Cars
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The Priuseqv Proposal
U.S. automakers have tried but been unsuccessful over the last 30 years in developing new powertrain technologies that significantly improve miles per gallon (MPG) or reduce CO2 emissions. These unsuccessful technologies include fuel cell vehicles (FCVs), diesel hybrid technology (Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles), Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs), and Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs). The only new technology that has improved MPG (and reduced CO2 emissions) significantly has been the Hybrid Electric Vehicle …
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Reviewing EPA’s FuelEconomy.Gov Plug-In Emissions
Several of the white papers on this website have analyzed electric car fuel economy information on car window stickers. These papers have noted that important information is missing from the window sticker. For some time I have been following the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) fueleconomy.gov website waiting for promised new functionality to make comparing vehicle MPG and CO2 emissions easier. I was very interested in this new information since the past data provided by the …
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The Smart Jitney: Rapid Realistic Transport
The world is facing twin threats from global climate change, caused largely by CO2 released from burning fossil fuels, and declining fossil fuel resources. Automobiles play a major role in both of these potential catastrophes. The damage is already so significant that severe restrictions may have to be placed on consumption of the remaining fossil fuels, making the development of alternative transport systems vital.
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The EPA’s Flawed 2013 Window Sticker
Automobile “window stickers” provide relevant information about new automobiles. They are affixed to every new car in every car showroom in the U.S. The window sticker is specified and designed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with support from the Department of Energy (DOE) and Department of Transportation (DOT); the logos of all three organizations are on the most recent sticker. The EPA and related agencies set the standards for car fuel-economy testing but do …
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History and Status of the Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV)
The Prius Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) represented approximately a billion dollar investment by Toyota to develop a compact car rated at 41 MPG. The program began in 1993 with initial Japan shipments in late 1997 and first shipments in the U.S. in late 2000. The MPG rating was about twice the average MPG of an equivalent 2000 car in the U.S. The research and development (R&D) budget for the automobile industry is over $100 billion …
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The Plug-In Scam: GM and EPA Misrepresentation of the PHEV
In a March 2010 article, “Plug-In Vehicles: The First Great Fraud of the New Millennium,” author John Petersen discussed the weaknesses of the plug-in hybrid or pluggable hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV). He followed this with a Feb 14, 2011 article, “Why Plug- In Vehicles Are a Luxury No Nation and No Investor Can Afford,” and then an August 25, 2011 article, “It’s Time to Kill the Electric Car, Drive a Stake Through Its Heart and …
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History and Status of the Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV)
General Motors (GM) first demonstrated an electric concept car, called the Impact, in 1990. This marked the beginning of a major effort by automakers to meet the stringent emissions requirements of the California Air Resources Board (CARB), using Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs), also referred to as zero emissions vehicles (ZEVs). Between 1996 and 2003, approximately 5,600 BEVs were manufactured. Eventually, some automakers, with support from the U.S. government, initiated a lawsuit that had the effect …
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Challenging Vehicle Electrification and Plug-In Cars
This report covers the early history of plug-in cars. It and the others in this series, provide a comprehensive analysis of the historical evolution of BEVs and BHEVs since 1990. They document the inflated MPG claims and describe the mechanisms and arguments used to misrepresent electrification of transportation. An electric car essentially represents a shift from burning petroleum as gasoline or diesel in a vehicle to burning coal, natural gas, and uranium in a power …
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