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Ford family keeps special voting rights

Ford Motor Company has a dual-class stock structure of Class A and Class B shares. The roughly three billion Class A shares are for the general public like you and me, while the roughly 71 million Class B shares are all owned by the Ford family. Each Class A share gets the shareholder one vote, each Class B share is worth 16 votes, the result being that Common Stock holders control about 60 percent of the company while the Ford family controls 40 percent even though it holds far fewer shares. The only way that could ever change would be if the Fords sell their Class B shares, but even so, Class B shares revert to Class A when sold outside the family, so they'd have to sell a whole bunch of them.
A contingent of Class A shareholders think the dual-class system is unfair, and for the past few years a vote's been held during the annual shareholders meeting to end it. It has failed every time, as it just did again during the meeting held this week. A smidge over 33 percent voted to end the dual system, outvoted by the 67 percent who are happy with the way Ford is going - unsurprising in view of a corporate turnaround that will be part of business-class curricula for years to come.
On the sidelines, Ford elected Ellen R. Marram to the post of independent director, the first woman to hold the job. The former Tropicana CEO and 20-year Ford board member replaces retiring board member Irvine Hockaday who helped bring Alan Mulally to the CEO position.

2018 Ford F-150 Powerstroke vs. 2018 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel: comparing the specs

Now that Ford has finally released specifications for its diesel Ford F-150, we can finally see how it stacks up against its sole competition, the Ram 1500 EcoDiesel. Naturally, since we haven't driven the new diesel F-150, we can't tell you which is better on the road, but there are interesting things we can glean from the numbers. Compare these and other potential new vehicle purchases using our tool. For one thing, the two trucks are extremely similar from a powertrain perspective. Both trucks use a turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 diesel, with the Ford using a 10-speed automatic, and the Ram using an 8-speed automatic. The Powerstroke engine is built in the U.K. but specifically tuned by Ford for American pickup truck duty. It is also is related to the diesel V6 used by Jaguar and Land Rover. The Ram 1500's engine is made by VM Motori. Only 10 horsepower and 20 pound-feet of torque separate the two, with the Ford getting the slight advantage. The Ford also produces its horsepower and torque slightly sooner than the Ram. Peak power in the Ford comes at 3,250 rpm compared to 3,600 rpm in the Ram, and peak torque arrives at 1,750 rpm in the Ford, and 2,000 rpm in the Ram. View 9 Photos More significant differences become apparent in the payload and towing area, both of which put the Ford at an advantage. The F-150 Powerstroke can carry 2,020 pounds of cargo, or tow 11,400 pounds. The Ram EcoDiesel, depending on configuration, can carry 1,100 to 1,600 pounds of cargo, and tow between 7,560 and 9,210 pounds. Fuel economy might go to the Ford if it hits the company's target of 30 mpg highway. That would beat the Ram's 27 mpg highway. We don't know what Ford's target city mpg is, but the Ram manages 20 in town with two-wheel drive. Four-wheel drive drops the city rating to 19 mpg. View 6 Photos The biggest decider between the trucks might be cost. Ford is only offering its diesel engine on higher end trims, which means that the cheapest diesel F-150 starts at $46,315. That's for a two-wheel drive Lariat extended cab with a 6.5-foot bed. Ram on the other hand, offers the diesel in everything from its ultra-bare-bones Tradesman pickup, allowing for a base price of just $28,585, up to the fancy Laramie Longhorn and Limited trims. Ram's diesel is also available with all cab variants, while Ford's is only offered in extended- and double-cab body styles.

Recharge Wrap-up: 1st Hyundai Tucson Fuel Cell in Bay Area, Nikola Tesla rally

Enthusiasts in Croatia are celebrating Nikola Tesla with an EV rally. This June, drivers of a wide variety of electric cars will take part in the 2016 Nikola Tesla EV Rally Croatia. The rally takes place over 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) from June 1 to June 5, 2016. It is being billed as "the quietest and most beautiful rally ever." Nikola Tesla would have turned 160 on July 10 of 2016. Check out the invitation video above, and read more at the rally website or on Facebook. Mexico is fining Ford $1.05 million for selling vehicles without proper environmental certifications. Mexico's Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (PROFEPA) says that the automaker sold some 4,690 vehicles without required compliance certificates related to emissions and noise level regulations. The offending vehicles include 2015 and 2016 models from both Ford and Lincoln. Read more from Automotive News. Hyundai has sold its first Tucson Fuel Cell in Northern California. The hydrogen powered crossover was sold by Capitol Hyundai of San Jose. "Capitol Hyundai is excited to be a qualified dealer for Hyundai's zero-emissions Tucson Fuel Cell hydrogen electric vehicle," says Capitol Hyundai owner Shaun Del Grande. "Our location in the Bay Area region is Hyundai's first in Northern California, making it more convenient for local residents to conveniently acquire their new Tucson Fuel Cell CUV, helping reduce greenhouse gas emissions where they work and live." Tucson Fuel Cell drivers have accumulated over 1 million emissions-free miles in California since the car went on sale in 2014, preventing over 400 tons of CO2 emissions. Read more in the press release below. CAPITOL HYUNDAI OF SAN JOSE CELEBRATES FIRST FUEL CELL CUSTOMER DELIVERY IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA First Hyundai Fuel Cell Dealer in Northern California Proudly Delivers its First Fuel Cell amidst a Rapidly Growing Bay Area Hydrogen Infrastructure SAN JOSE, Calif., May 2, 2016 – Capitol Hyundai of San Jose, California, a proud member of the Del Grande Dealer Group, delivered the first zero-emissions Hyundai Tucson Fuel Cell hydrogen electric vehicle in the Northern California region today. Capitol Hyundai is the fifth qualified dealer for Hyundai's Tucson Fuel Cell, and the first Hyundai fuel cell dealer in Northern California. Hyundai was the first manufacturer in the U.S. to offer consumers the opportunity to lease a mass-produced fuel cell vehicle, the zero-emissions Tucson Fuel Cell CUV.