(SunPower)
Electric Focus buyers can add solar option
Ford is teaming with solar provider SunPower to sell a discounted solar energy system in conjunction with the Focus Electric sedan that goes on sale nationally in 2012. The system includes about 147 square feet of home roof panels, which would produce around 3,000 kilowatts of electricity annually -- enough to offset about 1,000 miles of driving a month in the electric Focus. The option will be offered by Ford dealers to Focus Electric buyers for about $13,000, or $10,000 after federal tax credits. Best Buy's Geek Squad, with which Ford already has a deal to install home chargers, can perform the installation.
--USA Today
(NWautos archive)
Used cars continue to increase in value
A shortage of late model year used cars has raised their average sale price by nearly 16 percent over last year, according to auto price information company Kelley Blue Book. For 1- to 3-year-old used vehicles, the average price has increased from $15,000 in 2008 to more than $23,000 in 2011. Kelley expects used car pricing to remain strong because it will take several years of strong new-car sales to replenish the shortage of used vehicles that is pushing prices up now.
--Los Angeles Times
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