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2015 Ford Mustang EcoBoost flogged and analyzed by Ignition

Aside from the way it looks and perhaps its independent rear suspension, the biggest bit of news on the 2015 Mustang may be the inclusion of its 2.3-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder engine. That blown mill marks the first time since the Mustang SVO of the '80s that a turbo has been fitted under the engine of Ford's pony car.
The Mustang EcoBoost is the subject of the latest episode of Ignition from Motor Trend, giving us a great look at the technical, nitty-gritty side of the turbocharged coupe. Covering it from bow to stern, host Carlos Lago walks us through the boosted Ford before taking to the track for some driving impressions, with particular praise given to the low-end grunt of the 2.3-liter mill.
Check out the full video and then let us know which 2015 Mustang has your interest piqued the most - the EcoBoost four, the 5.0L V8 or the entry-level V6.

All the details on Plug In 2014 electric vehicle conference you could ever want

One of the best parts of the Plug In 2014 Conference in San Jose, CA last week was getting to listen in on thoughts about the state of the plug-in vehicle industry from people who have been involved with it for ages. They bristle when you call them the "Old Guard" (learned that one the hard way), but these are the people who have been through a number of ups and downs with plug-in vehicles, so they've got what we call perspective. Their knowledge was on full display in the three plenary sessions, which the Plug In Conference organizers have given us permission to share with you. Each is at least 90 minutes long, so make sure to set some time aside to enjoy the discussions after you download them (any help with making them streamable would be appreciated). Follow us below to see what we've got to offer. Opening Plenary (audio link). "The Road Ahead – Delivering on a Vision for Sustainable Transportation." Moderated by Mark Duvall (director of energy utilization at EPRI, the Electric Power Research Institute, and a long-time EV advocate), this panel featured: Jack Broadbent, Executive Officer / APCO, Bay Area Air Quality Management District Pat Romano, President & Chief Executive Officer, ChargePoint, Inc. Aaron Johnson, Senior Director, Customer Programs, Pacific Gas and Electric Company Brendan Jones, Director, EV Sales Operations & Infrastructure Deployment, Nissan North America, Inc. David W. Cash, Commissioner, MassDEP Dan Sperling, Director, Institute of Transportation Studies, University of California, Davis Highlights: Educating drivers to "get over the gas station" is a key strategy, how Level 2 and DC Fast Charging are really "a new paradigm," that there have been well over 214,000 EVs sold in US as of July 2014 and where Nissan sees huge potential for more EV sales (Northeast US and medium-size cities like St. Louis and Pittsburgh). Wednesday Morning Plenary (audio link). "Getting to the Mass Market – A Discussion of Ideas for Widespread PEV Adoption." Moderated by John Gartner, research director for smart transportation at Navigant Research.

Defying Trump, major automakers finalize California emissions deal

WASHINGTON — The California Air Resources Board (CARB) and major automakers on Monday confirmed they had finalized binding agreements to cut vehicle emissions in the state, defying the Trump administration's push for weaker curbs on tailpipe pollution. The agreements with carmakers Ford Motor Co, Volkswagen AG, Honda Motor Co and BMW AG were first announced in July 2019 as voluntary measures prompting anger from U.S. President Donald Trump. A month later, the Justice Department opened an antitrust probe into the agreements. The government ended the investigation without action. The Trump administration in March finalized a rollback of U.S. vehicle emissions standards to require 1.5% annual increases in efficiency through 2026. That is far weaker than the 5% annual increases in the discarded rules adopted under President Barack Obama. The 50-page California agreements, which extend through 2026, are less onerous than the standards finalized by the Obama administration but tougher than the Trump administration standards. The automakers have also agreed to electric vehicle commitments. Volvo Cars, owned by China's Geely Holdings, said in March it planned to join the automakers agreeing to the California requirements. It has also finalized its agreement. The settlement agreements say California and automakers agreed to resolve "potential legal disputes concerning the authority of CARB" and other states that have adopted California's standards. In May, a group of 23 U.S. states led by California and some major cities, challenged the Trump vehicle emissions rule. Other major automakers like General Motors Co, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV and Toyota Motor Corp did not join the California agreement. Those companies also sided with the Trump administration in a separate lawsuit over whether the federal government can strip California of the right to set zero emission vehicle requirements. Ford said the "final agreement will reduce emissions in our vehicles at a more stringent rate, support and incentivize the production of electrified products, and create regulatory certainty." BMW said "by setting these long-term, predictable, and achievable standards, we have the regulatory certainty that is necessary for long-term planning that will not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions but ultimately benefit consumers as well."