You’ve probably heard of the Department of Energy’s new requirements and incentives for automakers to make plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). Ford has heard and listened. As a result, the automaker has delivered a high-quality PHEV to the DOE to join the fleet of others that are undergoing testing and research.

With the 10 kilowatt lithium-ion battery installed in this new Escape, the vehicle can go up to 30 miles when travelling under 40 mph before the electric engine kicks in. Once that kicks in, though, this hybrid truck can get up to 88 mpg through the city and 50 mpg on the highway with an E85 blend.

How does this type of vehicle sound to you? If you’re like the average driver, you’d probably only need to use the fuel a couple times a week and run it on the battery all the other times. In addition to using less fuel, the ne Escape Flex-Fuel PHEV emits 60 percent less CO2 then today’s gasoline-powered engine.

The Department of Energy also announced that it was making $30 million available over the next three years to help automakers and engineers research and develop PHEVs that meet the federal government’s standards. The goal is to make these vehicles easy enough to mass-produce so they can be more common on the roads and highways. The way it looks right now, the Escape and other Ford trucks are leading the way to creating a better and less polluted environment.

Even though the Ford F150 hasn’t been performing like it once did in the way of sales, the automaker isn’t turning its back on it. Despite the high gas prices, these Ford trucks are still in high demand and they likely will be for many years to come.

Mark Fields, President of the Americas, said that large pickup trucks are “still one of the biggest segments of the industry.” Since there is still a demand for these full-size trucks, he said the Ford Motor Company will “continue to focus on the products that made us leaders.”

In order to match the falling demand, though, Ford decreased production of the F150 and other full-size trucks and SUVs in March. That’s when gas prices started hovering around $4 a gallon and drivers began to worry. But the F150 continues to outsell other trucks in the industry like it has been for more than 30 years.

In fact, the F150 was even the best-selling vehicle in the United States since June of 2005. It held the top spot until last month when sales fell by nearly 20 percent. But Ford isn’t worried. “Our philosophy is to be competitive but not excessive,” Fields said about the situation. As a result, the automaker isn’t going to overreact and offer huge discounts just for the sake of reducing the inventory on the lots. Instead, Ford is working on a smaller, more efficient version of the F150 for release in 2011.

It’s just one more way Ford continues to be a competitive force to reckon with in the automotive industry.

Have you ever heard of a self-driving car? I’ve heard of a self-parking car, but this takes the idea to a whole other level.

You probably won’t see a large number of self-driving vehicles on the road for at least another decade or so. But think of how much fun you can have with one of these on a closed course! The company that made it – Torc Technologies – has already worked on a similar model with Virginia Tech. They recently started selling a self-driving version of this model earlier this month. It sells for about $90,000 right now. That seems rather pricey for a car that you can only drive on a closed course.

The auto industry is moving closer and closer to adopting self-driving technologies. I’ve already mentioned the self-parking technology, but more and more cars have features like crash avoidance technology and pedestrian awareness. One company even has a feature called “lane departure control” which makes the car stay in the lane that it’s in. If it veers from its lane, it uses the brakes to “kick itself back on course,” according to Car and Driver magazine.

Torc Technologies is also working on a self-driving technology for the military. In addition, the company has also created a feature called SafeStop, an emergency system that stops unmanned vehicles so they can get out of trouble.

You probably won’t see these features at your local dealer any time soon. But since Torc Technologies created the vehicle on an Escape hybrid, you’ll probably see these features built into Ford trucks before any other brand. It’s just another way Ford is leading the industry in innovations.

The Senator of Minnesota, Norm Coleman, is trying to save the Ford Ranger. Since his state is home to the plant that makes these popular Ford trucks, he’s making every effort to convince the automaker to continue production.

Due to high gas prices, Ford recently announced that it was going to retool some truck plants and turn them into factories that make smaller cars. But Coleman wrote a letter to Ford CEO Alan Mulally asking him to reconsider the Twin Cities Ford Assembly Plant. In the letter, he cited the fact that sales of the Ford Ranger have increased since the beginning of the year. And with more than 1,000 highly skilled employees working at the Twin Cities plant, he explained this continues to be the best place to make the Ranger as people still want small, fuel-efficient trucks.

“I have long said that the St. Paul plant could play a key role in helping lead Ford into the future,” Coleman stated in the letter. “Since 1925,” he continued, “the St. Paul plant has been a source of good paying jobs, and I look forward to meeting with Ford officials to discuss its prospects for continued production.” You can read the full text of the letter here.

In addition to the letter, Coleman is planning a trip to Ford headquarters in Dearborn to meet with the automaker’s officials. How many senators actually go the extra mile like that to save jobs. If I lived in Minnesota, he’d definitely have my vote.

In an effort to stay current with the demands and needs of its customer base, the Ford Motor Company is retooling some of its truck plants. Instead of building Ford trucks, some of the current factories are switching over to build Ford cars.

The announcement comes just a couple weeks after the national average price for gas reached $4 a gallon. With those prices, fewer people are looking for big trucks right now.

A Ford spokesperson declined any comment on the rumors that some truck plants are retooling. But an emergency meeting with plant managers and local union leaders lead one to believe the rumors. After all, it’s not that unlikely.

Not all truck plants would be affected, though. Only some of the American plants will be revamped to produce some vehicles that are currently exclusive to European factories. That’s where compact and smaller cars are abundant on the roads.

Ford said the company would announce its official plans sometime in July. Whatever happens, you can rest assured knowing you can always get a great deal on a Ford pickup truck or SUV. In fact, with fewer people buying them right now, it might be the perfect time. Visit a local dealer today and see how much you can save on your favorite full-sized vehicle.

Everybody’s talking about ways to save gas nowadays. I can’t even get through a week of blog posts without mentioning gas prices or fuel economy at least three times because that’s literally 90 percent of the automobile-related stories going around. But this post is about a new item you can use to monitor your fuel usage in real time so you can adapt your driving habits accordingly.

The Scanguage, a three-in-one automotive computer designed by Linear-Logic, monitors your fuel usage every second while you’re driving. The unit is about the size of one of those removable faceplates you get with some of today’s car stereos and you can mount it underneath your dashboard controls. Once it’s connected properly, all you need to do is glance at it while you’re driving to see how many miles per gallon you’re getting at any given time.

That’s not all the Scanguage does, though. This nifty device also scans your engine to find any potential problems before they become major problems. If you’re “Check Engine” light has come on, this little computer can often tell you what the problem is so you can fix it before it becomes too costly.

Many of the newer Ford trucks on the market already have something similar already installed in them. But if you have an older truck (but one that was built after 1996), you can get this device for less than $200. It might take a little while to reap the benefits of a $200 mechanism, but since you can transfer it to different vehicles, it’s a rather smart investment.

After seeing and researching the Lincoln Mark LT, one of the most beautiful Ford trucks I’ve ever seen, I just had to write more about it. The outside is nice or, as Borat would say, “Very nice!” But the inside is even better. I wrote a little bit about it earlier this week, but here are some more features you can expect to find once you step inside this awesome truck.

• Several parts of the interior are covered with lightly-colored anti-scratch leather, including the headliner, steering wheel, seats, door panels and center console.
• Have you ever heard of a truck with sheepskin flooring? Well, now you have. Imagine just riding barefoot in the truck and letting your feet feel the soft brush that only sheepskin can offer.
• The metallic finish completes the look from the outside. The center stack has metallic accents as well as the instrument panel, cup holders, steering wheel spokes and center console housing.
• The air vents have a translucent core mineral that give the appearance of beautiful dark chrome. The door handles and other small areas also have the same finish.
• The gauge clusters have a white lighting and black background that is typical of Lincoln products.
• The front and rear seats offer a French-styled pleating combined with a quilted pattern that makes them comfortable and soft.

The best thing about the Ford Lincoln Mark LT is that you can get a great deal on one today! With rising gas prices, dealers are offering huge incentives for customers wanting a full-size pickup truck. Once you take one for a test drive, you won’t look back.

A recent Op-Ed piece in The New York Times said that high gas prices are good for the nation. The writer – Thomas L. Friedman – basically said that Americans have been spoiled for too long and we should keep gas prices high. Apparently, we need to be taught a lesson if you ask Mr. Friedman. Here are a few other highlights from his piece:

• There is no short-term fix for the oil crisis.
Well, I’m sorry to say, but there are many fixes for the oil crisis. Sure, long-term solutions are still a few years away. But we’re letting China drill near our own shores. Why can’t we do offshore drilling?

• Auto dealers offering gas deals are the moral equivalent to tobacco companies marketing toward teenagers.
Huh? First of all, adults are buying the cars and they have every right to make the decision about what type of car they want to buy. If it has a gas deal with it, that’s just a bonus. Who is he to say we shouldn’t be able to buy the cars we want?

• There should be a “price floor” on gasoline to where it won’t drop below $4 a gallon.
Wow! So now this guy is telling us we should never go before $4 a gallon just to “punish” us for our irresponsible use? Who is this guy anyways? He also went on to say that if the price ever drops below that price, the federal government should create a tax that ensures it goes above $4 a gallon for good.

Well, I for one am not falling for it. I’ll drive my Ford trucks until the day I die. And “holier than thou” people like this only make me want to drive it more.

Do you love your Ford truck? If so, you’re in good company. Did you know there are clubs where you can gather with other Ford truck enthusiasts and spend time discussing your favorite truck stories?

One of the most popular Ford truck clubs in the Midwest is the Old Ford Truck Club in Cincinnati, Ohio. The club holds monthly meetings at which hundreds of Ford enthusiasts gather with Ford trucks ranging from the classics to the newest ones on the market. Members can exchange parts and tips about how to get the most enjoyment out of their trucks or simply walk around and admire the evolution of the product from 1948 to the present. The organization also publishes a monthly newsletter available to members. In addition to that, members attend the F-100 Nationals each spring in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.

Another Ford truck club – the Classic Ford Truck Club – is a more specialized organization for lovers of classic trucks. The members in this club are dedicated to preserving and restoring classic trucks, vans and Broncos. It’s been around since 1994 in Ontario, Canada and has more than 150 current members. There’s even an annual auto show where you can showcase the truck you’ve maintained and “souped up” over the years.

If these clubs sound interesting to you, check your local area for a Ford truck organization that you can join. They’re not only fun, they can be informative and exciting as well.

If you thought luxury was only for small cars and sedans, think again. The Ford Motor Company has a luxury pickup truck…and it’s pretty sweet.

The Lincoln Mark LT is a beautiful piece of machinery that I just discovered today. Judging from the front of this truck, you wouldn’t even know it’s a truck. With its chrome accents and unique grille, it looks more like an SUV than a pickup truck. This luxury vehicle also has an extended cab, but it’s not just any extended cab. There are four full-size doors so even you back passengers can climb in and out of the truck easily.

But the inside is really where it gets interesting.

Once you’re inside the Ford Mark LT, you’ll fall in love with the plush leather seats. The Audiophile Sound System is ideal for enjoying your ride. Whether it’s a trip to the grocery store or a cross-country road trip, the system makes you feel like you’re in the middle of the event. In addition to that, you can also choose the SIRIUS Satellite Radio Package with 130 different channels. From comedy to news to rock and country with everything in between, you’ll have several favorite presets that you won’t be able to get enough of.

As one of the most luxurious Ford trucks on the market today, one blog post isn’t enough to do this truck justice. I’ll post more about this impressive vehicle later in the week. Come back and see what else you can get with this one-of-a-kind truck.