Reshared post from +Ford Motor Company

** URGENT **

Ford Acts Quickly To Ensure Customer Safety By Recalling 2013 Ford Escapes with 1.6-liter Engines

• Ford Motor Company is taking quick action on behalf of its customers by conducting a voluntary safety recall of 2013 model year Ford Escape vehicles equipped with the 1.6-liter engine, which were built through July 11, 2012; Escapes equipped with the 2.0-liter and the 2.5-liter engines are unaffected

• The recall is being taken to replace an engine compartment fuel line, which could split and leak fuel, potentially resulting in an underhood fire; no injuries have been reported

• Ford is advising affected owners not to drive their vehicles and to contact their dealers immediately for the needed repair. Dealers will deliver a loaner vehicle to customers and will then transport their 2013 Escape to the dealership until the repair has been completed

• Ford dealers will stop delivering or conducting demonstration drives of the 2013 Escape vehicles equipped with 1.6-liter engines until the issue has been resolved

• The repairs should take less than an hour for the dealership to complete, pending parts availability;  If affected customers quickly take action and contact their dealers as advised, all vehicles potentially can be remedied in less than two weeks

DEARBORN, Mich., July 19, 2012 – Ford Motor Company today announced a voluntary safety recall of 2013 model year Ford Escape vehicles equipped with the 1.6-liter engine built through July 11, 2012. Ford estimates that there have been approximately 11,500 of these vehicles produced and distributed for sale in North America, with most in the U.S. market.

Ford is voluntarily recalling Escapes with 1.6-liter engines to replace an engine compartment fuel line, which could split and leak fuel, potentially resulting in an underhood fire. No injuries have been reported. The issue does not affect other 2013 Escape models. The condition also does not present itself in vehicles when the engine is not running.    

As an additional safety precaution, customers who already own 2013 Escape vehicles with the 1.6-liter engine are being advised to stop driving their vehicles and to immediately contact their dealers. Dealers will deliver a loaner vehicle to these customers and will transport their 2013 Escape to the dealership for the necessary repairs. The company is working to make parts available as quickly as possible and customers will keep the loaner vehicle at no charge until the repairs on their vehicle are completed.  

The company’s dealers will stop delivering or conducting demonstration drives of these vehicles so that proper steps can be taken to remedy the issue at the dealership first.  

"We have identified an issue and are taking quick actions in the best interest of our customers,” said Ray Nevi, assistant director, Ford Automotive Safety Office.  “Our intensive investigation and testing has identified the area of concern and we are moving as quickly as possible to repair vehicles for our customers. In the meantime, it is extremely important that affected customers not ignore this recall and immediately contact their dealer."

The repairs are straightforward and should take dealers less than an hour to complete, pending parts availability.  If affected customers quickly take action and contact their dealers as advised, all vehicles can be remedied in less than two weeks.

Customers may get further information about these and other recalls at www.fordowner.com or they may contact Ford's Customer Relationship Center at 1-866-436-7332.

If operators of public charging stations extract a huge premium it can eliminate the financial benefits of plugging in hurting the overall market.

Of course it's important to consider the cost installing a charging station and the overhead for companies like Coulomb technologies that operate the networks. If the cost of charging also includes parking charges that also needs to be taken in to account although in many locales, EVs get to park for free.

All charging stations that charge for electricity should be clearly labeled with the cost just like a gas pump and operators need to reign in cost if they want to encourage the market. 

One thing that would help drivers would be if smartphone apps like MyFord Mobile, OnStar RemoteLink and Nissan Carwings could look up prices and display them on the maps they provide of charging stations. That would allow drivers to shop around just like they do for gas already. 

Reshared post from +Green Car Reports

Will the market force price cuts on electric-car charging stations? 

It's bad enough that corporations have to substitute their own names for traditional names that have been known for decades. What really drives me crazy is some of the ridiculous names they come up with. 

One of my most hated examples is the amphitheater north of Detroit formerly known as Pine Knob and now labeled as the DTE Energy Music Theater. Just rolls right off the tongue doesn't it

The latest travesty is the Canadian race track northeast of Toronto that racing fans everywhere know as Mosport. The original name was obviously a contraction or motorsport but it has taken on a life of its own after 45+ years of competition. 

Unfortunately, the facility is now known as Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. At least when Mazda slapped its name on Laguna Seca, the original name remained part of the new label. Marketers should really get their heads out of their collective behinds on these naming deals which clearly aren't going away and at least come up with better labels and find a way to keep the heritage alive as well. 

Reshared post from +John Abell

Reshared post from +Bernie Sanders

Today's news from Sen. Bernie Sanders: 

Citizens United: Senate Republicans on Tuesday blocked a bill that would have required corporations to disclose donations that exceed $10,000. The bill was a response to the Supreme Court's 2010 Citizens United ruling. "These guys are not content to own the economy, to own the wealth of America, they now want to own lock, stock and barrel the political process as well," Sen. Bernie Sanders said on Current TV. 

Gas Prices: Burlington-area gas dealers have used the state's environmental laws "to stifle competition" and stop Costco from opening a filling station at its Colchester site, the company asserted in a July 16 letter to Sen. Sanders. The Burlington Free Press also reported online that Sanders, a Senate energy committee member, will hold a field hearing on gas prices in Burlington. 

Homeless Vets: Vermont's Congressional delegation says a group that runs a residence for homeless veterans in Bradford is getting a $1 million grant from the Department of Veterans Affairs. The Worcester, Mass.,-based group Veterans Inc. will use the money to help serve 45 veteran families in Vermont, AP reported. 

Heard on the Hill: "He has the most integrity of anyone I've ever met. That's really rare for a senator," Donna Bailey, co-director of the Addison County Parent/Child Center in Vermont, said of Sen. Sanders in Roll Call. 

Continue reading here: http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/news/?id=D5C017AA-6008-476C-AA04-55B1B2452EB5

The more important question is whether consumers would be willing to pay $35-40,000 for a mainstream compact or midsize car that normally costs $25-30,000. Then the interest level drops off dramatically.