Proposed ethanol cuts bring EPA up against Iowa’s powerful politician

Big square baler harvesting wheat straw for production of cellulosic ethanolFollowing years of debate, the EPA said earlier this month it will study the possibilities of cutting the amount of ethanol in the United States' gasoline supply. Since 2007, the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) has required growing amounts of ethanol to be blended into U.S. fuel supplies, with E10—a mix of 10 percent ethanol and 90 percent...

Toshiba claims 6-minute recharge for new electric-car battery cell

Toshiba SCiB battery cellElectric cars pale in comparison to gasoline or diesel-powered cars when it comes to the time presently required to add energy for more driving distance. Although automakers have begun to curb "range anxiety" with longer-distance electric cars, battery charging times on lengthy road trips remain a hurdle for many buyers. The fastest "quick...

Mercedes, Smart, Daimler trucks update electric-car, electrification plans

Mercedes-Benz GLC F-CellMercedes-Benz has already laid out its plans for a portfolio of electric and electrified vehicles, and now parent company Daimler has announced further strategy refinements for Mercedes-Benz and its other brands. The Smart brand will become all-electric, it said, while its commercial truck operations will continue to add electrified powertrains to...

Mercedes, Smart, Daimler trucks update electric-car, electrification plans

Mercedes-Benz GLC F-CellMercedes-Benz has already laid out its plans for a portfolio of electric and electrified vehicles, and now parent company Daimler has announced further strategy refinements for Mercedes-Benz and its other brands. The Smart brand will become all-electric, it said, while its commercial truck operations will continue to add electrified powertrains to…

Volvo’s new Polestar electric-car brand to launch 600-hp model in 2019

Polestar 1 plug-in hybrid sport coupePolestar, formerly Volvo's in-house tuning division, was recently separated from the Swedish brand; Volvo plans to turn it into a standalone brand. Polestar has now announced plans to build electric and electrified performance cars in the near future, and the brand revealed its first attempt with what it calls the Polestar 1. As it promised, that...

Volvo’s new Polestar electric-car brand to launch 600-hp model in 2019

Polestar 1Polestar, formerly Volvo's in-house tuning division, was recently separated from the Swedish brand; Volvo plans to turn it into a standalone brand. Polestar announced plans to build electric and electrified performance cars in the near future, and the brand revealed its first attempt with what it calls the Polestar 1, which they unveiled Thursday...