UK Biofuel Subsidy Cancellation Leaves Thousands with Wasted Investment
Following the British Government's decision to cancel their subsidy of biofuel in April, one of the largest distributors of the specialty fuel announced that they would cease to do so. Morrisons, a popular supermarket chain that offers the B30 biofuel blend, announced that it will be closing down distribution of all biofuel. The London Times reports that Morrisons is also considering dropping their 85% ethanol blend.
Tesla to Discontinue Production of All-Electric Roadster
In a filing with the Security and Exchanges commission last week, California start-up Tesla Motors announced that it would be discontinuing production of its all-electric Roadster sports car sometime next year. The $100,000 plus two seater is Tesla's only production model, which Tesla says it will not revisit until at least 2013. Resources once used to create the Roadster are expected to be retooled for use in the the production version of the Model S, an all-electric luxury car expected to cost in excess of $50,000.
Rumors from Greentech Media say that Tesla co-founder Martin Eberhard may have found a new job working for Volkswagen. The German company, which displayed an electric super car concept in the Audi E-Tron, has a storied history with electric cars. Months ago, Audi CEO Johan de Nysschen publicly called electric cars "a car for idiots" — a statement that seemed to clash with the unveiling of the all-electric E-Tron.
Mixed feelings on the Obama Administration's fuel efficiency "double-dip" rule
In the face of the looming fleet fuel efficiency standards, the Obama administration seems to be tossing a life preserver to struggling automakers trying to hit an average fuel economy of 30.2 MPG. President Obama is proposing that all-electric vehicles count double toward vehicle fuel efficiency standards. This means that mass-producing an electric vehicle will create strong outlier that will tug the manufacturer's average fleet fuel efficiency above government standards.
Fisker Automotive held a giant rally to celebrate the reopening of the Boxwood plant in Wilmington, Delaware. This plant, which was one of a few GM plants that was built specifically to export cars, falls in line with Fisker's business model of exporting more than half the cars they produce. Under GM, the Boxwood plant was used to build the Opel GT, which was translated into the Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky roadsters for the North American market.
WASHINGTON, DC, October 16, 2009 (ENS) – The Toyota Prius hybrid leads the 2010 model cars in fuel efficiency with 51 miles per gallon on the highway and 48 mpg in city driving conditions, according to the latest federal government ratings for fuel efficiency.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy Thursday unveiled the 2010 Fuel Economy Guide, which gives consumers information about estimated fuel costs and mileage standards for model year 2010 vehicles.
Global Aviation Industry Vows to Halve CO2 Emissions By 2050
NEW YORK, New York, October 16, 2009 (ENS) - To help limit climate change, the international air transport industry has made a commitment to cut its carbon emissions in half by 2050, compared to 2005 levels.
In addition, the airlines have pledged to improve fuel efficiency by an average of 1.5 percent annually to 2020 and stabilize carbon emissions with carbon-neutral growth from 2020.
EPA and National Parks Service Cuts Yellowstone Snowmobile Access in Half, Prompts Lawsuit
The National Park Service approved a plan to reduce snowmobile access to Yellowstone National Park to less than half of current levels. The 318 snowmobiles per day limit will go into effect over the next two winters until the EPA and the NPS can finish studying the complete environmental impact of the park's use in the winter. Yellowstone is all but inaccessible during snowy months without the use of snowmobiles or snow coaches.
PG&E Reveals Electric Car Future at West Coast Green
At West Coast Green, PG&E featured the all-electric Mitsubishi i-MiEV, a vehicle that could premiere in the United States as early as next year. Since West Coast Green is an expo focused specifically on the built environment, Eco Factory turned to PG&E Spokesman Kory Raftery to get a glimpse of the potential future of Northern California's roadways and how utilities and the smart grid system could be crucial for zero-carbon vehicles. Below is the question and answer format produced by our interview with Kory Raftery.
The bright minds in Silicon Valley are quickly learning that when commuting, the smartest choice may be to take the bus. Bauer's Wi-Drive, which is pronounced "why drive?", is a luxury commuter fleet complete with leatherette chairs, catered breakfasts, internet access, and numerous LCD screens for your commuting pleasure. Bauer's claims that fully 96% of all miles traveled by their vehicles are green miles, owing to the use of hybrid technology, high-tech bio-diesel, and compressed natural gas(CNG).
