Drivers of late-model pickup trucks are likely to find themselves squinting into the darkness or temporarily blinding other drivers, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's latest headlight ratings show.
All four small pickups evaluated are available only with headlights that earn a poor rating. The same goes for 3 out of 7 large pickups. Only one large pickup, the Honda Ridgeline, is available with good-rated headlights, though all but the most expensive trim levels come with poor ones.
Pickups are the third vehicle category to be put through the IIHS headlight evaluations. Midsize cars were the first in March, followed by small SUVs in July.
IIHS launched its headlight ratings after finding that government standards based on laboratory tests allow for huge variation in the amount of illumination headlights provide in on-road driving. In the Institute's evaluations, engineers measure how far light is projected from a vehicle's low beams and high beams as the vehicle travels straight and on curves. Glare from low beams for oncoming drivers also is measured.
Kelley Blue Book www.kbb.com, the vehicle valuation and information source trusted and relied upon by both consumers and the automotive industry, today announces the winners of the 2017 Kelley Blue Book Best Buy Awards, honoring the top new model-year vehicle choices available in the U.S. market. The 2017 Honda Civic is named Kelley Blue Book’s Overall Best Buy of 2017, alongside Best Buy Award winners in 12 major vehicle categories.
The Kelley Blue Book Best Buy Awards are designed to provide a significant service to new-car buyers by identifying the cream of the crop of all available 2017 model-year vehicles. The awards are the culmination of a year-long regimen of expert vehicle evaluation and testing of nearly every new vehicle available in America, along with analysis of a broad swath of vehicle-related data, including vehicle pricing/transaction prices, 5-Year Cost to Own data (which includes depreciation, insurance, maintenance, financing, fuel, fees and taxes for new cars), consumer reviews and ratings, and vehicle sales/retail sales information. Of more than 300 new-car models available for 2017, Kelley Blue Book’s expert editors initially narrowed the field to a few dozen Best Buy Award contenders in 12 major vehicle categories and then spent several weeks testing and evaluating all of the finalists head-to-head to ultimately determine the winners.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7952451-kelley-blue-book-2017-best-buy-awards/
MINI USA will proudly introduce the biggest, most adventurous MINI ever, the all new MINI Countryman, at a press conference today at 11:50 am PST at the Los Angeles International Auto Show. Fans looking to get a first-hand look at the new MINI Countryman can tune-in live to the press conference on the MINI USA Facebook page. On stage for the World Premiere will be all three engine variants of the new Countryman, including the Cooper, Cooper S and the all new plug-in hybrid Cooper S E ALL4.
As the biggest and most adventurous MINI ever, the Countryman incorporates BMW Group engine technology and vehicle architecture. The ALL4 offers an all-turbocharged engine lineup with outstanding acceleration and the go-kart driving dynamics that MINI owners have come to know and love. At the same time, this new architecture delivers excellent ride quality and enables the most spacious MINI interior ever.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7983251-mini-countryman-auto-show/
MINI USA will proudly introduce the biggest, most adventurous MINI ever, the all new MINI Countryman, at a press conference today at 11:50 am PST at the Los Angeles International Auto Show. Fans looking to get a first-hand look at the new MINI Countryman can tune-in live to the press conference on the MINI USA Facebook page. On stage for the World Premiere will be all three engine variants of the new Countryman, including the Cooper, Cooper S and the all new plug-in hybrid Cooper S E ALL4.
As the biggest and most adventurous MINI ever, the Countryman incorporates BMW Group engine technology and vehicle architecture. The ALL4 offers an all-turbocharged engine lineup with outstanding acceleration and the go-kart driving dynamics that MINI owners have come to know and love. At the same time, this new architecture delivers excellent ride quality and enables the most spacious MINI interior ever.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7983251-mini-countryman-auto-show/
2017 Renault Zoe
Renault has introduced a new Z.E. 40 battery for ZOE. At the same, ZOE owners can benefit from a range of new connected services and equipment upgrades. Order books for the new ZOE line-up are open. The new ZOEs fitted with the new Z.E. 40 battery are made at Renault's Flins plant in France and will be available for delivery before the end of 2016.
Double the range for even longer journeys
As the pioneer of all-electric mobility and Europe's number one seller of electric vehicles, Renault has stepped up its innovation programme and the deployment of its Zero Emissions strategy.
Fitted with the new Z.E. 40 battery, the Renault ZOE now delivers a record NEDC driving range of 400km, which is twice the distance delivered by the model at the time of its original launch.
The new Z.E. 40 battery has a real-world range of 300 kilometres in urban or suburban areas, for example.
The range permitted today by the ZOE is the longest of any mainstream all-electric vehicle and motorists can take advantage of this step forward now.
The ZOE is the best-selling electric vehicle in Europe and provides a real alternative to internal combustion-engine cars, since average daily commuting distances are well within the ZOE's capabilities.
The new battery removes the final psychological barrier that stands in the way of buying an electric car since ZOE users can now travel further and enjoy a wider variety of driving situations without worry about charging. This makes weekend trips a real possibility.
The Z.E. 40 battery's charging rate is similar to that of the standard battery, so 'topping up' doesn't take long at all. For example, just 30 minutes are required on average to charge the battery for an extra 80 kilometres of driving range when plugged into one of the many public charging points in operation in Europe. The ZOE continues to be equipped with the Quick Charge function to take full advantage of the maximum capacity of fast charging points located predominantly along motorway corridors.
An innovation that doubles battery capacity with no increase in size
The ZOE's new Z.E. 40 battery boasts 41kWh of useful energy, equivalent to almost double the storage capacity of the ZOE's standard battery (22kWh of useful energy).
Developed in close partnership with LG Chem, the battery uses high-energy density lithium-ion technology.
Renault and LG engineers have succeeded in increasing storage capacity without making the battery any bigger or a lot heavier. It was optimised by working on the chemistry of the cells in order to increase their energy density, rather than stacking additional battery modules, a commonly used technique.
This major new technology has been developed while ensuring the battery's reliability or safety.
The battery's large storage capacity ensures longer range for the ZOE thanks to the meticulous work that went into integrating the battery in the vehicle. The electronic management system of the battery optimises the ZOE's energy use on the move, while the new air circulation system maintains the temperature of the ZOE's battery at a constant level, making the car economical to run in very hot or very cold weather.
The maker of Shell ROTELLA® engine oil is leading the effort to have the U.S. White House formally recognize the pickup truck as the “Official Vehicle of the United States.” To pay homage to the substantial role pickup trucks play in shaping our nation and working their way into all parts of our society, Shell is honoring the vehicle by leading a national Shell ROTELLA® campaign, entitled “Pickup Pride” which may forever change the way Americans view the pickup truck.
“The campaign celebrates the achievements of hard-working Americans and highlights the pickup truck, which for almost a century, continues to support those who have given their blood, sweat, and tears to help build our country,” said Megan Pino, Global Brand Manager for Shell ROTELLA® engine oil. “The pickup truck exemplifies America’s resilience and the work it takes to continue to build our communities and support our farms, both which deserve to be recognized.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8157351-shell-rotella-pickup-truck-official-us-vehicle/
Suning Commerce Group, a Fortune Global 500 company owned by Suning Holdings Group (“Suning” or “the Group”), has put its Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV) warehouse into service in Fengxian District, Shanghai, boosting its capabilities in the field of smart logistics.
Equipped with 200 robots that carry selected items and move smoothly through stocking shelves, Suning’s AGV warehouse in Shanghai has been first used to meet the substantially increasing needs of logistics during the 11/11 Shopping Festival. The warehouse performs the task more efficiently by providing a “goods-to-people” solution instead of the traditional "people-to-goods" model. The facility is expected to be the largest automated warehousing system in China when put to full-scale operation with total 1,000 robots in 2018.
To view the multimedia release go to:
https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8232151-suning-automated-guided-vehicle-warehouse/
GAC New Energy Automobile Co. Ltd. (“GAC NE”), China’s fastest-growing electric car manufacturer, has announced the pre-sale price for the Aion S, the debut electric vehicle (EV) in the Aion range. With a range over 510 km (317 miles) under NEDC, Aion S is offering customers personalized production with over 16,800 customization combinations.
To view the multimedia release go to:
https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8505651-gac-new-energy-aion-s-electric-vehicle/
Consumers looking to save on a new car or truck should do their shopping in August, according to the analysts at TrueCar, Inc. the negotiation-free car buying and selling platform. New car and truck prices during the past five years in August have averaged $29,296 – $169 lower than any other month.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7286951-truecar-august-is-the-best-time-to-buy-a-car/
For six weeks this spring, America’s PrepareAthon! and other preparedness partners will focus on different hazards and provide simple actions that people and communities should take to prepare for each particular hazard.
This sixth week highlights extreme heat. Individuals, communities, businesses, schools, and houses of worship around the country are holding preparedness discussions, conducting drills, and taking specific steps to prepare for extreme heat.
America’s PrepareAthon!SM is a grassroots, community-based campaign for action to get families, organizations, and entire communities better prepared for extreme heat and other emergencies.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7770531-fema-national-prepareathon/
Named the Range Rover Evoque, this all-new coupé will join the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport in North American dealerships in fall, 2011. It will be the smallest, lightest and most fuel efficient Range Rover ever produced. The compact 4WD Range Rover Evoque is engineered to meet North American customer and regulatory demands for increased fuel efficiency in highly capable luxury SUVs.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/landrover/45066/
New crash tests and analysis by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety demonstrate that underride guards on tractor-trailers can fail in relatively low-speed crashes -- with deadly consequences. The Institute is petitioning the federal government to require stronger underride guards that will remain in place during a crash and to mandate guards for more large trucks and trailers.
