EPA cuts off fuel-economy talks with California

Freeway, Los Angeles, 2009 (photo by Myriam Thyes via Wikimedia)The Trump administration has ended talks with California aimed at settling their differences over increasing fuel economy and tightening emissions regulations, Reuters reported Thursday, citing an unnamed government official. In August, the EPA, led by Acting Administrator Andrew Wheeler, released a proposal to freeze emissions and associated fuel...

Colorado adopts California electric-vehicle mandate

Volkswagen turbodiesels await their fate near Pikes Peak International Raceway in Colorado SpringsElectric cars aren't just for the coasts anymore. Colorado just became the 10th state to sign onto California's zero-emissions vehicle mandate, which will require automakers to sell electric cars there. At an event on Thursday where he rolled up in an electric car, Colorado's newly sworn governor, Jared Polis, signed an executive order aimed at...

Toyota and Kenworth to build 10 fuel-cell semis for LA port duty

Kenworth T680 powered by Toyota hydrogen fuel-cell powertrain, at 2019 Consumer Electronics ShThe word "drayage" isn't commonly used, even among green-car fans, but it's used by the shipping and logistics industries to refer to the transport of goods over short distances. Drayage turns out to be the sweet spot for early efforts to put zero-emission heavy trucks on the road, including a joint project between Toyota and PACCAR's Kenworth...

California white and green carpool stickers expire New Year’s Day

Carpool lanes I-5, Seattle, Washington [Credit: SounderBruce-Wikimedia Commons]California plug-in car drivers with white or green carpool stickers can no longer use carpool lanes starting Tuesday. The state passed a new program last March that invalidates both the white stickers for electric cars and the green stickers for plug-in hybrids with the start of 2019. For many of those drivers, the state provided a way to extend...

A million electric cars sold in the U.S., led by California

EVgo charging station in Union City, California with resused BMW i3 battery backupDrivers are buying electric cars, and advocates are keeping track. Last month, Veloz, an electric car advocacy organization consisting of regulators, automakers, charging manufacturers and networks, utilities and others, announced that the U.S. had surpassed 1 million electric car sales. That's still less than 1 percent of the approximately 270...