With gas prices higher than ever before and this being the busy season for summer travel, it may be a good time to offer tips to save at the pump.

The following tips provided by Ford, are geared towards driving behaviour and it can save you quite a bit. You can increase fuel-efficiency simply by changing your habits.

Ford calls it EcoDriving - because it is eco-nomical and eco-logical.

The tips are listed below:

• Maintain a steady speed; if you pump the accelerator often, more fuel is pumped into the engine. Use cruise control on the highways to maintain speed.
• Relax, because aggressive driving such as accelerating quickly or braking and also speeding can reduce gas mileage and wear out your tires and brakes.
• With newer vehicles there's no need to idle (warm-up the engine) - even in cold temperatures.
• Maintain good tire pressure, this alone can save you 3-4% in fuel.
• Service your vehicle at the recommended times - tune-up the engine, align the wheels, replace air filters
• Remove heavy and unncessary items from your car. This reduces the worl-load on the engine
• Use heating and air-conditioning wisely to reduce the load on the engine
• Have windows closed when travelling at high speeds
• Use the right oil  for your engine - there are good quality, energy conserving EC oils. They have a ECII symbol to indicate their fuel-efficiency.
• Plan your trips to reduce extra, unneeded trips
  

Source: Article titled "Tips to save gas costs"

Ford Motor Company's long-term goals are to focus on developing fuel cells and hydrogen technology.

Ford's HySeries Drive is a battery powered hydrogen fuel cell hybrid electric car that has plug-in capabilities. "The HySeries Drive technology is able to operate using a fuel cell, small gasoline or diesel engine connected to an electric generator to make electricity."

Aside from Ford's concept car, the Ford Airstream Concept, Ford has also unveiled the Ford Edge with Hyseries Drive, which is equiped with a hydrogen storage tank, 336 volt lithium-ion battery pack fuel cell and 2 electric motors. The Ford Edge with Hyseries Drive is the "world’s first drivable fuel cell hybrid electric plug-in that combines an onboard hydrogen fuel cell generator with lithium-ion batteries to deliver more than 41 mpg with zero emissions."

As stated, the new Edge delivers a highway/city rating of 5.7L/100 km (or 41 mpg) with no emissions. For distances less than 80 km (or 50 miles) fuel consumption can be reduced to 3.0L/100 km (or 80 mpg). It can travel at speeds upto 136 km/h (or 85 mph).

The first 40 km is run on stored electricity, then the hydrogen fuel cell allows it to run for another 320 km with no emissions. The HySeries vehicles can be plugged into a normal 110-volt outlet to recharge the battery. The technology is in Ford Motor's Company's long term plans of 2020 and beyond.

Source: Article by Jim Robinson titled "Ford looks at new technologies as it drives to greener future"

Ford is working on its Eco-Boost technology which can provide 20-30% better fuel economy compared to current engines. It doesn't cost as much as hybrids and diesel engines but it enhances economy, reduces emissions and doesn't sacrifice performance.

The first car to incorporate this EcoBoost technology will be the 2009 Lincoln MKS which will then be followed by the Ford Flex. By 2013, Ford plans to have over 500,000 vehicles with the EcoBoost engines.

EcoBoost gets better fuel economy by turbo-charging it's engines and by using direct fuel injection. With direct fuel injection, precise amounts of fuels are injected into the combustion chamber rather than going upstream in to the induction port that happens in conventional engines. Since direct injection results in a cooler, denser charge, there is more power yet less fuel is consumed.

Turbocharging uses waste energy from the exhaust to spin the turbine wheel. The combined systems result in smaller engines with more power. For instance, a 3.5 litre V6 will have the same power as a conventional V8 with 340 horsepower.

When EcoBoost is applied to a 4.6 litre V8, it delivers more torque but reduces CO2 emissions by 15% while improving fuel economy by 2 mpg. When EcoBoost is applied to a 2.3 litre four-cylinder engine, it will get 20% better fuel economy and the same levels of power as a V6.

Source: Article by Jim Robinson titled "Ford looks at new technologies as it drives to greener futur"

Environmental Transport Association looked at over 1300 car models to determine winners and losers

The ETA examined the common car models in Britain for their power, emissions, fuel efficiency and even the amount of noise they make to create a guide to buying the greenest vehicle.

The Green Car of the Year for 2008 is the Toyota Yaris and the least Green Car for 2008 is the Dodge SRT-10 Viper.

The Car Buyer’s Guide has ranked the following cars as the top 10 overall:

1. Toyota Yaris
2. Honda Civic Hybrid
3. Toyota Prius
4. Renault Modus
5. Citroën C1
6. Peugeot 107
7. Toyota Aygo
8. Renault Clio
9. Toyota Auris
10. Suzuki Swift

Toyota has 4 models in the Top 10.

The ETA has ranked the following as the worst cars to drive:

1. Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano
2. Lamborghini Murcielago Model Year 2007
3. Dodge SRT10
4. Ferrari 612 Scaglietti
5. Bentley Motors Arnage (from 2007 model year)
6. Bentley Motors Azure (from 2007 model year)
7. Ferrari F430
8. Ferrari F430 Spider
9. Maserati Coupé
10. Maserati Coupé Gransport

Ferrari has 4 models in the worst cars list.

For more information and the Category Winners visit the Environmental Transport Association website.

TH!NK offers North America sustainable mobility

In partnership with clean-tech investors, RockPort Capital Partners and Kleiner Perkins, Caulfield and Byers, a Norwegian electric vehicle company, TH!NK Global, established TH!NK North America. Together, they plan to bring electric vehicles into a society where gas prices are ridicilously high and environmental concerns are becoming a factor.

TH!NK Global mass-produces highway-capable electric vehicles which has no emissions. TH!NK city is the model that will be pushed into North America and these battery powered cars will be available in 2009.

The cars themselves are made by 95% recyclable materials; the body is made from recyclable plastic and the car has met all US federal motor vehicle safety requirements. It has a top-speed of 100 km/h and can travel 180 km on a single charge. The plan is to sell them for less than $20,000 US.

Source: TH!NK Press Release, Article by Bob Keefe

Ford is testing it's new Plug-In Hybrids

The new Plug-In Hybrids will have advanced lithium-ion batteries that fully charge in 6 to 8 hours and can provide fuel economy of 2.35L/100KM or over 120 miles per gallon.

The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) and Ford Motor Company will work together in the New York/New Jersey are to test the new Hybrids. They have a 3 year agreement to determine ways to integrate the Plug-In functionality into the electric grid system. Basically, the Plug-In Hybrids plug directly into the 120V household grid to charge the battery.

The bugs and costs are still being worked out.