Seven automakers on Monday filed a brief in a federal court case challenging California's ability to set higher emissions standards—siding with California. The case—Ohio v. EPA—is pending in the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington. It was brought by 17 Republican-led states looking to revoke California's Clean Air Act waiver... Automakers back California in challenge of auto-emissions clout
Seven automakers on Monday filed a brief in a federal court case challenging California's ability to set higher emissions standards—siding with California. The case—Ohio v. EPA—is pending in the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington. It was brought by 17 Republican-led states looking to revoke California's Clean Air Act waiver... 
A California bill would offer residents a rebate of up to $2,000 to convert an existing internal-combustion car or truck to an EV. Spotted by Green Car Congress, California Senate Bill 301 would establish a Zero-Emission Aftermarket Conversion Project (ZACP) with up to $2 million in annual funding for EV conversion rebates to supplement... 
California is now actively banning older diesel trucks from operating on its roads. A new rule states that any diesel vehicle weighing over 14,000 pounds with an engine built before the 2010 model year is banned from California roads effective January 1, 2023. The rule, part of a set of emissions regulations implemented by the California Air... 
The EPA on Tuesday announced finalized rules for tougher truck emissions standards, but environmental groups feel they don't go far enough. The new standards, which take effect beginning with the 2027 model year, apply to heavy-duty trucks, buses, and vans. This is first update to emissions standards for these mostly diesel-powered vehicles in... 
The EPA is preparing to set new standards that broaden biofuels incentives and could provide cleaner electricity for EV charging. But the proposal faces criticism from some environmental groups who claim it inadvertently supports the market for internal combustion engines instead. The agency on Thursday released proposed Renewable Fuel Standard... 
![Mulan wind farm [CREDIT: Global Climate Budget 2018]](https://images.hgmsites.net/tmb/mulan-wind-farm-credit-global-climate-budget-2018_100682097_t.gif)
Global demand for fossil fuels will peak this decade due in part to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which has accelerated many countries' move to renewable energy, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). The invasion of Ukraine has created an energy crisis that, while triggering higher oil prices and related economic stress, has also led... 
Several states currently offer EV purchase incentives, but a new Vermont program takes things a step further by offering cash to residents who replace a "high-polluting vehicle" with an EV. Called Replace Your Ride (RYR), the program offers $3,000 to Vermont residents who retire an operational vehicle deemed to be high-polluting that is at least... 
Minnesota has signed up to follow California's stricter clean car rules, but it might not embrace the Golden State's planned ban on gasoline cars. Prominent Democrats who backed the initial decision to follow California's stricter emissions standards are not supporting a ban on new cars without plugs, similar to what California aims to enact by... 
California is considering new regulations that would ban sales of new diesel semi trucks by the 2040 model year, accelerating the timeline for a shift to zero-emission trucks. The requirement was laid out in a proposed rule released by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) August 30 and is scheduled for consideration by the regulator October... 
General Motors and the Environmental Defense Fund earlier this week announced jointly-developed recommendations aimed at making all new passenger vehicles electric by the middle of the next decade. In a press release, GM and the EDF asked the EPA to develop emissions standards that require at least 50% of new passenger vehicles sold to be... 
To make tire production more sustainable, Bridgestone is turning to a desert shrub called guayule as a source of natural rubber. Native to northern Mexico and the southwestern United States, guayule is a heat-tolerant source of natural rubber that can be used to make tires, Bridgestone said in a recent press release. Natural rubber can be... 
Seven years after the Volkswagen diesel scandal began, emissions "defeat devices" are still a problem, but it's mostly aftermarket companies that are drawing the attention of regulators. The EPA recently announced the levying of millions of dollars in fines against one company, and potential fines for another, for selling equipment designed to... 
California is taking a big step toward a goal of ending new internal-combustion vehicle sales by enshrining the planned 2035 end date as policy. Governor Gavin Newsom signed an executive order in September 2020 calling for a ban on the sale of new gasoline and diesel cars by 2035. On Thursday, the California Air Resources Board (CARB), the... 
Toyota has finally ended its fight with California, recognizes the state's authority to set its own, more aggressive emissions standards through the California Air Resources Board (CARB) under the Clean Air Act. The automaker said Wednesday that it had communicated this to CARB and the California state government. "In our recent communication, we... 
Global EV sales are steadily increasing with help from regulators, but that won't matter if existing gasoline and diesel vehicles aren't retired quickly, new research argues. "The slow speed of fleet turnover presents a substantial barrier to deep decarbonization," researchers state in a new book on energy transition (via Axios). Researchers... 
Electric cars are only as clean as the grid they plug into, and the emissions from using your EV will keep dropping over the years you use it because the grid keeps getting cleaner. It’s a point we emphasize regularly, and after Thursday’s Supreme Court ruling, the assurance of a cleaner grid over time, everywhere, is no longer a... 
Electric cars don't produce "tailpipe" emissions, but their overall carbon emissions are not zero. It's time for federal efficiency standards to reflect that, argues the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE). The majority of EVs get their electricity from the grid, which in the United States is still 60% fossil-fueled, the group... 
Five automakers have filed a motion to intervene on the side of the EPA, against a legal challenge to California's ability to set its own stricter emissions standards. In a joint statement, BMW, Ford, Honda, Volkswagen, and Volvo asked a federal court to uphold the EPA Decision Waiver giving California the ability to set emissions standards... 
A California drought will increase the carbon footprint of electricity used to charge EVs, according to a new report from the Energy Information Administration (EIA). The drought has cut the state's hydropower generating capacity nearly in half compared to normal conditions, forcing California to rely on more carbon-intensive sources for a greater... 
Tailpipe emissions tend to be the focus of regulators, but the next round of European Union emissions standards will tackle pollution from another source—one that is particularly relevant to EVs. Scheduled to be unveiled in July, the upcoming Euro 7 standards will still require automakers to reduce tailpipe emissions such as nitrogen oxide...