NEW YORK, NY–(Marketwire - March 9, 2009) - Whether it is a battery for a hybrid or electric vehicle, the latest laptop, or backup power for a remote telecommunications site, everyone wants a battery that has the highest energy density, best safety factor, and longest life in term of discharge cycles and ease of maintenance while still being environmentally friendly.

These are the drivers behind rechargeable battery research around the world today, notes industrial market research publisher SBI in the brand-new report, “Advanced Rechargeable Battery Market: Emerging Worldwide Trends and Opportunities.” Rechargeable batteries, also known as storage batteries, are a continuing strong market, with worldwide sales of $36 billion in 2008. SBI forecasts that the rechargeable battery market will rise to $51 billion by 2013. Read the rest of this entry »

- The new 2010 Ford Fusion and Fusion Hybrid launch this month with a multi-faceted marketing campaign emphasizing Ford’s intent to expand its share of the car market

- With unsurpassed quality, best-in-class fuel economy and significant residual value improvement, the 2010 Fusion delivers the key attributes that mid-size sedan buyers want

- A dynamic ad campaign, titled “We Speak Car,” debuts Tuesday, March 3 during the hit television show American Idol, highlighting the segment-exclusive Ford SYNC(TM) technology and delivering the claim of Fusion being America’s most fuel-efficient mid-size sedan Read the rest of this entry »

• Editors of Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com today named the 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid one of its “2009 Best New Family Vehicles.”

• Kbb.com editors praised the 2009 Escape Hybrid’s improved - more powerful and more efficient - gas-electric powertrain and its fuel economy rating of 34 mpg in the city.

• In addition to five-passenger seating and plenty of cargo storage, the 2009 Escape Hybrid offers families a host of safe, smart and green technologies.

DEARBORN, Mich., Feb. 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Editors of Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com today named the 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid one of its “2009 Best New Family Vehicles.”"After undergoing a major overhaul for the 2008 model year, the Ford Escape Hybrid is improved again for 2009 with a more powerful and more efficient gas-electric powertrain,” said Jack R. Nerad, executive editorial director and executive market analyst for Kelley Blue Book and kbb.com. “Its fuel economy rating of 34 miles per gallon in the city is even better than that of the Toyota Camry Hybrid.” Read the rest of this entry »

DUBLIN, Ireland–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Research and Markets has announced the addition of the “Global Market Review of Automotive Electric Motors - Forecasts to 2014″ report to their offering.

While electric DC motors have long since raised the comfort levels for front seat passengers, there are signs that such motors are appearing in the rear seats too. Imtiyaz Syed, vice president, engineering, Intier Automotive Seating, told us: “Power is definitely coming to the rear seats as well. For example, rear seat heating systems are fairly common in premium cars. There are also powered stow systems in the third row whereby just pressing a button, the whole articulation takes places so that the seat folds and stows into the floor automatically. We have also developed the ability to power removable seats. With our design, the seat is automatically connected and powered when installed in the vehicle and disconnected when removed without the consumer having to [physically] disconnect the seat before removing it.” Read the rest of this entry »