Among U.S. states, California continues to lead the way in policies that aim to cut carbon emissions. The Golden State has ambitious emission-reduction targets, and has implemented policies for both transportation and energy to achieve them. But the city of Santa Monica has just done something unprecedented—even for California. DON'T MISS... Santa Monica to require net-zero homes from 2017, first in the world to do so
Among U.S. states, California continues to lead the way in policies that aim to cut carbon emissions. The Golden State has ambitious emission-reduction targets, and has implemented policies for both transportation and energy to achieve them. But the city of Santa Monica has just done something unprecedented—even for California. DON'T MISS... 
While it plans to launch 10 new electric cars by 2025, Mercedes-Benz is far from done trying to improve the efficiency of internal-combustion engines. The German luxury automaker is giving its lineup of engines a major overhaul, in fact. It plans to introduce a new family of 4-, 6-, and 8-cylinder engines, with the new engines starting to arrive... 
When it comes to electric cars, China has some of the most generous incentives of any country. But in its attempt to promote greener vehicles, China has largely ignored hybrids to focus on cars with plugs. Efforts so far have concentrated on what the government calls "New Energy Vehicles," a category that encompasses electric cars, plug-in... 
Stricter global emissions standards have led many automakers to downsize engines, but that trend may be about to reverse itself. Cutting displacement is a relatively straightforward way to improve fuel economy. But as regulators move toward adoption of more realistic testing procedures in the wake of the Volkswagen diesel scandal, automakers may... 
It's entirely obvious that internal-combustion cars pose a threat not only to the environment, but also to human health. Exhaust from gasoline and diesel cars contributes to air pollution that can lead to deleterious health effects after long exposure. Now a new study from the American Lung Association in California aims to quantify the health... 
Supersonic airliners haven't flown since 2003, when the last Concorde was retired. But could supersonic planes carrying large number of passengers make a comeback—and with electric power no less? That's the vision of Luke Workman, a designer of lithium-ion battery packs who believes all-electric supersonic aircraft are attainable. DON'T... 
The smallest U.S. state now faces a big question on energy policy. Rhode Island is in the midst of deciding whether to continue getting a large portion of energy from fossil fuels, or to switch to renewable energy. Those options are represented by two competing projects: a large natural-gas power plant, and an offshore wind farm. DON'T MISS: Dirty... 
Stricter global emissions standards are putting significant pressure on carmakers to improve fuel efficiency and make greater use of electric powertrains. But that may not be the sole force driving automakers toward reduced carbon emissions. Cutting emissions is also a priority for at least some of their investors, it seems. DON'T MISS: India, EU... 
Last December, representatives form 195 countries met in Paris to negotiate an agreement to address climate change on a global scale. Almost a year later, enough countries have now formally ratified that agreement in order that it can officially take effect. The tipping point was reached when India and the 28 members of the European Union ratified...