Category Archives: fuel economy or emissions

Ford Taking Orders for 2012 Focus Electric at $39,995

Posted on 3 November 2011 by Ken Zino

No lease is available, so a typical payment to buy – with $4,000 down for 48 months – is almost $800 per month at Ford’s 7% interest rate. The gasoline Focus starts at just over $17,000. This means that the sales volume of the EV will likely be limited to a few enthusiasts. And Focus Electric also faces tough competition from the Nissan Leaf, which can be leased for about $400 a month. Continue reading →

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California Institutes $15,000 EV Subsidy from Taxpayers

Posted on 31 October 2011 by Ken Zino

This light commercial EV subsidy is part of a larger program – or folly, according to critics – which will it’s hoped speed the adaptation of commercial electric vehicles. Heretofore, fleet operators who keep stringent track of costs have not been willing to invest in EVs because of their absurdly high costs and limited range – in the EV Transit’s case, ~$50,000 and 50 miles. Continue reading →

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2012 Honda Insight Hybrid Ups Fuel Economy at Under $20,000

Posted on 18 October 2011 by Ken Zino

Honda’s latest attempt to catch Toyota Prius, the undisputed hybrid sales leader, results in an updated 2012 Insight hybrid with revised exterior and interior styling, as well as an improved EPA fuel economy rating of 1 mpg. The new Insight’s city/highway/combined EPA fuel economy rating of 41/44/42 mpg, is up from 40/43/41 on the outgoing Insight hybrid model.

More significant is the price as Insights are just now arriving in dealerships. Honda continues to offer the highest EPA fuel economy rating of any new vehicle currently available with a Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) starting under $20,000, which is really $19,120 for the base Insight delivered, plus state and local taxes. Continue reading →

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Honda Starts Production of 2012 Civic Natural Gas car in U.S.

Posted on 12 October 2011 by Ken Zino

As it stands now, compressed natural gas or CNG vehicles that are growing clean air darlings – under debatable assumptions about how clean natural gas really is and how it is produced under exemptions from government environmental regulations – are all conversions of mostly Detroit Three pickup trucks and vans with one Honda factory-made exception. Continue reading →

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Chevrolet to Produce Spark EV All-Electric Vehicle

Posted on 12 October 2011 by Ken Zino

Chevrolet today announced it will produce an all-electric version of the Chevrolet Spark mini-car – the Spark EV. It will be sold in limited quantities in some U.S. and global markets starting in 2013 in California. The company needs to the CAFE credits from an EV in order to meet impending fuel economy requirements in the U.S. Continue reading →

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New Porsche Paint Shop for New 911s at Zuffenhausen

Posted on 23 September 2011 by Ken Zino

The opening of the new paint shop this week in Zuffenhausen coincides with the start of production of the new Porsche 911, arguably the most famous sports car in the world since its 1964 début. The revised 911 bodies are painted inside and out in a dust free environment at the enclosed plant, which is located in a densely populated urban area of Stuttgart. Continue reading →

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Toyota Prices 2012 Prius Plug-in Hybrid at $32,760 and $40,285

Posted on 19 September 2011 by Ken Zino

With its tiny battery, plug-in Prius has a pure electric power range of a mere 25 miles and runs off of its gasoline engine at full-throttle. This is apparently enough to qualify for a federal taxpayer subsidy under consideration via a direct tax credit of about $2,500 in these deficit ridden times. Continue reading →

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EPA Grants Emergency Fuel Waiver for Flooded Pennsylvania

Posted on 12 September 2011 by Ken Zino

In a statement just issued, EPA said that in coordination with the Department of Energy (DOE), and at the request of Republican Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett (who receives funding from oil and natural gas companies), EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson said that extreme and unusual supply circumstances exist. These problems are likely in EPA’s view to result in a shortage of gasoline that meets federal regulations. The federal waiver will help provide adequate supply of gasoline in the affected area until normal supply to the region can be restored. Continue reading →

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General Motors and LG to Jointly Develop Electric Vehicles

Posted on 25 August 2011 by Ken Zino

The high cost of developing new technologies to meet increasingly stringent CO2 and fuel economy regulations prompted the deal. Earlier this week Ford Motor and Toyota announced a collaboration on new hybrid trucks. Continue reading →

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Ford and Toyota to Develop a New Hybrid System for Light Trucks and SUVs as well as Future Telematics Standards

Posted on 22 August 2011 by Ken Zino

Both companies of course are heavily invested in fuel thirsty larger trucks, with Ford’s best selling vehicle the F-Series pickup rated at 16 mpg on the EPA city test cycle. The F-Series has been the U.S.’s best selling truck for the past 34 years with year-to-date sales of 313,000 units. Toyota before the Great Recession invested billions in full-size trucks and SUVs. Both the Tundra pickup and Sequoia full-size SUV have been sales disasters. Continue reading →

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Cadillac Rejoins Electric Vehicle Parade with Converj Concept

Posted on 17 August 2011 by Ken Zino

The on again/off again Converj program is now switched on again and in keeping with the ecological theme, the name is recycled from a hybrid concept first shown at the 2009 North American International Auto Show as General Motors was hurtling toward bankruptcy. Continue reading →

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

Posted on 15 August 2011 by Ken Zino

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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EPA Approves Emergency Fuel Waiver for Tennessee

Posted on 11 August 2011 by Ken Zino

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

Posted on 9 August 2011 by Ken Zino

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

Posted on 5 August 2011 by Ken Zino

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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