Carbon Emissions
Out-Darwined by EVs, are Hybrids Going Extinct? Let’s Hope Not!
The progress electric cars have made in the last decade is, frankly, staggering. As recently as 2008, in fact, you could win engineering awards at SEMA for building a “hybrid” concept car that was basically a normal car with eight extra car batteries stuffed into the trunk. You can trust me on that, since building that very car is what got me started writing about “green speed”. Back then, the Toyota Prius– which was already several years old— was still considered fringe, but it worked in a time that getting Tesla off the ground seemed like an impossibility. That was then, though, and EVs have gotten so good that it kind of begs the question: are hybrids going extinct? The short answer seems to be: yes. More and more automakers seem to be skipping the &#...
Infographic: Toyota Set to Reduce Carbon Emissions 40% by 2022
With great power comes great responsibility– and, with its international engineering and manufacturing empire spanning six continents, it would be hard to argue that Toyota didn’t have great power. That’s why it’s so nice to see the giant automaker take corporate its responsibility seriously. Toyota’s Environmental Challenge 2050 goal of cutting global emissions from plant operations to zero globally by the year 2050 is massively optimistic, of course. To prove they’re serious, however, Toyota has made another commitment: cut its US carbon emissions 40% by 2022. “Toyota has long been defined by its commitment to responsible environmental practices, and we’re proud to build upon that great legacy today,” said Kevin Butt, General Manager ...
Maersk Sets Net Zero Emissions Target for 2050
Member nations of the UN body charged with regulating ocean shipping announced, earlier this year, a new strategy to curb the industry’s massive impact on climate change. The UN asked for major shippers to commit to cutting their harmful carbon emissions 50% by the year 2050, by which time most of the ships currently in service will be scrapped. The Danish shipping giant, Maersk, is doing them one better: Maersk has committed to being fully carbon-neutral by 2050. The result of Maersk’s commitment could be huge, considering that shipping is traditionally responsible for about 800 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year. That’s according to Dan Rutherford, the marine and aviation program director of the International Council on Clean Transportation. “If you...
EICMA 2018: Honda Trail Bikes Get Fuel Injection
EICMA is known for its concept bike reveals and new product launches, and Honda didn’t disappoint, revealing a raft of new or updated products for 2019. We already covered the sporty new 2019 Honda CB650R, but now we’re shifting gears and playing a round of, “Roads? Where we’re going we don’t need- roads” with Honda’s CRF line of trail bikes. All of which are getting electronic fuel injection for 2019! They’re two of the basic tenets of Gas 2. “The best way to appreciate nature is to get out in it,” and, “Two wheels are better than four.” Honda’s small-displacement trail bikes deliver nearly triple-digit fuel economy and, thanks to that fancy new fuel injection, they’ll do so with lower emissions than ever ...
Volvo’s Ghent Factory Gets a Solar Upgrade
Volvo has made a number of commitments to reducing improving the Earth. Sometimes that means donating profits to help clean up the ocean, while other times that means reducing its own carbon footprint. This story is one of those latter cases, as Volvo announces the installation of 15,000 solar panels at its SPA platform car factory in Ghent, Belgium. The Belgian factory also uses wind power to supply around 11% of its power consumption, and in 2016 the factory introduced a heating system that reduced carbon emissions by 40%, saving 15,000 tons of CO2 per year. Ghent follows the company’s Skövde engine plant in Sweden– which was the first climate-neutral facility in Volvo’s global manufacturing network. You can check out the original press release, below, then let us know ...
Dethleffs New Self-propelled Electric Camper Wows in Düsseldorf
You may recall last year the release of Dethleffs E.Home electric motorhome. The first-of-its-kind all electric camper was a veritable mobile solar generating station that would get you well over 100 miles out of the city, and charge itself while you camped for the trip back. Now the new towable E.Home Coco caravan trailer joins Dethleffs’ growing stable of ways to save and see the environment at the same time. Just like its larger sibling, the E.Home Coco comes with a bank of solar panels for recharge and power availability on the go. This tow trailer has a neat trick, though. It is self-propelled, meaning smaller and more eco-friendly vehicles can handle the caravan. Dethleffs is aiming for an all-electric camper experience, and the electric powered Coco can be towed by vehi...
Borg Uses Exhaust Heat to Improve Emissions, MPG
Exhaust gas re-circulation (EGR) is nothing new in automotive circles. Neither is the concept of trying to turn exhaust gas energy and heat into usable power. What is new, however, is using what would otherwise be waste heat to specifically heat up an engine at cold start– and that’s pretty exciting. “Until a cold engine reaches its optimal operating temperature, it is much less fuel efficient and generates higher emissions,” explains Joe Fadool, President and General Manager of BorgWarner’s Emissions & Thermal Systems department. The company’s new Exhaust Heat Recovery System (EHRS) will get internal combustion engines up to temperature faster than ever before, and help to reduce the NOx and diesel particulate matter (PM) emissions that have caused ...
Official: Volvo Engine Plant is Now Carbon Neutral
Official press release: Volvo Engine Plant is Now Carbon Neutral as of January 1st, with plans for more factories to go neutral by 2019.
Hydrogen Future Rolls On: Toyota Mirai Taxis Launched in Dubai
The Hydrogen fuel cell Future keeps Rolling On: a fleet of fuel cell powered Toyota Mirai Taxis is being Launched in Dubai to compete against Tesla taxis.
10 Myths About Electric Cars. Are Any Of Them True?
Myths about electric cars are everywhere. Here is the straight scoop to help you separate fact from fiction.
“Drawdown”: The Owners Manual For The Earth
Drawdown, edited by Paul Hawken, analyzed 100 ideas for mitigating climate change be reducing or eliminating the sources of carbon pollution. Elecrtric cars is #49.
Scientists Say Sixth Mass Extinction Is Under Way
Scientists claim the effects of climate change are leading to a sixth mass extinction of species on Spaceship Earth. If you read Gas2 regularly, this kind of news is the reason we exist.
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