Ford reducing rare earth metal use in 2013 electrified cars

Ford Motors is coming out with a range of "electrified" cars this year, ones that have either hybrid, or plug-in hybrid or all electric drive trains. The cars have high fuel efficiency, but they also reduce use of rare earth metals. Ford's new electrified vehicles, such as the 47-mpg Ford Fusion Hybrid and EPA-certified 47-mpg C-MAX Hybrid feature lighter, more efficient, more powerful lithium-ion batteries that are expected to reduce Ford's use of expensive, rare earth metals by up to 500,000 pounds annually, while improving Ford's fleet fuel efficiency.

Rare earth metals are in short supply around the world, and as in so many things China has developed a dominant position in rare earth metal supply. Many have worried that widespread adoption of high technology electrified vehicles would switch us from a dependency on foreign oil, to a dependency on foreign rare earth metals. The effort by Ford to reduce rare earth metal consumption in the company's electrified cars should help allay those fears.

In Ford's marketing terminology, "electrification" refers to any sort of electric technology built into a vehicle to improve fuel efficiency. This includes hybrid, plug-in hybrid and all electric drive trains.

Most of the reduction comes from switching away from Nickel-Metal-Hydride (NiMH) batteries to lithium-ion. NiMH batteries contain a range of rare earth metals including neodymium, cerium, lanthanum and praseodymium, none of which are used in the new lithium-ion batteries. Ford has also reduced the use of Dysprosium in magnets used in electric motors. Dysprosium, the most expensive rare earth metal used in Ford vehicles, is reduced by approximately 50 percent in new Ford Fusion and Ford C-MAX Hybrid electric vehicles.

The reduction was undertaken for both financial and physical reasons. By doing away with expensive materials Ford can lower the MSRP, or offer more capability for the same MSRP. Also the switch from NiMH to Li-ION batteries in Ford's hybrid vehicles means the battery pack is 50 percent lighter and 25-30% smaller, leaving more room for other things such as cargo.

"We're continually looking to find ways to provide greater fuel efficiency as well as cost savings to customers of our hybrid vehicles, and the reduction of rare earth metals is a key part of this strategy," said Chuck Gray, chief engineer, Global Core Engineering, Hybrid and Electric Vehicles. "The third-generation hybrid technology we are now using builds on our 20 years of electric vehicle innovations."

BMW 1M Coupe Touched by Best Cars and Bikes

The BMW 1M Coupe must’ve received more tuning packages than production units by now and here we are giving you a new aftermarket package for the car.

This comes from Best Cars and Bikes, who played with the 1M’s tech side and exterior. We’ll start under the hood, where the twin-turbo 3.0-liter straight six received an 85 hp power boost to 425 hp. Unfortunately, the tuning company hasn’t released the performance specs for the vehicle, but we’ll remind you that the stock vehicle needs 4.9 seconds to complete the 0 to 62 mph.

The 1M Coupe’s handling has also been touched, as Best Cars and Bikes has gifted the car with a coilover suspension coming from German specialist KW. In addition to that, the standard rims of the cars were ditched for a set of 20-inch Schmidt Revolution wheels.

Volvo Cars issue ultimatum to suppliers for 20% price cut

STOCKHOLM (AFP) - Volvo Cars has issued an ultimatum to its Swedish suppliers, telling them they would have to slash prices by a fifth by 2015, Swedish economic newspaper Dagens Industri said Friday.

Axel Maschka, the purchasing director for the firm, "told about 400 representatives of sub-contractors active in Sweden that lowering prices by 20 percent is the condition for them to participate in the expansion launched by Volvo to manufacture 800,000 vehicles in 2020".

Volvo sold 449,000 vehicles in 2011, including half of which were sold in Europe.

The loss-making carmaker, which was acquired by Chinese firm Geely from Ford in 2010, wants to quadruple sales in China to 200,000 vehicles a year from 47,000 sold in 2011.

Volvo has been struggling to improve demand, and announced in early September that it lost 254 million krona (30 million euros) in the first half.

Maschka did not confirm his ultimatum to Dagens Industri but said he hoped to increase the company's supply from China in order to meet the 2020 sales target.

"We are planning to buy about 25 percent from Chinese suppliers. We will reinforce our cooperation with Geely over our purchases in China," he said.

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Yukon and Sierra celebrate centennial with Heritage editions

GMC will bring the 2012 Yukon, Yukon XL and Sierra Heritage Editions to the New York Auto Show in April, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the GMC brand — which appeared for the first time at the 1912 New York Auto Show.
Exterior door badges feature the original GMC logo that appeared on the 1912 lineup, which included -gas- and electric-powered trucks.

Available in White Diamond, Onyx Black or exclusive Heritage Blue, the Heritage Editions will be available on Sierra 1500 Crew Cab, Yukon and Yukon XL models in SLT trim.

Differentiating content differs on each, with such goodies as embroidered mats and headrests, beefier wheels, and equipment packages. U.S. pricing ranges from $1,820 to $2,645.

GMC was formed in 192 when the Rapid Motor Vehicle Company, Reliance, and Randolph merged. If GMC were a stand-alone manufacturer, it would be the 10th-largest automaker in the U.S. for total vehicle sales in 2011.

BMW recalls 1.3 million cars

One of the world's largest automakers issued a major recall this week, in response to potential safety concerns.

Germany-based BMW, the world's largest luxury carmaker, said this week it would recall more than 1.3 million vehicles in one of its largest such recalls in years. The automaker said the recall would affect certain models of its 5- and 6-series cars that were manufactured between 2003 and 2010.

BMW has faced mounting competition from other luxury automakers over the past few years as it sought to maintain its dominance in the global auto market. The company said it issued the recall because in rare cases, a batter cable covering the trunk was incorrectly installed in certain vehicle models. The defect could potentially prevent affected cars from starting, while it may also spark a fire in other models, the company said.

The luxury carmaker has improved supply chain management over the past year in an effort to improve reliability and quality. The Associated Press reports the company plans to notify owners by letter and will pay for the repairs, which should only take roughly 30 minutes.