JANUARY 24, 2018

Editor-in-Chief's Note: Ian Thibodeau and Robert Snell of The Detroit News reported the following late Monday afternoon: "Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV officials paid more than $1.5 million to United Auto Workers officers and employees to sway union contract negotiations, federal prosecutors said, part of a $4.5 million corruption scandal involving Detroit’s No. 3 automaker. The accusations made Monday in a plea agreement with former FCA labor negotiator Alphons Iacobelli say for the first time in the investigation that executives’ actions were intended to corrupt UAW contract negotiations to favor Fiat Chrysler. The plea deal suggests the corruption was more widespread than previously disclosed. It lasted for years as Fiat Chrysler officials lavished UAW labor leaders with cash payments and luxury items, including airfare, jewelry and secret $50,000 payments. Federal court records also portray a cozy relationship between Fiat Chrysler executives and labor leaders after the automaker emerged from its 2009 bankruptcy." No further comment necessary. Time of your life, eh, Sergio?  -PMD

(Toyota)
The Toyota Mirai, one of the world’s first mass-produced hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles, has surpassed 3,000 sales in California. The Mirai makes up more than 80% of all hydrogen fuel cell vehicles in the United States. The Toyota Mirai is a zero-emission hydrogen vehicle with an EPA estimated driving range rating of 312 miles and 67 mpge city/highway/combined. With a refueling time of approximately five minutes, the Mirai creates electricity using hydrogen, oxygen and a fuel cell, and emits nothing but water vapor in the process. Thirty-one retail hydrogen stations are now open for business in California, with an additional twelve stations projected to open in California in 2018. Toyota continues to  partner with FirstElement Fuels and Shell to support the creation of a broad network of hydrogen infrastructure in California. Toyota is also collaborating with Air Liquide, a producer of industrial gases, to set up a network of 12 hydrogen fueling stations stretching from New York to Boston, with the first station expected to launch in Boston later this year. In addition, Toyota is building a new Tri-Gen facility at the Port of Long Beach that will use bio-waste sourced from California’s agricultural industry to generate water, electricity and hydrogen. The hydrogen will fuel all Toyota fuel cell vehicles moving through the Port, including new deliveries of the Mirai sedan and Toyota’s Heavy Duty hydrogen fuel cell class 8 truck, known as Project Portal.

Editor's Note: You can read about Peter's vision for a Hydrogen Future for racing that he unveiled eleven years ago this month, here. -WG