2020 Ford Transit Gets AWD Drivetrain, Safety and Convenience Updates
The 2020 Ford Transit received some major upgrades, including an available AWD option, two new engine choices, upgraded safety and interior features, and a 10-speed transmission.
The Transit comes standard with a 3.5L V6, replacing the 3.7L, which should offer better efficiency. A 2.0L bi-turbo inline-four diesel is also available, offering more torque and power than the outgoing 3.2 diesel. The 10-speed auto transmission should help to improve acceleration and fuel economy.
The move to offer an AWD option for the 2020 Ford Transit makes sense. The Mercedes Sprinter has been offered as an AWD since 2015, but other options such as the RAM ProMaster, Nissan NV, and Chevrolet Express are only available in FWD or RWD.
Many parcel delivery, construction, and utility companies employ this type of van, so the need is there. Many of these companies operate in adverse weather conditions and on sub-par roadways.
In regards to convenience, the AWD has the same ride and floor height as the RWD van, ensure ease-of-entry and loading. Power-sliding doors are also being offered for the first time, an incredibly useful feature for Transits being used as shuttles.
Ford also focused on safety and driver convenience. Available safety features include pre-collision assist with automatic emergency braking and pedestrian detection, forward collision warning, post-collision braking, lane keeping assist, and automatic high beam headlights.
Other options include active park assist, front and rear cameras, adaptive cruise control, and an adjustable speed governor. Ford Co-Pilot 360, which comes on the XLT passenger van, includes a blind spot alert system, trailer cover, side and rear sensing, and cross traffic alert.
Feb 2019
Three-Row Chevrolet Blazer in 2020; Unlikely to make it Stateside
A report by GM Authority details Chevrolet’s plans to release a three-row Blazer in China in 2020. The bigger Blazer will expand to other markets from there, though no confirmation has been made whether the US and Canada are on that list.
The potentially dubbed Blazer XL is reported to be 5.5” longer than the current Blazer, sporting larger rear doors and third windows and a more traditional roofline paired with a more vertical tailgate. The two engine offerings include a 3.6L V6 and a turbocharged 2.0L I4.
China and the regions that will follow were targeted due to the Traverse not being offered there due to its size. The Blazer XL is smaller than the Traverse, making its success more viable in these markets.
However, if offered in the US and Canada the three-row Blazer would compete with the Traverse, putting a bit of a damper on the optimism that it’ll make it stateside. But until that’s confirmed, we’ll hold out hope.
Feb 2019
Rivian’s Goal to Produce First Electric Pickup Receives $700 million Backing from Amazon
The electric vehicle market gets a major shakeup with talks between Amazon and electric-vehicle manufacturer Rivian ending up in a $700 million investment. According to Reuters, General Motors Co. has also been in talks with Rivian in regards to an investment. However, no official announcement has been released by either company.
Rivian, a Michigan-based EV manufacturer, strives to be first to market with an electric pickup. This investment should make that a reality. The start-up company is looking to launch both their R1T Pickup and R1S SUV in the US in 2020.
The Rivian R1T pickup debuted at the LA Auto Show last November with an estimated starting price of $69,000 and an advertised 400-mile range with the higher-kilowatt battery. The base model is said to have a 300 mile range. Rivian claims that the payload capacity is 1,764 pounds and the towing capacity is 11,000 pounds.
Other manufactures are also looking to capitalize on the un-tapped EV pickup segment. Ford recently announced plans for an all-electric version of the best-selling pickup ever, the F-150. This is expected to coincide with a redesign of the F-150, which is at still at least a model year away. Tesla also has plans to produce an electric pickup, but you have to assume much of their focus continues to be on working out the kinks of their Model 3 production process.
This type of investment, paired with good timing in regards to the market condition, could really propel Rivani into being a serious contender in the EV market for years to come.
Feb 2019
Ford Invests $1 Billion in Chicago Assembly and Stamping Plants
Ford Motor Company released details on their plan to invest $1 billion in their Chicago Assembly and Stamping Plants. The investment will support the move to expand capacity in order to produce the all-new Ford Explorer, Police Interceptor Utility, and the Lincoln Aviator. The move also brings an additional 500 jobs to two the plants.
Work is set to begin in March, with the plant and new employees being projected to be up and running later this spring. Some of the additions to the Chicago assembly plant include all-new body and paint shops, stamping lines, assembly locations, and some 3D printed tools for improved quality.
The move will help Ford to increase production and retain their hold on the both the US and international markets. For 2018, Ford produced the most vehicles in the US (2.4 million) and also exported the most vehicles from the US.
“We are proud to be America’s top producer of automobiles. Today, we are furthering our commitment to America with this billion dollar manufacturing investment in Chicago and 500 more good-paying jobs,” said Joe Hinrichs, president, Global Operations.
A link to the full release on the Ford website is below:
2020 Ford Escape Spy Photos Continue to Reveal Drastic Changes
When news of the 2020 Ford Escape redesign came out we expected to see a comparable vehicle with enhanced looks and features. As spy photos continue to pop up, the reality is that the redesign was a bit more involved than that.
The rigid lines of the 3rd-generation Escape are gone. In fact, it looks as though this upcoming model carries over little-to-no design cues from the outgoing model.
The most recent photos reveal the headlights, which look to be rather unassuming. Actually, the front end as a whole looks rather pedestrian. And while camo may still be concealing some minor design features, it’s hard to envision there being enough personality under that camo to make the front end eye-catching.
The side profile reveals that the Escape has an appealing roof slope, with the rear window having a sharp gradient that adds some needed styling. It seems as though the amount of interior cargo space has been greatly reduced when compared to the outgoing Escape, but no specific details have been released to date.
The major change may be a result of Ford looking to clear space for the Bronco by shrinking the Escape out of the midsize SUV segment. With the Expedition, Explorer, Edge, Escape, Bronco, EcoSport, and a supposed additional 4×4 utility model on the horizon, the manufacturer’s SUV offerings are more than substantial.
The new Escape looks as though it will it still fit in between the Edge and the EcoSport levels, although it seems to have shifted more towards to the size of the EcoSport than the Edge.
Jan 2019
Ontario’s Push to Reduce Distracted Driving Continues
The increased penalties for distracted driving offenses in Ontario are now in effect. The updates include increased monetary penalties, demerit points, and license suspensions. It’s been known for some time now that these changes were coming, but now that they’re actually active it will be interesting to see how they impact driver behavior.
The updated policies add a level of offense beyond distracted driving. Officers will also be policing for careless driving, which they describe as endangering other people due to a distraction. Thus includes distractions caused by hands-free devices. The penalties for careless driving are potentially major, including a loss of six demerit points, fines up to $2,000, and/or a jail term of six months and a license suspension of up to two years.
Going even further, dangerous driving is a criminal offense that includes a jail term of up to 10 years for causing bodily harm and up to 14 years for causing death.
A full outline of the guidelines and the penalties is available on the Government of Ontario’s website:
The new laws went into effect on December 18th and make Canada’s laws some of the strictest in the world in regards to impaired driving. The new laws not only include harsher monetary penalties, but they also provide law enforcement with new powers when it comes to interacting with drivers. Officers no longer need reasonable suspicion to demand a breathalyzer, they can demand a test from any driver they pull over. Refusing to complete the test can result in a charge.
An overview of the changes is as follows:
First offence, with blood alcohol content of 80-119 mg: mandatory minimum $1,000 fine
First offence, with blood alcohol content of 120-159 mg: mandatory minimum $1,500 fine
First offence, with blood alcohol content of 160 mg or more: mandatory minimum $2,500 fine
First offence, but refuse to be tested: mandatory minimum $2,000 fine
Second offence: mandatory minimum 30 days imprisonment
Third or more offence: mandatory minimum 120 days imprisonment
Maximum penalties for impaired driving causing no bodily harm or death: summary conviction carries two years less a day imprisonment, indictment carries 10 years imprisonment
Maximum penalties for impaired driving causing bodily harm: Summary conviction for less severe injuries carries two years less a day imprisonment, indictment carries 14 years imprisonment
Maximum penalty impaired driving causing death: life imprisonment
Dec 2018
Honda, NASA, and Caltech Collaborate to Create a more Practical, Efficient Fluoride-Ion Battery
The future of ground transportation is trending towards an electrified power source. This trend may have just taken another step towards making this projection a certainty. The trio of Honda, NASA, and Caltech just announced their development of a new battery chemistry that offers more energy potential, while leaving a smaller environmental footprint.
They state that the fluoride-ion batteries are capable of delivering up to 10 times the energy density that lithium–ion batteries offer.
“Fluoride-ion batteries offer a promising new battery chemistry with up to ten times more energy density than currently available Lithium batteries,” said Christopher Brooks, a Honda Research Institute researcher, “Unlike Li-ion batteries, FIBs do not pose a safety risk due to overheating, and obtaining the source materials for FIBs creates considerably less environmental impact than the extraction process for lithium and cobalt.”
These batteries are also far less likely to spontaneously burst into flames, as some of their lithium-ion counterparts have done in both vehicles and cell phones.
While these are still more than likely years away from market integration, and unforeseen hurdles are likely, the notion that a more eco-friendly and efficient power source may be an actuality is something to be excited about.
The only piece of sheet metal that the 2020 Silverado 2500/3500 models share with the 1500 model is the roof.
“We know the needs and priorities of heavy-duty customers are different than those of either light-duty or medium-duty customers,” said Jaclyn McQuaid, chief engineer, Silverado HD. “As such, we built a heavy-duty truck tailor-made for them that has more differentiation than ever before from light-duty models…”
The modifications have also benefited the interior capabilities, with 3” of legroom being added on the crew cab models as well as a taller and more comfortable seating position.
Per the automaker, the 2020 Silverado HD will offer an all-new direct-injected gasoline engine as well as a Duramax Turbo-Diesel V8 that delivers 910lb-ft of torque. No additional details have been released on the gas-powered engine, so we’ll have to wait on that.
EMKAY Named as a Top 5 Most Awarded at 2018 Best in Biz Awards
The winners of the 2018 Best in Biz Awards were just announced, and for the 2nd consecutive year EMKAY is one of the Top 5 Most Awarded Companies! This is the 8th annual Best in Biz Awards competition, the only independent business awards program judged each year by prominent editors and reporters from top-tier publications in North America. With over 700 entries for the 2018 competition, it’s an incredible honor to be named one of the most awarded.
The EMKAY team puts in a lot of work to make wining these awards possible. We’re very proud of these accomplishments and will continue to foster innovation in all aspects of our operations.
Details on the categories in which we won are as follows:
Gold in Most Innovative Service of the Year
EMKAY’s SafeRoads Service was recognized as the Most Innovative Service of the year. SafeRoads delivers high-level driver tracking capabilities without the need for a full-on telematics program. The system utilizes drivers’ phones in order to monitor their driving for risky behaviors such as distracted phone use, harsh acceleration, speeding, and hard braking. SafeRoads keeps a running score for each individual based on their behaviors, which fleet managers can then review via the EMKAY website.
Silver in Technology Department of the Year
Our IT department has been quite busy. Our team recently revamped the entire layout and functionality of our Fleet Dashboard in order to provide clients with advanced analytic capabilities in an easy-to-use format. In addition to this huge project, they also helped to build EMKAY’s SafeRoads program and completed many other mobile app enhancements.
Silver in Blog of the Year The EMKAY blog covers an array of topics that can range from serious matters such as distracted driving, to more lighthearted ones like new digital license plates. Managing a corporate fleet can be quite the undertaking, so finding some levity throughout the day helps to relieve some stress. While the posts do tend to focus on automotive and fleet related topics, there are still plenty of posts that are beneficial to the everyday reader.
About the Best in Biz Awards
Since 2011, winners in Best in Biz Awards have been determined based on scoring from independent judging panels deliberately composed each year of prominent editors and reporters from some of the most respected newspapers, TV outlets, and business, consumer, technology and trade publications in North America. Structured in this unique way, Best in Biz Awards is able to best leverage its distinguished judges’ unparalleled expertise, experience and objectivity to determine award winners from among the hundreds of entries. The 2018 judging panel included, among others, writers from Associated Press, Barron’s, Consumer Affairs, eWeek, Forbes, Healthcare Innovation News, Inc., Investment Advisor Magazine, MediaPost, New York Post, New York Times, Ottawa Citizen and Wired.
Thank you for your interest in EMKAY, we will try and get back to as shortly as possible.
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