The Environmental Protection Agency has begun using a new method to estimate fuel economy starting with 2008 model year vehicles. The new method is more accurate than the EPA’s older method. The EPA adopted the new method in December after complaints that fuel economy estimates have been too high. The new estimates more accurately reflect […]

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has announced it plans to develop new regulations for child safety seats by the end of the year to improve child safety in cars. NHTSA chief Nicole Nason said her office plans to update the federal regulations governing safety seats and the LATCH system for securing them without using safety […]

Colorado Governor Bill Ritter and General Motors officials on Thursday announced an expansion of E85 ethanol-fueling locations in the state. Colorado will open 40 new E85 ethanol fueling locations statewide by the end of 2007. The new pumps will more than triple the number of stations in the state — up from 13 E85 fueling […]

The California Air Resources Board announced that it has slapped Jesse James, host of “Monster Garage”, with a monster fine of $271,250 for selling more than 50 new or custom-built motorcycles that did not meet agency standards.
James, known for his outlandish custom cars and motorcycles, was informed of the noncompliance with agency standards in […]

The California Department of Motor Vehicles has announced that it is no longer accepting applications for carpool stickers from owners of the Toyota Prius, Honda Civic or Honda Insight hybrids. A state law allowed the DMV to issue 85,000 stickers, which allowed these hybrids to access the carpool lanes without the require number of passengers. […]

General Motors announced it is recalling 98,000 Chevrolet Cobalt coupes from the 2005-2006 model years. The specific vehicles are not equipped with optional roof-mounted side impact air bags.
The affected cars don’t have sufficient padding to meet federal requirements. GM spokesman Alan Adler said the head impact protection would only be an issue for motorists not […]

Yesterday at the Washington Auto Show, Volkswagen officially unveiled its cleanest diesel ever, which will be found in the next Jetta TDI. As we told you about earlier this month, the new diesel Jetta is powered the 2.0L BLUETEC diesel four-cylinder, which will meet emissions standards in all 50 states without the use of urea […]

Yesterday at the Washington Auto Show, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), together with the Department of Energy (DOE), Chrysler Group and Cummins, recognized the new BLUETEC-equipped 2007 Dodge Ram Heavy Duty will be the cleanest mass-production diesel-engine pickup truck on the market.
When it becomes available in March, the Dodge Ram’s 6.7L Cummins turbodiesel engine […]

Today in his keynote speech at the Washington Auto Show, DaimlerChrysler’s CEO Dieter Zetsche encouraged U.S. lawmakers to support a diversity of approaches to reducing dependence on foreign oil. Zetsche cautioned against policies that favor hybrids over other fuel-saving technologies, pointing out the new generation of BLUETEC clean diesels.
“What we need to avoid in this […]

Toyota has launched another massive recall on its full-size Tundra pickup and Sequoia SUV involving the front suspension. Toyota notified the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that it will recall 553,000 2004-2006 Tundra trucks and 2004-2007 Sequoia SUVs to inspect and possibly replace ball-joint assemblies.
This is the Tundra and Sequoia’s second recall involving the […]