Ford and Toyota have just announced that they are teaming up to develop a new hybrid system for trucks and SUVs. The two car companies are hoping to complete their work on the new gas-electric hybrid system before the end of the decade, so you might not want to hold off on that new truck just for this.

The models that will run on the new hybrid power train haven’t been announced yet but we do know that they will be light trucks and SUVs with RWD hybrids that are designed specifically to have high efficiency without compromising the capabilities of these types of vehicles.

The fuel efficiency stats on the 2012 Ford Edge with EcoBoost engine are in and they are pretty decent. The EPA is done running the Edge through the paces and showed that the 2.0 liter four-cylinder engine will get drivers 21 MPG and 30 MPG for city and highway respectively.

The difference between an Edge with EcoBoost and an edge without is 3 MPG on the highway.

The EcoBoost engine is nothing to sniff at either with 240hp and 275 pound-feet of torque. While the EcoBoost’s horsepower is a lot lower than its 2.5-liter V6 cousin which boasts 285hp, EcoBoost lays the smack down by beating its less gas-friendly incarnation in torque with an extra 22 pound-feet.

Automotive News recently deduced that a Ford Fiesta with a 1.0-liter, three-cylinder EcoBoost engine will be made available stateside in the future.

This Fiesta EcoBoost engine will be the smallest in the whole Ford lineup. While specs on the engine haven’t been released yet, Ford’s VP of global powertrain engineering stated that the little EcoBoost engine will come very close to performing just as well as Ford’s 120-HP, 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine, yet more efficient.

Oh Ford. How can you possibly build a light-duty truck that gets worse gas mileage than the Hummer H2? Well, that’s precisely the case for the 2010 Ford F-250 Lariat which was recently credited by Consumer Reports for getting the worst mileage of all 2010 vehicles with a shocking 10 mpg in real world tests.

That’s right, 10 miles per gallon. Amazingly, it seems like the Ford F-250 Lariat engine is operating like an ancient dinosaur. Sure, you’re getting plenty of power, but at what cost? With current gas prizes and regular driving, it won’t take long for a Ford F-250 owner to have paid for the vehicle twice, not to mention the amount of greenhouse gases they will have pumped into the air.

The most fuel efficient vehicles in CR’s real world tests were the Toyota Prius at 44 mpg, the Smart Fortwo at 39 mpg and the Honda Insight EX at 38 mpg.

As the public magnifying glass zooms in on all the issues surrounding the Toyota recalls all Car manufacturers are probably getting nervous. As the amount of Toyota recalls rises, it’s becoming clear that the problem lies with the US Department of Transportation as much as anywhere else. Clearly there is a disconnect between consumer complaints and action from the government.

Hot on the heels of the Toyota Prius hybrid recalls due to brake problems, the Ford Fusion hybrid and the Milan hybrid are getting updates to their software to address a braking problem of their own.

Ford has started a repair program which will alert all known owners of Ford Fusions or Milan hybrids built before October 17, 2009. They will be directed to their nearest dealer regarding, their “Customer Satisfaction Program 10B13.”

In the meantime, the Toyota recall story continues to make headlines as it has now been revealed that Toyota has known for years that the Prius had break issues.

Stay tuned to Eco Auto Ninja for the latest on the Toyota recalls and breaking news on issues with the Ford Fusion.

In what must be a major sigh of relief for those who’ve been watching the American auto industry with concern, Ford announced today that it made $2.7 billion over the course of last year.

Ford also predicted that it would continue to be profitable in 2010 as well as the rest of the foreseeable future.

Ford primarily attributes its recent success to its massive cost cutting measures, debt reduction and the popularity of its vehicles like the environmentally-friendly Ford Fusion Hybrid and the Escape SUV.

While this is great news for the Ford Motor Company, it’s still got a ways to go to make up for four years of straight losses including 2008 when it lost $14.6 billion.

The Detroit Auto Show has announced its North American Car of the Year and the prize has gone to the Ford Fusion Hybrid.

The North American Car of the Year is awarded based on an assessment by 49 journalists. One of the judges, Csaba Csere, a writer for Car & Driver, described the Ford Fusion as “simply the best one (hybrid) ever built. In addition o delivering terrific mileage, it looks and drives like a regular car – and a very good one indeed.”

The Ford Fusion hybrid shared the top honors with another Ford vehicle, the Transit Connect, which won the award for North American Truck of the Year.

This marked the third time in 17 years that the same automaker has won both awards.

The Ford Fusion hybrid is a mid-sized sedan which, like all hybrids, has gas and electric capabilities. The Fusion can run on electric power alone for up to 47 miles and features a 2.5-liter 155 horsepower engine to kick in when needed. A basic model cost starts at $27,270.

A sign of things to come and the direction of the automotive industry, Sanyo, one of the largest producers of nickel hydride batteries used in hybrid vehicle production, is boosting their production levels by 75 percent.

The bulk of Sanyo’s hybrid vehicle batteries are currently being sold to Honda and Ford and to lesser degree Audi and VW for upcoming hybrid lines.

This is particularly big news for Ford which has had a bottle neck in it’s hybrid production levels due to lack of components like batteries. As Ford starts to focus on smaller more eco-friendly vehicles like the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid (pictured above), it will definitely be looking to acquire more batteries.

Sanyo will crank its hybrid battery production up from 2.5 million per month to 3.5 million. It has not yet been announced which companies will get how many of the new Sanyo batteries.

Ford bought a little extra advertising tonight when they gave American Idol finalists Adam Lambert and Kris Allen each a new 2009 Ford Fusion hybrid.

Acting on behalf of Ford, last year’s American Idol winner David Cook handed off the keys to the happy contestants.

Kris Allen was particularly grateful as he said that he really needed a new car. Well, it’s probably safe to say that Kris should be a hot enough commodity in the music business now since he will be finishing at least second in this year’s American Idol.

While the decision hasn’t been made yet, it’s generally agreed that Adam Lambert is the favorite to win it all but upsets have been known to happen so we’ll see how it goes.

Ford is planing a new battery-electric version of the Focus for the North American market in conjunction with battery maker Magna, slated to debut in 2011.

“In the worst of times worldwide, we’re here today to celebrate a plan to profitably grow Ford,” CEO Alan Mulally said. “We’re fighting for the soul of manufacturing in the United States of America and worldwide.”

The battery-electric Focus will run up to 100 miles without using gas or emitting greenhouse gas.

“We’re building the highest tech vehicle in our fleet here in Michigan,” Chairman Bill Ford Jr. said. “It going to be a critical step toward the commercialization and ultimately the acceptance of electric vehicles.”

In addition to the battery-electric Focus, the Ford is working with Smith Electric to sell a battery electric commercial vehicle for North America in 2010, the Transit Connect. It also plans to introduce in 2012 a next-generation hybrid vehicle and a plug-in hybrid vehicle.

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