News About Cars, Oil and Our Environment

Top news inEnvironment

Chevy Volt Owner Says He’ll Soon Be Driving For ‘Free’

Is the Chevy Volt way too expensive – a car for well-meaning but well-heeled greenies to make themselves feel good? Or, is it so frugal to own and drive that you cannot afford not to get one? Those are two extreme views aren’t they? We’ve heard from critics – who in cases have never even driven a Volt – and who’ve tried to paint negative views, and more recently we heard from Jason King, who says his Volt fits the latter scenario, and is paying him back fast. King is a writer and photographer living in Maui who figures his driving will soon be effectively “free” due to low-cost solar panels he had installed to keep his car charged.

Does the Shadow of Fukushima Threaten Japan's Electric Car Future?

[HCTITLE]

[HCDATE] Japan has been one of the world's leading hybrid vehicle markets for as long as there have been hybrids on the road. So with the Japanese at the forefront of the fuel efficiency curve, one would think that electric vehicles have a bright future in Japan. But according to a recent Associated Press article, many in Japan are so concerned with the predominance of nuclear power in the country's energy mix that electric vehicles may come to be seen as part of the problem rather than the solution.

Toyota Takes The Wraps Off Of 112 MPG FT-Bh Concept

Toyota has been teasing the world with truncated images of its next-generation FT-Bh for a while, and as promised, today at the Geneva Motor Show it unveiled the lightweight hybrid that could offer as high as 112 mpg in the U.S. Regarding European testing, Toyota said, “the FT-Bh boasts a fuel efficiency of 2.1 liters per 100 kilometers under the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC), with CO2 emissions of just 49 g/km—less than half the current average for B-segment cars.” In addition to the FT-Bh on display, TMC has two alternative concept versions it says it could produce: a compressed natural gas (CNG) hybrid version with CO2 emissions of 38 g/km and a plug-in hybrid version with CO2 emissions of just 19 g/km.

Federal Government Finding it Tough to Go Green

Although President Obama has mandated exclusive reliance on alternative fueled vehicles by government fleets, in practice these goals are proving tougher to truly implement. According to a report by Bloomberg Businessweek, higher costs associated with purchasing and maintaining hybrid and electric vehicles, along with lack of infrastructure, has resulted in federal agencies turning to conventional cars and trucks for their fleet needs.

Oil Sands Pipeline Moves Closer to Approval, But Will it Save You Money at the Pump?

The U.S. State Department has released an environmental assessment declaring “limited adverse environmental impacts” associated with a proposed extension of the Keystone oil sands pipeline—which would transport as much as 900,000 barrels of oil per day from Alberta, Canada, to United States Gulf Coast.

Opel/Vauxhall looking for partner to develop hybrids

Yesterday it was reported that GM-owned Opel/Vauxhall is looking for someone to share development costs for more gasoline-electric cars. This makes the second American-owned company looking to partner with a potential competitor learned about this week. A few days ago we reported that Ford and Toyota have teamed up to build hybrid powertrains for light duty trucks. One specific looming incentive for the U.S Ford-Toyota deal is pending CAFE rules that by 2025 will mandate a “54.5 mpg” standard (equal to around 40 mpg on the window sticker). In Opel’s case, the motivation to partner is essentially the same as it is between Ford and Toyota, but on a different continent, and considering different legislated mandates.

VW e-Mobility Study Includes Plug-In Hybrid Wagon

As the latest addition to its “fleet study in electric mobility,” Volkswagen has revealed its Golf Twin Drive plug-in station wagon prototype ahead of production schedule. The fleet mobility study is intended to run until July 2012 and 20 Twin Drive prototypes in various configurations will be put into real world testing in anticipation of a 2013 retail launch. All-electric range for the prototype is said to be about 35 miles, and the car is essentially an updated version of a Twin Drive hatchback VW unveiled in 2008. Gasoline-power motivation comes from a direct-injected 1.4 liter providing a respectable 114 horsepower (85 kW). When the gasoline engine is working in tandem with the electric traction motor, power output is a combined 161 horsepower.

GM Showcases Latest Electric Test and Demo Car in India

Experimental electric vehicle conversions last year by General Motors in Korea, Germany and as of last week in India, have some wondering when the company will create a pure battery electric to compete against the likes of the Nissan LEAF and pending Ford Focus EV. On Thursday June 23, GM began displaying and testing an all-electric version of its Chevrolet Beat minicar in New Delhi. The Beat Electric is not proposed for sale anytime soon, but India was chosen as a demanding environment – as well as growing market – to demonstrate the car. It is powered by a 300-cell, 20-kWh, liquid-cooled, lithium-ion battery similar to what is in the Chevrolet Volt, but larger for the smaller, but non-range-extended car.

Is the Real Price of Gasoline as High as $15 Per Gallon?

Worldwide gasoline prices range from less than $1 per gallon to more than $10 depending upon where you buy, thanks to subsidies, price controls, geography and other factors. But what's the true price of gasoline? In a new video, the Center for Investigative Journalism attempts to answer that question, placing the total as high as $15 per gallon.

Ford to triple US 'electrified' vehicle production

Ford announced yesterday it would raise its annual U.S. production capacity for “electrified” vehicles – hybrids and plug-in hybrids – from 35,000 to over 100,000 by 2013. While the Focus EV is due later this year, the spotlight was also on four other hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles. Central among these will be Ford’s five-passenger C-Max Hybrid and C-Max Energi plug-in hybrid which for the first time were announced that they would be offered in North America. A seven-passenger ICE version slated for the U.S. however will not be offered.

More Environment News