Solar Provider Sunrun Unveils Ford F-150 Lightning Fleet
Sunrun, the largest solar provider in the US, has revealed its new fleet of Ford F-150 Lightnings. The company plans to transition half of its entire fleet to electric or hybrid by the end of 2025.
Sunrun's decision to bulk buy multiple Ford F-150 Lightnings won't come as too much of a surprise to those familiar with the firm. The company has a partnership with the Blue Oval and helped develop Ford Intelligent Backup Power (a combination of the 80-amp Ford Charge Station Pro and Home Integration system).
Tips to Help Maximize the Range of Your F-150 Lightning in Cold Weather During its First Winter
As F-150 Lightning customers begin their first winter with their new electric pickup, Ford wants to help make them aware that in low temperatures they could see a significant reduction in range, which is normal.
All-electric vehicles experience energy decreases in cold temperatures due to battery cell chemistry. Temperatures below 40°F cause the electrolyte fluid to become sluggish, limiting how much power is available to discharge and how quickly the vehicle’s battery can charge.
To help maximize your F-150 Lightning range in winter, here are some tips:
Gas and Oil Prices at Lowest Levels in Nearly a Year
The average price of a gallon of gas is now sitting at $3.55, according to AAA. That’s just about the lowest price we have seen since February of this year.
Average prices are down 11 cents in just one week. The price for a barrel of oil is hovering right around $74. That’s down 35 percent since June alone. Protests in China over Covid-19 lockdowns and global economic slowdowns are being fingered as the reasons for the downturn in prices.
To help matters even more, the Energy Information Administration says gas demand actually fell last week from 8.74 million to 8.33 million barrels. At the same time, total domestic gasoline stock rose more than 3 million barrels to 211 million.
GM is Happy to Service Teslas at Dealerships, Sales Model Will Evolve
Tesla has the benefit of successfully revolutionizing the automotive industry, but GM is set to charge hard into the all-electric, software defined vehicle (SDV) future.
GM feels they will get ahead thanks to the customer service experience through their dealer model. Many Teslas sold by direct sales make their way into GM dealership service bays, giving Tesla owners a chance to see just how high-tech GM latest cars really are, and to see how the traditional dealership experience is evolving to meet future consumer needs with lean inventories and quick order-to-delivery turnarounds.
During GM's Investor Day on November 17, Mark Reuss, President of GM, pointed out that since 2021, their dealers created 11,180 repair orders that had "Tesla" as a vehicle's make or model. "That's a growing business for us, I've got to say. It's a new business, which is great," Reuss stated, with the audience of GM's investors reacting with a slight chuckle.
VinFast Exports First Electric Cars from Vietnam to the US
On November 25, VinFast held a ceremony to mark its first batch of exports of all-electric cars to international markets. The Vietnamese brand sent a total of 999 units of the VF 8 model to the US.
Previously, the VinFast VF 8 was available only in Vietnam. The next step, following the US market launch, will be the export of the VF 8 to Canada and Europe, as well as other international markets in the Q1
VinFast reports that so far it collected roughly 65,000 global orders for the VF 8 and VF 9 electric SUVs (the VF 9 will be launched in Vietnam and international markets in Q1 2023).
