GE is to purchase 2000 new Ford C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrids as part of a collaboration between the two companies and Georgia Institute of Technology.
Ford will make GE’s alternative fuel infrastructure products – like its WattStation electric vehicle charging units and ‘CNG in a Box’ natural gas fueling station – available to its commercial customers as well as providing GE’s Vehicle Innovation Center with alternative fuel vehicles.
Georgia Tech, meanwhile, will work with both partners to gather information and analyse the performance of GE’s fleet and drivers’ habits.
The Ford C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid, which retails for just under $30,000 after federal tax credits, can do around 21 miles in all-electric mode before its conventional engine kicks in to achieve over 100 mpg.
The effort is part of GE’s commitment to convert half of its global fleet to alternative vehicles. It now has more than 5000 alternative fuel vehicles, a fifth of the way towards its target of 25,000.
The initiative has already saved GE around $2 million in fuel costs and reduced its CO2 emissions by approximately 12 million pounds, says the company.
“We are focused on providing our customers and our fleet with more economically and environmentally efficient vehicles. The Ford C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid is a great addition to our expanding fleet of alternative fuel vehicles,” says GE’s vice president of ecomagination, Mark Vachon.
For further information:
www.ge.com
corporate.ford.com
www.gatech.edu
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NRG Energy and eVgo charge up Californian electric vehicle network (12-Nov)
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GE Energy makes electric car charging simple with PayPal (16-Jul)
Article source: http://www.energyefficiencynews.com/i/5565/
