Is ethanol-free gasoline heading for the end of the road?

Non-ethanol gasoline pumpThe U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is struggling with Congress and various corporate interests over the amount of ethanol that will be blended into the U.S. fuel supply. The Renewable Fuel Standard in place since 2007 calls for specific volumes of ethanol, but critics have tried to cap that amount while the EPA has tried to maintain or...

Audi e-tron vs Jaguar I-Pace vs Mercedes EQ: electric luxury SUVs compared

Mercedes-Benz Generation EQ concept, 2016 Paris auto showAfter sales of 150,000 or more electric luxury cars from Tesla Motors over four years, the first major wave of long-range electric cars from established luxury automakers is now on the way. So far, it seems the first of these vehicles will not be sedans that compete with the Tesla Model S, but crossovers apparently targeting the Silicon Valley...

Carmakers howl about CAFE rules, but regularly beat them; why?

Gas pumpThis week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said it would maintain current Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards for 2022 to 2025. The decision was praised by environmental groups, but likely won't receive as warm a reception from the industry. CAFE standards are up for a midterm review, and auto-industry lobbyists spent...

EPA keeps car-emission rules to 2025; what happens under Trump?

Chrome exhaust pipeTwo days ago, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued a ruling that existing limits on tailpipe emissions of carbon dioxide for 2022 through 2025 should remain in place. The EPA's carbon limits correspond exactly to NHTSA standards for corporate average fuel economy, and the EPA decision was widely (if incorrectly) reported to be about...

Mayors of 4 capital cities to ban all diesel vehicles by 2025

Eiffel Tower in Paris, France (photo by Rijin, via Wikimedia Commons)Even before the Volkswagen diesel scandal, diesel passenger cars were never popular in the U.S. But in other parts of the world—especially Europe—diesels have been the de facto choice of many buyers for decades. Increasing concern over air pollution and the VW scandal are beginning to change that, though. DON'T MISS: Paris weekday ban...

Jeremy Clarkson seems to know very little about electric cars, sadly

Jeremy Clarkson of The Grand Tour     [publicity photo provided by Amazon]Oh, dear. The things celebrities say. One of three long-time hosts of BBC's long-running "Top Gear" TV show, Clarkson was fired after punching a producer. His costars quit soon afterward. Now the trio is back in Amazon Prime's new series, "The Grand Tour," and Clarkson has hit the road to do publicity for the show. DON'T MISS: Tesla Vs BBC: Top...