February 12th, 2013
I’m a big believer in competition and robust debates. Competition is at the core of America’s DNA, and the foundation of science is asking difficult questions and challenging the answers. But, when it comes to the future of electric cars, the brewing battle between backers of plug-in hybrid, battery, and fuel cell electric vehicles could leave oil companies as the big winners. Read More
December 19th, 2012
$1.5 billion in a single day. That’s the estimated value of internet purchases made on Cyber Monday this year, up 17 percent from last year and the current record. Most of those purchases, ranging from iPads to Furby’s, will have traveled thousands of miles by ship, train, or truck before making the final leg of their trip in a local delivery truck. Of course, internet shopping prompts the question: Is getting the package delivered to your house better or worse for the environment than picking it up at the store? Read More
November 30th, 2012
New fuel economy and greenhouse gas rules were finalized by the Obama Administration this past year that go out to 2025, more than a decade away. The standards have enjoyed strong support from consumers and automakers alike. But as with most big steps forward, there are always some naysayers. To the naysayers, I say come to the LA Auto Show. The variety of technologies automakers are employing to make big gains in fuel economy are wide-ranging. And it is with this menu of technologies that automakers can meet the standards set for 2025 and beyond. Read More
October 31st, 2012
Lost in the noise of the news of battery maker A123’s bankruptcy filing is an ongoing fight over who will get their hands on A123’s battery technology and manufacturing capacity. If clean tech like electric vehicle batteries was such a bad bet, as naysayers have tried to claim, you’d think nobody would touch the assets with a 10-foot pole. But, the naysayers are wrong. Read More
October 25th, 2012
September 24th, 2012
A recent survey of electric vehicle (EV) owners shows that a significant number of Californians may be leaving hundreds of dollars a year in fuel-cost savings on the table. The survey by the California Center for Sustainable Energy suggests that more than a third of EV owners in some utility territories may not be on the utility rate plan that would save them the most money. Read More
September 7th, 2012
At the beginning of every month, automakers report their sales and auto journalists and analysts pore over the data to see what trends there are to see. Many of the stories that result seem to indicate that doom is on the way for plug-in electric vehicles, so I dug into the data to see what big trends there were to uncover. Read More
April 16th, 2012
Today UCS released State of Charge, a new report on electric vehicles that gives a snapshot of the global warming benefits and fuel costs savings that this technology currently offers. The results are in, and the news is positive. Electric vehicles (EVs) are a good choice for lowering global warming emissions from driving, no matter where in the U.S. you live, and driving on electricity can save drivers upwards of $1,000 per year in fuel costs. Read More
February 27th, 2012
Ok, so electric cars are anything but dead—there are more than 30 models expected from automakers in the next few years—and you don’t have to look far to see the passion they provoke in their owners. But electric cars have had many a brush with death in a battle for the hearts and minds of American drivers that has gone on more than a century. Read More
February 22nd, 2012
Love it or hate it, the car culture is a big part of the American identity. People just love talking about their cars, and I get to hear a lot of inspiring car stories because of what I do. Read More
© 2013
