Auto Production Roars to New Records

Worldwatch Institute, September 13, 2012

Production of passenger vehicles (cars and light trucks) rose from 74.4 million in 2010 to 76.8 million in 2011—and 2012 may bring an all-time high of 80 million or more vehicles, according to new research conducted for our Vital Signs Online service. Global sales of passenger vehicles increased from 75.4 million to 78.6 million over the same period, with a projected 81.8 million in 2012. The major driver of increased production and sales are the so-called emerging economies, especially China. Read more...

Carmakers to get carbon credits for 'eco-innovation'

EurActiv.com, July 26, 2011

Car manufacturers will receive CO2 emissions credits if their new cars are fitted with approved 'eco-innovations' under legislation adopted by the European Commission yesterday (25 July).

The credits, for innovations that reduce carbon emissions, will be usable within the EU's emissions trading scheme (ETS). Brussels hopes that the move will nudge the automobile industry towards meeting the Union's goal of limiting CO2 emissions from new cars to an average of 130 grams/km by 2015, around one fifth below 2007 levels. Read more...

First Pipeline-Fed Hydrogen Refueling Station Opens in the United States

ENN, May 11, 2011


May 10, Toyota celebrated the opening of the first pipeline-fed refueling station in the US. Located in Torrance, California, it is the first hydrogen station to be directly connected to an active industrial hydrogen pipeline. It will provide fuel for Toyota's as well as others fuel cell vehicle fleets in the Los Angeles area. The station is owned by Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), USA, Inc, and operated by Shell. The hydrogen pipeline is maintained by Air Products. Read more...

Brussels wants no oil-fuelled cars in cities by 2050

EurActiv.com, March 23, 2011


The European Commission plans to step up its battle against oil- and gas-fuelled cars, and is drawing up strict targets to halve their urban usage by 2030 and "phase them out by 2050," according to an EU road map on transport to be published on Monday (28 March) and seen by EurActiv. These objectives will play an instrumental role in achieving the more comprehensive target of cutting CO2 emissions from transport by 60% by 2050. Currently, a quarter of EU greenhouse gas emissions come from transport.
The Commission is therefore proposing an ambitious plan which eyes significant reductions of emissions especially in road transport, while it intends to increase rail traffic, on the grounds that is by far cleaner and more environment-friendly.  Read more...

Valvoline Launches 50% Recycled Motor Oil

Environmental Leader, March 16, 2011

Valvoline has introduced a 50 percent recycled motor oil, which will be available at retailers and through participating installers and oil change centers.
The company said that its NextGen brand of motor oil cuts down on fossil fuel use, lowering emissions and helping to ensure that used oil doesn’t make its way into the water supplies. The new product takes advantage of the latest innovative manufacturing processes, Valvoline said, to offer superior engine protection while reducing environmental impacts. Read more...

New Aggressive National Fuel Economy Standards Set for Passenger Cars and Light Trucks

ENN, April 01, 2010

No fooling, the DOT and EPA, in response to one of the Obama Administration's top priorities, have jointly established aggressive new federal rules that will significantly increase the fuel economy of all passenger cars and light trucks sold in the United States. They have also established new federal rules that would for the first time ever, set national greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions standards for these vehicles. The new rules are forecast to save the average buyer of a 2016 model year car $3,000 over the lifetime of the vehicle. EPA estimates that nationally, it has the potential to conserve about 1.8 billion barrels of oil and reduce nearly a billion tons of GHG emissions over the lives of the vehicles. Read more...

Mayor Newsom launches Green Rental Car incentive program

ENN, January 22, 2009

The office of the San Francisco Mayor issued the following news release:
San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is launching the nation's first Green Rental Car program that rewards customers for renting "green" alternative-fueled vehicles and rental car companies for increasing rentals of high mileage and alternative-fuel vehicles. The innovative incentive program is expected to eliminate more than 4,000 tons of CO2 emissions each year. Read more...

EU agrees to cut car emissions in climate fight

ENN, December 02, 2008

European carmakers must cut global-warming gases from new vehicles by 18 percent within the next six years, the EU agreed on Monday, after a long battle between environmentalists and an industry facing tough times.
"This deal represents a balance between the needs of the environment and the car industry across Europe, which is suffering massively at the moment," British Conservative lawmaker Martin Callanan told Reuters late on Monday. Read more...

Φορο-μπόνους για απόσυρση

TA NEA, 4 Σεπτεμβρίου 2008

Απόσυρση των παλαιών και ρυπογόνων αυτοκινήτων σε δύο φάσεις, από το 2010 έως το 2015, με την παροχή φορολογικών κινήτρων αλλά και αντικινήτρων, ετοιμάζουν για περίπου 1,5 εκατ. σαραβαλάκια τα υπουργεία Οικονομίας, Περιβάλλοντος και Μεταφορών. Διαβάστε περισσότερα...

Road transport remains Europe’s single largest air polluter

EurActiv, July 28, 2008

Despite marked improvements since 1990, emissions from cars and trucks continue to be the main source of health-damaging air pollutants, according to a new report by the European Environment Agency (EEA).
The report, published on Monday (28 July), shows that road transport remains the single most important source of sulphur oxides (SOx), carbon monoxide (CO) and non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs) in the EU-27. Read more...

Read the report: Annual European Community LRTAP Convention emission inventory report 1990-2006

New eco-friendly car that runs on nothing but water

ENN, June 16 2008

It is claimed the Water Energy System (WES) developed by Genepax can generate power by supplying water and air to the fuel and air electrodes. The basic power generation mechanism of the system is similar to that of a standard fuel cell. The main feature of the new system is that it uses a membrane electrode assembly (MEA), which contains a material that breaks down the water to hydrogen and oxygen. Read more...

Την εμπορική παραγωγή αυτοκινήτου υδρογόνου ξεκινά η Honda

In.gr, 16 Ιουνίου 2008

Η ιαπωνική αυτοκινητοβιομηχανία Honda ξεκινά την εμπορική παραγωγή αυτοκινήτων με καύσιμο το υδρογόνο. Το τετραθέσιο όχημα με την ονομασία FCX Clarity θα κυκλοφορεί στους δρόμους της Καλιφόρνια από τον Ιούλιο και αργότερα εντός του έτους στην Ιαπωνία. Διαβάστε περισσότερα...

Toyota develops improved hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle

ENN, June 6, 2008

Toyota Motor Corp said on Friday it has developed an advanced fuel-cell vehicle that can run for 830 km (516 miles) on a single tank of hydrogen and in temperatures as low as 30 degrees Celsius below freezing (-22 F).
The zero-emission FCHV-adv will be leased to government agencies, among other possible users, in Japan starting later this year, a spokeswoman said. Read more...

Τα υβριδικά ίσως δεν είναι και τόσο οικολογικά

ΤΑ ΝΕΑ, 20 Μαΐου 2008

ΑΥΤΟΚΙΝΗΤΑ που διαφημίζονται ως φιλικά για το περιβάλλον επικρίνονται ότι εκπέμπουν έως 56% περισσότερο διοξείδιο του άνθρακα απ΄ ό,τι ισχυρίζονται οι κατασκευαστές τους. Τρία μοντέλα, περιλαμβανομένου του υβριδικού Ηonda Civic, είχαν τόσο κακή επίδοση στις δοκιμές του περιοδικού Auto Express ώστε οι οικολογικές προδιαγραφές διαψεύστηκαν. Διαβάστε περισσότερα...

Πράσινος δακτύλιος, διόδια και απόσυρση

TA NEA, 13 Μαΐου 2008

Σε «πράσινη» επίθεση κατά των τζιπ, αλλά και των παλιών ρυπογόνων αυτοκινήτων- για τα οποία εισηγείται την απόσυρσή τους- προχώρησε χθες ο υπουργός ΠΕΧΩΔΕ κ. Γιώργος Σουφλιάς παρουσιάζοντας τα μέτρα του ΥΠΕΧΩΔΕ για την καταπολέμηση της ατμοσφαιρικής ρύπανσης. Διαβάστε περισσότερα...

«Πρασινίζουν» τα αυτοκίνητα

ΤΑ ΝΕΑ, 29 Μαρτίου 2008

Ο στόλος των αυτοκινήτων αυξάνεται συνεχώς, αλλά τα νέα οχήματα εκπέμπουν σαφώς λιγότερα καυσαέρια χάρη στη χρήση νέων τεχνολογιών, αλλά και λόγω των αυστηρότερων ορίων που θεσπίζονται από την Ε.Ε. Δείτε το αφιέρωμα...

Carmaker Porsche challenges London gas guzzler tax

ENN, February 19, 2008

By Jeremy Lovell

LONDON (Reuters) - Luxury carmaker Porsche may legally challenge London mayor Ken Livingstone's decision to tax gas guzzling cars driving in the city centre to help fight global warming.
Porsche said on Tuesday the 25 pound ($48.74) daily charge was unfair, would not cut emissions of climate warming carbon dioxide and would deter businesses from moving to the city. Read more...

London launches world's largest 'low-emission zone'

EurActiv, February 4, 2008

Trucks driving around the UK capital will be fined up to £200 per day if they are found to be over EU pollution standards in an attempt to improve the city's poor air quality. The initiative will be closely watched in Brussels as the Commission is currently considering action to 'green' transport in Europe's cities. The scheme, which begins on 4 February 2008 and will run 24 hours a day, seven days a week, will initially apply only to large diesel trucks weighing over 12 tonnes. Read more...

How Green is Tata's Nano?

Planet2025, January 13, 2008

...The concern is that a supercheap auto will encourage development on the American model—relying on the car rather than mass transit. More drivers will add to air pollution, already a critical problem in more than half of India's cities, and to the carbon in the atmosphere that causes global warming. "This car promises to be an environmental disaster of substantial proportions," says Daniel Esty, an environmental expert at Yale. Read more...

Ηλεκτρικά αυτοκίνητα θα σώσουν το Παρίσι

ΤΑ ΝΕΑ, 3 Ιανουρίου 2008

Σε οικολογική πρωτεύουσα του κόσμου έχει βαλθεί να μετατρέψει το Παρίσι ο σοσιαλιστής δήμαρχος της πόλης Μπερτράν Ντελανοέ.
Μετά το Velib, την πρωτοποριακή υπηρεσία ενοικίασης ποδηλάτων, «εξαπολύει» εναντίον της κυκλοφοριακής συμφόρησης και της ατμοσφαιρικής ρύπανσης ένα ανάλογο πρόγραμμα με ηλεκτροκίνητα αυτοκίνητα. Η λογική στο Voiturelib (Ελεύθερα Αυτοκίνητα) παραμένει η ίδια : 2.000 ηλεκτροκίνητα οχήματα (για αρχή) θα περιμένουν τους Παριζιάνους (που θα έχουν εγγραφεί στη σχετική υπηρεσία) σε δεκάδες ειδικούς χώρους στάθμευσης και ενοικίασης ανά την πόλη. Διαβάστε περισσότερα...