Even though the debt ceiling debate is raging in full force in Washington, D.C., there is plenty of other important work going on, including – rumors suggest – that a formal announcement is coming tomorrow that the 2025 CAFE standard for cars and trucks will be set at 54.5 miles per gallon.
The 2025 CAFE debate continues. This time 'round, White House officials say that, in response to unpredictable sales of plug-in vehicles, an interim review of the 2017 to 2025 fuel economy standards will likely be required.
In response to automakers – in particular, the Detroit Three – crying foul over the Obama Administration's proposed CAFE target of 56.2 miles per gallon by 2025, the powers that be will reportedly ease standards for the fuel economy of future trucks and SUVs, according to The Wall Street Journal.
In response to some automakers – in particular, the Detroit Three – crying foul over the Obama Administration's proposed CAFE target of 56.2 miles per gallon by 2025, the powers that be will reportedly ease standards for the fuel economy of future trucks and SUVs, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The federal bailout of General Motors and Chrysler cost U.S. taxpayers roughly $80 billion back in 2009, but only two years later, it appears Uncle Sam will get most of its money back. The Associated Press reports that the Obama Administration now estimates that the bailout will "only" cost taxpayers $14 billion. That's down significantly from the projected 60 percent loss estimated by
We've talked before about President Obama's plan to greenify the federal fleet, generally thought of as a good thing. In leading by example, Obama hopes to show the American public that flex-fuel vehicles – and other gas-misers like hybrids and plug-ins – can substantially reduce our dependence on gasoline. However, Jonas Dalidd
2011 Chevy Volt – Click above for high-res image gallery
Under pressure to remove billions of dollars from the annual budget, the Obama administration has released a plan that ends funding for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's clean-diesel grants and the Energy Department's hydrogen fuel-cell program. Electric transportation, on the other hand, is seen to benefit with a move to turn the current $7,500 tax credit into a point of purchase rebate.
2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid – Click above for high-res image gallery
The National Automobile Dealers Association has joined the ranks of those opposed to upping Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards to 60 mpg by 2025. The dealer group says that with fuel prices still low, consumers are more interested in horsepower and style than they are super-efficient vehicles. That means that if the federal government starts mandating ever more efficient vehicles that are significantly costlier to manufacture, dealers are lik
A CAFE standard of 62 miles per gallon by 2025 might indeed come to pass. The Department of Transportation and the Environmental Protection Agency today released a "Notice of Intent to Improve Fuel Economy and Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions for 2017-2025" (PDF) that includes, as one possibility, decreasing greenhouse gas emissions by six percent a year for the years in question. A
One year ago, the U.S. auto industry was at the weakest point in its history. To make matters worse for the both the industry and the Obama Administration, the majority of Americans wanted nothing to do with a bailout, having just undertaken an even pricier propping up of the country's lending institutions. But President Obama and the Auto Task Force made the difficult decision to push General Motors and Chris Shunk
Indiana governor Mitch Daniels is among a bipartisan group of governors who are taking issue with how the Obama administration is handling the Toyota recalls. Daniels reportedly told Indianapolis NBC affiliate WTHR that he feels the federal government is going too far in its investigation of Toyota floor mat and gas pedal issues, and he even went so far as to question whether the government's ownership of General M
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration appears to be busier than ever. Beyond the federal agency's upcoming visit to Congress to explain its actions leading up to the Toyota recalls, it also needs to prepare for 2011 changes to its New Car Assessment Program Five-Star Safety Rating System.
2009 isn't quite over yet, but we're pretty sure most automakers would rather forget that it ever happened. And while General Motors and Chrysler suffered the pain and humiliation of bankruptcy and workers lost thousands of jobs and many plants and dealerships closed, the good news is that the General and the Pentastar are now more fiscally healthy than they've been in ages. The bad n
After a month of relentless Cash for Clunkers coverage, we were more than pleased when the Fed's buy-back program finally ended. Nearly every other day C4C was in danger of getting shut down because of a lack of funds. Then there were dealers were worried about getting paid and customers who had to sign responsibility forms in the event their clunker wasn't covered under the program. But while we've had more than our fill of C4C, the car-buying public wants more.
When Chrysler sought bankruptcy protection on April 30, the Obama administration insisted that one of the conditions of its Chapter 11 filing were that all product lawsuits against the Pentastar were the responsibility of "Old Carco LLC." In other words, anyone in litigation with Chrysler as a result of injuries that may have been caused as a result of faulty product would never be p
Conventional wisdom says that Cash for Clunkers provided a big-time boost to dealers. After all, before Clunkers, most showroom floors were bereft of customers, and scores of dealerships were closing their doors. As good as C4C has been for customers, many dealers are all too happy it's over.
