Full-size diesel pickup truck that gets 37 mpg? Achates says yes

Achates opposed-piston two-stroke diesel engine, as it would be packaged for truck installationCould a full-size pickup truck ever get a fuel-economy rating of 37 mpg? California-based Achates Power believes it can, and its novel engine uses a design that dates back to the earliest days of internal combustion to do so. The company announced its two-stroke, opposed-piston diesel engine for pickup trucks in 2014, and revealed a prototype of...

Tesla Autopilot investigation closed by NHTSA, will continue to monitor

Tesla AutopilotThe National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) closed its investigation into the fatal Florida crash last May of a Tesla using the company's Autopilot driver-assist system. The Model S in question collided with a tractor trailer that turned left in front of it, killing the driver, who was the electric car's sole occupant. At the time...

New bill in coal-producing Wyoming would ban renewable energy for utilities

Grand Teton, WyomingWhile renewable-energy use has grown substantially over the last few years, the regulatory environment remains volatile. Some states have worked hard to stimulate renewable energy, supporting infrastructure projects and offering incentives to consumers who install home solar arrays. But others have tried to restrict renewable energy, often at the...

GreenTech Auto shutters its doors, closes Mississippi factory

GreenTech Automotive MyCarThe harsh reality of high costs and the inexorable heft of the auto industry have claimed another electric-car startup. GreenTech Automotive opened a plant in Mississippi in 2014, first saying it would manufacture a small, two-seat electric vehicle called the MyCar there. It later struck a deal with Chinese automaker JAC Motors to develop an...

GM adds B20 biodiesel capability to Chevy, GMC diesel trucks, cars

2017 GMC Sierra Denali 2500HDWhen it comes to reducing emissions, fleet operators generally have fewer options than individual buyers of passenger cars. There are fewer zero-emission vehicle options for vehicles that see commercial use, although those vehicles often cover more miles every year than the average passenger car. But fleet buyers have embraced alternative...

2016 was planet’s hottest year on record, third new high in a row

NASA's famous 'Blue marble' image of Earth (Wikimedia commons)Despite scientists having reached a consensus years ago, considerable debate still appears to be raging over the reality of climate change. Climate-science deniers can count several people appointed to key environmental-regulatory positions in the incoming presidential administration among their ranks. Despite their views, it is impossible to deny...

Toyota Mirai touted in ad on electric-car charging station

2017 Toyota MiraiHow do you advertise new and innovative zero-emission vehicles, whether they're electric or fuel-cell cars? It's a question that's bedeviled carmakers and their marketers, who continue to experiment with messaging, different audiences, and programs to get people into the cars. The challenge is likely even greater for hydrogen fuel-cell cars, since...

Court orders full reimbursement for VW diesel owner in Germany

2010 Volkswagen Golf TDIA lot has been said about Volkswagen's use of "defeat device" software in diesel cars to cheat on emissions tests, but a German court may win the prize for most-creative description. VW "defeat device" software is like putting horse meat in lasagna, three German judges decreed during a recent hearing related to the diesel scandal. Besides...

When will you buy your last-ever gallon of gas? Poll results

Gas pumpWell, never let it be said that this site's readers don't practice what they preach. We asked our Twitter followers when they thought they would buy their very last gallon of gasoline ever. Remarkably, one third of them (35 percent) said they had already done so. DON'T MISS: What will you be driving 10 years from now? Poll results That means they...

Second Honda dealership achieves grid-neutral status

Brandfon Honda dealershipIf you're planning on buying a green car, have you ever wondered if you'll be making the purchase at a green dealership? As cars get more efficient, the carbon emissions related to the infrastructure for manufacturing and selling them should be considered as well. Honda has made some efforts in that direction with its "green dealer" program. DON'T...

Tesla’s Supercharger pricing: one owner reacts to new fees

Tesla Supercharger site in Newburgh, New York, up and running - June 2015It’s a new era in Teslaworld: the end of unlimited free Supercharging. Starting a few days ago, anybody who orders a new Tesla Model S or Model X will receive an annual allotment of 400 free kilowatt-hours (good for about 1,200 miles). After that, they will have to pay for use of the Supercharging fast-charging network, at prices that vary...

Gas has to cost $3 a gallon before it affects vehicle choice, study says

Gas pumpContinuing low gas prices are often blamed for the current popularity of crossover utilities and SUVs, along with any sales struggles green cars may experience. But would a sudden increase in gas prices cause shoppers to flock to more fuel-efficient vehicles? If so, how high would gas prices have to get in order for consumers to start changing...

Faraday Future FF 91 electric car to cost almost $300,000?

Faraday Future FF 91At the 2017 Consumer Electronics Show, Faraday Future released a number of details about the FF 91, its first production electric car. It quoted a range of 378 miles, courtesy of a 130-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack. It also cited a power output of 1,050 horsepower, enabling the FF 91 to reach 60 mph from a standstill in less than 2.4...

VW Group plans 8 plug-in electric cars for China

Volkswagen I.D. electric car concept, 2016 Paris auto showAs it works to recover from its diesel emission scandal, the Volkswagen Group is rapidly embracing electric cars. By 2025, the company hopes to be selling 1 million electric cars per year, and plans to launch 30 different electric models across multiple brands in the coming years. According to a news report, China—for several years, the...

Rest of world: Trump may roll back emission rules, but we won’t

2016 Ford F-250 Super DutyWith auto-industry lobbyists pushing to have the Trump Administration roll back current and future emission and fuel-economy rules, automakers clearly see the new U.S. regime as more friendly to the needs of business. And it's possible that indeed, the EPA's vehicle emission limits, the NHTSA's fuel-economy rules, and various other regulations (on...