Earth Day

In order to support high demand for diesel vehicles in Europe, Honda Motor Co. Ltd. has announced that it will start building oil-burning engines at its plant in Britain. Currently, its UK plant gets diesel powerplants from Japan, and will initially get the parts for the engines from Japan. Ultimately, however, the company plans to produce the parts in Blighty and assemble 20,000-30,000 engines annually.

Gallup conducted a poll last month checking the pulse of automotive consumers, and how their buying attitudes are changing in light of America's increasing gas prices. According to the poll, fully 57 percent of the 1001 responders now state that they would consider purchasing a hybrid as their next vehicle. Those among the younger and middle-age were reportedly more interested than seniors, and would-be consumers with higher incomes looked upon hybrids with more favor than those i

UK Minicab firm greentomotacars has started a pilot program to expand into the West London area with its Prius fleet. The service, which currently uses five of the well-known hybrids, plans to increase its numbers to fifty when they extend service across all of London by the end of June.

BusinessWeek Magazine recently weighed in on 'Skipee', the three-wheeler concept seen here, designed by Australian Dimitrios Scoutas.

As previously posted, the automobile is the number one recycled product in the U.S. Most of the recycled materials are re-used for different purposes, like floormats being turned into sound-deadening materials.

At the annual Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) World Congress this week, speakers and members outlined what powertrains and alternative fuel sources will move tomorrow's vehicles.