Extra fuel used if 2022-2025 CAFE rules delayed would be low: here’s the math

Gas pumpBarbie never said "Math is hard!" The talking doll did, notoriously, say "Math class is tough!" in 1989, sparking a media firestorm over gender roles in childrens' toys and then a voluntary recall by Mattel for offended parents. Reworded, however, the point remains accurate: many people don't understand math. DON'T MISS: Costs to meet fuel-economy...

Newest, cleanest diesels in Europe can still be very dirty: analysis

Volkswagen TDI diesel vehicles owned by Phil Grate and family, Seattle, WashingtonIt has become increasingly more evident that carmakers must take aggressive steps to ensure that diesel cars and light trucks meet current environmental regulations. Tests done by Emissions Analytics found that the majority of new diesel-powered cars sold in Europe do not meet the Euro 6 emission standards for nitrogen oxides (NOx) in real-world...

Even oil companies now acknowledge electric cars are coming

2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV electric car at EVgo fast-charging station, Newport Centre, Jersey City, NJAdvocates have long suggested that electric vehicles will begin to take over daily driving duties, slowly but surely, from the internal-combustion engine. Now, even oil companies are starting to acknowledge that there may be reality in that dream of the future. France's Total SA, one of the world's largest oil producers, released its future...

Pruitt won’t kill EPA ‘endangerment’ finding on climate change

Oklahoma attorney general Scott Pruitt, 2014The current EPA administrator, Scott Pruitt, does not accept the scientific consensus on human contribution to climate change, though he has given some contradictory statements on that matter. His views correspond closely to those of his boss, President Donald Trump, who notoriously compared the science to bovine excrement in a tweet and called...

U.S. exit from Paris Climate Agreement unclear; Trump team clashes on policy

Donald J. Trump in November 2016       [photo: The Trump Organization]As the Trump Administration nears its 100th day, it seems fair to say that it is still emitting mixed messages on multiple issues, from foreign policy to climate change. On that latter, it's important to reiterate that the president and many of his appointed agency and department heads deny the science of climate change. On the campaign trail, the...

Brand-new 2015 Volkswagen TDI diesels back on sale after modifications

2015 Volkswagen Jetta TDI, 2014 New York Auto ShowIf you're a diehard diesel fan, you now have one last chance to buy a brand-new Volkswagen TDI diesel car. Well, almost brand-new, anyhow: the cars in question are 2015 models, and about 11,000 of them will go on sale after they have been modified. Once they're sold, there will likely be no more new Volkswagen diesels sold in the...

Europe diesel sales sag slightly, continuing trend since 2012

Volkswagen TDI diesel vehicles owned by Phil Grate and family, Seattle, WashingtonDespite efforts by Chevrolet to step into the void left by Volkswagen, sales of diesel passenger vehicles in the U.S. may have been permanently crippled by the VW diesel emission scandal. In Europe, however, diesel has been entrenched for decades as roughly 50 percent of the market. Even before the scandal, it wasn't expected to rise much beyond...

Electric jet startup is backed by Boeing and JetBlue

Zunum range-extended electric regional jet - concept designSeattle-based startup Zunum Aero has received funding from Boeing HorizonX and JetBlue Technology Ventures toward making its dream of electrified air travel a reality. Sometimes billed as the Tesla of the airplane industry, Zunum is developing a relatively small regional aircraft with about 700 miles of range. A 1,000-mile range will be attainable...