Category Archives: auto news

Drip, Drip – GMC Debuts 3X Trim for HUMMER EV Pickup, SUV

As with the other former ‘Detroit Three ‘companies, marketing is having it two ways for an EV – fast on-road performance and with off-road capability. It is working, at least for GMC – reservations are currently full for the HUMMER EV Pickup and SUV. Just bring money – lots of it – these are priced well over $100,000. Continue reading

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Troubled Asset Relief Program Report – Same Villains

Lawmakers created the TARP in 2008 to stabilize the roiling financial markets. Given what appears to be universal Republican intransigence on guaranteeing US Treasury repayment of the huge amount of debt piled up considerably during the Trump Administration, and the ongoing Republican folly of tax-cuts for the wealthy and other forms of corporate welfare, it appears that the US is once again headed for a crash in the financial markets, a recession and perhaps a resulting global depression. If another bailout is needed to provide stability in financial markets by purchasing and guaranteeing “troubled assets,” let’s hope we learn from the past and awaken to the idea that bailed out banks and financial institutions will have to give taxpayers equity in the institutions commensurate with the amount of money given them. Continue reading

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Ford F-150 Lighting Debuts in Norway in 2024

Ford Motor, along with all other global makers, is pursuing complex strategies and elaborate routes while transitioning to electric vehicles. EV demand is accelerating – reinforced and spurred by regulations – in the face of the dire effects of global warming – some, if not most, caused by the ongoing use of fossil fuels and what was in effect denial of the negative consequences of the exclusive use of fossil fuels in transportation. Ford’s challenge is to profitably maintain during this transition both a line of EVs from Ford Model e and the so-called Ford Blue internal combustion vehicles that at some point – perhaps near at hand – are doomed, but remain the foundation of the business. Continue reading

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Marijuana – Feel Different Then You Drive Different

“High, stoned, or wasted, zonked – doesn’t matter what term you use, if you are impaired, do not get behind the wheel of a vehicle,” suggests AutoInformed. “We are asking our readers to use decent judgement, obey the law, and above all make safe choices before your get behind the wheel of any type of vehicle.” Continue reading

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VW 2023 ID.4 EV Gets $7500 Fed Tax Credit

“This is great news for consumers in the U.S. because it expands the choice of truly affordable EVs,” said Pablo Di Si, President and CEO of Volkswagen Group of America. “This shows that we made the right decision to localize production of the ID.4 in Tennessee and invest even further in battery production, components and innovation.” Continue reading

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Alternative Fueling Stations Way Up Since 2020. So What?

Alternative energy sources have been at the forefront of strategies to reduce carbon emissions. This is especially true in transportation, the sector responsible for the most greenhouse gas emissions in the US. However, the US has more than 280,000,000 registered vehicles, begging the question what are we doing about the planet killing use of existing fuels for the vast majority of vehicles that are on and will remain on the roads? Electric vehicle (EV) charging stations have been growing faster than any other fueling categories and now account for about 84% of all alternative fueling stations. Continue reading

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California Climate Investments – ~$1B in 2022 to Communities With Worst Impacts of Pollution, Climate Change

“California continues to put our cap-and-trade dollars to work through unprecedented investments in zero-emission infrastructure, housing, conservation, and more,” said Yana Garcia, California’s Secretary for Environmental Protection. “The majority of these funds benefit communities disproportionately burdened by pollution and experiencing the impacts of persistent economic inequity. In 2022 alone, we invested nearly $1 billion in under resourced communities to help ensure an equitable transition to carbon neutrality, and to leveraging improved health outcomes in communities suffering from air pollution and other climate impacts.” Continue reading

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Buick Envista Hatchback Debuts Billed as Crossover SUV

Buick today revealed the 2024 Envista, a new nameplate in the fast-growing small SUV segment. In marketing speak, Envista has the cargo space and utility of an SUV, packaged inside sporty and sleek proportions typically found in a sedan. Translation – in the Alice in Wonderland world of automotive marketing, Humpty Dumpty eschews using the hatchback word, which for generations of Americans meant cheap transportation. Continue reading

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Lancia Pu+Ra HPE – Concept Car or Furniture?

“Today Lancia presents Lancia Pu+Ra HPE, the brand vision for the next 10 years that takes the brand into the era of electric mobility and sums up our way of conceiving and experiencing the car. Starting with the new Ypsilon, our cars of the future will be inspired by the Lancia Pu+Ra HPE,” said Luca Napolitano, CEO of the Lancia brand. Continue reading

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March Global Light Vehicles Sales Up 12%

The month-on-month (MoM) improvement in the SAAR is largely attributed to the rebounding of the China market as customers took advantage of expiring tax incentives before April, in LMC’s view. Relatedly, both the North American market and the Western Europe markets saw YoY improvements when compared against a very weak 2022. Eastern Europe showed the first positive YoY growth in March since the beginning of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022, LMC noted. Continue reading

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New EPA Online Guide – Heavy Metal Exposures in Children

“One of EPA’s top priorities is protecting public health, especially the health of our children who are most vulnerable to health impacts from exposure to heavy metals such as lead, “said Clifford Villa, Deputy Assistant Administrator for EPA’s Office of Land and Emergency Management. Continue reading

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US EPA – 2021 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Up

“For 30 years EPA has worked with researchers, federal partners, and stakeholders to produce a detailed and complete inventory of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions and sinks,” said Joseph Goffman, Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator for the Office of Air and Radiation. Well, yes, but it begs the question what is US regulatory policy doing about reducing the CO2 created by burning fossil fuels that is at the core of US economic activity? Continue reading

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EPA Wants Toughest Federal Emission Standards Ever

Thus far automakers are not commenting in public with details. AutoInformed suggests that this is likely due to the complexity of the problem and backroom lobbying by special interests groups and affected companies or international automotive groups with complex regulatory environments, so to speak, in various areas.

However, the European Union, Britain and Canada have at present enacted similar vehicle emissions standards designed to phase out the sale of new gasoline-powered vehicles by ~2035 while transitioning to electric vehicles. Continue reading

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Land Speed Record Breaker Craig Breedlove Passes at 86

Norman Craig Breedlove Sr. passed away yesterday, the Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association  said today in SEMA news update. Breedlove was elected into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (1993), Dry Lakes Racing Hall of Fame (1995), International Motorsports Hall of Fame (2000) and the Automotive Hall of Fame (2009). He also earned life membership in the Bonneville 200 MPH Club (1963). Continue reading

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EPA Wants More Health Protection for Commercial Sterilization

“EPA’s number one priority is protecting people’s health and safety, and we are committed to taking decisive action that’s informed by the best available science,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “These proposals build on EPA’s extensive outreach to communities across the nation and reflect close coordination among key federal partners. Together they would significantly reduce worker and community exposure to harmful levels of ethylene oxide. EPA will continue to use every available tool to safeguard our nation’s communities, including workers, from exposure to toxic chemicals and to deliver important public health protections,” Regan said. Continue reading

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