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Keyword: automotive

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  • US expected to declare Biden fuel economy rules exceeded legal authority

    05/19/2025 4:26:42 PM PDT · by E. Pluribus Unum · 19 replies
    Reuters ^ | May 19, 20255:31 PM CDT | Reuters
    WASHINGTON, May 19 (Reuters) - The U.S. Transportation Department is expected to declare that fuel economy rules issued under then President Joe Biden exceeded the government's legal authority by including electric vehicles in setting the rules, automakers said on Monday. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the department's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on Friday submitted its interpretive rule, "Resetting the Corporate Average Fuel Economy Program" to the White House for review. He said in a statement the prior administration had "illegally used CAFE standards as a backdoor electric vehicle mandate – driving the price of cars up."
  • Ford Announces Massive Recall Over Braking Issue

    05/16/2025 9:57:14 AM PDT · by Red Badger · 25 replies
    100 Percent Fed Up ^ | May 15, 2025 | Staff
    Ford has announced a recall of over 250,000 vehicles over a potential issue that could make their brakes defective. Ford announced in a filing to the National Highway Traffic Administration that it would be recalling 273,800 Expedition and Lincoln Navigator SUVs due to braking issues. The report stated, “SUVs’ front brake lines “may be in contact with the engine air cleaner outlet pipe,” causing possible brake defects. “A brake line leak may cause longer-than-expected brake pedal travel and result in a reduction in the rate of deceleration,” added Ford. Check out what Fox Business reported: Ford is recalling 273,800 Expedition...
  • Vermont halts electric vehicle requirements as governor says ‘current goals’ not realistic

    05/13/2025 5:00:41 PM PDT · by ChicagoConservative27 · 20 replies
    Nypost via Reuters ^ | 05/13/2025 | Reuters
    Vermont Governor Phil Scott paused the state’s electric vehicle sales requirements for passenger cars and medium and heavy-duty trucks on Tuesday, amid broader concerns about the feasibility of zero-emission vehicle rules pioneered by California. Vermont is one of 11 states including New York, Maryland and Massachusetts that have adopted California’s zero-emission vehicle rules, which seek to end the sale of gasoline-only vehicles by 2035. California’s rules require 35% of light-duty vehicles in the 2026 model year to be zero-emission models. Scott, a Republican, cited warnings from automakers that they could limit supply of gas-powered vehicles to dealers in the state...
  • EPA removes start-stop incentives, ending unpopular red-light engine shut-offs

    05/13/2025 3:39:39 AM PDT · by davikkm · 56 replies
    The Environmental Protection Agency is rolling back fuel economy incentives for start-stop technology, a system that automatically shuts off a car’s engine when stopped at a red light or in traffic. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced the decision, calling the feature a “climate participation trophy” that drivers overwhelmingly dislike. The move marks a significant shift in federal policy, reversing regulations that encouraged automakers to include the system in new vehicles. Start-stop technology was introduced as part of Obama-era emissions rules, designed to reduce fuel consumption and lower carbon emissions. The system became widespread, with 65 percent of new cars featuring...
  • Man sentenced after making $38 million from catalytic converter theft ring

    05/12/2025 6:33:21 AM PDT · by Phoenix8 · 32 replies
    13 NEWS KOLD ^ | 5/11/2025 | Alvarado
    (Gray News) - A man was sentenced for his role in transporting thousands of stolen catalytic converters across state lines, laundering money and other related crimes. Tou Sue Vang, 33, was sentenced to 12 years in prison, according to Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Bechwith. According to court documents, Tou Sue Vang, along with his brother Andrew Vang and mother Monica Moua, purchased stolen catalytic converters from thieves in California and sold them to a buyer in New Jersey for more than $38 million. The buyer then sold the converters and the precious metals to a metal refinery for more than...
  • EPA head says agency will reverse regulations that made cars automatically turn off engines when you stop 🙌

    05/12/2025 7:07:32 AM PDT · by Red Badger · 123 replies
    Not The Bee ^ | May 12, 2025 | Staff
    This is the most idiotic government regulation of the last decade (and that's saying something). The technology shuts off the engine every time the vehicle stops in traffic or at a red light/stop sign. The average driver might save $1,000 over a decade of using the vehicle if they live in an urban area with frequent stops, but Enhanced Flooded Batteries and heavy-duty starters also cost more, meaning maintenance swallows up much or all of their savings. (They also have to put up with the psychological torture of having their car turn off and on every five seconds.) Here's YouTuber...
  • Škoda wants to make motorcycles now, apparently

    05/11/2025 9:11:36 AM PDT · by martin_fierro · 51 replies
    New Atlas ^ | 5/5/25 | Utkarsh Sood
    Škoda is a well-known carmaker, but many may be unaware of the brand’s two-wheeled roots. The 130-year-old Czech company started out as a bicycle and motorcycle maker – and it looks like it might just get back to that. Škoda has just unveiled a sparkly new concept, called the Slavia B, reviving one of its first two-wheeled models from 1899 with a futuristic twist. It's part of the company's "Modern Solid" design research initiative, which aims to demonstrate how traditional designs could be modernized for contemporary times. Created by Škoda’s in-house external designer, Frenchman Romain Bucaille, the cafe racer concept...
  • BYD's 5-Minute EV Fast Charging: We Tried It. It's A Game-Changer

    05/11/2025 8:12:19 AM PDT · by Red Badger · 58 replies
    Inside EVs ^ | May 07, 2025 | Staff
    Ask someone who drives a gasoline-powered car why they wouldn't want to get an electric one, and you're almost certain to hear this answer: they take way too long to charge. They're not even entirely wrong. Even though DC fast charging times are getting shorter and shorter for modern electric vehicles, they can seem totally unacceptable for anyone who's used to fueling a gas-powered car in a matter of minutes—and that still describes most people in this country. To counter this, the Chinese carmaking giant BYD, which recently surpassed Tesla in EV sales, came up with an idea so ambitious...
  • World's second largest carmaker to move manufacturing of luxury brand to US

    05/08/2025 6:43:47 PM PDT · by CFW · 10 replies
    The Post Millennial ^ | 5/8/25 | Thomas Stevenson
    The second largest carmaker in the world will be relocating the manufacturing of its luxury brand to the United States after President Donald Trump has been encouraging car companies to do business in the US. Volkswagen Group, which is the second largest car manufacturer in the world, will be joining a number of other car manufacturers in moving production to the United States for the German automaker's luxury brand, Audi, per the Daily Mail. A spokesman for the company told the outlet, "We want to localize more strongly in the USA. To this end, we are currently examining various scenarios....
  • Jay Leno Pushes Bill to End Smog Checks in California for Vehicles 35 Years or Older

    05/08/2025 6:46:46 PM PDT · by nickcarraway · 17 replies
    San Jose Mercury News ^ | May 8, 2025 | Paul Rogers
    Comedian says it would benefit auto enthusiasts, while environmentalists say it would increase air pollutionShould old cars get a break from California’s smog check laws? Former Tonight Show host and avid car collector Jay Leno thinks so. He’s thrown his support behind a bill in the state legislature that would exempt vehicles 35 years or older from the state’s requirement to pass a smog check test that most other California vehicles face every two years. “I know there’s nothing more annoying than Hollywood people involved in politics,” Leno said at a rally at the state Capitol last month. “But this...
  • The Most Reliable Used-Car Brands in 2025

    05/08/2025 8:26:14 PM PDT · by SeekAndFind · 67 replies
    Visual Capitalist ^ | 05/08/2025 | Marcus Lu
    In today’s environment, buying a new car has become a stretch for many households - fueling demand in the used-car market. But not all used vehicles are created equal, and reliability plays a major role in long-term ownership costs.For buyers looking to avoid expensive repairs down the road, brand reputation is more important than ever.In this graphic, Visual Capitalist's Marcus Lu ranked the best used-car brands of 2025, using data from Consumer Reports.Data & MethodologyTo come up with these reliability scores, Consumer Reports asked its members to report how many problems they’ve had with their vehicles over the past 12...
  • Are Quick Drain Oil Plugs A Great Idea, Or A Disaster Waiting To Happen?

    05/06/2025 4:47:52 PM PDT · by nickcarraway · 66 replies
    Jalopnik ^ | MAY 5, 2025 | Richard Sachekmay
    I might be in the minority of car owners, but I actually enjoy changing my oil. My local big box store has bargain prices for jugs of long-lasting full-synthetic oil and carries OEM filters, so I can usually get out the door for less than $40 in materials for a DIY full-synthetic oil change. Saving money is definitely nice, but so is peace of mind. I'm forever scarred by the time my wife took her SUV to a rapid oil change place that didn't fully tighten the drain plug. Fortunately, we caught the growing oil slick in our driveway before...
  • GOP leader confirms plan to kill $7,500 EV tax credit in budget

    05/06/2025 1:12:12 PM PDT · by Red Badger · 30 replies
    electrek ^ | May 06, 2025 | Staff
    Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson confirmed that current discussions about the $7,500 federal tax credit for electric vehicles in the budget would “more likely than not” result in killing the EV incentive. The US Congress is back from its April pause, and negotiations over the federal budget continue. As part of the new budget, the Trump administration is pushing for further tax cuts that the new tariffs can’t compensate for. This will lead to an even bigger deficit, which Trump campaigned on fixing. Elon Musk’s DOGE effort was supposed to cut $2 trillion in expenses, but the target has since...
  • STOP Following OEM Oil Advice (GM Recall Proves Why)

    05/05/2025 7:15:01 PM PDT · by MtnClimber · 76 replies
    youtube ^ | 3 May, 2025 | The Motor Oil Geek
    724,753 views May 3, 2025 #motoroil #chevy #viscosity GM recently issued a recall that impacts Chevy, GMC and Cadillac trucks and SUV’s that feature the 6.2 L87 V8, and even if you don’t have one of these vehicles, it reveals important information. Let’s break down the recall and how it actually busts the internet motor oil myth that you can’t use an oil thicker than what the OEM recommended. Here is the proper framework for making decisions regarding oil. Step 1 - Utilize the OEM recommended oil and do two early oil changes during the break-in process (500 to 1,000...
  • House Votes to Overturn California’s Ban on Gas Cars

    05/04/2025 6:01:52 PM PDT · by SeekAndFind · 11 replies
    Unleash Prosperity ^ | 05/02/2025 | Stephen Moore
    We have been strong supporters of this Congressional Review Act effort because the automobile market is clearly interstate commerce. And Biden let Calfiornia take the lead to eventually ban internal combustion vehicles nationally.Banning gas cars is wildly unpopular. This may explain why every House Republican and 35 House Democrats – the biggest bipartisan vote on a green issue in recent memory – voted to let Americans drive the car of their choice.These are the 35 Democrats who voted yes, including two from California and six from New York:Next up is the Senate. Maybe.The Senate Parliamentarian is reportedly taking the puzzling...
  • Electric Jeep bursts into flames at Google campus charging station (Mountain View, CA)

    05/02/2025 8:04:06 PM PDT · by ProtectOurFreedom · 33 replies
    KRON TV Channel 4, San Francisco ^ | May 2, 2025 | Ryan Mense
    A Jeep Wrangler EV parked at Google’s headquarters in Mountain View burst into flames Thursday before spreading to three other nearby vehicles, according to the Mountain View Fire Department. Firefighters responded at 4:53 p.m. to the report of smoke coming from a parking lot charging station in the 1300 block of Shorebird Way. Arriving crews found an active fire involving the Jeep EV along with two Teslas and a Honda. Using a preconnected hose line, firefighters got the flames under control and prevented the spread to additional vehicles in the area, MVFD said. No injuries were reported in the fire....
  • GM Recalling 600K Vehicles Over Engine Issue

    04/29/2025 6:19:32 AM PDT · by V_TWIN · 95 replies
    newsmax.com ^ | 29 April 2025
    GM is recalling nearly 600,000 SUVs and trucks in the United States due to engine issues, it announced Tuesday. The Detroit automaker is recalling 2021 through 2024 model year Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Suburban, and Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles with 6.2L V8 gas engines. It said the connecting rod and crankshaft engine components may have manufacturing defects that can lead to engine damage or failure. GM said it identified 12 crashes and 12 injuries in the United States that may be related to the recall issue. Dealers will inspect the engine...
  • The Fakest and Gayest Mustang Ever

    04/28/2025 9:01:30 AM PDT · by Red Badger · 54 replies
    Eric Peters Autos ^ | April 27, 2025 | Eric Peters
    Carroll Shelby is gone – thank God. He is thus spared the indignity of knowing his name has been affixed to a device that’s neither a Shelby nor a Mustang. It is a device that pretends to be both. More finely, a device that trades on both those names in what is arguably the most embarrassing-ever attempt to do just that. ELVIS impersonator VIDEO AT LINK................. Let’s begin by talking about the device in question. It is not a bad device – as devices go. But it is as much a “Mustang” as an Elvis impersonator is Elvis. It’s worse,...
  • Bezos-backed Slate Auto reveals its new customizable $20,000 EV [Truck]

    04/24/2025 9:52:00 PM PDT · by Red Badger · 46 replies
    Fast Company ^ | April 24, 2025 | Kristin Toussaint
    Slate Auto’s new vehicle is designed to make EVs more accessible by making most features optional add-ons. The company says it will start delivering vehicles in 2026. *************************************************************** A new auto startup is launching with a made-in-America EV that with federal tax credits will cost just $20,000. Backed by Jeff Bezos and Eric Schmidt, Slate Auto says that affordable price is possible because of its pared-down, basic model that can then be customized—and even transformed from a truck into an SUV. Slate Auto has been in stealth for almost three years, says CEO Chris Barman, who worked as a Chrysler...
  • California expands its electric school bus fleet as federal freeze paused efforts elsewhere

    04/24/2025 5:31:51 AM PDT · by Oldeconomybuyer · 7 replies
    The Associated Press ^ | April 23, 2025
    SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California is spending $500 million to put an additional 1,000 electric school buses on the road as federal cuts and freezes paused efforts in other states to replace aging diesel-fueled fleets that are more polluting. Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office announced Wednesday that 1,000 zero-emission school buses and related charging infrastructure will be provided to over 130 rural, low-income and disadvantaged school districts. The state grants add about 500 more charging stations for school buses to more than 200 stations already in operation in districts. The expansion contrasts efforts in other states that were hampered by the...