President Bush visited Saudi Arabia on Thursday to beg the leader of the world's leading oil-producing nation to open the spigots—in an attempt to provide price relief at the gas pumps back home. But days before he arrived, Bush himself characterized the act as an empty gesture.
Carlos Ghosn, president and CEO of Nissan, unveiled the company’s five-year business plan on Tuesday. The plan puts a major emphasis on electric vehicles. Hybrid and EV fans responded with enthusiasm—but also engaged their well-worn vaporware alert systems to detect false promises, improbable plans, and insincerity.
FAME versus NERD is not the latest summer blockbuster for teens. FAME and NERD are the acronyms defining the two main forms of biodiesel—a non-petroleum renewable fuel that can theoretically run in any diesel vehicle without modification. Understanding the differences between FAME and NERD could help determine the future of biodiesel.
The overall vehicle market went from bad to worse in April. It marked the worst April for car sales since 1995. Yet, brisk hybrid sales showed once again that fuel-efficient gas-electric vehicles are recession-proof. Hybrid sales climbed above 3 percent of the total market for second time ever—the last time was May 2007, also a month when gas prices spiked.
If the diminutive Smart car is going to succeed in America, it will need to make a strong showing in New York City—where driving distances are minimal and parking opportunities are scarce. But according to recent New York Times reviews of the Smart Fortwo, the cute little two-seater from Mercedes is already dead in the water.
The buzz around electric sports-car-maker Tesla Motors is sparking something akin to what happened in California 150 years ago—this time the rush is toward plug-in electric and hybrid vehicles. Undaunted by Tesla’s difficulties in delivering on early promises, small companies are charging forward with a “if they can build a car, why not us” attitude. Many claim that 2010 will be their year.
The Energy Department is projecting that domestic gasoline consumption will decline by about 190,000 barrels a day this year. Meanwhile, global oil demand is projected to rise by 1.2 million barrels per day. Where does that leave us?
In a personality shift that would make Madonna jealous, the hybrid gas-electric vehicle is being transformed from ecoweenie-mobile to lean green crime-fighting machine. Law enforcement departments across the country are considering the use of hybrid vehicles as police cruisers.
Facing pressure to improve efficiency and reduce emissions, the auto industry is responding by taking a page out of Europe’s playbook—where smaller cars and smaller engines rule, but driving fun has not been banished from the equation. Smaller yet powerful engines are possible due to advances in supercharging, turbocharging, and direct injection.
Paul Roberts, author of The End of Oil, calls the notion of energy independence a “populist charade masquerading as energy strategy?” In the latest issue of Mother Jones magazine, Roberts write that energy independence is primarily being used as a political trick by ethanol cheerleaders, electric utilities pushing coal and nuclear, and supporters of drilling in the Arctic Wildlife Refuge. Roberts delivers a reality check: We don’t stand a chance of quickly becoming energy independent.
