When the President took office, the fuel efficiency standards for our cars had been stuck at 27.5 miles per gallon for twenty years – two decades of lost time when it comes to developing new technologies that can get more miles per gallon out of every tankful of gas. That’s why one of the very first actions the President took in office was to direct
Within the universe of electric vehicles, an interesting niche is being carved out, as entrepreneurs and vehicle manufacturers are finding that success may be with some of the most unlikely plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs): medium and heavy duty trucks.
From a pure fuel cost standpoint, electricity driven trucks make a lot of sense since
When you think of cutting-edge green vehicle technology, a giant semi-truck probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. Despite the fact that large trucks, trailers, and buses account for some 20% of carbon emissions from transportation in the United States, they have long been overlooked as a source of potential fuel savings. Fortunately this is now change, as
The media is fond of telling us that electric vehicles are over-hyped and destined to disappoint their owners. I took some people to the Alt Car Expo in Santa Monica a few weeks ago who told me all the things that EVs need to be: inexpensive and roomy – without that
To those who drive behind diesel trucks, they know that these vehicles tend to be more slower moving and potentially smellier than other vehicles. Those who drive trucks know they are gasoline hogs (after all look at the weight they are hauling). They are a vital necessity for the
Yesterday, EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson and I proposed the first national standards for greenhouse gas emissions and fuel efficiency for medium and heavy-duty trucks, vans, and buses.
This is a historic first step to address categories of vehicles previously excluded from America’s corporate average fuel economy guidelines. Currently, the vehicles
President Obama chose the White House Rose Garden as the spot to sign an executive order establishing the first-ever vehicle emissions standards for big rigs and other heavy trucks beginning in the 2014 model year. The emissions directive also calls on the automotive industry to promote development of plug-in hybrids electric cars and other vehicles that utilize biofuels and natural gas.
“The disaster in the Gulf only underscores that even as we pursue domestic production to reduce our reliance on imported oil, our long-term security depends on the development of alternative sources of fuel and new transportation technologies,” the president said.
It was exactly one year ago that Mr. Obama, flanked by car company CEOs, announced the first Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards for cars and light trucks that took into account greenhouse gas emissions as a factor. Hailed as a revolutionary step by environmentalists, that move ordered a 30 percent increase in fuel efficiency by 2016, totaling a 35.5 miles per gallon average for both cars and light trucks. Friday’s directive ordered federal agencies to begin development of even more stringent standards for 2017 and beyond.
Route 80 is an amazing American road. It stretches from New York City and the Atlantic ocean to San Francisco and the Pacific. I had the pleasure of traveling on this American road (our second longest) for 15 hours from New York to Iowa. Countless trucks. And two enduring images.
First: An eighteen wheeler carrying a wind turbine blade. The blade curves gently over the length of the truck. Its huge length means it’ll produce more energy than anyone thought possible with wind ten years ago. Energy with no greenhouse gases and no contribution to climate crisis.