Hybrid News

Filed under: Legislation and Policy

As you may have noticed when filling your tank, the plan for a gas tax holiday put forward by presidential candidates from both party brands, never came to fruition. The idea had been suspend an 18¢ per gallon federal tax on fuel from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Of course the fact that this would have saved average drivers a whopping $28 had little if anything to do with the lack of movement on bills from both Democratic Sen. Hillary Clinton and Republican Sen. John McCain. It turns out the real coup de grâce may have come from the road construction industry. The excise tax money which would have meant little to individual drivers, comes out to an aggregate $9 billion. That’s money that is supposed to go toward building and maintaining roads around the country. Without that money, road construction projects would have to be put off. Canceled or delay construction projects would mean laid off construction workers, a prospect that no politician hoping to get re-elected relishes in an election year.

Rather than a tax holiday, drivers are in fact likely to see an increase soon. While high fuel prices have the benefit of pushing people to drive less, and consume less fuel, that starves the highway trust fund as well. As a result the fund is likely to be in deficit this year to the tune of $3 billion. As a result a fuel tax increase may be needed.

Looking ahead, we may need to start taxing electric bills to get funds to build roads. Even though electric cars use no petroleum, they still put wear and tear on the roads and it’s only far that the drivers who use those roads should pick up the tab. Alternatively increased use of toll roads may be necessary, something proposed by Transportation Secretary Mary Peters.

[Source: Detroit News]

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Original post by Sam Abuelsamid

Filed under: Etc., Legislation and Policy, On Two Wheels

Scooter use has skyrocketed these last few years due to the ever-present concerns over fuel mileage and vehicle emissions. Chinese manufacturers have stepped in to provide many of the machines that are currently available for purchase and are often offered at very low prices. Those low prices make them attractive to people who have never owned a scooter before and are not aware of the diverse brands already on the market. One fact which is often overlooked is that Chinese manufacturing companies come and go with some regularity, and the same scooter could be badged with a different manufacturer logo every day of the week.

The ever-changing Chinese scooter business causes problems when it comes time to register the scooter, as this story very clearly bears out. Randy Bearup purchased a Chinese scooter branded as a Ricardo, and was able to register the scooter for a short period before he was contacted by the DMV, at which time his license plate and registration were requested back. It seems that the scooter, although labeled as California approved, was not in reality ever tested by authorities. Since this particular model of scooter had never been tested, nobody could be sure whether or not it met California’s emissions requirements, or any other standards for that matter.

It’s important to realize that not all Chinese-made machines are of low quality, and not all are horrible polluters either. But it is difficult to know which brands and machines are properly certified and which ones claim to be one thing but are in fact another To quote the often-used phrase “buyer beware,” make sure that the model you are looking to purchase comes from a reputable dealership which carries reputable brands. A little searching on the internet can go a long way towards saving yourself from a major headache later.

[Source: CB⁹.com]

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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.

Original post by Jeremy Korzeniewski

Filed under: MPG, BMW, MINI, Geneva Motor Show

Click on the Mini above for more pictures of the 2008 John Cooper Works package

The Mini brand from BMW proves that cars need not be ridiculously expensive to be stylish and desirable, and they don’t need huge engines to be fun-to-drive. While we think that even the base-model Mini with its 1.6 liter naturally-aspirated engine strikes a great balance between power and fuel economy for a vehicle this size, those looking for some extra get-up-and-go can opt for the turbocharged Cooper S model. For those who are never satisfied, Mini will be revealing their new 2008 John Cooper Works package at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show.

The Works package bumps power from 172 to 218 while achieving the same fuel mileage number of 34 miles per gallon on the highway. If you need a bit more room, the JCW package will also be offered on the Clubman, which is nearly as fuel efficient. Anytime power goes up without a detrimental effect on economy, we’re all for it. See, fun can be frugal.

[Source: Inside Line, Motor Authority]

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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.

Original post by Jeremy Korzeniewski

Filed under: MPG, BMW, MINI, Geneva Motor Show

Click on the Mini above for more pictures of the 2008 John Cooper Works package

Update: The horsepowr figure was changed from 218 to 207.

The MINI brand from BMW proves that cars need not be ridiculously expensive to be stylish and desirable, and they don’t need huge engines to be fun-to-drive. While we think that even the base-model MINI with its 1.6 liter naturally-aspirated engine strikes a great balance between power and fuel economy for a vehicle this size, those looking for some extra get-up-and-go can opt for the turbocharged Cooper S model. For those who are never satisfied, Mini will be revealing their new 2008 John Cooper Works package at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show.

The Works package bumps power from 172 to 207 while achieving the same fuel mileage number of 34 miles per gallon on the highway. If you need a bit more room, the JCW package will also be offered on the Clubman, which is nearly as fuel efficient. Anytime power goes up without a detrimental effect on economy, we’re all for it. See? Fun can be frugal.

[Source: MINI via Autoblog]

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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.

Original post by Jeremy Korzeniewski

Filed under: MINI, USA

Click on the Mini above for more pictures of the 2008 John Cooper Works package

The second generation MINI got good scores for front and side impact and roll-over testing in the latest National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) testing.

In the NCAP side impact testing, the 2008 MINI got a 5-Star rating for front seat occupant side-impact protection. In the same test the MINI received a 4-Star rating for rear seat occupants. In frontal impact testing the MINI received a 4-Star rating for both front seat occupants. Finally, the MINI got a 5-Star rating for rollover safety. All those stars prove that small doesn’t have to mean unsafe.

Related:

• Geneva Preview: New 207 hp John Cooper Works MINI gets 34 mpg
• VIDEO: Fiat shows that really small cars don’t have to crumple
• Fiat 500 - cute, green and also safe

[Source: BMW]

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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.

Original post by Xavier Navarro

As TalkingPointsMemo put it, “no Bush Administration official, current or former, can hold a candle to EPA chief Stephen Johnson when it comes to chutzpah.” Why would TPM say something like this? Well, do you remember the Supreme Court’s decision that the EPA would, indeed, need to regulate vehicle greenhouse-gas emissions? It happened exactly one year ago today. Since that time, the EPA has found ways to slow down the process and Johnson has now come up with an unhelpful scheme to delay any action. Seriously delay.

WardsAuto reports that by opening up the decision to public comments, Johnson “could delay regulation until as late as 2009.” Two years to take action on cleaner air? That’s a Bush Administration official for ya. U.S. Rep. John Dingell (D-MI), who’s no fan of regulating automakers, said, “I recognize that the current Clean Air Act may not be the best mechanism for regulating greenhouse gases. But it is puzzling and disappointing that the Bush Admin. hasn’t offered an alternative or joined the effort to design and enact comprehensive climate-change legislation.” When the Dingellsaurus is on your case for not taking action on climate change, you’re a rare breed.

[Source: WardsAuto, TalkingPointsMemo]

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Original post by Sebastian Blanco

Filed under: MPG, Legislation and Policy, Green Daily, USA

We all know that the Democratic Representative from the Automakers Michigan, John Dingell, is a foe of state-based regulations over the auto industry. Back in February, he tried to revive an excised portion of the energy bill that would have made federal CO₂ limits take precedence over state rules. In an editorial in Automotive News (subs req′d), Edward Lapham writes that it’s Dingell who will be of very few lawmakers who “get” why America needs a national fuel economy law instead of allowing states to set their own rules. The three major presidential candidates, Lapham writes, don’t get it and neither do many other in Congress. Lapham even equates states setting their own fuel economy rules “would be akin to letting them print their own money.” For Lapham and Dingell, the protracted wait between federal increases in the CAFE standard must have looked pretty good. If all the power sits in Washington, then you can slow laws down there and be all set. I mean, if the feds retain control, then Dave McCurdy might be able to stay home more.

[Source: Edward Lapham / Automotive News (subs req′d)]

 

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Original post by Sebastian Blanco