Ford aside, automakers are fighting EV-focused EPA emissions targets

Ram 1500 REVDespite professed support for EVs, many automakers are quietly fighting proposed EPA emissions rules that would require expanded EV sales, according to the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC). The EPA this spring proposed tailpipe emissions rules for 2027-2032, setting a goal of reducing emissions by about 56% in 2032 compared to 2026...

Poll: Americans are sharply divided over fossil-fuel phaseout

Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park in United Arab EmiratesPhasing out fossil fuels is still a controversial issue for Americans, a recent Pew Research Center poll found. Overall, 31% of Americans surveyed said the U.S. should completely phase out fossil fuels, while 68% said the country should continue with a mix of fossil fuels and renewables. Younger respondents seemed more willing to phase out fossil...

EPA slaps Sinister Diesel with $1M emissions fine amid crackdown

Sinister Diesel logo (via Facebook)The EPA this week announced $1 million in fines for a diesel performance parts manufacturer for tampering with emissions devices. Sinister Mfg. Company, Inc.—doing business as Sinister Diesel—pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act and defraud the United States, and with violating the Clean Air Act by...

NHTSA aims for 43.5 mpg across new vehicles by 2032

I-5 traffic in SeattleThe National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on Friday issued a proposal to update Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards for passenger cars and light-duty trucks, calling for a fleet average of 58 mpg, according to its methodology, by 2032—which will equate to a real-world fleet efficiency average of about 43.5 mpg...

Google Maps’ eco-friendly routing: Like taking 250,000 cars off the road?

Traffic in Los Angeles on Google MapsGoogle Maps is helping reduce vehicle emissions through more efficient routing, the company claims. In October 2021, Google debuted a feature for Maps that allows drivers to select routes based on estimated fuel efficiency. Since launch, drivers have used this feature to prevent 1.2 million metric tons of estimated carbon emissions, equivalent to...

Report: GM and Stellantis paid record fuel economy fines

2017 Chevrolet SilveradoGeneral Motors and Stellantis paid a combined $363 million in penalties for failing to meet U.S. Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) requirements for recent model years, Reuters reported Friday. The record amount includes $235.5 million paid by Stellantis for 2018 and 2019 model-year fuel economy shortfalls and $128.2 million for GM covering...

Yes, wiper fluid is a source of harmful vehicle emissions

Carbon fiber windscreen wipersA new study from the American Chemical Society provides a reminder that tailpipes aren't the only source of harmful vehicle emissions. The study suggests that wiper fluid could be a significant source of emissions, one that will become a bigger part of the vehicle fleet's overall carbon footprint as EV adoption increases. That's because wiper...

Former Audi CEO admits guilt in diesel scandal, pays $1.2M fine

Audi CEO Rupert StadlerA former Audi CEO pleaded guilty Tuesday to charges connected to the Volkswagen diesel emissions scandal, in which Audi parent VW cheated on emissions tests with illegal software. Rupert Stadler admitted culpability in keeping affected cars on sale after news of the scandal broke in late 2015, the Associated Press reported. He entered this guilty...

Senate blocks Biden clean-truck rules, without Feinstein vote

U.S. Capitol BuildingThe Senate on Wednesday voted to overturn President Biden's stricter emissions rules for commercial trucks, halting their implementation unless the president vetoes the measure. The 50-49 vote rescinds emissions rules that went into effect last month, marking the first time in 20 years that the EPA has set stricter standards for emissions from...

Study: EV policy around gasoline superusers could help the most

2009 Kia BorregoEV policy will achieve the greatest climate benefit by prioritizing those that use the most gasoline, according to the advocacy group Coltura. The group recently released a new study building on findings published in 2021 which found that one in 10 drivers burn nearly a third of U.S. gasoline. Coltura coined the term gasoline "superusers" to...