2014 Ford F150 Xlt on 2040-cars

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These Canadians somehow forgot how to drive in snow

Montreal drivers experienced a slow-motion pileup on their streets this weeks thanks to the first snow fall of the season. According to the CBC, slippery conditions caused a small pileup involving cars, buses and even a street clearing vehicle. Onlookers in neighboring office buildings watched as vehicle after vehicle slid down Cote du Beaver Hall and crashed into the scrum of waiting cars. First there was a city bus, then a white Ford F-150 work truck loaded down with ladders, then another city bus came along and sandwiched the poor F-150. A Montreal Police Charger then came down the hill backwards, hit the bus in a slow, sad crash before it was crashed into by an out of control plow truck. Since its posting yesterday, the video of the crash has gone viral. Various other vehicles–a green-topped Scion delivery truck and a couple workaday sedans–were lucky enough to escape the pileup, but still suffered through a white-knuckled slippery descent down the hill. Colin Creado, who works nearby the crash site, told the CBC although it was pretty slippery, he was surprised at all the carnage since the storm was forecast well in advance. "You would have thought ... they would have salted the area or at least cordoned it off, because that road is pretty steep," he told the station. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. News Source: CBC Auto News Weird Car News Dodge Ford Driving Safety Truck Commercial Vehicles Police/Emergency Sedan snow montreal winter driving

Recharge Wrap-up: Ford Transit hybrid conversion, PlugShare updates app

A new report quantifies China's growing vehicle scrapping industry. With major growth in vehicle ownership since 2000, China is expecting its first scrappage peak this year. In 2013, China's scrappage rate was four percent, around two to four percent below other developed countries. However, more and more organizations are being certified to dismantle and recycle vehicles. With 9 to 12 million vehicles reaching end of life in 2015, and 12 to 16 million by 2020, recycling and remanufacturing parts could be a significant industry in China - as much as $32 billion this year. Read more in the release from ReportBuyer. PlugShare has updated its mobile app with a new interface and features. The EV charger locator service's most important new feature is a trip planner, which shows charging stations within five miles of the specified route (that range is expected to become adjustable with future updates). Other new features include a local charging activity viewer, bookmarks, messaging, leaderboards, a customizable user profile, and new search options. Users can now specify specific plug types or charging networks in their search for charging options. Check out the rundown of the updated app at Green Car Reports. XL Hybrids has created a hybrid system for the Ford Transit. The conversion company has adapted its XL3 Hybrid Electric Drive System for Ford's popular van, allowing for better fuel economy and low-end torque. The system works with model year 2015 and 2016 cargo and passenger versions of the Ford Transit, powered by either the 3.7-liter or the 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine, regardless of the wheelbase or roof height. It can improve fuel economy and CO2 emissions by about 20 percent. Vans with the XL3 system installed retain their factory warranty, and the hybrid system comes with a three-year, 75,000-mile warranty from XL Hybrids. Read more in the press release below. XL Hybrids Introduces the First Hybrid Electric Ford Transit Van for the North American Market The XL3 Hybrid Electric Drive System to be compatible with MY2015 and MY2016 Ford Transit cargo vans and passenger wagons BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--XL Hybrids, Inc., the leader in fleet electrification solutions for commercial and municipal fleets, today announced its XL3 Hybrid Electric Drive System has now been adapted for the Ford Transit van – the first hybrid electric Transit van for the North American market.

Ford offering factory-spec EcoBoost reflashes that don't void warranty*

Buy a supercharger or cold-air kit from Ford Racing and a Performance Calibration handset comes with it to reset the ECU for the upgrade. Now Ford Racing is offering the ProCal handset a la carte for $595, allowing you to reflash the ECU on your EcoBoost-equipped ride to extract more of its inherent capabilities without any additional upgrades. It gives you control of variables such as throttle response, idle speed and turbo wastegate control, among others. As for that warranty asterisk, the press release says enthusiasts can up the power "while maintaining the Ford-backed limited warranty." However Ford Motor Co. and Ford Racing are separate entities, and, best we can tell, when you reflash the ECU, your Ford warranty gets supplanted by the Ford Racing warranty. Say you bought a 2014 Ford, that means your five-year, 60,000-mile warranty becomes Ford Racing's three-year, 36,000-mile warranty, if we're reading the fine print correctly. If you have an older car and have driven more than 36,000 miles, then your warranty options are kaput, at least as far as a Ford in-house option. If have warranty concerns, you might also want to consider having a dealer perform the reflash, or at least ask about it. Once you've got past the small print, what about the numbers? At the moment Ford Racing offers tunes for the 2.0-liter EcoBoost in the Focus ST and the 1.6-liter EcoBoost in the Fiesta ST, and we're told there's a 90-pound-foot boost in torque at the crank after you've pressed the right buttons. Anecdotal evidence from a commenter at Road & Track says he went from 252 horsepower at the flywheel to 254 hp at the wheels, and 272 lb-ft at the flywheel to 354 lb-ft at the wheels, but we can't be sure that his adjustments were within Ford Racing specs. Your mileage, naturally, may vary. What about custom numbers for the 2.3-liter EcoBoost in the 2015 Ford Mustang? They aren't ready yet, but we're told we'll get something by the end of next year. Featured Gallery 2015 Ford Focus ST News Source: Ford, Ford Racing via Car and Driver Aftermarket Ford Technology ecoboost ford focus st ford fiesta st ford racing