Infiniti variable-compression engine: more complexity, incremental gains

Infiniti VC-Turbo engineTo meet stricter global emissions standards, carmakers are trying to squeeze every last bit of efficiency out of internal-combustion engines. That has led Infiniti to turn to a technology engineers have toyed with for some time, one that so far hasn't been used in production cars. General Motors, Mercedes-Benz, and Saab have all experimented with...

EPA’s emissions sleuth: the most powerful man you’ve never heard of

Chris Grundler, director of EPA Office of Transportation and Air Quality [photo: EPA via Flickr]Current Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards require U.S. automakers to achieve a fleet average of 54.5 mpg (equivalent to roughly 40 mpg on the window sticker) by 2025. But who ensures that companies are actually complying with the CAFE mandate? As automakers work to meet stricter emissions standards, the little-known staff of regulatory...

CAFE rules should stay as they are, auto-industry suppliers agree

Gas pumpThe lobbyists for automakers have made their views on Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards through 2025 quite clear. The majority of carmakers would prefer to see those standards relaxed, delayed or altered. Today, they call for a fleet average of 54.5 mpg (or about 38 mpg on window stickers) for vehicles sold in the U.S. by 2025. DON'T...