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Did a US automaker blow the whistle on Hyundai, Kia fuel economy issue?

In all of the most hotly contested mainstream segments of the motoring universe, the difference of one mile per gallon averaged on a widow sticker can mean the difference between a sale and a walk-off - to say nothing of two or three mpg. So, when Hyundai and Kia were forced to reveal that many of their 40-mpg ratings were actually 38s and 37s, well, it made for big news.
It also, conceivably, made for a competitive disadvantage immediately, when the Korean automakers' products were being shopped versus the guys down the block. And it's that disadvantage that makes a recent story from Automotive News so juicy.
AN is reporting that Margo Oge, former head of the Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Transportation and Air Quality, got a tip in 2010 that Hyundai/Kia were "cheating" to get its impressive fuel economy numbers. The tip, said Oge (who retired from the EPA this past September), came from a senior vice president from a domestic automaker. The source was credible enough for Oge to launch an audit of the Hyundai figures, which ultimately lead to the debacle that we reported on a few months ago, and that the Korean company has been trying to bounce back from ever since.

2014 Ford Transit unveiled in Chassis Cab and Cutaway versions

As a leader in commercial vehicles here in the US, we knew Ford wouldn't take too long to show off the chassis cab and cutaway versions of its 2014 Ford Transit van. Set to go on sale this fall, Ford already revealed the full-body version of the Transit, and now it has pulled the cover off exposed-frame models just in time to to compete against the all-new Ram Promaster.
The term "chassis cab" refers to models with a fully enclosed cabin used for box vans or rental trucks, while cutaway models leave the cabin open behind the B-pillars for a pass-through on vehicles such as Class C motorhomes or ambulances. Both will offer three wheelbase options (138, 156 and 178 inches), the choice of single or dually rear axles, and plenty of upfitter-friendly touches including a pre-wired body harness and multiple body mount locations.
The new design will also help make upfitting a little easier since the fuel filler is now built into the cab (just behind the driver's door). Those integrated fuel filler necks will serve to feed either a 3.7-liter V6, a 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6, or a 3.2-liter Power Stroke diesel. Transit chassis cab and cutaways will wear varying Gross vehicle weight ratings from 9,000 pounds to 10,360 pounds depending on spec.

Ford C-Max Solar Energi takes a recharging station wherever it goes

Companies ranging in size from small startups to major automakers have been experimenting with solar-powered charging stations for EVs and plug-in hybrids. And, of course, people have been powering vehicles with onboard solar panels for quite some time, too. Still, Ford's new C-Max Solar Energi Concept shows the promise of a truly practical implementation of solar on a production vehicle, and it may not be as far off in the future as we had thought.
As we reported a few days ago, the Solar concept makes use of a "concentrator lens" that focuses sunlight onto the Ford's roof-mounted solar panels. The special lens follows the rays of the sun to maximize the amount of charge being fed to the batteries of the car, taking about a day to fully charge the 21-mile, all-electric range of the C-Max Energi. Ford data suggests that combination might be enough to power 75 percent of all trips made by a statistically average driver. In turn, using the sun to power a vehicle could reduce yearly C02 emissions by up to four metric tons when compared with the driver of an average gasoline-powered sedan.
We've got live images of the C-Max Solar Energi Concept, jauntily tilted on its display to best present it's signature solar panels, straight from the CES floor.