Car makers ‘failing consumers’ on emission data
Car makers ‘failing consumers’ on emission data
Consumers are finding it hard to buy fuel-efficient vehicles because car makers are burying CO2 figures for their models online, report claiim
- guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 27 January 2010 00.05 GMT
- Article history
Rush hour freeway traffic in Los Angeles, California. Car makers must display a vehicle’s fuel consumption and CO2 data in their showrooms but are not legally required to do so on their websites. Photograph: Evan Hurd/Getty Images
Car makers are making the process of searching for a fuel-efficient car “like looking for a needle in a haystack” by burying CO2 figures for their models online, experts and campaigners claimed today.
A report from the government’s Energy Saving Trust, Friends of the Earth Europe and We are Futureproof, said car companies are failing consumers with “confusing” websites.
History of the electric vehicle
History
[edit] 1830s to 1900s: Early history
Electric vehicle model by Ányos Jedlik, the inventor of electric motor (1828, Hungary).
Glowing walls could kill off the light bulb
From
Glowing walls could kill off the light bulb
Light-emitting wallpaper may begin to replace light bulbs from 2012, according to a government body that supports low-carbon technology.
A chemical coating on the walls will illuminate all parts of the room with an even glow, which mimics sunlight and avoids the shadows and glare of conventional bulbs.
Although an electrical current will be used to stimulate the chemicals to produce light, the voltage will be very low and the walls will be safe to touch. Dimmer switches will control brightness, as with traditional lighting.
Qatar to use biofuels? What about the country’s energy consumption?
Qatar to use biofuels? What about the country’s energy consumption?
Qatar announces the future use of biofuels on its airline, but its domestic carbon emissions are shockingly free and easy
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- guardian.co.uk, Thursday 14 January 2010 07.00 GMT
- Article history
Qatar’s West Bay financial district in Doha. The country has the highest per capita carbon emissions in the world. Photograph: Gavin Hellier / Alamy
Qatar made the news twice this week. First, the Manchester United squad flew out to the Gulf state for a few days to get in some training without the hassle of snow – hoping to revive their fortunes after a draw with Birmingham City . Second, it announced a “major environmental initiative” aimed at curbing the carbon emissions of its national airline through the use of biofuel.
They won’t actually be cutting emissions any time soon, of course. Those are soaring, because, bucking the global recession, the airline expects to carry 11% more passengers in the current year.
But the airline is doing an analysis to see if it might one day start burning biofuels. Perhaps the biofuels will be grown on the huge chunk of farmland the state controversially wants to buy in Kenya.
The electric car revolution will soon take to the streets
The electric car revolution will soon take to the streets
For years, the promise and hype surrounding electric cars failed to materialize. But as this year’s Detroit auto show demonstrated, major car companies and well-funded startups — fueled by federal clean-energy funding and rapid improvement in lithium-ion batteries — are now producing electric vehicles that will soon be in showrooms. From Yale Environment 360, part of the Guardian Environment Network
- guardian.co.uk, Friday 22 January 2010 11.50 GMT
- Article history
Media gather around the new Tesla Model S all-electric sedan car, at the car’s unveiling in Hawthorne, California on 26 March 2009. Musk said the state-of-the-art, five-seat sedan will be the world’s first mass-produced, highway-capable electric car. Photograph: Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images
Electric cars are a green movement that is finally moving. Shunted to the side as the public indulged its love affair with gas-guzzling SUVs and four-wheel-drive trucks, history has finally caught up with the plug-in vehicle.
The open-source hydrogen car set to change the industry
The open-source hydrogen car set to change the industry Alex McDonald 20th January, 2010 Cars are evil, right? But what if they ran on hydrogen, did 300 miles per gallon, were leased rather than owned, and were produced under an open source business model… We have often been introduced to the car of tomorrow, but Continue Reading →