Mobile Emissions Today articles from September 2006

Mobile Emissions Today archives from September 2006

Mercedes-Benz technology to meet environmentally friendlier diesel.
September 7, 2006... Ten vehicles in Mercedes-Benz' lines will soon feature BLUETEC technology, a highly effective exhaust gas system that gives the vehicles the potential to fulfill even the most stringent emission limits. BLUETEC uses diesel engines...

Consumer Reports finds E85 poor for fuel economy.
September 7, 2006... Consumer Reports has investigated E85 ethanol and established that the product will cost consumers more than gasoline. It's also difficult to come across. While E85, which is 85% ethanol, produces less smog producing pollutants than...

Decarbonization plan aggressive on fossil fuel elimination.
September 7, 2006... An article in Science presents a plan for reducing US dependence on fossil fuels by up to 98%. The plan, "A Roadmap to Decarbonization," relies heavily on eliminating coal, oil, and natural gas from electricity production and in heating...

Mercedes-Benz' diesel Bluetec fails in five states.
September 8, 2006... Five states have given failing grades to the Mercedes-Benz E320 Bluetec, a car Mercedes has billed as "the cleanest diesel vehicle in the world." California, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, and Vermont say the Bluetec doesn't meet...

Utility company set to help in Chicago emissions reduction.
September 8, 2006... In an effort to double the fuel efficiency and reduce emissions from Chicago's stock of hybrid Ford Escape SUVs, The Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) is adding Commonwealth Edison Company (ComEd), one of the nation's largest electric...

Weekly update.(Conference Calendar)(Calendar)
September 8, 2006... NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF STATE FLEET ADMINISTRATORS' (NCSFA) ANNUAL CONFERENCE AND TRADE SHOW, September 11-15, 2006, Hyatt Regency Waterfront Hotel, Savannah, GA (EIN STAFF: 9/7)

Colorado looks at delaying vehicle smog inspections.
September 11, 2006... The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment is looking into extending the period that newer cars are exempt from state smog inspections for as long as eight years. The investigation comes as the department acknowledges today's...

Report touts lighter systems as means for emissions reduction.
September 11, 2006... For an average vehicle, every additional 100 pounds of weight results in a fuel consumption increase of .05 gallons per 62 miles. As customers look for vehicles with automotive improvements that reduce fuel consumption, automotive designers...

Stricter emissions affecting truck sales and workforce.(International Report)
September 11, 2006... According to reports from the London Free Press, with heftier emissions regulations imposed on 2007 trucks, between $7,500 and $12,000 will be added to the $85,000 average price tag of a new, large truck. The British trucking industry is...

Particle monitoring system to track emissions.
September 12, 2006... Israeli startup Particle Monitoring Technologies Ltd. (PML) will develop an industrial laser-based particle monitoring system as part of an international effort aimed at developing a means to measure and analyze emissions from vehicle engines....

Peugeot model to emit only water.
September 12, 2006... Peugeot will show off its 207 Epure at the 2006 Paris Motor Show. The coupe convertible supermini is powered by a hydrogen fuel cell and its only emission is water. Working in partnership with French Atomic Energy Commission, Peugeot...

Report prompts reflection on emissions.(Editorials, Reviews & Asides)
September 12, 2006... A report from a coalition of environmental groups ranks Canada's eastern provinces on their progress towards a 2001 climate-change accord. New Brunswick received the lowest grade of C-. The report indicates that carbon dioxide emissions in the...

BMW Hydrogen 7 reduces emissions.
September 13, 2006... BMW has revealed its new Hydrogen 7 as the world's first hydrogen-drive luxury car. Its internal combustion engine runs on either hydrogen or gasoline and aims to minimize CO2 emission. In hydrogen mode, the Hydrogen 7 emits nothing but...

Arizona moves forward on tougher emission standards.(Government)
September 13, 2006... Arizona may adopt California-style auto emission standards, if an executive order signed by Gov. Janet Napolitano last week becomes law. The executive order aims to reduce the state's greenhouse pollutants by more than half over the next 35...

Vermont lawsuit focuses on car emissions.(Editorials, Reviews & Asides)
September 13, 2006... A Vermont lawsuit concerning auto emissions pits carmakers against the state and environmental groups. Car companies filing the suit contend that the state is trying to regulate fuel economy, not pollution. "Auto manufactures have...

Bi-fuel converter awaits EPA approval.(Industry Report)
September 14, 2006... FlexTek, a bi-fuel converter that enables a vehicle to burn ethanol (E85), gasoline, or any blend of the two fuels, is moving toward Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) certification. EPA approval could lead to tax credits for people who...

New Zealand moves toward biofuel legislation.(International Report)
September 14, 2006... According to a New Zealand government discussion this week, oil companies may be required to sell a minimum of 0.25% of transport fuel as biofuels in 2008, rising to 2.25% by 2012. "Diversifying into renewable transport fuels will reduce...

Plants help Japanese automakers go green.(International Report)
September 14, 2006... Japanese automakers are beginning to make car parts from plant-based bioplastics. The bioplastics are carbon neutral, so the carbon dioxide released by burning the plants used to make the car parts is offset by the carbon dioxide the plants...

Retrofit filter brings EU cars into emission compliance.(Industry Report)
September 15, 2006... Belgian exhaust systems manufacturer Bosal NV has developed a combined catalyst and soot particulate retrofit filter, the Diesel-Oxycat Filter. By reducing diesel soot particulate emissions by 30-60%, the filter brings Euro III-compliant...

Altair Nanotechnologies to present new battery at Zero Emissions Vehicles Conference.(Industry Report)
September 15, 2006... Altair Nanotechnologies (Altairnano) will demonstrate its NanoSafe battery technology at the Zero Emission Vehicles Conference Sept. 27 in Sacramento. Altairnano has replaced graphite in the battery with its patented nano-titanate material. ...

Environment committee votes in favor of Euro 5.(EU Environment Committee)(Brief article)
September 15, 2006... The EU Environment Committee voted Wednesday in favor of revising current emission limits for motor vehicles. Euro 5 Standards will apply to new vehicles from September 1, 2009, replacing current Euro 4 standards. Diesel engines must meet...

Plasma technology to reduce emissions.(Los Alamos National Laboratory, PerriQuest Defense Research Enterprises, LLC )(Brief article)
September 18, 2006... Plasma-assisted combustion is set to help gasoline, diesel and turbine engines be more fuel efficient. The technology was developed at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Los Alamos scientist Louis Rosocha and his team have been working on the...

UK Department for transport considers emission regulation.(International Report)
September 18, 2006... All new cars could have their carbon emissions capped under a new proposal being drawn up for the UK government's consideration. An EU directive passed earlier this week already set emission limits for each class of car, and the new proposal...

Californians take sides on proposition 87.(Brief article)
September 18, 2006... Supporters of California Proposition 87, a tax initiative on the November ballot, recently launched a caravan of alternative energy-powered vehicles across the state to promote the measure, which would pay for research into cleaner-burning...

Report: UK automotive industry cuts emissions in half.(International Report)
September 19, 2006... British carmakers have cut energy use and CO2 emissions by half over the last four years, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), a UK automotive industry data service. According to SMMT, average energy use per...

Ethanol Africa focuses on bioethanol.(International Report)
September 19, 2006... In little more than a year, South Africa's first bioethanol factory will be pumping out 500,000 liters daily. Seven more of the enormous factories are planned for sites across the country. Currently the largest producers in the global...

Honda advances ethanol production.(Industry Report)
September 19, 2006... Honda announced last Thursday it has made a breakthrough in converting leaves, plant stalks and other biowaste into the alternative fuel ethanol. The process makes the conversion more efficient by using a microorganism that can chomp its...

Pennsylvania moves forward on stricter emission standards.(Legislative Report)
September 20, 2006... The Pennsylvania Environmental Quality Board on Tuesday adopted air-pollution standards that will require new cars to burn fuel more cleanly. The new requirements echo California's decision to impose more stringent rules on car emissions. ...

South African deal to produce cleaner-burning fuel.(International Report)
September 20, 2006... South Africa's Energy Development Corporation (EDC), a division of the state-owned Central Energy Fund, will buy a 25.1% stake in Ethanol Africa, a company set up by commercial farmers to turn surplus maize into environment-friendly biofuel....

Fiat unveils Panda-Panda at Paris Motor Show.(Industry Report)
September 20, 2006... Automaker Fiat is spotlighting its new Panda-Panda vehicle at the Paris Motor Show, which begins Sept. 30. The vehicle, due for sale January 2007, extends Fiat's range of petrol/methane dual power units. According to Fiat, the Panda-Panda...

California sues automakers over global warming.(Industry Report)
September 21, 2006... California sued six of the world's largest automakers over global warming on Wednesday. The lawsuit is the first of its kind to seek to hold manufacturers liable for the damages caused by their vehicles' emissions, California Attorney...

Car manufacturers worldwide to meet tougher emission standards by 2010.(Industry Report)
September 21, 2006... Japan, Europe and the US by 2010 plan to use drastically toughened restrictions on automobile emissions, with vehicles that fail to clear the standards banned from sale. In 2009 in Japan, a stricter regulation to replace the 2005 one will...

Report: Europe not on track to meet Kyoto Protocol targets.(International Report)
September 21, 2006... Carbon dioxide emissions from new cars are decreasing, but not fast enough to meet voluntary reduction targets established by the Kyoto Protocol, according to a report from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). The targets...

Diesel oxidation catalysts to reduce Arizona bus diesel emissions.(Industry Report)
September 22, 2006... Amphitheater School District in Arizona will try to improve local air quality by installing diesel oxidation catalysts on some of its 130-bus fleet. The catalysts strips away harmful diesel emissions by burning up particulate usually...

California Air Resources Board releases audit results.(Industry Report)(Brief article)
September 22, 2006... The California Air Resources Board (ARB) has announced results of its audit of the Ventura County Air Pollution Control District's (District) Carl Moyer Program, a grant-funded effort to reduce vehicle emissions through the replacement or...

UK Motor Industry Trade Association releases biofuel guide.(International Report)
September 22, 2006... The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders Limited (SMMT), the UK's leading motor industry trade association, has published Biofuels and Road Vehicles, a guide to biofuels. The guide answers questions about where biofuels come from,...

EU aid to help Austria reduce emissions.(International Report)
September 25, 2006... The European Commission, the executive body of the EU, recently approved a $19.2 million (Euro 15 million) Austrian transport plan to shift freight haulage from roads to rail and shipping. The plan aims to bring Austria's environmental...

Axiom looks to reduce emissions with biodiesel.(International Report)
September 25, 2006... Renewable fuel company Axiom Energy Ltd recently opened a $36 million initial public offering and reached a trial arrangement of its biodiesel fuels with trucking company Linfox. Axiom makes biodiesel fuels by blending renewable plant...

EPA tightens emission limits.(Industry Report)
September 25, 2006... The Bush administration last week tightened limits on soot particles, microscopic flecks of dirt, dust and chemicals spewed from diesel engines, car tailpipes, and industrial factories. States in violation will have until 2015 to meet the...

Honda to produce first diesel engine to meet US emissions standards.(Industry Report)
September 26, 2006... Honda said Monday it's created the first diesel engine that meets all US emissions standards for 2009, without the need for additives. The problem all car companies face is how to remove nitrogen oxide from diesel engines. Ammonia will...

British scientists question Exxon funding.(International Report)
September 26, 2006... The Royal Society, Britain's leading scientific academy, has accused Exxon Mobil Corp. of misleading the public about global warming and funding groups that undermine what the group describes as the scientific consensus on climate change. ...

Minnesota and Ford aim to increase E85 use.(Industry Report)
September 27, 2006... Ethanol-blended fuel is easier to buy in Minnesota than anywhere, making the state a focus for automakers looking to experiment with the corn-based fuel. Ford Motor Co. plans to build 250,000 E85 vehicles this year. In Minnesota, 190 gas...

EU Environment Commissioner proposes tighter restrictions.(International Report)(Brief article)
September 27, 2006... EU Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas proposed Tuesday addressing air pollution by restricting limits on everything from car emissions to pesticides. "Air pollution is shortening the life of every EU citizen by an average of eight...

Canada looks at tougher vehicle emission standards.(International Report)
September 27, 2006... Canada will try to echo vehicle-emissions standards of some US states, according to Canadian Environment Minister Rona Ambrose. Ambrose pointed to members of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, eight northeastern states including New...

California auto emissions lawsuit advances.(Industry Report)
September 28, 2006... General Motors Corp., Toyota Motor Corp., Ford Motor Co. and other automakers this week won a court bid to challenge California rules limiting tailpipe emissions linked to global warming. US District Judge Anthony Ishii denied California's...

Members of Congress Press EPA on auto emissions.(Industry Report)
September 28, 2006... More than 100 members of Congress urged the US Environmental Protection Agency to allow states to adopt strict vehicle emissions standards that California regulators adopted two years ago. In a letter to EPA, the lawmakers say the agency...

Clean Diesel Technologies and Extengine to market particulate filter.(Industry Report)
September 28, 2006... Engine developer Clean Diesel Technologies Inc. has entered into a license and distribution agreement with Extengine Transport Systems LLC for China and North America. Extengine is a California-based developer, manufacturer and supplier of...

Study reveals increase in Ireland's auto emissions.(International Report)
September 29, 2006... A study from Sustainable Energy Ireland has found that transport accounts for one third of Ireland's primary energy demand and the sector has the highest energy-related CO2 emissions. The study confirms that over the past 15 years, car...

Toyota sticks with gas electric hybrids.(Industry Report)
September 29, 2006... Toyota has ruled out production of a diesel electric hybrid vehicle in response to plans for such cars from French automaker Peugeot. A car combining clean diesel technology with an electric motor would push up costs far beyond what...

Automakers compete to develop cleaner vehicles.(Industry Report)
September 29, 2006... A competition to build cleaner and more fuel-efficient cars has seen much activity in the past two weeks. Honda announced its new generation diesel engine could meet even California's clean-air standards, while getting 30% better mileage...