Shutdown has held up EPA certification, new vehicle introductions

Exhaust emissions from tailpipe [photo: Simone Ramella, 2005, used under Creative Commons 2.0]Now that the government has reopened after a 35-day shutdown, EPA employees are going back to work facing a backlog. Toward the end of the shutdown last week, executives at all three major Detroit automakers expressed concern about certification delays that could affect new models they plan to bring to market. It can now begin addressing that...

Ford Mustang Hybrid: Oughta have a V-8?

Mystery Ford Mustang teaserIn an era of spreading electric cars and more stringent fuel-economy and emissions standards, some muscle cars are losing their signature V-8 engines. The Ford Mustang, despite the company's announcements that it will be offered as a hybrid, may not be one of them. According to new patent filings from Ford, revealed by AutoGuide, the Mustang may...

Blowing away dirty energy: Wind to pass hydro as top renewable in 2019

Mulan wind farm [CREDIT: Global Climate Budget 2018]For electric-car drivers looking to emit less pollution as the drive, 2019 could be a banner year. The U.S. electric grid has been getting gradually greener as utilities replace coal fired powerplants with primarily wind and natural gas. That trend is due to reach a tipping point in 2019, according to numbers by the Energy Information Agency at...

EPA enforcement efforts slide 85 percent under Trump administration

Smokestacks pollution air qualityNot only do polluters have lower standards to meet under the Trump administration, they may not really have to meet those standards at all. That's the conclusion of a new study, published by the Washington Post, that shows enforcement activity has fallen drastically in the past two years since President Trump took office. The study, conducted by a...

Chevy Silverado mpg: Turbo-4 lower than V-8 in gas mileage test

2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500Until all cars can become electric, it makes sense to support making internal-combustion passenger cars as fuel-efficient as possible. It makes even more sense for popular, thirsty large pickups, where each mpg improvement can save a lot more gallons of gas. Unfortunately, some of the latest attempts as improving fuel economy in big...

Best deals on electric, plug-in, and hybrid cars for January 2019

2019 Hyundai Ioniq ElectricThe new year brings new deals, and our partners at CarsDirect.com have found deals on some new models that have never made our list before for the beginning of 2019. While the new year often isn't the very best time to find a great deal on a new car, winter weather keeps many buyers at home, which often makes car dealers ready to bargain. Here...

GMC could join electric-pickup tailgate party

2019 GMC SierraGeneral Motors has remained mum on its plans for making its pickups all-electric—until now. It's something of a fait accompli, really, since GM's CEO Marry Barra has said the company plans to move to a 100 percent electric lineup, eventually. READ THIS: Cadillac to become “lead electric vehicle brand” for GM to rival Tesla...