Category Archives: environment

EPA Affirms Air Quality Standards for Carbon Monoxide. However, Monitoring to Look At Cities Near Roadways

More than 45 million people who attend school, live near, commute, or work on or near transportation routes have their health placed at risk by exposure to carbon monoxide and other traffic pollutants. Lack of adequate monitoring has meant that they cannot adequately know the threats to their health, and has limited research and cleanup,” said Charles D. Connor, President and Chief Executive Officer, American Lung Association. Continue reading

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Daimler and Honda Lead in Car Fuel Cell Development, Maybe

According to a new Pike Research report, the two light-duty FCV manufacturers who are best positioned in this formative stage of the market are Daimler and Honda. However, Daimler has made ambitious announcements on fuel cell technology readiness in the past, and these – well, did not pass the reality test. Daimler recently moved up its FCV target date to 2014 from 2015. We will see if anything comes from this except an expensive taxpayer subsidized demonstration program. Continue reading

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EPA Approves Emergency Fuel Waiver for Tennessee

The waiver is effective for 20 days and allows the sale of 9.0 psi conventional gasoline in the Shelby county low RVP covered area even though it is contrary to the Clean Air Act. In essence EPA is tolerating the sale of fuel that contributes to smog because it will head off a fuel supply crisis, a good example of common sense by regulators. Continue reading

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GM Awards A123 Contract for Batteries for Electric Vehicles

Teams from both companies will now work on developing calibrations and software controls for the battery system in preparation for production. Continue reading

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$10,000 Solar Panel Option Coming for Focus Electric Vehicle. Ford is using the new “Green Math” to Calculate Benefits

So if you have enough sunshine to generate the 3,000 kWh, that means you save $330 annually for a pay back period of, um, 30 years and four months (using basic arithmetic, not green math). The panels are guaranteed for 25 years by the way. Continue reading

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California Air Resources Board Approves GM Crate Engine

All E-ROD crate engines include required emissions equipment, such as catalytic converters and a fuel tank evaporative emission canister, along with an engine control module calibrated for a balance of performance and efficiency. GM said it is the only automaker with authorized, emissions-compliant high-performance aftermarket engines. 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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Toyota and Tesla to Build RAV4 EV at Toyota’s Woodstock, Ontario Production Facility, Not California

It was a blow to former NUMMI members in Fremont, California whose UAW plant was shut down by Toyota last year. It was hoped that production of the RAV4 EV would go into the plant when Tesla bought it in 2010. Toyota owns a stake in Tesla, and Tesla previously said that a Model S electric sedan will go into production at NUMMI sometime during 2012. Tesla’s latest financial results showed a $59 million loss for Q2. Continue reading

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President Obama Unveils 54.5 MPG Fuel Economy Regulation for 2017-25. Will it Alter Vehicle Choices and Increase Costs?

In a thirteen minute speech in Washington this morning, President Obama revealed his proposal for doubling the fuel economy of vehicles sold in the U.S. by 2025. This proposal, which will apply to cars and light trucks sold during model years 2017 to 2025, establishes a global warming pollution standard of 163 grams of CO2 per mile per new vehicle by 2025—the equivalent of 54.5 mpg if all the improvements are met through actual increases in fuel-efficiency. Continue reading

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Volvo Shows Electric Vehicle Range Extender – a Gas Engine!

If engineers keep this up, they could arrive at a lightweight, front-drive gasoline (or diesel powered) car that would be much less expensive by eliminating the electric motor, power controls, recharging gear, battery cooling, battery back and sundry other EV components. However, it wouldn’t qualify for taxpayer subsidies or meet increasingly stringent government standards for reducing CO2 emissions, which correlate with increased fuel economy. Continue reading

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Ten Honda Plants in North America Achieve Zero Landfill Waste

While all automakers have environmental initiatives well under way, Honda and GM appear to have the most sweeping company-wide programs in place. Continue reading

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California High Occupancy Vehicle Lanes Closed to Hybrids. CNG, Electric Vehicles Now Picked as Winners by Government

Thus ends another episode of the California government using its power to pick vehicle winners instead of allowing market forces to operate. However, as the hybrid favoritism fades in memory, new auto winners are being picked for single driver HOV access from now until 2015. Continue reading

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EPA Wants to Eliminate a Vapor Recovery Regulation

In a statement the EPA said the “proposal is part of the Obama Administration’s initiative to review outdated and redundant rules and ensure that regulations are beneficial without being unnecessarily burdensome to American businesses.” (Well, yes, but it’s redundant because another regulation was put in place without limiting the life of the existing one.) Continue reading

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Muscle Hybrids Decried for Performance in Hybrid Scorecard

The pressure group criticized the Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid, the new Porsche Cayenne Hybrid and BMW’s X6 and 750i Active Hybrids as among the worst-rated hybrids for environmental improvement because they emphasize power over economy in their design. UCS is apparently unaware of the long standing performance marketing positioning of German brands. Continue reading

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GM Claims Landfill Free Leadership in Facility Recycling

In 2010, all of GM’s worldwide facilities combined – including regular and landfill-free plants – recycled 92% of the waste they generated. Continue reading

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