Automotive designer J Mays has become well-known as the design director of Ford Motor Company. Born in rural Oklahoma, Mays started working at his family’s auto parts store at an early age with aspirations of becoming an architect, but eventually found his calling in car design while at the Art Center in Pasadena. An automotive design pioneer with more than 30 years under his belt, Mays has been involved in the design of a number of the car industry’s most well-recognized automobiles, including the VW “New Beetle”, Aston Martin DB9, Land Rover LR3/Discovery, Ford GT, 2011 Ford Fiesta, 2012 Focus (including the Focus EV), and the new green 2013 Ford Fusion—just to name a few! For the last 16 years he’s been leading the charge at Ford as the Vice President of Global Design and Chief Creative Officer and has played a critical role in bringing a new generation of stylish, green, high-performance electric and hybrid vehicles to a mainstream market. I recently got the chance to chat with Mays about his monumental career, and I’ve published our interview here. Click ahead to read the entire interview, where Mays touches on his global travels, his design ethos and influences, the current market for hybrid and electric vehicles, and what he sees for the future of zero-emissions vehicles, both at Ford and on a global scale.

Read the rest of INTERVIEW: Inhabitat Chats with J Mays, VP of Global Design and Chief Creative Officer at Ford Motor Company

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Post tags: auto design, auto designer, Automotive Designer, electric cars, electric vehicles, energy efficient cars, ev, ford, Ford Chief Creative Officer, ford design, ford electric, ford EV, ford fiesta, ford fusion, ford fusion energi, ford fusion energy, Ford Head of Design, ford hybrid, ford motors, fuel efficiency, fuel efficient cars, fusion energi, green auto design, green automotive, green cars, inhabitat interview, J Mays, VP of Global Design and Chief Creative Officer at Ford Motor Company

Watch the ‘Big Ideas in Small Spaces: Proportion in Design’ discussion right here!

Our webcast has just ended, but you can still hear everything that was discussed by clicking on the video above. ‘Big Ideas in Small Spaces: Proportion in Design’ was an incredible design panel discussion hosted by Ford Motor Company and The Chicago Architecture Foundation. Following up on the successful ‘Design with a Conscience‘ webcast in April, this latest design discussion is focused in on how designers can maximize aesthetics and functionality in small spaces to produce innovative designs that are comfortable, efficient, and beautiful. The Big Ideas in Small Spaces panelists included: Diane Atwood of the Atwood Foundation, John Gately of Jahn, Gensler‘s Carlos Martinez, and legendary car designer and Ford’s group vice president of design and chief creative officer J Mays. All leaders in their respective industries, these four designers are brought to light how similarities in their creative processes have led to some of country’s most famous buildings, and the design of cutting-edge, eco-friendly Ford vehicles like the Fiesta and the elegant Fusion Energi.

Read the rest of Watch Inhabitat’s ‘Big Ideas in Small Spaces’ Webcast and Hear from Leading Auto Designers and Architects!

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Post tags: architecture and automotive, architecture panels, architecture webcast, atwood foundation, automotive design, big ideas in small spaces, big ideas in small spaces: proportion in design, Car Design, carlos martinex, chicago architecture events, Chicago Architecture Foundation, design events, design panels, diane atwood, ford, ford fiesta, ford fusion, ford live, ford motor company, ford motors, ford webcast, genselr, J Mays, jahn, jonathan gately

Ford Motor Company and the Chicago Architecture Foundation have joined forces to bring you yet another amazing live webcast, following up on their successful Design with a Conscience discussion seen here just last month. We’re extending a special e-vitation to Inhabitat readers to join us for ‘Big Ideas in Small Spaces: Proportion in Design‘, a panel discussion where leading Chicago architects Diane Atwood of the Atwood Foundation, John Gately of Jahn, Gensler‘s Carlos Martinez, and legendary car designer and Ford’s group vice president of design and chief creative officer J Mays will be discussing how architects and automotive designers can maximize aesthetics and functionality to create innovative designs that are comfortable, efficient, and beautiful. We’ll be live streaming this discussion on Inhabitat.com, and our esteemed panel will be discussing similarities between their creative processes that have led to some of Chicago’s most famous buildings and the design of super comfortable compact cars like the new Ford Fiesta and the elegant Ford Fusion. Join us live on June 6th to participate in this design discussion. We also encourage you to take part in the conversation by submitting your questions for the speakers below in the comments! We’ll be sending Inhabitat t-shirts to selected question submitters, so join in!

JOIN US THURSDAY, JUNE 6TH FROM 12:30PM—1:30PM CDT

WATCH THE LIVE WEBCAST HERE >

SUBMIT YOUR QUESTIONS HERE >

Read the rest of LIVE WEBCAST: Join Inhabitat for the ‘Big Ideas in Small Spaces’ Webcast and Talk to Leading Architects & Automotive Designers

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Post tags: architecture and automotive, architecture panels, architecture webcast, atwood foundation, automotive design, big ideas in small spaces, big ideas in small spaces: proportion in design, Car Design, carlos martinex, chicago architecture events, Chicago Architecture Foundation, design events, design panels, diane atwood, ford, ford fiesta, ford fusion, ford live, ford motor company, ford motors, ford webcast, genselr, J Mays, jahn, jonathan gately

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Post tags: alternative transportation, chevy volt, electric car, electric vehicle, ev, ford, ford EV, ford fusion, ford fusion energi, ford fusion energi plug in hybrid, ford fusion energi test drive, ford fusion hybrid, ford hybrid car, fusion energi, fusion energi test drive, fusion hybrid, green cars, green transportation, hybird electric vehicle, hybrid car, Inhabitat test drive, plug-in hybrid, plugin electric vehicle, plugin EV, plugin prius

Read the rest of TEST DRIVE: The Ford Fusion Hybrid Joins the 40+ MPG Club

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Post tags: ford, ford fusion, ford fusion hybrid, green car, green transportation, hybrid car, Laura Cowan, Laura K. Cowan, test drive

If you drive a Ford C-Max or a Ford Fusion Hybrid, you might want to double check the fuel economy of your car. Two of Ford’s hybrids, the C-Max and the Fusion, fell short of fuel economy targets when tested by Consumer Reports, said the Detroit automaker on Friday. But Ford isn’t shying away from this potentially embarrassing issue, saying that it wants to work with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to improve the way it determines fuel efficiency, claiming that the current testing methods leave too much to chance and produce erratic results.

Read the rest of Ford Hybrids C-Max and Fusion Fail to Meet Fuel Economy Standards

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Post tags: Consumer Reports blows whistle on Ford hybrids, environmental protection agency, EPA testing methods for fuel economy, Ford C-MAX, ford fusion, Ford hybrid vehicles, Ford hybrid vehicles fall short of EPA targets, miles per gallon, Raj Nair, vehicle fuel economy, vehicle fuel efficiency, vehicle fuel performance

As more electric and hybrid vehicles enter the market, there is a growing concern from consumers about the reliability of the batteries that power them. Ford has unveiled a new lab test, the Key Life Test, which allows the automaker to simulate the equivalent of 10 years and 150,000 miles of wear and tear on hybrid vehicle batteries in about 10 months.

Read the rest of Ford Simulates 10 Years of Battery Use in Just 10 Months with the Key Life Test

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Post tags: electric car, ford, Ford C-MAX, ford c-max energi, ford electric car, ford focus electric, ford fusion, ford fusion energi, ford hybrid, green car, hybrid car, lithium ion battery

Ford is focusing on making its new lineup of vehicles greener than ever before – the automaker has already revealed that the 2013 Fusion’s interior is made of recycled bottles and cotton, and now Ford has announced that it’s found a new plastic that reduces emissions while cutting production costs. Using a new resin from BASF Corporation, Ford has developed a window switch that cuts both carbon dioxide and volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions that are normally produced during production.

Read the rest of Ford Teams Up With BASF to Cut Emissions From Ford Fusion Production

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Post tags: emissions, ford, ford fusion, ford fusion hybrid, Ford green car, ford hybrid, green car, green transportation, hybrid car, voc

The all-new 2013 Ford Fusion has been named Green Car Journal‘s 2013 Green Car of the Year at the 2012 LA Auto Show. The Ford Fusion emerged on top of a field of finalist, which included the 2013 Dodge Dart Aero, Ford C-MAX, Mazda CX-5 and the Toyota Prius c. Green Car Journal gave the Fusion the award because “it not only significantly reduces petroleum use, CO2 emissions and overall environmental impact, but is priced to encourage the kind of sales volume that can truly influence environmental improvement.”

Read the rest of 2013 Ford Fusion Named Green Car of the Year at the 2012 LA Auto Show

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Post tags: 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show, automotive, ford, ford fusion, ford hybrid, Ford plug-in hybrid, green car, Green Car Journal, green transportation

Read the rest of TEST DRIVE: Inhabitat Takes Ford’s Stylish 2013 Fusion Hybrid For a Spin

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Post tags: ford, ford fusion, ford fusion energi, ford fusion hybrid, ford hybrid, green car, green transportation, hybrid car, lithium ion battery

This fall Ford is releasing an all-new 2013 Ford Fusion – and the vehicle was just rated by the EPA as the most fuel-efficient midsize sedan in America with fuel economy scores of 47 mpg city, 47 mpg highway and 47 mpg combined. The EPA’s rating of 47 mpg means that the new Fusion Hybrid is more fuel-efficient than its closest competitor, the Toyota Camry Hybrid, by 8 mpg highway and 4 mpg city.

Read the rest of 2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid Rated as America’s Most Fuel-Efficient Midsize Sedan

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Post tags: ford, Ford EcoBoost, ford fusion, ford fusion energi, ford fusion hybrid, ford hybrid, green car, green transportation, hybrid car, plug-in hybrid car

The all-new 2013 Ford Fusion midsize sedan is set to arrive in showrooms this fall, and it features some highly unusual recycled materials. While a great amount of time was spent on finding ways to make the Fusion’s powertrains fuel efficient, Ford’s engineers also found unique ways to make the Fusion more “green.” The Fusion’s interior is upholstered with REPREVE yarn, a fabric which is made from industrial waste such as old water bottles and denim.

Read the rest of The Interior of Ford’s All-New 2013 Fusion is Made of Recycled Bottles and Cotton

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Post tags: ford, ford fusion, ford fusion hybrid, ford hybrid, green car, green transportation, hybrid cars, Sustainable Materials

Inhabitat’s Jill Fehrenbacher recently hit the scene of the 2012 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, where she toured the laser-filled show to bring you an exclusive look at the world’s hottest new electric vehicles and hybrid cars! She got the lowdown on the sexiest new hybrid vehicle from Lexus as well as a sneak peek at Volkswagen’s upcoming Jetta Hybrid and the E-Bugster electric Beetle concept. She also took an inside look at the quirky styling of Smart’s For-US electric pickup truck and the brand new Ford Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid, which is sure to be a consumer favorite when it hits the streets this year. Check out our exclusive video above for the most exciting green cars at from the 2012 Detroit Auto Show!

Read the rest of VIDEO EXCLUSIVE: Inhabitat Gets Electric Vehicle Fever at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show

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Post tags: detroit auto show, detroit auto show 2012, E-bugster, electric car, electric vehicle, Ford electric vehicle, ford fusion, ford fusion electric, ford fusion energi, ford fusion hybrid, green car, green transportation, hybrid jetta, lexus hybrid, lexus lf-lc, north american international auto show, Smart, smart electric vehicle, Smart EV, Smart For-US, smart pickup truck, Video, volkswagen

Read the rest of Top 7 New Electric Vehicles and Hybrid Cars Hitting the Streets in 2012

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Post tags: 2012 Detroit Auto Show, 2012 electric vehicle, 2012 hybrid, 2012 north american international auto show, Active-E, BMW Active E, BMW electric car, detroit auto show, eco vehicles, eco volkswagen, electric car, electric vehicle, energy efficient vehicles, ford fusion, ford fusion electric vehicle, ford fusion ev, green cars, green vehicle, green volkswagen, green vw, Mercedes E300, Mercedes E400, Mercedes Hybrid, NAIAS, naias 2012, north american international auto show, Prius C, sustainable transportation, Toyota, toyota hybrid car, upcoming electric cars, upcoming hybrid cars

Read the rest of Ford Unveils 2013 Fusion Energi Plug-In Hybrid at the Detroit Auto Show!

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Post tags: 2012 Detroit Auto Show, 2013 ford fusion, detroit auto show, energy efficient transportation, ford fusion, ford hybrid fusion, fusion energi, green cars, green design, green transportation, hybrid cars, NAIAS, north american international auto show, sustainable design, sustainable transportation

John Viera has made a name for himself as a pioneer for the green movement within the automotive industry. As Ford Motor Company‘s Director of Sustainable Business Strategies, he has been building a new base for the Big Three manufacturer to flourish in a sustainable way. We here at Inhabitat were lucky enough to have the opportunity to pick the brain of Viera, who spoke to us about a number of topics, including Ford’s future in plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and electric vehicles (EV). Read on for our exclusive interview!

Read the rest of INHABITAT INTERVIEW: John Viera of Ford Motor Company

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Post tags: electric cars, ev, ford, ford escape, ford fusion, ford hybrid, Ford Motor Company's Director of Sustainable Business Strategies, ford motors, ford transit connect, green automotive, green cars, green transportation, hybrid cars, inhabitat interview, john viera, phev

Ford has a great thing going with the Fusion Hybrid, so they decided to take it one step further and create the Lincoln MKZ Hybrid. Essentially a Fusion Hybrid with Lincoln luxury amenities, the Lincoln MKZ has entered the market with a bang by taking the title of the most fuel-efficient luxury hybrid from the Lexus HS 250h.

Read the rest of 2011 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid: The Most Fuel-Efficient Luxury Sedan

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Post tags: ford fusion, ford fusion hybrid, ford lincoln, fuel efficient cars, hybrid cars, lexus HS 250h, lincoln hybrid, lincoln mkz hybrid, luxury cars, luxury hybrid cars, mkz hybrid