Category Archives: environment

Porsche 2030 – More Than 80% All-Electric New Vehicles

“We continue to hope for a cessation of hostilities and a return to diplomacy. The safety and integrity of the people are paramount. To help people in need in Ukraine, Porsche AG has donated a total of €1 million. Experts are continuously determining the degree of impact on Porsche’s business activities in a task force. The supply chains for Porsche plants have been affected, which means that on-schedule production is no longer possible in some cases.” Continue reading

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Putin’s War Clouds BMW Group Media Day

Unaddressed in formal statements were two key concerns for the German auto industry – Germany’s over-dependence on Russian natural gas, and it’s dealings with totalitarian communist states including China where BMW and other German makers, suppliers and brands have extensive holdings – Audi, Daimler, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, among others. Continue reading

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EPA – More Funding for DERA Tribal and Insular Area Grants

The DERA program is prioritizing projects that help achieve the goals of President Biden’s Justice40 initiative, which aims to ensure that federal agencies deliver at least 40% of benefits from certain investments to underserved communities. Older diesel engines emit much more air pollutants such as nitrogen oxides and particulate matter than newer diesel engines. EPA correctly notes that these pollutants are linked to a range of serious health problems including asthma, lung and heart disease, other respiratory ailments, and premature death. Continue reading

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Volkswagen, Ford Expand Cooperation on MEB EV Platform

The first Ford model to use the MEB will be an all-electric crossover. It is expected to roll off the assembly line at the Ford Electrification Center in Cologne from 2023. Ford  – lagging in EVs – had originally planned just one model based on MEB with a total volume of around 600,000 units. The company has not yet released any details about the second planned model. Continue reading

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Ford to Sell 600k EVs Annually in Europe by 2026?

“It’s also about the pressing need for greater care of our planet, making a positive contribution to society and reducing emissions in line with the Paris Climate Agreement,” said Stuart Rowley, chair, Ford of Europe. Ford – like virtually all automakers with similar pledges – wants to achieve zero emissions for all its vehicle sales and carbon neutrality across its European footprint of facilities, logistics and suppliers by 2035, it said today. Continue reading

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Mercedes-Benz Vans USA Unveils all-new Sprinter AWD

It’s part of a transition to a fully 4-cylinder lineup for gasoline and, ahem, ultimately doomed diesel engines for model year 2023, creating a “more efficient portfolio.” Continue reading

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EPA Grants $17M for EV School Buses to Cut Diesel Emissions  

The two rebate awards of ~$17 million in combined funding for schools and bus fleet owners to replace older, high-polluting diesel school buses. Replacing these buses will improve air quality in and around schools and communities, reduce greenhouse gas pollution, and help improve children’s health. Since 2012, EPA’s school bus rebates have awarded, or are in the process of awarding, more than $73 million to replace more than 3,000 old diesel school buses. Continue reading

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EV Battery Gold Rush – GM, POSCO Chemical JV Expansion

The new plant will produce cathode active material (CAM) for GM’s Ultium batteries, which will power electric vehicles such as the Chevrolet Silverado EV, GMC HUMMER EV and Cadillac LYRIQ. AutoInformed readers might remember that the companies previously announced plans to form a CAM processing joint venture in December 2021, majority owned by POSCO Chemical. Continue reading

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University of Michigan, Ford – EV Greenhouse Gas Reductions Greater than Others. Pickups Best Over Their Life Cycle?

“This is an important study to inform and encourage climate action. Our research clearly shows substantial greenhouse gas emission reductions that can be achieved from transitioning to electrified powertrains across all vehicle classes,” said study senior author Greg Keoleian, a professor at the U-M School for Environment and Sustainability and director of the U-M Center for Sustainable Systems. Continue reading

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EPA – Toxic Chemical Releases Drop 10% between 2019-2020

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today released its 2020 Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) National Analysis, which shows that environmental releases of TRI chemicals by facilities covered by the program declined by 10% between 2019 and 2020. The 2020 TRI National … Continue reading

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State of Our Union and the Auto Industry

The auto industry’s economic impact reaches all 50 states, sustaining 10 million American jobs and more than $650 billion in paychecks. The Biden Administration – in the face of Republican opposition and treasonous praise for Putin’s war against Ukraine – has proposed a forward-looking plan that will help the auto industry continue to provide economic growth via a cleaner, safer and smarter automotive future. We need to control our destiny here. This is clear. We need to rid ourselves of alleged leaders who mock our alliances, favor rich despots and are long on talk, but weak on foreign policy and even weaker on our defense. Continue reading

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Ford Motor Structure Threatens Viability. Vast Reorg Coming

Ford Motor Structure Threatens Viability. Vast Reorg Coming Continue reading

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Dare Forward 2030 – Stellantis Survival Plan Unveiled

As part of the leadership mantle Stellantis wants to wear, it wants 100% of sales in Europe and 50% of sales in the United States to be battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) by the end of this decade. “We plan to have more than 75 BEVs and reach global annual BEV sales of 5 million vehicles by 2030,” said Carlos Tavares during a web broadcast for media. Continue reading

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EPA, Louisiana Fine Firestone Polymers for Air Pollution

“This settlement requires Firestone to take concrete steps to reduce emissions of air pollutants from its manufacturing facility in Sulfur, Louisiana,” said Larry Starfield, Acting Assistant Administrator of EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “This will result in cleaner air for communities in Southwest Louisiana, particularly for communities that have suffered a historically disproportionate burden from pollution.” Continue reading

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‘Press Release’ EVs – Volta Trucks Raises €230M

Volta is claiming a “Europe-first principles within its Road-to-Zero Emissions strategy, with Volta Trucks set to launch four full-electric commercial vehicles and increase its projected sales volumes to more than 27,000 by 2025.” Given the competition from existing truck makers, this is ambitious – and only a promise until production begins. Following an order of electric trucks from DB Schenker in late 2021, pre-orders for the Volta Zero now exceed 5,000 vehicles, with a value of more than €1.2 billion, Volta claims. Continue reading

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