Friday, May 21, 2010

Gas 2.0

Gas 2.0

Obama and Automakers Looking for Even Tougher Fuel Economy Regulations in 2025

Posted: 21 May 2010 10:27 AM PDT

Just about a month ago U.S. automakers, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency — working in coordination with the White House — adopted landmark regulations to relatively quickly raise the average new car fuel efficiency to 35 mpg by 2016. That process took a year to accomplish, but it represented an amazing shift on the part of automakers to lower their resistance to such a national program of emissions and fuel economy regulations… you might even say they were giddy about it.

Over the last year, not only have the automakers embraced the concept of a national program, they’ve been pushing for even higher fuel economy standards in 2017 and beyond. To me, this is truly astounding. And just today, the two federal agencies and automakers got together at the White House to put their money where their mouth is and begin the process of addressing fuel economy and emissions regulations through 2025.

(more…)

GM To Offer Fleet Customers CNG and LPG Commercial Vans

Posted: 20 May 2010 08:11 PM PDT

Having worked for several different landscaping and construction companies, I got used to driving gas guzzling commercial vehicles. Though it shames me a bit to admit it (not really) I used to drive those vehicles with little regard to fuel economy or the fact that they were somebody else’s property. Often enough I broke the speed limit, stomped the gas just to hear the engine rumble, and frequently chirped the tires going around corners. I remember one particular day where I calculated getting just 6 mpg in my boss’s Chevy Silverado.

I’ve since grown up, and out, of acting like an inconsiderate bum, but even so, there are plenty of heavy duty, gas guzzling commercial vehicles out there. Weening fleet customers off of oil and onto a cleaner burning fuel would go a long way towards cutting our dependence on oil. Today, GM announced that for the first time, fleet customers will be able to buy commercial vehicles that run on either Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) or Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG).

(more…)

Toyota and Tesla, a Match Made In Electric Heaven?

Posted: 20 May 2010 08:00 PM PDT

At first glance, Toyota and Tesla don’t have a whole lot in common. The former is the world’s largest automaker, while the latter is a small, electric car-only company that only recently surpassed delivering its 1,000th car. But both companies have a lot of green cred; Toyota for its best-selling Prius, Tesla for being the first company to successfully build and globally market a modern electric car. Soon, the two may have even more in common.

California Governor Arnold “The Governator” Schwarzenegger was speaking this morning at a Google event, when he let slip that Tesla and Toyota will be building electric cars. Together. Whaaa?

(more…)
Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)