Category Archives: global warming

Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Most Fuel-Efficient SUV CR Tested

Toyota RAV4 Hybrid at 31 mpg combined in Consumer Reports testing has the best overall fuel economy of any SUV that doesn’t plug in, CR said today. It returned 26 mpg city and 36 mpg highway – better than most mid-size sedans. Continue reading

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Toyota Prius Sets Parade Record at Alameda Air Field

More significant than a publicity stunt / photo op is that Toyota and Lexus have double the number of hybrids on the roads than any other auto manufacturer. Continue reading

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Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV Debuts in US After 3 Year Lag

The Outlander PHEV move follows the introduction of the Outlander last year in the U.S. after it was on sale for almost three years elsewhere. Even though SUV sales account for 40% of the U.S. market, poor Mitsubishi U.S. sales and the Great Recession that started in 2008 roughing up all automakers precluded plugging it in here. Continue reading

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Automakers Protest European Laws Targeting Diesel Use

The automakers reason, not without some basis in fact – that the most effective way to improve air quality is getting older cars and trucks off the road. New vehicles less than one year old are roughly 5% of the road population in the EU. As more of the older diesels are replaced, it looks like fewer of them will be diesels, no matter how clean the newest ones are. Continue reading

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EPA Proposes to Replace Harmful HFC Greenhouse Gases

The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency – EPA- is proposing to ban the use of certain hydro-fluorocarbon chemicals that it claims significantly contribute to climate change. This is the agency’s second action aimed at reducing emissions of HFCs, a class of potent greenhouse gases. Continue reading

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Honda Fuel Cell Concept Debuts at Los Angeles Auto Show

Honda’s next generation fuel cell-electric vehicle has what is for the moment the world’s first fuel-cell powertrain packaged completely in the engine room of the vehicle. This not only allows more interior space, but it gives the Japanese automaker some flexibility in the use of fuel cell technology in different vehicle types. Continue reading

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GM and Honda Target 2020 for Viable Fuel Cell EVs

The light duty fuel cell vehicle (FCV) has shown promise for decades, but the problem remains that it is space age technology at NASA levels of cost. Not surprisingly, automakers have varying levels of interest fuel cells that always appear to be just a decade or so from commercialization, but interest is rising. Continue reading

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Milestones – 500,000th Porsche Cayenne Made in Leipzig

German Chancellor German Chancellor Angela Merkel last week killed a draft European Union law aimed at reducing carbon dioxide. Merkel facing federal elections in September, said “This is also about employment,” a concept that has eluded EU politicians for more than five years as the economic crisis deepens, but not for the lavishly paid, fed and housed Eurocrats. Continue reading

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Supreme Court Dismisses Ethanol Waiver Case

The United States Supreme Court today dismissed a petition by the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers or AFPM challenging an EPA regulation that allows for 15% ethanol in gasoline. Continue reading

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Milestones – Nissan Begins Assembly of 2013 LEAF EV in Tennessee

Nissan is starting U.S. assembly of the 2013 LEAF electric car at its manufacturing plant in Smyrna, Tennessee, where it will be made along with the far more popular Altima and Maxima models. Since 2010 Leaf has been imported from Oppama, Japan. Continue reading

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Food Fight over Ethanol as Special Interest Groups Trade Charges

Two special interest groups are sparing in public over the cost implications of a long-standing federal energy policy that mandates the use of ethanol and ever increasing amounts of bio-fuels in an attempt to free the United States from importing oil sold by terrorist supporting nations. In 2012 about 9% of all transportation fuel used will be from so-called renewable sources. Continue reading

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Honda World’s First Company to Reveal Third-party Validated Estimates of Global CO2 Emissions during Product Use

Honda Motor Company said in Japan today that it is the world’s first mobility company to disclose estimated global CO2 emissions during customer use of its motorcycles, automobiles and power products. The move will likely force other automakers who claim to be green into similar disclosures. A next step could be window or product stickers that list the effects of their use on the environment. Continue reading

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Toyota Launches Prius c Hybrid as Aqua in Japan for $21,700

In Japan the Prius c comes in seven models with a price ranging from $21,750 to $34,500 for lavishing equipped models for handicapped people. Look for the Japanese-built Prius c in the U.S. to start somewhere under $20,000 with several more expensive option packages. AutoInformed is betting Toyota will continue to use aggressive ‘comeback pricing’ and incentives to regain market share lost post-tsunami and Thailand floods this year. With the introduction of the all-new reduced price Camry last October, Toyota has regained 2 percentage points of U.S. share in the last two months. Continue reading

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Honda Closed, Toyota Cuts Japan Production from Thailand Floods. After Effects Continue to Worsen for Japanese Makers

Honda Automobile Thailand – HATC – continues to be shut down since October 4th because of the Thailand floods. “Due to the inability to access its facility in, Ayutthaya , HATC does not currently have a clear outlook for when production will resume.

Toyota Motor Corporation has also “adjusted” production in Japan this week due to Thailand parts shortages at least through Friday, as the after affects of the Thailand Floods – responsible for at least 300 deaths – continue to grow. Continue reading

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President Obama to Announce First Fuel Economy Regulations for Heavy Trucks, Buses. $50 Billion in Fuel Savings Claimed

The complicated standards vary by size and type of truck, and whether gasoline or diesel engines are used. However they appear stringent, calling for a 7-20% reduction in emissions with roughly corresponding increases in fuel economy. Continue reading

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