The EPA last week announced stricter emissions standards for heavy-duty commercial vehicles, such as trucks and buses, for model years 2027 to 2032. Like the new emissions standards for passenger cars recently confirmed, these rules do not mandate EVs, but do set much tougher emissions targets that will likely lead to more EV sales. The exact... Tighter EPA emissions rules for big trucks don’t mandate EVs
The EPA last week announced stricter emissions standards for heavy-duty commercial vehicles, such as trucks and buses, for model years 2027 to 2032. Like the new emissions standards for passenger cars recently confirmed, these rules do not mandate EVs, but do set much tougher emissions targets that will likely lead to more EV sales. The exact... 
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) unveiled a revised rule that would effectively give automakers more flexibility with pending EPA rules for model years 2027 to 2032—and more time to ramp up EV sales compared to an earlier proposal. The final rule for Petroleum-Equivalent Fuel Economy Calculation released late Tuesday softens what had been... 
Up to 80% of brake-dust particles have an electric charge, which could serve as a means of controlling brake dust and improving air quality, according to a new study from the University of California, Irvine (via Green Car Congress). The study, which was funded by fees paid by Volkswagen as part of its 2016 diesel-emissions cheating settlement... 
The Biden administration may throttle back strict emissions rules in order to give automakers more time to ramp up EV sales, the New York Times reported earlier this week. Last April, the EPA unveiled proposed tailpipe emissions rules for model years 2027 to 2032. The agency estimated at the time that this would lead to 67% EV sales by 2032, not... 
Sustainability concerns are leading some automakers to switch from leather upholstery to synthetic alternatives. So a group of leather suppliers are making their case. The trade group, called One 4 Leather, claims that leather upholstery made from cow hides has a lower carbon footprint than synthetic materials. That's in part because, the argument... 
Engine manufacturer Cummins will pay a $1.67 billion fine for emissions cheating with diesel engines in Ram pickup trucks. The fine settles a case brought by the U.S. Justice Department and the State of California claiming Cummins violated the Clean Air Act by installing so-called defeat devices that allowed its Diesel engines to cheat emissions... 
Increased production of hybrids and EVs has helped offset the shift toward larger vehicles in the new-car market, according to a comprehensive annual update from the EPA. The 2023 EPA Automotive Trends Report, released last week, showed that automakers significantly ramped up hybrid and EV sales from model years 2017 to 2022. During that time... 
The House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a bill aiming to block the EPA from finalizing stricter emissions rules for model years 2027-2032. The bill, H.R. 4468, or the "Choice in Automobile Retail Sales Act of 2023," seeks to prohibit the EPA from "finalizing, implementing, or enforcing a proposed rule with respect to emissions from... 
Stellantis is petitioning against strict emissions standards adopted by California and 13 other states, claiming they give other automakers competitive advantages. First reported by Bloomberg, the petition is based around a claim that the California Air Resources Board (CARB) "improperly adopted" a 2019 deal negotiated between the regulator and... 
Polestar claims its upcoming Polestar 4 SUV coupe will have the lowest carbon footprint of any of its models to date. Cars tend to be more efficient than SUVs, and smaller vehicles use less material, helping to contribute to a lower carbon footprint. But Polestar says the 4, which is set to arrive in the U.S. in the latter half of 2024, will have...