Official: Ford C-Max Hybrid officially gets 47 mpg across the board; Energi hits 85 mph in EV mode

Filed under: Hybrid, Minivan/Van, Ford, Electric

Two new announcements about Ford and its upcoming C-Max line of vehicles arrived today, emphasizing the vehicles' efficiency and electric performance.

For the C-Max Hybrid, the previously predicted miles per gallon rating of 47 mpg is now official, per the EPA, and will apply across the board. That means city, highway and combined mileage ratings are all 47. As anyone Ford can reach with a PR blast knows, this beats at least one of the mpg numbers for the Toyota Prius V by seven mpg. The world's most popular hybrid lineup, in V guise, gets 44 mpg in the city, 40 on the highway and 42 combined. The standard Prius Liftback version, of course, gets 51 city, 48 highway and 50 combined.

More interesting, perhaps, is the news that the plug-in Energi model will be able to go up to 85 miles per hour in all-electric mode. Once again, Ford is hammering the Prius comparison, saying that speed is "more than 20 mph higher than Toyota Prius plug-in." The C-Max Hybrid can go up to 62 miles an hour in EV mode.

To engage EV mode in the C-Max Energi, Ford uses a "unique EV mode button allows customers to deliver electric power on-demand." We're not sure what makes it unique (other plug-ins have powertrain mode selector buttons), but it does have three modes: EV Now (where the car is only moved by battery power, as long as it's available), EV Auto (normal operation, with both battery and gas engine used for propulsion) or EV Later, a "battery-saving mode that reserves the pack power for later use." (Think of the Chevrolet Volt mountain mode.) The Energi goes on sale in limited areas this fall and nationwide in early 2013.

Oh, Ford also says, "With a fully charged battery, C-MAX Energi is rated at 195 horsepower, versus 188 horsepower for Toyota Prius." It's pretty clear which competitors Ford is going after here, isn't it?

Continue reading Ford C-Max Hybrid officially gets 47 mpg across the board; Energi hits 85 mph in EV mode

Ford C-Max Hybrid officially gets 47 mpg across the board; Energi hits 85 mph in EV mode originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 07 Aug 2012 13:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

View the original article here

Apple officially gives Google Maps the boot, launches own Maps app with turn-by-turn navigation (updated)

It's been one the big questions hanging over WWDC -- will Apple actually toss Google to the side and launch it's own mapping service specifically for iOS? Well, it's not a question any more, but a cold hard fact. Apple's mapping solution is here, taking over where Google left off. The move is hardly shocking since Apple has already confirmed that it's been working on a traffic database and snatched up a number of mapping companies. Besides, it's not like Cupertino and Mountain View are the best of buds right now. Maps includes all of the features you've come to expect from the previous iOS solution, but with a number of enhancements. This all new mapping solution includes 100 million different business listings, Yelp integration and, biggest of all, turn-by-turn navigation. The app does use anonymously collected data to populate traffic information and any rerouting is brought to your attention with a pop-up notification.

The story isn't done yet, though. The maps are even rendered in full 3D, not unlike what Google announced last week. (And the news was delivered in a way that made it clear Apple think's they've one upped their former map app provider.) The whole demo -- flipping through business listings, flying around in 3D and navigating labyrinth-like city streets -- was performed on one of those shiny new iPads... you know, the ones that are getting Siri support soon. Which, if you haven't figured out yet, plays quite nicely with the new Maps app as we saw in the demo. Ask Siri to find a gas station on your route or how much longer you'll be on the road and the pleasantly robotic voice gets you the relevant info.

Update: Several of our readers scoured the fine print on Apple's freshly launched iOS 6 Maps page, and informed us that the Flyover and turn-by-turn features will only be available to folks with an iPhone 4S or iPad 2 or later. Guess that's just one more reason to upgrade, eh?

Check out our full coverage of WWDC 2012 at our event hub!

Gallery: iOS 6 Maps

Apple officially gives Google Maps the boot, launches own Maps app with turn-by-turn navigation (updated) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Jun 2012 14:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  Apple  | Email this | Comments]]>

View the original article here

Vizio PCs officially launch in June, home theaters look on with envy

The FCC gave us a clue that Vizio's first-ever PCs would be shipping soon, and the company is now spilling a few beans more directly. Although the official statement is still short on many of the details we've been hoping to know, Vizio is promising that the line will launch before June is up. As a refresher, the normally home theater-focused company is planning to go all-out despite being the new kid on the block, going with a trio of mid-size laptops as well as two sizes of all-in-one desktops that rely on Magic Trackpad-like input to draw attention. Mum's the word on whether or not the 10-inch tablet will be part of the June arrivals, although there's unconfirmed talk that Walmart will carry at least some of the lineup and trigger some jealousy in the 2012 Vizio TVs across the aisle.

Gallery: Vizio PCs and tablets @ CES

Vizio PCs officially launch in June, home theaters look on with envy originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 01 Jun 2012 16:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  Gizmodo  | Email this | Comments]]>

View the original article here