After spending four months in São Paulo, I’m taking a more expansive view of feasible policy options. Car ownership is still low in Brazil, but in wealthy São Paulo it’s far higher and growing at breakneck speed. Daily paralysis of major thoroughfares has led to implementation of a ‘rodízio’ prohibiting certain license plates from circulating […]
For all of our Global Green projects to help communities, people, and the planet in crisis, we seek to reduce greenhouse gases and stem climate change. On the road, that means reducing emissions by promoting the use of public transportation, car sharing and carpooling, and driving vehicles that do not rely on fossil fuels. In […]
Clean cars and dirty fuels don’t mix. EPA and DOT will issue final standards to strengthen fuel efficiency and slash carbon pollution spewing from 2017-2025 vehicles. These standards pick up where the standards for 2012-2016 vehicles leave off, promising 13 years of continuous improvement in new vehicles. Automakers are churning out vehicles with better fuel […]
Fuel economy is driving sales of new cars. In an era of high fuel prices, consumers in increasing numbers are shopping mpg, and that’s good for automakers.
The Gasoline Regulations Act (H.R. 4471) should be known as the ‘Gutting Air Standard Protections Act’ – or ‘GASP Act’ – because it denies the public the right to breathe clean and healthy air. There is no question that this bill by Representatives Whitfield (KY) and Barrow (GA) and approved by the U.S. House of Representatives […]
With the rise of online social networks and so many more of us carrying smart phones and tablets -- with the ability to connect anywhere and at any time -- we are seeing bigger and more modern versions of good ideas. An example on the road: ride-sharing businesses are springing up across the country. Hopefully, […]
Those in the natural gas industry have long known that natural gas-powered vehicles will play an increasingly important role in our future. However, to work toward this future, we have had to navigate several challenges. Storage vessels, specifically, have presented challenges in the areas of weight, durability, capacity, and cost. In fact, currently, the fuel […]
The huge gulf between environmentalists and the auto industry is shrinking. The relationship between these two interests has evolved to where we are finding a way to agree, and not just reflexively oppose everything the other side has to say. Last summer, automakers and environmentalist joined together to support the historic new clean car agreement […]
Revenge has come. In April, 200 Sierra Club members across the country hosted screenings of Revenge of the Electric Car. Thousands gathered to watch a great film and welcome electric vehicles that seemed impossible only a few years ago. As EVs are hitting the market, Big Oil, their cronies on Fox News, and even presidential candidates […]
A bi-fuel natural gas/gasoline vehicle using low pressure natural gas fueling at home means there will always be plenty of fuel in the tank.
President Obama has announced proposals for continued support of advanced car and truck technologies, including EVs and other alternative fuel vehicles as well as infrastructure needed to support these vehicles. These proposals, and others like it, are essential for advancing technology that can help alleviate pain at the pump and dependence on oil. The proposal […]
The auto field has seen interesting twists and turns over the years as it has explored the use of alternative fuels and advanced technologies to improve environmental performance. I have witnessed the ebb and flow of focus on fuels ranging from hydrogen, methanol, ethanol, propane, and natural gas to battery electric, gasoline-electric hybrid, plug-in hybrid, […]
A line has been drawn in the sand. It’s a new standard that is pushing automakers to higher levels of fuel efficiency. That threshold is 40 mpg. Not long ago, a 40 mpg car was a rarity. Reaching 40 mpg required alternative powertrains like gasoline-electric hybrid drive or clean diesel. Today, 40 mpg is being […]
I am excited to update you on the recent progress that we’re making at Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas) and San Diego Gas & Electric Company (SDG&E) in the compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicle market. This technology is here now, and the future is bright! I’m extremely bullish about natural gas as a transportation fuel. […]
A common refrain in recent years has been that, while there are many fuel-efficient models on the market, most consumers persist in their love of gas guzzlers. Once manufacturers are making a full range of appealing high-mpg vehicles so that everyone can choose efficiency without compromising other features they’re seeking, things will change. We’ll see […]
I am a car guy and can attest to this: It is thrilling to go fast. And it’s also exciting to see a fuel economy display hit 50+ mpg. Similar feelings are experienced when behind the wheel of a truly stylish car, when a favorite song pops up unexpectedly on Sirius XM, or when deplaning […]
The mission was simple enough: drive to my daughter’s college 90 miles away and return her and a sizeable load of laundry home for a long weekend visit. It was a perfect test for the long-range capability of the Prius Plug-In hybrid I was driving for the week. With a full charge in the lithium-ion […]
As we look at the connected issues of sprawl, traffic congestion, air pollution, societal disconnection, and global warming, we begin to see that a new model and vision for our communities and mobility is needed. One such vision was put forth in 1939 at the World’s Fair in New York. Futurama was an exhibit designed […]