Coronavirus shutdowns could be bringing best air quality in decades

New York City skylineThe unprecedented social distancing measures put in place by many countries to slow the spread of coronavirus have already produced a measurable effect in one important area--emissions. The slowdown of human activity in many of the world's most populous, most heavily industrialized countries has led to the best air quality in decades. Satellite...

Study: Particulate emissions from tire wear is higher than from tailpipes

Michelin X-Ice winter tiresTire and brake wear could be the next front of emissions testing, according to Emissions Analytics, an organization that conducts independent emissions tests. Emissions Analytics found that emissions of particulate matter from tire wear can be 1,000 times worse than from tailpipes. Particulate matter refers to solid material emitted by vehicles...

Gasoline direct injection tech might not be worth it, study suggests

Exhaust emissions from tailpipe [photo: Simone Ramella, 2005, used under Creative Commons 2.0]While significant sooty black deposits—and even, occasionally, visible puffs coming from the tailpipe—used to be a sign your gasoline car needed a tune-up, they’re a normal fact of life with many newer cars that are supposedly cleaner-burning. What’s the disconnect? While the modern gasoline direct-injection technologies...

Uber and Lyft are adding to air pollution, campaign argues

Uber electric carEurope’s leading clean-transportation group has allied with other organizations on the Continent plus the Sierra Club in the U.S. to get the word out that in the largest, most congested cities, ride-hailing services are adding to issues with pollution and congestion—not easing them. An analysis released last week by the European group...