3/30/22

Maxon Lift Corp.


MAXON Liftgates are the most trusted, best backed, most innovative in the business.

3/27/22

The All-Electric 2022 Ford E-Transit™ Is Ready | Ford Pro™​


Our all-electric 2022 Ford E-Transit™ van is ready for the challenges your business takes on. Available with Ford Pro™ E-Telematics,* where you can monitor things like range and help maximize run times, along with upfitting configurations based on your business needs, the E-Transit will be the workhorse of your fleet. So let Ford Pro electrify your fleet- giving you the ability to focus on the work that matters most. Ford Pro. A productivity accelerator for your business. *Eligible vehicles receive a complimentary 3-year trial of E-Telematics services that begins on the new vehicle warranty start date. Requires modem activation. Terms and conditions apply. Telematics service and features, and access to vehicle data depend on compatible AT&T network availability. Evolving technology/cellular networks/vehicle capability may limit functionality and prevent operation of connected features. After the 3- year trial, annual service contract is required for E-Telematics service. Call 1-833-811-3673 to activate E-Telematics service.

3/26/22

Driving Tips for Wet Roads


Wet pavement contributes to over 1 million crashes each year! Here are AAA's tips if you're caught driving in the rain. www.aaa.com/safety


3/24/22

Harbor 8' Service Body With RollTop and Drawers



John Turic shows off this great Harbor 8' Service Body mounted on a Ford F-250 chassis. This unit has a 3-piece Cargo Bed Enclosure (Rolltop), standard pop-out lock system, Master Locking System, and a couple of drawers in the front streetside compartment. 

See more about Harbor Truck Bodies at http://www.htbi.net, and more from Hansel Ford at http://www.HanselWorkTrucks.co

3/22/22

Keeping Your Car (and Truck) Sensors Clean | Consumer Reports


Today's cars come with cutting edge technology designed to help keep you safe. Consumer Reports' expert explains how these revolutionary innovations can stop working with one simple thing: dirt.

3/20/22

Ask An Expert - Towing and Hauling Tips with Mark Hellwig


Hellwig Suspension Products CEO, Mark Hellwig has been in the load and sway control business his whole life. Over the years he has learned a few things about towing and hauling.

Mark shares a few tips and pieces of advice for proper and safe towing and hauling in this video.

3/18/22

Tommy Gate - G2 Series - Pickup and Service Body Operation


"Build a Better Truck" Video Ad for Tommy Gate "G2-Series" liftgates for pickup trucks.

3/16/22

What to Know About Towing | Consumer Reports


There are so many vessels and vehicles to satisfy your inner adventurer. Consumer Reports’ expert explains what you need to know about getting these beauties from point A to point B.

3/14/22

NEW STUDY FINDS GREATER GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTIONS FOR PICKUP TRUCK ELECTRIFICATION THAN FOR OTHER LIGHT-DUTY VEHICLES


  •  A University of Michigan and Ford Motor Company study evaluates the reductions in greenhouse gas emissions relative to gasoline-powered pickup trucks as part of the decarbonization of the transportation industry.
  • Sedan, SUV, and pickup truck battery-electric vehicles have approximately 64% lower cradle-to-grave life cycle greenhouse gas emissions than internal-combustion-engine vehicles on average across the United States.
  • Replacing an internal-combustion-engine pickup with a battery-electric pickup results in a reduction of 74 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent over the lifetime of the vehicle on average.
  • While battery-electric vehicles currently have larger greenhouse gas emissions in their manufacturing than internal-combustion-engine vehicles, due to battery production, this impact is offset by savings in their operation.

Major automotive manufacturers are ramping up the production of electric trucks as a key strategy to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions of their fleets. Light-duty vehicles, including sedans, SUVs, and pickup trucks, are currently responsible for 58% of U.S. transportation sector emissions. Pickup trucks accounted for 14% of light-duty vehicle sales in the United States in 2020, and the market share of both pickups and SUVs has grown in recent years.

But what does pickup truck electrification mean for the decarbonization of the transportation industry?

University of Michigan and Ford Motor Company researchers addressed this question in a new study and evaluated the savings in greenhouse gas emissions relative to gasoline-powered pickup trucks.

Researchers found that light-duty, battery-electric vehicles have approximately 64% lower cradle-to-grave life cycle greenhouse gas emissions than internal-combustion-engine vehicles on average across the United States.

“This is an important study to inform and encourage climate action. Our research clearly shows substantial greenhouse gas emission reductions that can be achieved from transitioning to electrified powertrains across all vehicle classes,” said study senior author Greg Keoleian, a professor at the U-M School for Environment and Sustainability and director of the U-M Center for Sustainable Systems.

“This study can help us to understand the potential impact of electrification from an emissions-reduction perspective, particularly as we introduce new electric vehicles, and how we can continue to accelerate our progress towards carbon neutrality. We’re proud to partner with U-M in this critical work,” said Cynthia Williams, global director of sustainability, homologation and compliance at Ford.

In the study, researchers conducted a cradle-to-grave life cycle assessment of pickup trucks and compared the implications of pickup truck electrification to those of sedan and SUV electrification.

With a focus on evaluating greenhouse gas emissions, researchers looked at three different model year 2020 powertrain options—internal-combustion-engine vehicles, hybrid-electric vehicles, and battery-electric vehicles—for midsize sedans, midsize SUVs, and full-size pickup trucks, accounting for differences in fuel economy, annual mileage, vehicle production, and vehicle lifetime across vehicle classes.

“This study expands upon previous studies that have focused on comparing battery-electric vehicle sedans to their internal-combustion-engine or hybrid counterparts,” said Keoleian. “We report emissions for vehicle production, use, and end-of-life stages on a per-mile basis and over the total vehicle lifetime. In addition, we analyzed the regional variation in emissions considering differences in electricity grid mixes and ambient temperatures, and we also explored the effects of the rate of grid decarbonization on emission reduction.” 

The study offers key findings. Researchers, for instance, found that switching an internal-combustion-engine vehicle to a battery-electric vehicle results in greater total tonnage of emissions reductions as the vehicle size increases, due to the greater fuel consumption of larger vehicles. “Though the percentage savings is approximately the same across vehicle classes, on average replacing an internal-combustion-engine sedan with a battery-electric sedan saves 45 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, replacing an internal-combustion-engine SUV with a battery-electric SUV saves 56 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, and replacing an internal-combustion-engine pickup with a battery-electric pickup saves 74 metric tons carbon dioxide equivalent over the lifetime of the vehicles,” said study first author and Center for Sustainable Systems Research Specialist Max Woody. 

The researchers also found that battery-electric vehicles have larger greenhouse gas emissions in their manufacturing than internal-combustion-engine vehicles, due to battery production, but this impact is offset by savings in their operation. For battery-electric vehicles and internal-combustion-engine vehicles, the breakeven time is 1.2 to 1.3 years for sedans, 1.4 to 1.6 years for SUVs, and 1.3 years for pickup trucks, based on the average U.S. grid and vehicle miles traveled.

Vehicle emissions vary across the country, as different temperatures and different drive cycles affect a vehicle’s fuel economy. For electric vehicles, the emissions intensity of the local electricity grid is also an important factor. The study developed maps to show the lifetime grams of carbon dioxide equivalent/mile for each powertrain (internal-combustion-engine vehicles, hybrid vehicles, and battery-electric vehicles) and vehicle type (sedan, SUV, and pickup truck) by county across the United States. Researchers found that concerns about battery-electric vehicles having higher emissions than internal-combustion-engine vehicles or hybrids are largely unfounded, as battery-electric vehicles outperform hybrids in 95% to 96% of counties, while battery-electric vehicles outperform internal-combustion-engine vehicles in 98% to 99% of counties, even assuming only modest progress towards grid decarbonization.

Charging strategies can further reduce battery-electric vehicle greenhouse gas emissions. The study found that charging during the hours of the day with the lowest grid emissions intensity can reduce emissions by 11% on average. “Deployment of electric vehicles and expansion of renewable energy resources like solar and wind should be done at the same time; the benefit of each is increased by the development of the other,” said Woody.

The study, “The role of pickup truck electrification in the decarbonization of light-duty vehicles,” was published online March 1 in the journal Environmental Research Letters.

The other authors of the study are Parth Vaishnav of the U-M School for Environment and Sustainability and Center for Sustainable Systems and Robert De Kleine, Hyung Chul Kim, James E. Anderson, and Timothy J. Wallington of Ford Motor Company’s Research and Innovation Center.

This study was supported by Ford Motor Company through a Ford-University of Michigan Alliance Project Award.
 

Click here for more information.

 

About Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan, that is committed to helping build a better world, where every person is free to move and pursue their dreams.  The company’s Ford+ plan for growth and value creation combines existing strengths, new capabilities and always-on relationships with customers to enrich experiences for and deepen the loyalty of those customers.  Ford designs, manufactures, markets and services a full line of connected, increasingly electrified passenger and commercial vehicles:  Ford trucks, utility vehicles, vans and cars, and Lincoln luxury vehicles.  The company is pursuing leadership positions in electrification, connected vehicle services and mobility solutions, including self-driving technology, and provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company.  Ford employs about 183,000 people worldwide.  More information about the company, its products and Ford Motor Credit Company is available at corporate.ford.com.

3/12/22

Tire Blow Out Reaction Tips


Tires are the most important part of your vehicle and unexpected blows outs happen almost everyday! Watch this video to find out the two key steps to keep you safe in the event of a tire blow out.

3/10/22

Keep the cargo separated, secure and easily accessible with the Harbor False Floor



Here’s a great solution for contractors, utilities and municipal water departments, etc. - a false floor for the Harbor service body. The Dual Tailgate keeps contents secure while allowing access to each independently.


The best of both worlds, space for your equipment above and other storage below. For instance the storage below could serve as a sign box, storage for road signs or long tools while keeping the cargo area free for equipment.





Note that the lower compartment is lockable.

Find out more: Harbor Truck Bodies 800-433-9452

3/08/22

F-150 Lightning: Cold Testing the Lightning in Alaska | F-150 | Ford


We took the Ford F-150® Lightning™ to Delta Junction, Alaska for testing in the brutal cold. Eleven Ford Engineers put the F-150 Lightning through the paces for 14 days straight. Watch to see how the Lightning stood up to the challenge. Learn more about the Ford F-150 Lightning here: https://ford.to/3hzCSqg

3/06/22

General Service Package Van Interior From Harbor Truck Body & Van Interiors




Warren with Harbor Truck & Van shows off the "General Service" package van interior. Just one of the many packages that Harbor offeres. See more at http://www.harbortruck.com

3/04/22

Top 5 Safe Driving Tips


The roads can be dangerous! And, of course, we all want each other to get home safely. Here are CARFAX's Top 5 Safe Driving Tips!

3/02/22

Leading The Electric Revolution and Sustainability | Ford


We’re leaping off the line in the race to bring dependable and affordable electric vehicles to every American – and building a better future for American workers, American manufacturing, and the world we leave to our children.