One of the concerns about electric vehicles is the range. That is certainly true of the most popular commercial vehicle to date – the Newton, from Smith Electric Vehicles, which has an effective range of 100 mi. on a single charge.

But what if range was not part of equation? Certainly electric vehicles provide many benefits over their gas and diesel counterparts – fewer emissions and quieter to name just two. But with a limited range, the market for such vehicles is restricted to routes such as pickup and delivery where the vehicle returns to a fixed charging station each night.

Federal Express and UPS have been deploying the vehicles in city environments with great success. Many other companies are as well. But the market for electric vehicles could mushroom if only there was a way to charge a vehicle en route. more

During a press event announcing that Smith Electric Vehicles will be building a manufacturing plant in the South Bronx to produce the all-electric Newton, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo also made plenty of alternative-powered supporters smile with another announced.

New York State will make $10 million available next year as part of a five-year incentive program to encourage the purchase of electric vehicles. The federally funded electric vehicle buyer incentive program will be funded by the through federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality funding. It will be administered by the New York State Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). more

A company called Puratos operates a rather specialized trailer in its operations. The trailer is so specialized, in fact, that it was awarded a “Silver Certificate” for “Best Vehicle Design” in the 18-wheeler category at the Ex Awards, which recognize live event marketing campaigns.

The Ex Awards are put on by Event Marketer magazine. more

While trucking fleets are still in the early stages of learning how to operate under the FMCSA’s Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) program, and the extent and depth of the driver shortage is debated, there is at least one group that sees both of these developments as a positive.

Truck driver training programs, in particular programs that are certified by the Professional Truck Driver Institute (PTDI), are expecting CSA and the driver shortage to be a boon to enrollment.

“I see the predicted driver shortage as a positive for truck driver training programs associated with PTDI,” said David Wehman, system program coordinator at Baker College of Flint, one of four programs that have recently been recertified by PTDI. more

According to an article in China Daily, Chinese heavy-duty truck maker Beiqi Foton Motor Co. is planning a vehicle for the U.S. and Western European market. The Auman GTL (which stands for global technology leader) was designed for the strict environmental requirements of the U.S. and Europe, the company said.

“Foton has already established a good presence in the Southeast Asian, South American and African markets, but it barely achieved anything in developed economies,” Wang Jinyu, president & CEO, told China Daily. “Now we are endeavoring to enter the mature markets including the U.S., Europe and Japan.”

According to Wang, the vehicle includes high-quality materials similar to those found in U.S. trucks and cost $266 million to develop. more

Say goodbye to underinflated tires robbing fuel economy. That day could be coming soon if a new technology that Goodyear is testing pays off.

Goodyear is developing a technology called Air Maintenance Technology (AMT) that not only monitors the inflation pressure inside a tire, but also inflates the tire when needed. All without the external pumps and electronics that are needed by today’s automatic tire inflation systems. more

In what some believe is becoming a more common problem as cities and states use ever-more powerful road deicing chemicals for snow and ice removal, concern grows over the impact those chemicals have on vehicles.

The latest example is the announcement Monday that Ford Motor Co.is recalling more than 1 million F-150 and F-250 trucks, and Lincoln Blackwater vehicles because the straps holding the fuel tanks in place can corrode and break off, increasing the risk of fire. The recall affects vehicles in 22 states. more

I’ve driven the long road up Mt. Washington in Pinkham Notch, NH. It’s not for the faint of heart, that’s for sure. The twists and turns along the road on the way to the top of the 6,288-ft. summit leave you perilously close to the edge at times.

Traversing this 7.6-mi. route over a road that alternates between serpentine tarmac and gravel is impressive enough. Doing it in just 8:02 is unbelievable. But that’s exactly what stunt driver Mike Ryan accomplished recently. more

McDonald’s is planning to convert its entire 80-plus truck fleet in the United Arab Emirates to run on 100% biodiesel, it said.

The fast-food giant, in cooperation with Neutral Fuels, will be using its own used vegetable oil as the base stock for the fuel. more

So the U.S. and Mexico have officially signed off on a cross-border trucking deal and the fun begins again. The long-awaited program – promised by the Obama Administration since the cancellation of the previous pilot program in 2009 – is officially a government program. We know this because of the criticism it is receiving, including a court challenge the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Assn. (OOIDA) has filed.

Without getting into too many details (you can read all the coverage at www.fleetowner.com), the one disturbing trend that continues to appear regarding the program is the claim that Mexican trucks are not up to the standards of U.S. vehicles. While that may be true in Mexico, it definitely will not be true here. Yet, opponents of the program continue to pound us over the heads with this. more