Tag Archives: fuel economy

Tiny Three-Cylinder VW Up! to Debut at IAA Frankfurt

Volkswagen has released pictures of the production version of the tiny VW Up, which last appeared as an electric car concept two years ago at the IAA or Frankfurt Motor Show. The two-door, four seat small car at 3.54 meters is seven inches smaller than the Mini, and will also compete with Alfa Romeo MiTo, Fiat 500 and in Europe the Toyota iQ. No word on whether the VW Up will come to North America. Continue reading

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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

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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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Motor City Mice Chuckle over Possible F-Series EcoBoost Fuel Economy Shortfalls. GM Pushing Expensive Eco Options, too

Owners might not be as amused as we mice, given this elaborate gaming of the EPA system by Ford – especially if owners get similar results after paying at least another $1750 compared to the base V6, or $750 more than the V8 option. And virtually all automakers are gaming the system to obtain ratings that buyers may never experience. 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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40 MPG Hyundai Models Continue to Set Sales Records

Call it luck or call it planning, but Hyundai’s emphasis on fuel economy and interior room is paying sales dividends. The Korean maker announced today that it had sold its 100,000 40 mpg vehicle this year as rated on the EPA highway cycle. Continue reading

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Ford Europe to Build Three-Cylinder. U.S. Sales Promised

The new Ford three-cylinder engine arises in part from the success of the award-winning Fiat Twinair two-cylinder engine already on sale Europe. A large factor is also impending European emission standards that are forcing automakers to produce radical engine designs with low CO2 emissions. The newest Ford Ecoboost three-cylinder is projected to have CO2 emissions under 100 g/km. Continue reading

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Survey Finds Most Buyers Won’t Downsize With Next Vehicle Purchase. Trouble for Automakers facing 35.5 mpg CAFE?

Offsetting the downsizing trend are 19% of respondents who said they plan to buy a larger vehicle. How this all sorts out in the marketplace is a complicated issue for automakers, who need to average 35.5 mpg by 2016, with cars needing to average 42 mpg. Continue reading

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Mercedes-Benz Concept A-Class Debuts at New York Show

The release of these A-class photos and confirmation that it will be shown in New York is the result of increasingly stringent U.S. fuel economy laws and a possible shift in buying preferences, which will make the car available in the United States for the first time. Continue reading

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Sales of Fuel Efficient 4-Cylinder Engines Double at Chevrolet

There’s no better example of how rising fuel prices have changed the auto industry than the ongoing shift in demand for more efficient engines. The trend led by customer demand is also reinforced strongly by the first government increase in Corporate Average Fuel Economy in decades, which finally prompted reluctant auto executives to invest in technologies that produce significant decreases in the amount of fuel needed per mile traveled. Continue reading

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House Bill Says Greenhouse Gases not Air Pollutants. Republican Attack on EPA Despite Supreme Court Ruling

Since nothing in the Act precludes states from pursuing their own GHG policies, this is a severe setback for automakers that need one coordinated national standard for fuel economy and CO2 emissions. Continue reading

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TRW and Fallbrook Sign MOU to Develop Continuously Variable Accessory Drive for Commercial Vehicles

TRW Automotive and Fallbrook Technologies today announced that they have signed a memorandum of understanding to develop applications for Fallbrook’s continuously variable accessory drive (CVAD) technology for commercial vehicles.

The specific applications covered by the MOU were not disclosed, but are designed to improve both performance and efficiency of vehicle accessories, which could directly increase vehicle fuel efficiency. Continue reading

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Comments Closing Today on Proposed Bus and Truck Fuel Economy Standards. 500 million barrels of oil at stake?

The proposed rules would create comprehensive heavy-duty national program (HD National Program) designed to address what EPA says is “the urgent and closely intertwined challenges of dependence on oil, energy security, and global climate change.” Continue reading

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Chrysler and U.S. EPA Research Hydraulic Hybrid Minivan

Since Chrysler Group’s U.S. sales are comprised of more than 70% of vehicles rated as trucks, the company remains vulnerable to rising fuel prices. The E.P.A. claimed that a hydraulic hybrid could provide +35% in fuel efficiency gains, and possibly as much as a 60% improvement is city driving, compared to traditional powertrains in the same type of vehicles. Continue reading

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Ford to Expand Start-Stop Systems in U.S. by 2012

A Start-Stop system will be available for Ford’s North American cars and sport utility vehicles and crossovers starting in 2012, the maker said in a release, claiming improved city driving fuel economy between 4% and 10%. Continue reading

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