Vehicles

From fuel efficient trucks to electric and fuel-cell vehicles, our experts examine the role of transportation in tackling climate change and cutting U.S. oil use.


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CA’s Clean Miles Standard Can Benefit Environment, Ridehailing Drivers- If Companies Step Up

May 14, 2021 11:29 AM EDT

On May 20th, CARB will vote on the Clean Miles Standard, a first-of its kind regulation that would require ridehailing companies like Uber and Lyft to electrify their fleets by 2030. If approved, the Clean Miles Standard would cut pollution in cities across California by requiring that 90% of ride hailing miles traveled take place in electric vehicles by 2030, and that ridehailing companies cut their greenhouse gas emissions to zero grams per passenger mile on the same timeline. This standard has the potential to be a win for the environment and for drivers. Read more >

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Clean Cars Minnesota: A win for public health, innovation, and the environment

, Clean Vehicles Analyst

May 13, 2021 9:30 AM EDT

On Friday, a Minnesota administrative law judge ruled the state can proceed with finalizing new clean car standards that will give Minnesotans more control over air quality improvements and progress toward the state’s greenhouse gas reduction goals, as well as increase vehicle model choices for Minnesota car buyers and save drivers money at the pump. Read more >

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California Takes the Next Step Towards Ensuring Cleaner Cars and Trucks

, Senior vehicles engineer

May 7, 2021 10:16 AM EDT

On Thursday, California’s air quality regulator, the California Air Resources Board (CARB), released the first draft of their plan to ensure all new passenger cars and trucks are electric drive by 2035. A key component of CARB’s proposal would ramp up the existing Zero Emission Vehicles requirement on automakers, eventually requiring 100% ZEVs for model year 2035 vehicles. In theory, this means automakers would need to have about 75 percent ZEV sales by 2030. This is about the pace we need to be on to make the large reductions in both climate pollution and air pollution emissions that harm human health. However, there is the potential for automakers to avoid hitting these sales targets and therefore not achieve needed emissions reductions. Read more >

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Clean Energy Policy Is Heating Up in Illinois

, Energy policy analyst

April 23, 2021 11:41 AM EDT

Energy legislation is heating up in Springfield. Several energy bills from a variety of stakeholders are on the docket, including: Climate Jobs Illinois, a coalition of labor unions; Vistra, which owns five coal plants in the state; and Ameren Illinois, an investor-owned utility, just to name a few. Read more >

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View from upper level of Ford display 2018 North American International Auto Show
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Rolling Back the Rollbacks: Putting Cars and Trucks Back on Track to Meeting Climate Goals

, senior vehicles analyst

April 16, 2021 2:13 PM EDT

To get serious on global warming emissions from passenger vehicles, the Biden administration’s first step should be immediately reinstating the 2012 standards rolled back by the Trump administration. The benefits of reinstating those 2012 standards as quickly as possible are not limited to global warming emissions. While the previous administration’s own analysis noted the hazard of its own weak standards, our updated modeling efforts show just how much more beneficial an immediate reversal of that policy would be for society. Reducing oil use means improved health outcomes and more money in the pockets of consumers, but this also translates into more jobs and helps to accelerate the transition to electrification needed to meet climate goals, including the 2030 targets under the Paris agreement. Read more >

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