Fuel economy

Guide helps drivers save money while reducing greenhouse gas emissions

10/15/2009 -- WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy today unveiled the 2010 Fuel Economy Guide, which gives consumers important information about estimated fuel costs and mileage standards for model year 2010 vehicles.

“Every year, consumers use the Fuel Economy Guide to find clean, efficient, cost-effective vehicles that meets their needs and their budgets,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “It’s an easy, accessible resource for everyone, and helps us cut harmful pollution from the air, and save money for American drivers.”    » read more »

Guide helps drivers save money while reducing greenhouse gas emissions

October 15, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy today unveiled the 2010 Fuel Economy Guide, which gives consumers important information about estimated fuel costs and mileage standards for model year 2010 vehicles.

“Every year, consumers use the Fuel Economy Guide to find clean, efficient, cost-effective vehicles that meets their needs and their budgets,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “It's an easy, accessible resource for everyone, and helps us cut harmful pollution from the air, and save money for American drivers.”    » read more »

NREL-developed methodology shows promise for estimating real-world energy use

September 28, 2009 -- The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) recently joined forces with researchers from Idaho National Laboratory (INL) and Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) to take the lead in developing and testing a new method for predicting the real-world fuel and electricity consumption of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs).

After examining data on the only PHEV currently available in large numbers, the NREL-developed method shows promise for reasonably predicting the PHEV’s average fuel and electricity use.    » read more »

New Interagency Program to Address Climate Change and Energy Security

September 15, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Ray LaHood and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lisa P. Jackson today jointly proposed a rule establishing an historic national program that would improve vehicle fuel economy and reduce greenhouse gases.    » read more »

September 17, 2009 -- Washington, DC – Today, Secretary Steven Chu announced that the Department of Energy has closed on its loan offer of $5.9 billion to Ford Motor Company to transform factories across Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, and Ohio to produce more fuel efficient models. The loan is part of the Department’s Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing program, which supports the development of innovative, advanced vehicle technologies to create thousands of clean energy jobs while helping reduce the nation’s dangerous dependence on foreign oil.

The loan for Ford Motor Company is the first to be finalized since the program was appropriated in the fall of 2008.    » read more »

Clean Car Standards Would Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Cut Oil Dependence and Save Americans Money at the Pump

SAN FRANCISCO/WASHINGTON (September 15, 2009) – The U.S. EPA and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration today announced a joint proposal for national standards for greenhouse gas pollution from cars and trucks, along with strengthened fuel economy standards.

According to EPA and NHTSA, the new proposed standards will cut global warming pollution from vehicles by 30 percent, improve fuel economy to an average of about 35.5 miles per gallon, and save drivers thousand of dollars over the life of the vehicles – all while adopting a “size-based” standard favored by domestic automakers.    » read more »

Rules will reduce oil usage and global warming pollution

September 15, 2009 -- Washington, DC -- The Environmental Protection Agency and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration today announced new fuel economy and greenhouse gas rules for vehicles, calling for a fleet average fuel economy of 35.5 miles per gallon and emissions of 250 grams per mile of CO2-equivalent-emissions by the 2016 model year.

Statement of Ann Mesnikoff, Sierra Club Green Transportation Campaign    » read more »

Statement of Lena Pons, Policy Analyst, Public Citizen’s Congress Watch Division

Sept. 15, 2009 -- The Obama administration proposed a historic step forward today that would reduce our nation’s oil consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. The proposed standards it announced for fuel economy and emissions would save 1.3 million barrels of oil per day in 2020 and save drivers about $26 billion per year in 2020, based on the current price of gas.

Under the proposal, automakers would have to raise the average gas mileage across their fleets to 35.5 miles per gallon and reduce carbon dioxide to 250 grams per mile by 2016.    » read more »

Group Urges Administration to Finalize Standards And Avoid Creating New Loopholes

WASHINGTON (September 15, 2009) — New proposed vehicle standards announced by the Obama administration today represent the largest increase in fuel economy in three decades, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS).

The new standards, which were released by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Transportation (DOT), would boost the fleetwide fuel economy of new vehicles sold in the United States to 34.1 miles per gallon by model year 2016. The standards also would set the first national tailpipe heat-trapping emissions standard for vehicles at 250 grams per mile, nearly 30 percent less than the emissions produced by today's average new vehicle.    » read more »

FAIRFAX, Va.-- Penske Racing driver Sam Hornish Jr. will drive a special No. 77 Mobil 1 Advanced Fuel Economy Dodge in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series LifeLock.com 400 at Chicagoland Speedway on July 11 to help make consumers aware of the best ways to conserve fuel during the busy summer driving season.

The No. 77 Mobil 1 Advanced Fuel Economy Dodge is designed in part to show ExxonMobil’s continued support for the Alliance to Save Energy and its Drive $marter Challenge, which has the goal of increasing fuel efficiency nationwide.

Before this unique version of the No. 77 car takes to the track, the weekend will kick off with The Mobil 1 Advanced Fuel Economy NASCAR Challenge, a special event to entertain Chicago sports fans and provide them with tips on saving fuel.    » read more »

07.01.09 -- Honda is continuing its efforts to address the environmental challenges of global climate change, emissions reduction, and energy sustainability through a comprehensive approach that involves further improvements to gasoline engine fuel efficiency; the development of real-world alternatives to gasoline, including natural gas and the hydrogen-powered fuel cell car; and technology for refueling alternative fuel vehicles.

Additionally, Honda is pursuing advances in technology related to energy systems such as solar cells, electrical co-generation, and the efficient creation of renewable bio-fuels as part of its effort to develop real world solutions to environmental challenges.

Improving Fuel Efficiency    » read more »

Tesla Motors will Receive $465 Million to Create Jobs in California

June 23, 2009 -- Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) today lauded U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Steven Chu’s announcement that San Carlos-based Tesla Motors will receive $465 million as part of the first loans made under DOE’s Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturingloan program.

Senator Boxer spoke with Secretary Chu earlier this year and pressed him to quicklyapprove loans under this program.    » read more »

Improving Fuel Economy, Lowering Emissions;Ford’s Blueprint for Sustainability addresses the challenges of climate change and energy security, while creating safer, more fuel-efficient products

DEARBORN, Mich., June 23, 2009 – Ford Motor Company’s Blueprint for Sustainability includes the introduction of a range of global environmental technologies to provide more fuel-efficient vehicles that emit fewer greenhouse gases without compromising customer expectations for safety, interior room or performance. Since its original introduction in 2007, Ford accelerated key aspects of its sustainability strategy including a more detailed plan for vehicle electrification and other advances.    » read more »

New Engine Joins Two V-6s for an All-Direct Injection Lineup

2009-06-22 -- DETROIT – A fuel-efficient, direct injected Ecotec 2.4L four-cylinder engine will be the third engine offered in the 2010 Buick LaCrosse luxury sedan. Backed by a fuel-saving six-speed automatic transmission, the new powertrain combination is expected to deliver fuel economy of 30 mpg highway and 20 mpg city*– making LaCrosse one of the most fuel-efficient cars in its segment.    » read more »

June 18, 2009 -- The U.S. Department of Transportation today proposed a new, consumer-friendly replacement tire label which would include, for the first time, information about the tire’s impact on fuel economy and CO2 emission reductions. Tires with lower rolling resistance – and proper inflation pressure - can contribute to improved fuel economy.

In addition to the new fuel efficiency ratings, the proposal by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) also would provide consumers with two other key pieces of tire performance information - wet weather traction and tread wear. All three ratings would be prominently displayed on a removable label attached to the replacement tire at the point of sale.    » read more »