Smith Electric Vehicles, with its companies in the US and UK, has done well in building a client base in electric trucks and vans for fleets. Parent company Tanfield Group was thinking of divesting from the companies but has committed to supporting growth and a possible IPO after federal grants and a visit from President Obama have produced positive results.
Art Spinella, president of CNW Research, calls the surge in lease penetration for first two weeks of August "incredible," a 25 percent leap representing a 25.86 percent market share. Increase due primarily to short-term leasing including zero-percent financing, says Spinella.
NADAguides.com has redesigned its Certified Pre-Owned Car Center and the New and Used Car Reviews Center. Visitors to the sites can get updates on incentives and rebates for certified vehicles. They can also find pros and cons of different vehicles more quickly in the review section.
The SmartDrive Safety program used in-vehicle recorders to capture video, audio and vehicle telematics data. Events like sudden stops, swerves and crashes trigger recording and experts evaluate the data to determine causes and recommend corrective actions. This data is published quarterly and shows disturbing proof that various distracted driving behaviors lead to many crashes.
Ford's global electrification plan depends on optimizing its lithium-ion batteries. It is doing so by testing them in the lab and in a test fleet which it monitors and reprograms via a secure wireless network.