Category Archives: fuel economy or emissions

CA Governor Brown, AKA Moonbeam, Increases EV Subsidies

California Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. yesterday signed half a dozen bills to increase EV subsidies for California’s electric vehicle market. Continue reading

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2015 Chevy, GMC Pickups and SUV derivatives Have 8-Speed Transmissions in Fuel Economy Upgrade

In theory, fuel economy should improve on the EPA sticker, but estimates will be announced closer to the start of production in Q4 of 2014. Continue reading

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EPA Forces Ford to Lower Fuel Economy Ratings

Given the ongoing fuel economy rating scandals, with Hyundai and Kia being an egregious example, as well as numerous road tests from independent sources on other make vehicles, including AutoInformed, we no longer have confidence in EPA fuel economy stickers. Buyers beware; mpg is in a lot of cases ‘meaningless per gallon. Continue reading

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Holy Toledo! 2015 Corvette Gets Eight-Speed Automatic

Chevy claims excellent shift times that rival the best dual-clutch designs of which ZF is the leading supplier. Porsche, of course, offers dual-clutch automatics and the new Corvette already outperforms Porsche models costing tens – or much more – thousands of dollars greater. Continue reading

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Republicans Pass Polluter Protection Act

This latest example of the power of money in the Congress is a setback for citizens. In 2009, EPA determined that greenhouse gas pollution threatens Americans’ health and welfare by leading to long lasting changes in our climate that can have a range of negative effects on human health and the environment. Continue reading

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EPA Finally Cleans up Fuel over Big Oil Objections and Money

Once fully in place, the standards will help avoid up to 2,000 premature deaths per year and 50,000 cases of respiratory ailments in children, according to agency that Republicans – owned by big oil – love to hate and obstruct. Continue reading

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SAE World Congress to Review 48-Volt Mild Hybrid Progress

Both systems are based on switched reluctance (SR) motor-generator technology developed for a new breed of 48-volt hybrid vehicles. CPT claims multiple O.E. applications are being explored, particularly in Europe for sub-compact and compact vehicles as a relatively inexpensive way to make big gains in fuel economy. Continue reading

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Nissan Shows Cummins Diesel Frontier Pickup at CAS

It looks as if Nissan will join the mid-size pickup diesel parade based on a concept truck created to gauge consumer interest in a next-generation Frontier with a Cummins diesel engine. First shown at the Chicago Auto Show, aka CAS, it is powered by a 2.8-liter Cummins turbo diesel with nearly 200 horsepower, and more than 350 lb.-ft. of torque. The estimated fuel economy increases 35% compared to the current Frontier V6. Continue reading

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GM and Isuzu to Update Ohio Diesel Engine Plant

The investment – in the depressing language of the jobless auto recovery – retains 500 jobs at what is a joint venture between General Motors and Isuzu. DMAX has produced 1.6 million engines since opening in 2000. Continue reading

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Texas RV and Motorcycle Importers Fined for CAA Abuses

Savoia, BMX Imports, BMX Trading, and their owner, Terry Zimmer, allegedly illegally imported motorcycles that didn’t comply with the Clean Air Act, or CAA Continue reading

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Fuel Economy of New U.S. Vehicles at Record High

The large fuel economy improvement is part of longer-term trends. Fuel economy has increased by 2.6 mpg or 12% since 2008, and by 4.3 mpg or 22% since 2004. The average carbon dioxide emissions of 376 grams per mile in model year 2012 also was a record low. Continue reading

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Auto Engineering now White Water Rafting as CAFE Goes Up

Currently, estimates for the cost of compliance range from zero to $10,000 per vehicle for what is a difficult engineering task that has become – once again and as always – an ideological battleground, with posturing from automakers, regulators and pressure groups. Continue reading

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Tucson Fuel Cell EV $499 Month Next Spring

The move – part image enhancing green marketing and part technology preview – will put pressure on other automakers to respond. Honda and Toyota have announced plans to sell a limited number of fuel cell sedans in the Los Angeles area by 2015, dependent on a government project to build an expensive hydrogen-refueling network. 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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Automotive Waste Heat Recovery Closer to Production

Not surprisingly, given increasingly stringent fuel economy and CO2 regulations, much advanced research is being done to see how this wasted exhaust heat can be used. Two areas show promise – generating electricity from the heat, and/or using the exhaust heat for a vehicle’s heating and ventilation system. Continue reading

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