February 19, 2020 3:56 PM EDT
Exposure to PM2.5 pollution from cars, trucks, and buses varies greatly within Illinois. Concentrations are highest in urban areas and downwind of those areas; Chicago and its immediate surroundings are affected the most. Cook County, including Chicago, not only has the state’s highest PM2.5 pollution exposure, but it also is one of the nation’s worst affected counties. Read more >
February 19, 2020 3:11 PM EDT
Los autos, camiones y buses son fuentes significativas de contaminación del aire en Illinois. Pero, ¿cuanta de esta contaminación es atribuible a estos vehículos?, y ¿quiénes están expuestos a ella?
Para ayudarme a responder esta pregunta, he usado un modelo computarizado para estimar la cantidad de partículas finas de materia que causan la contaminación del aire (conocida como PM2.5) que resulta del uso de vehículos en carretera (autos, camiones y buses.) Read more >
February 11, 2020 2:08 PM EDT
One of the questions I’m most frequently asked about electric vehicles (EV) is: “Are they really a cleaner option?” While it’s obvious that a fully-electric vehicle eliminates tailpipe emissions, people often wonder about the global warming emissions from generating the electricity to charge an EV. The latest data affirms that driving on electricity produces significantly fewer emissions than using gasoline and is getting better over time.
December 12, 2019 4:19 PM EDT
I went to the LA Auto Show recently, and much has changed in the world of EVs since my first trip in 2015. There are many more models of EVs now available or coming soon, and also quite a few presentations from car company executives, promising even more electric options in the future. But a look at the latest sales figures for EVs shows a markedly different picture, with most of the sales (and growth in sales) coming from Tesla, a company that wasn’t even on the main floor at the auto show. EV sales from traditional automakers have been flat for the last three years. What should we make of this divergence between a growing number of EV models and sales that aren’t seeing the same growth? It seems clear to me that this disconnect is due to many automakers that are technically offering EVs but are doing little to improve their design and sell them. And this disconnect needs to be fixed now if we want to try to limit the worst impacts of climate change.
November 19, 2019 9:35 AM EDT
Ford has announced a new electric car, and it looks like it will be an exciting new option for car buyers. This debut is promising news for the transition from gasoline to electricity, and yet it’s also a great example of a significant problem we’re seeing with traditional automakers’ electric vehicle efforts, consumers may have a long wait until they’ll be able to buy one.
The unveiling of a new long-range plug-in car is a step in the right direction. We know that switching from gasoline to electricity is vital to reduce both air pollution and climate-changing emissions. And there’s a lot to like about the Ford Mustang Mach-E.
