.

A New standard 6.8L V8 gas engine is going to be a fuel sucking pig. A throwback 7.3L V8 but as a gasoline fueled engine will be even worse.

The bell of the ball will be the 6.7L Power Stroke V8 turbo diesel that can go longer intervals between oil changes, longer between fuel stops, and stay on the job longer.

It has been updated with upgraded exhaust manifolds and unique tuning targeting the best hp and torque in the class.

All three Super Duty engines are mated to a Ford-designed and built 10-speed TorqShift AT, and every chassis cab model comes standard with a...

BlueOval City in Stanton, TN will be the future home of all-new electric truck and advanced batteries.

Wayne Gerdes – CleanMPG – Sept. 23, 2022


Ford has broken ground on its BlueOval City, its largest, most advanced auto production complex in the company’s 119-year history.

Structural steel is being erected less than one year after Ford and SK after announcing their $5.6 billion investment to build a revolutionary all-new electric truck and advanced batteries for future Ford and Lincoln vehicles in West Tennessee. The nearly 6-square-mile mega campus will create approximately 6,000 new jobs when production begins in 2025.

This facility is the blueprint for Ford’s future manufacturing facilities and will enable Ford to help lead America’s shift to electric vehicles.

With construction...

My journey to a new ride from Hyundai.

Chris Bernius – CleanMPG – Sept. 23, 2022


We have all read the stories and watched the videos of the Supply Chain Issues and Chip Shortage. We see factories and chip fabricators idled until their workforce is virus-free. As increased production appears to be "coming soon", inflation and increases in interest rates mean our cars - new and used - are about to get more expensive, both in transaction price and in monthly payment when financed.

The trade-in prices have been on a downward trend since mid-summer and increases in loan defaults - a function of people overbuying and overestimating their budget - will push them down further as the repo cars start to hit the auction block. And more low-mile repos mean fewer new cars need to be built because...

Hertz plans to order up to 175,000 EVs from GM over the next five years!

Wayne Gerdes – CleanMPG – Sept. 20, 2022


Hertz and GM announced a plan in which Hertz will order up to 175,000 GM EVs over the next five years. The purchase will be the largest expansion of EVs among fleet customers in history.

The agreement will encompass EV deliveries through 2027 as Hertz increases the EV component of its fleet and GM accelerates production of EVs broadly. Over this period, Hertz estimates that its customers could travel more than 8 billion miles in these EVs, saving approximately 3.5 million metric tons of CO2 compared to similar...

And just like that, the Charger comes roaring back "as an EV" from its premature demise.

Wayne Gerdes – CleanMPG – Aug. 17, 2022


Earlier today, Dodge finally took a step forward on the performance brand’s road to its own electrified future by revealing the Dodge Charger Daytona SRT BEV. The Dodge Charger Daytona SRT Concept will drive like a Dodge, look like a Dodge and it will even sound like a Dodge. Read below for more.

The two-door Dodge Charger Daytona SRT Concept was unveiled today in Pontiac, Michigan, during the third day of the three-day Dodge Speed Week.

The Dodge Charger Daytona SRT Concept is an electrified vehicle unlike any on the road today. A new propulsion system drives the...

Last Call? Nah, something with the Charger and Challenger nameplate is coming that is even better than before.

Wayne Gerdes – CleanMPG – Aug. 15, 2022

The 4-door Dodge Charger and 2-door Challenger, in their current form, are coming to an end according to a recent release and the Dodge brand is ready to celebrate. The 2023 Dodge Charger and Challenger lineup will pay homage to the muscle car pair with seven special models, the return of a rainbow of heritage colors, an expansion of SRT Jailbreak models, a commemorative “Last Call” under hood plaque for all 2023 Charger and Challenger vehicles and a new, customer-focused vehicle allocation process.


Demon, Hellcat, Redeye, Scat Pack, Shaker, Jailbreak. Iconic Dodge...

An additional 650 MWs of Solar will be added to supply Ford with renewable production capability.

Wayne Gerdes – CleanMPG – Aug. 10, 2022


Through a new clean energy agreement with DTE Energy, Ford will soon be able to attribute ALL OF ITS ELECTRICITY SUPPLY in Michigan to clean energy, a major step toward Ford’s goal to reach carbon neutrality. As part of the new agreement announced today, DTE will add 650 MWs of new solar energy capacity in Michigan for Ford by 2025. The purchase is a strategic investment in Michigan through DTE’s MIGreenPower program and is the largest renewable energy purchase ever made in the U.S. from a utility. According to data collected by the Solar Energy...

IKEA will quadruple the number of DCFCers, a big step toward the IKEA global circular and climate positive goals.

Wayne Gerdes – CleanMPG – Aug. 11, 2022


For IKEA to be a climate positive business by 2030, it needs to move beyond the stores, the inventory, and logistics chain to supply its stored worldwide. In that light, the company has begun to implement DCFCing to reduce its customers carbon footprint. How cool is that!

This morning, IKEA U.S. announced a collaboration with Electrify America and Electrify Commercial to bring ultra-fast DCFC stations and delivery fleet electric vehicle (EV) charging to over 25 IKEA retail locations throughout the...

A great idea for hit Reality TV shows transfers to your garage and the EV within.

Wayne Gerdes – CleanMPG – Aug. 10, 2022


What a fantastic idea!

Garage makeover showcases how EV drivers can still enjoy chips, footlongs and pizza while their vehicle sits silently absorbing its next drives energy.

Chevrolet unveiled a complete garage makeover inspired by a Bolt EV owner who realized she was missing out on her favorite gas station impulse buys since she charges her car at home and skips the gas station altogether.

After years of hearing stories from Bolt EV owners who love living the EV lifestyle — especially the perk of not having to buy or pump gas thanks to charging at home — there were a few things many EV drivers said they missed. Namely, they miss the guilty pleasure snacks found at the gas station mini mart. Not...

Lightning reservations have reopened with higher prices.

Wayne Gerdes – CleanMPG – Aug. 9, 2022


This coming Thursday, Ford will be reopening its reservation list for the next wave of Lightning purchasers.

Starting in the fall, vehicles built with the standard range battery, available on Pro, XLT and Lariat trims, will have a targeted EPA-estimated range of 240 miles – up from 230 miles.

F-150 Lightning customers can choose two new colors among the 10 available options – Avalanche Gray and Azure Gray metallic tri-coat. Those colors replace Atlas Blue, Ice Blue Silver and Smoked Quartz Metallic, which are not available on models built starting this fall.

The new...

LG Chem’s Cathode Active Material and Livent’s battery-grade lithium hydroxide can support production of 5 million EVs over the next 5 to 8 years.

Wayne Gerdes – CleanMPG – Aug. 6, 2022


GM and LG Chem

LG Chem and GM announced a binding agreement for the supply of Cathode Active Material (CAM) from LG Chem to GM. The supply agreement will help GM meet its fast-growing EV production needs. CAM is a key battery material consisting of components like processed nickel, lithium and other materials representing about 40% of the cost of a battery cell.

Through the long-term supply arrangement, LG Chem plans to supply more than 950,000 tons of CAM to GM beginning the second half of 2022 through 2030, enough for approximately 5 million units of EV production. The CAM secured by GM will...

Seven German companies are placing 27 XCIENT Fuel Cell heavy-duty trucks into fleet service with government-backed funding.

Wayne Gerdes – CleanMPG – Aug. 5, 2022


Hyundai announced that it is exporting its XCIENT Fuel Cell heavy-duty trucks to Germany, the biggest commercial vehicle market in Europe.

Seven German companies in logistics, manufacturing and retail will put 27 XCIENT Fuel Cell trucks into fleet service with funding for eco-friendly commercial vehicles from Germany’s Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport (BMDV).

In August 2021, BMDV rolled out its funding guidelines for commercial vehicles with alternative drive systems upon approval by the European Commission. The funding is available for battery, fuel cell and (overhead...

The latest Nissan sustainability report details its actions toward goals.

Wayne Gerdes – CleanMPG – Aug. 1, 2022


But first, the all-new 2023 Nissan Ariya, Nissan's first all-electric crossover SUV, offers up to 304 miles for the Venture+ trim and is the brands centerpiece for their near future sustainability goals.

There are numerous highlights including its flat, open floor and one of the best “Zero Gravity” shaped seats in the industry. The EV drivetrain and generous use of sound-absorbing materials result in a quiet cabin.

Built on an all-new Alliance-developed EV platform, Ariya is the beginning of Nissan’s Intelligent Mobility with both FWD and AWD models and a...

For 2023, the ID.4 receives an updated exterior and interior with all new colors and trim, new wheels on all trims, and added comfort with a new center console.

Wayne Gerdes – CleanMPG – Aug. 3, 2022


IMHO, the fact the ID.4 is now assembled in the U.S. at Volkswagen’s Chattanooga factory is the biggest news of all. The 2023 VW ID.4 joins the Tesla Model 3, S, and X in Fremont, CA, the Model Y in Austin TX, the Ford F-150 Lightning at the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center in Dearborn, Michigan, Bolt in Lake Orion, Michigan, Rivian in Normal, Illinois, and Lucid in Tucson, Arizona in being built in the US. This is now the eighth full EV manufactured in the U.S. thanks to VWs additional $800 million investment at its manufacturing center in Chattanooga, TN.

Earlier today,...

A minivan that can replace just about anything.

Wayne Gerdes – CleanMPG – August 1, 2022


The Sienna carry’s on as one of my favorite Toyota’s after it received the excellent Camry Hybrid 2.5L I4 Drivetrain in 2021. That means it provides owners with an unbelievable 36/36/36 mpgUS (city/highway/combined) EPA rating which is incredible for a 7/8 passenger minivan that tips the scales at over 4,600 lbs. and can tow up to 3,500 lbs! The AWD variants provide a 35/35/36 mpgUS (city/highway/combined) EPA rating.

While I have only driven the 4th gen Sienna for short distances at a multitude of Toyota events in California and Texas, the efficiency, comfort, and interior volume are the real deal while not feeling like you are driving a...