Category Archives: environment

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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Power Plants Continue to Befoul Our Air During 2021

Emissions in 2021 were higher than 2020, EPA said because of  a rebound in coal-fired generation as natural gas prices and energy demand increased. Worse emissions increased at rates much higher than the demand for electricity. Continue reading

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Honda Motor to Make Sweeping Organizational Changes in April to Survive and Sustain Itself as a Mobility Company

Translation: The changes are needed to survive the electrification business, new business, and combined solution business, which will require bolstering the development of software, as well as the strengthening the development of core electrification technologies. Continue reading

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Whither Diesel? – Viable Fuel or Blah, Blah, Blah…

At first this seems more blah, blah, blah around doing something about Global Warming and extreme, deadly weather caused by burning fossil fuels. However, both had reasoned observations backed by data for what turned out to be a rarity in our poisoned political climate of resentments and wanton constitutional destruction that is burning far hotter – way beyond any inferno caused by CO2. Continue reading

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GM is Doubling its Climate Equity Fund

In early 2021, GM announced that it plans to become carbon neutral in its global products and operations by 2040 and is working toward a transition to 100% zero tailpipe emissions for new light-duty vehicles by 2035. The company plans to introduce more than 30 electric vehicle models globally by 2025.  Continue reading

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Building Forward Better – President Biden, DOT, DOE Announce $5B National EV Charging Network

 “A century ago, America ushered in the modern automotive era; now America must lead the electric vehicle revolution,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “The President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will help us win the EV race by working with states, labor, and the private sector to deploy a historic nationwide charging network that will make EV charging accessible for more Americans.” Continue reading

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Ford Pro Using Lightning EVs in Pilot Farming Study

Winegrowers rely daily on their trucks to haul fertilizer and fuel tanks, water and portable bathrooms. Some vehicles log upward of 50,000 miles a year, traveling between properties from Cloverdale to Petaluma. Operating these vehicles and maintaining them, are among an organization’s largest expenses. At Dutton Ranch, which runs a fleet of ~70 work vehicles, fuel costs average $5,000 per month. The prospect of reducing that monthly expense is critical to operations moving forward. Electric vehicles, coupled with the solar power that many Sonoma County ranches already generate and store, represent another way to help offset rising fuel costs. Large Ford pickup trucks and SUVs of course consume enormous amounts of fossil fuels each day. Continue reading

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Automobili Pininfarina Adds Dealers in North America

The pure-electric Battista hyper GT – the most powerful Italian car ever made – is in the final stages of its development with the first client deliveries set to commence in first half of 2022. With a total of 128 million interior combinations, the new hyper ~$2.9 million GT has complex levels of customization. Retailers will assist clients as they personalize the Battista to suit individual tastes. Continue reading

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GM Plans to Expand Fuel Cell Sales Beyond Vehicles

These planned fuel-cell generators could eventually replace gas- and diesel-burning generators with fewer emissions at worksites, buildings, movie sets, data centers, outdoor concerts and festivals. They could also back up or temporarily replace grid-sourced electricity for residential and small commercial enterprises at times of power disruption. Continue reading

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Blink Charging to Supply EV Chargers to GM Dealerships

Working with ABM, which delivers turnkey EV charging installations, Blink has already started shipping chargers to selected GM dealerships and currently has orders on hand to supply GM dealers in the U.S. and Canada with additional charging stations over the next several months. Continue reading

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CARB – New Diesel Regs Cost Effective, Lobbyists Wrong

A key part of the report AutoInformed thinks is when CARB staff compared 2022 model year warranty cost estimates made by CARB and manufacturers that reflect the intermediate impact of lengthening warranty periods. The report finds that, on a “per miles covered” basis, the industry data essentially agrees with CARB’s lower estimates for current model year vehicles. Continue reading

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Biden Proposes New Clean Energy Policies and Actions on Offshore Winds, Public Lands, Transmission Lines

Build Back Better will, no doubt, continue to be opposed by the Republican party comprised of nope-dopes heavily financed by fossil-fuel and related businesses. Continue reading

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Chevrolet Introduces 2024 Silverado EV 

She also teased the 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV, a full-size pickup developed from GM’s Ultium platform. Customers will have the ability to buy or lease the truck within various price ranges, with MSRPs around $50,000, $60,000, $70,000, $80,000 and much, much more for the more for the flagship RST First Edition, which will debut with an MSRP of $105,000, plus $1695 for shipping. The Silverado EV will be offered only in Crew Cab models. Continue reading

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Significant 2021 Automotive Stories and Trends

With that in mind, here’s our perspective on the last annum, from autonomous vehicles to global warming, to driving high disasters, to trade and tariffs and to the rise of fascism. We do this with a humble awareness that AutoInformed conducts its education in public. We begin with our take on significant automotive stories as we enter another year of plagues – covid, political, social or otherwise. Continue reading

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