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Tag Archives: cafe
DOT and EPA Issue Record 54.5 MPG Fuel Economy Standards
Realistically, the fuel economy average will likely be in the 38-40 mpg range. Therefore, your mileage not only can vary but will vary from big numbers being touted in a closely contested Presidential election year. This, by the way, is where European fuel economy is right now, so if you want to know what the roads will look like a decade hence, travel to Spain or Italy whose governments desperately need tourist revenues to cover their massive deficits. Continue reading
First Look – 2013 Range Rover SUV
Land Rover has released the first photos of what it says is an all-new 2013 Range Rover. The fourth generation version drops its steel body for an all-aluminum monocoque design that is somewhat lighter. The upshot is total vehicle weight savings of about 700 pounds on what will remain about a 5,000 pound (or more) SUV in its two V8-powered U.S. versions. Currently the $80,000-$100,000 sport ute is rated by the EPA a 12 mpg city, 18 highway and 14 mpg combined, which is at the lower end of the class and requires a 28-gallon tank of premium fuel to provide a decent range. Continue reading
GM Invests in NanoSteel, Claims New Class of Light Weight Materials
General Motors has invested an undisclosed amount in The NanoSteel Company because it claims the firm is a leader in light weight steel materials design. Through the development of patented alloys, NanoSteel has created a new class of steel that in theory allows automotive engineers and designers to reduce weight with thinner, higher strength gauges while maintaining the structural integrity needed for safety. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, energy, engineering, fuel economy or emissions
Tagged auto informed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, cafe, GM, Ken Zino
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EPA Releases 2010 U.S. Greenhouse Gas Inventory
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released today the 17th annual U.S. greenhouse gas inventory. The final report shows overall emissions in 2010 increased by 3.2% from the previous year because the economy expanded slightly. In addition, a factor was an … Continue reading
EPA Says Fuel Economy at Record High, CO2 at Record Low
One giant caveat here: The EPA window sticker rating is not the same as the EPA CAFE rating used by automakers. As a general rule window sticker ratings are 25% lower than the numbers used for CAFE compliance. Moreover, the sticker ratings have been adjusted downward in recent years after drivers complained they were too optimistic. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, fuel economy or emissions, news analysis
Tagged auto informed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, cafe, dot, epa, fuel economy, Ken Zino
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Alcoa Expanding to Make More Lightweight Aluminum Alloys
With the auto industry now pursuing composites to reduce weight to meet increasingly stringent emission and fuel economy standards, the increased supply of lightweight aluminum alloys could find its way onto production automobiles. The question is at what rate? Continue reading
General Motors and LG to Jointly Develop Electric Vehicles
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
Posted in alternative fuels, auto news, electric vehicles, fuel economy or emissions, news analysis
Tagged alternate fuel, auto informed, auto news, autoinformed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, cafe, chevy volt, co2, dan ackerson, EVs, fuel economy, general motors, GM, hybrids, juno cho, Ken Zino, lg, opel ampera, zino
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Ford and Toyota to Develop a New Hybrid System for Light Trucks and SUVs as well as Future Telematics Standards
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
Posted in alternative fuels, electric vehicles, environment, fuel economy or emissions, news analysis
Tagged auto informed, auto news, autoinformed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, cafe, epa, Ford and Toyota truck hybrid, ford f-series hybrid, ford fuel economy, Ken Zino, toyota hybrid, zino
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Steel and Aluminum Industries in Fuel Economy Design Fight
At first glance it appears to be a battle of the press releases as the steel and aluminum industries vie for contracts on new vehicles to reduce weight. Since virtually all cars and trucks right up to Class 8 big rigs will need to get lighter under increasingly stringent fuel economy rules, decade’s old sourcing patterns – and billions of dollars in future steel and aluminum contracts – are at stake. Continue reading
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
Posted in alternative fuels, auto news, energy, environment, fuel economy or emissions, global warming, milestones, news analysis
Tagged auto informed, auto news, autoinformed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, cafe, epa, fuel economy, ghg emissions, heavy truck cafe, Ken Zino, medium truck fuel economy, nhtsa, truck cafe, truck fuel economy, zino
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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
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
Posted in alternative fuels, auto news, concept, electric vehicles, energy, environment, transportation
Tagged alternative fuel, auto informed, auto news, autoinformed, automotive news, cafe, co2, eu emissions, EVs, Ken Zino, utoinformed.com, volvo electric, volvo hybrid concept, zino
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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
Posted in alternative fuels, auto news, economy, environment
Tagged auto informed, auto news, autoinformed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, BMW, cafe, electric vehicles, german muscle hybrids, global warming, hybrid scorecard, Ken Zino, lexus hybrid, muscle hybrids, porsche, prius, ucs, vw, zino
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$10,000 Increase per Auto Under Fuel Economy Proposal?
Some of the proposed changes to increase fuel economy and decrease greenhouse gases starting in 2017 could cost new car buyers from $3,700 to more than $9,000 per vehicle if they are adopted, and that’s before another $1,500 or so is added for additional safety equipment.
The new fuel economy mandates under consideration by the government are based on reducing emissions ranging from 3% to 6% per year, the same as increasing fuel mileage equivalent amounts. The highest increase, 6% per year, will raise the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) from 35.5 mpg in 2016 to 62 mpg in 2025. Continue reading
Posted in alternative fuels, auto news, economy, electric vehicles, environment, news analysis
Tagged auto informed, autoinformed, autoinformed.com, cafe, car, center for automotive research, co2, economy, fuel economy regulations, ghg, job losses, Ken Zino, regulations hurting jobs, sean mcalinden, unemployment
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