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Strict US auto emission and efficiency standards are history (updated)

As expected, the USA’s Climate-Change-Denier-In-Chief will move towards rolling back federal regulations on vehicle emissions. The change, which could undo one of President Barack Obama’s most significant environmental legacies, does not require action by Congress. Reuters reports that an announcement is expected from the Trump administration as soon as Tuesday. The expected order will reopen… Read more »

Elon Musk addresses Tesla employees about unionization

Unions and automakers have a long and fraught relationship. As Tesla has begun to evolve into a major automaker, the union has come calling, and Detroit execs are doubtless looking on with sympathy (or schadenfreude?) at the events of the past couple of weeks. Recently, Tesla factory worker Jose Moran claimed in a post on… Read more »

Automotive suppliers not so keen on watering down fuel economy rules

It’s pretty clear where the major automakers stand on federal emissions and fuel economy standards. Barely two days after his election, the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers sent a letter to Trump urging him to “reform” federal fuel economy, emissions and safety regulations. Last week, executives of 18 automakers sent a second letter reiterating the request… Read more »

Hyundai announces pricing for Ioniq Hybrid and Ioniq EV

Hyundai’s new Ioniq offers three ways to go electric – it’s available in hybrid, plug-in hybrid and electric versions. The Ioniq Hybrid and Ioniq Plug-in Hybrid both feature a 1.6-liter Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder gas engine that delivers 104 hp and 109 ft-lb of torque, along with a six-speed double-clutch transmission. The Hybrid sports a 32 kW… Read more »

Computational design strategy extends battery life

Batteries are wonderful inventions, but like so many things in life, they don’t last. With every charge and discharge cycle, a battery’s capacity is reduced, until eventually it becomes inadequate for its application. “Why does this degradation occur?” muses Northwestern University’s Christopher Wolverton. “In many cases, something probably happened to the cathode.” Wolverton has developed… Read more »

Blue Bird awarded $4.4 million to develop electric school bus

Blue Bird buses are familiar to every American who has kids, or who ever attended school. The Georgia-based manufacturer (Nasdaq: BLBD) has built over 550,000 buses since its formation in 1927, and approximately 180,000 of its classic yellow buses are in operation today. Now the company has won a grant of $4.4 million from the… Read more »

Many of the best-selling EV charging stations on Amazon are not safety-tested and certified

  Most major retailers require that electrical products sold in their stores undergo third-party independent safety testing and certification, Amazon does not. After Charged encouraged the company to change its policy for EV charging stations, an Amazon spokesperson provided this official comment, “We monitor the products sold on our website for product safety concerns, and when appropriate, we… Read more »

McKinsey survey finds EV awareness increasing, suggests strategies for OEMs to electrify

As the EV scene heats up, we’re starting to see a steady stream of studies and surveys analyzing the growing market. Assessments of consumers’ EV awareness vary considerably, and predictions for the future are all over the map. A recent report by investment analyst Goldman Sachs sees big changes ahead for the auto industry, but… Read more »

California fleets can buy new electric trucks for less than Tier 4 diesels

Heavy-duty electric truck builder Orange EV has announced that all of its on-road truck configurations are now eligible for the Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project (HVIP), which means that fleet buyers in California can purchase a new pure electric terminal truck for less than the cost of a new Tier 4… Read more »