Electrification is coming, but many issues remain Only if hybrids and plug-ins are perfect I used to get excited when I’d see consumer surveys demonstrating how interested consumers were in hybrid cars and the potential of plug-in vehicles. Consistently, 60 – 80 percent of consumers, according to these surveys, have been considering hybrids and plug-ins [...]
Continue reading...17 May 2011 11:00 pm PST
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The key to electrification, or just Congressional pork? Maybe more focus should be put on electric pickup trucks as well? If Sen. Debbie Stabenow’s Advanced Vehicle Technology Act of 2011 is approved by Congress a major focus of the legislation will be on the development of “scalable battery technologies that would allow large hauling trucks [...]
Continue reading...17 May 2011 11:00 pm PST
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Shouldn't peak plug-in charging have high costs? Is free, peak electricity good policy? Since the launch of the Chevy Volt and the Nissan Leaf I’ve been following the real world activities of a number of these plug-in vehicles. One thing that often arises is the constant charging drivers seek, even in the Volt, as electric [...]
Continue reading...17 May 2011 11:00 pm PST
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Would plug-in subsidies be better spent on battery R&D? Not according to Germany’s plug-in plans In the next 10 years, Germany would like to add 1 million electric vehicles to its current fleet of 40 million vehicles. Consequently, Germany plans to spend about $2.8 billion on plug-ins by 2013, mostly on research and development into [...]
Continue reading...16 May 2011 9:24 am PST
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Transportation for America partnered with Taxpayers for Common Sense and the Reason Foundation — not a trio you’re accustomed to seeing — on a report detailing innovative and cost-effective transportation solutions with the potential to command broad support in a divided Congress. The jointly written report, The Most for Our Money: Taxpayer Friendly Solutions for the [...]
Continue reading...16 May 2011 9:10 am PST
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Transportation for America, the Reason Foundation and Taxpayers for Common Sense show how to modernize systems, increase safety and reduce congestion WASHINGTON, D.C. – A new report released today by Reason Foundation, Taxpayers for Common Sense and Transportation for America proposes cost-effective recommendations that Congress should consider as part of the pending transportation bill that [...]
Continue reading...16 May 2011 8:07 am PST
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Many states fail to track the results of their transportation dollars, according to a new report by the Pew Center on the States and the Rockefeller Foundation. The report, Measuring Transportation Investments: The Road to Results, is quick to tie the timing of its findings to the current debate over including more performance measures in [...]
Continue reading...13 May 2011 2:39 pm PST
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Auto-drive, not electrification, is the key to the future of the auto industry Reinventing personal mobility might be too disruptive for major automakers In many ways the Big 3 are back. While in the short term, that’s good news for US manufacturing, is it really good news long term? Or, are major automakers simply driving [...]
Continue reading...13 May 2011 9:12 am PST
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The Prius V at the Chicago Auto Show. Although the North American market should be impacted less than others The first Toyota Prius-derivative, the larger Prius V, was set to make its debut in the US this year, but Prius V buyers might have to wait until next year because of supply shortages. Still, US [...]
Continue reading...13 May 2011 9:05 am PST
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Secretary Ray LaHood told reporters the relevant Congressional committees have what the need from the administration to proceed on a transportation bill. (Streetsblog Capitol Hill) Senate EPW chair Barbara Boxer is in a pivotal position on bicycle and pedestrian funding. (Streetsblog Capitol Hill) Disparities in public transit access are keeping Americans from work, a Brookings [...]
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18 May 2011 9:24 am PST
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