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Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn resigns amid emissions scandal
Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn announced his resignation on Wednesday, following a tumultuous week for the company. On September 18th, the Environmental Protection Agency ordered Volkswagen to recall 500,000 of its diesel passenger cars because they included software that hid the vehicles' true emissions output from regulators. "I am stunned that misconduct on such a scale was possible in the Volkswagen Group," Winterkorn said in a statement obtained by CNBC. Winterkorn denied any wrongdoing on his own part, but he accepted "responsibility for the irregularities that have been found in diesel engines."
Volkswagen thinks emissions scandal could cost it $7.3 billion
After admitting it had altered software to misreport the emissions of its diesel cars, Volkswagen is allocating some serious money to help it save face. The company said today it's set aside a whopping 6.5 billion euros ($7.3 billion) to "cover the necessary service measures and other efforts to win back the trust of our customers." The US Environmental Protection Agency had previously found that the carmaker was utilizing a "defeat device" (software tricks) that would detect when a car was being tested and enable its full emissions control systems. However, once returned to normal mode, a confirmed 11 million Volkswagen and Audi models sold from 2009 emit high levels of nitrogen oxide, which aids air pollution and can cause respiratory issues.
Volkswagen to recall about 500,000 cars over sneaky software
Volkswagen has been told to recall about half a million of its diesel passenger cars. The German automaker ran into trouble with the Obama administration for allegedly installing a sneaky software that's designed to disguise the cars' pollutants during Environmental Protection Agency's stringent emissions testing. The agency caught the violation and went after the carmaker for employing the "defeat device" -- a system that's programmed to know when the car's being tested so it automatically turns on its full emissions control systems. Post-testing It then goes back to normal mode, where those controls are switched off, during everyday driving circumstances.
Obama orders 40 percent cut in federal government's carbon emissions
No matter how hard his opponents try to ignore or deny climate change, President Barack Obama won't back down. That's why the commander in chief has signed an executive order that'll ensure the federal government cuts its greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent in the next decade. In addition, agencies will be required to increase the amount of renewable energy it uses up to at least 30 percent in the same period of time.
Australia drops carbon tax in favor of paying industries to use clean energy
For years, Australia has tried to fight polluters through a carbon tax that charges the most egregious offenders based on their greenhouse gas emissions. Prime Minister Tony Abbott doesn't believe that this strategy is helping much, however, and has just won a Senate vote that scraps the tax altogether. The nation will instead spend $2.55 billion AUD ($2.4 billion US) on the Emissions Reduction Fund, an attempt to curb pollution by paying industries to both reduce their emissions as well as use clean energy sources like solar and wind farms. In theory, it's a win-win: the average Australian home saves money ($550 AUD per year, Abbott's government says), but companies still have an incentive to use eco-friendly technology.
Chevy Volts invade NYC police fleet, give cops all new ways to taze bros
New York's boys in blue will soon be able to creep up on evildoers with even more subtlety, thanks to some new electrified vehicles the city unveiled yesterday. As part of Mayor Michael Bloomberg's environmentally-friendly PlaNYC initiative, 70 new EVs have been added to the city's fleet of public cars, in the hopes of lowering emissions and creating a "greener, greater New York City." Joining the force are ten Ford Transit Connect cargo vans, ten Navi-star E-star trucks and a full 50 Chevy Volts -- some of which will be used as NYPD squad cars. These newcomers will be shared among nine different departments, joining 360 other city plug-ins already purring their way across the five boroughs. Bloomberg is also working toward adding EVs to New York's army of 13,000 taxis -- which we're totally cool with, as long as they're not minivans. Zip past the break for a rather Homeric press release.
Smug alert: Google says it has largest corporate EV charging network in the US (video)
Things are just getting greener and greener over at Google. Yesterday, the company triumphantly declared that its Mountain View campus now boasts the largest corporate EV charging network in the US, with some 200 chargers currently in place, plus an extra 250 that are on the way. It's all part of El Goog's RechargeIt sustainability initiative, launched in 2007, which has also given rise to the Gfleet -- a set of company-owned plug-ins made available for employees. Now that Google has purchased some extra Chevy Volts and Nissan Leafs, this Gfleet will eventually expand to include a total of 30 EVs, which explains the expansion of its ChargePoint Network. The ultimate goal is to have charging stations at five percent of Mountain View's parking spaces, all of which will be searchable on Google Maps, and available for employees to use for free. The company hopes this initiative will encourage more people to purchase EVs, and estimates that it'll eventually save a total of 5,400 tonnes of CO2 per year -- the equivalent to removing about 2,000 cars from the road. Head past the break for a video on the program, or hit up the source link if you'd like to help Google pat itself on the back.
Tesla Roadster 2.5 gets 119 MPGe rating from EPA, still as expensive as ever (updated)
Move over, Nissan, because there's a new MPGe king in town. Yesterday, the EPA anointed Tesla scored its Roadster 2.5 with an MPGe rating of 119, which would make it the most fuel-efficient car on the market. That places the plug-in ahead of both the Nissan Leaf (99 MPGe) and Chevy Volt (93 MPGe). According to the government-approved mock-up window sticker, Tesla's EV can last for up to 245 miles on a single, eight-hour charge, while getting the equivalent of 112 miles per gallon on the highway and 124 in the city. The original Roadster, meanwhile, received an MPGe score of 111 yesterday, with ratings of 105 on the open road and 116 in the city. Both models scored a perfect 10 for their greenhouse gas and smog emissions, though those ratings probably didn't factor in all the cash you'd have to burn to actually buy one. Update: We just heard from the EPA, which clarified that this is not their official rating for the Roadster 2.5. These numbers are Tesla's, and the window sticker itself is a mockup - not a legitimate sticker from the EPA. Still, if you'd like to see it, it's down after the break.
EPA's letter grade automobile stickers could bring QR codes to car windows in 2013
Ever wonder how the world would still turn after MPG stickers were updated to take hybrids and EVs into consideration? Wonder no more. Purportedly, the Environmental Protection Agency is planning to decide by July's end whether it'll require "emissions grades" on all new vehicles. We're told that said stickers would resemble those shown above, complete with a QR code that could be scanned by any smartphone for more detailed information on how a grade was decided upon. As the story goes, cars would be graded from A through D, with a score of F presumably omitted for political correctness. If implemented, it wouldn't require automakers to slap these onto their rides until the 2013 model year, but as you'd expect, said car companies aren't exactly pumped about the idea. As of now, 40 percent of the vehicles on American roads would receive Cs or Ds, and Ohio's own Rep. Steven LaTourette had this to say about it: "Those who live in Planet Reality might need a minivan or SUV to haul around four kids in child and booster seats, and have room for luggage and a family dog. Thanks to the EPA, they'll be lucky to find a vehicle that gets a C." In truth, he's dead right, but there's always two sides to every story. To counter the obvious, automakers are instead backing "a more modest labeling redesign" that's not quite so jarring to consumers. Ah, the wonders of compromise.
Wasted heat from Metro stations to heat apartment building in Paris
Close to the Centre Georges Pompidou on the Rue Beauborg, Paris Habitats renovating a residential building in an environmentally friendly manner, and it's including some pretty out of the ordinary heating methods in it. The old building has a staircase which connects to the Metro station beneath it, thus making it cost effective to build the system, which will produce heat from the bodies of the people and trains moving below, and will be used in conjunction with a traditional heating system. It is thought that it will be able to cut carbon dioxide emissions by one third when the building is completed. The project is set to get underway next year.
GPS study finds that real-time traffic updates save drivers four days per year
You know what we hate? Sitting in gridlock when we could be, you know, out doin' stuff. At the very least, it's the antithesis of the "wind in your hair," Dean Moriarty-esque image we've carefully cultivated over the years. "If only," we say to ourselves, "there was a way to find routes that were free of congestion." Sure, we've heard all about your fancy real-time traffic updates -- but how well do they actually work? According to a study by the GIS data and services company NAVTEQ (so, you know, take it with a grain of salt), drivers that use GPS systems with real-time traffic info spend 18% less time behind the wheel than those who do not (that's a whopping four days over the course of a single year, or enough time to watch 1 1/2 Peter Watkins films). In addition, the company says that smarter navigation has been shown to lower CO2 output by 21 percent -- which is a good deal, no matter how you slice it. There's been no study yet to determine how drastically driver performance would decrease if Bob Dylan was the voice of your PND, but we'll definitely keep our eyes out for that one.
Electric MINI spotted in Munich, expected at 2008 LA Auto Show
Check it, Cooper fans -- that electric MINI we've been sporadically hearing about is for real, and we've seen the spy shots that prove it. Car has hosted up a slew of non-blurry (gasp!) snaps of the eco-friendly whip cruising around Munich, and just in case the complete absence of an exhaust pipe wasn't evidence enough, maybe the "Hybrid Test Vehicle" decals will make you a believer. Also of note, we're now hearing that the car is on track for a 2008 Los Angeles motor show appearance, which jibes quite well with the purported summer 2009 US launch. [Via RegHardware]
Moletech Fuel Saver theoretically saves fuel
Add Moletech to the growing list of companies trying to cash in on going green -- they claim their new Fuel Saver cuts down on emissions and improves fuel economy in all fossil fueled engines. After some preliminary testing the California Environment Engineering Center for Environmental Research seems to agree that the device does actually work, but until more rigorous assessments are made your, uh, mileage may vary. The "universal product" comes in eight models to fit any size vehicle from cars to scooters to boats, with prices ranging from $119 to $299 USD. If you install one in your Prius and start contributing back to the grid, be sure to let us know.
Vodafone Germany rolls out Ericsson's eco-friendly cell equipment
For Ericsson and for the world at large, the company's new Base Transceiver Station Standby feature means a possible reduction of 1 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions if the software upgrade were to be rolled out globally. For Vodafone Germany, it represents a power savings of 10 to 20 percent -- and therefore an energy bill 10 to 20 percent lower -- and while we reckon that's not quite as scrupulous a reason, it's still a win / win situation as far as we're concerned. The so-called BTS Standby upgrade is compatible with Ericsson tower equipment manufactured since 1995, giving hope that it could end up seeing fairly rapid and widespread acceptance across the world's GSM carriers, inching us toward Ericsson's lofty CO2 emission reduction claim. Don't suppose Vodafone would want to go with some of those tower tubes while they're at it, would they?
Laser printer particle researcher fires back at HP
After Australian researchers delivered a damning report claiming that HP's printers were at the top of the heap for expelling dangerous, potentially cancer-causing, ultra-fine particles, the company responded with a lengthy press release which essentially "debunked" the study's findings -- and now the researchers have fired back to the Australian press. The printer-maker claimed that the study of ultra-fine particles was a "new" science, to which Lidia Morawska, head of the project, says simply isn't true. According to her, the European Commission has added a particle number limit to its emissions standards for light vehicles, which Morawska claims is a normally "lengthy" process. Additionally, she says that there is "considerable toxicological evidence of potential detrimental effects of ultra-fine particles on human health," based on the current World Health Organization's Air Quality Guidelines. The scientist further refutes HP's claims that the particles "cannot be accurately characterised by analytical technology," by stating that the study found plenty of printer models which carried no dangerous emissions at all, suggesting clear differences in the variety of particle output. Obviously this debate is just getting started, though we'll be avoiding superfluous laser printing while the jury is out... just to be safe.
Team Velozzi creating sexy Automotive X-Prize participant
While we've seen a couple of entrants into the Automotive X-Prize competition so far, Team Velozzi has announced a showstopper of a vehicle that will reportedly be created for the contest. Aiming to craft a vehicle that gets around 200 miles-per-gallon and receives locomotion from potent Li-ion batteries, the R&D group's potential participant currently resembles vehicles from some of the more exotic of automakers. Curiously, the company's website insinuates that it wants the vehicle to be "mainstream," but with specs consisting of a full carbon-fiber body / chassis, Brembo brakes and racing suspension, a multi-format hybrid energy system, "high-end interior," a Weismann F1 transmission, and twin AC electric engines, we can't exactly imagine this supercar fitting into the average joe's (or jane's) budget. Still, there's no denying the sexy regardless of cost, so be sure to hit the links below to get a more in-depth view of Velozzi's forthcoming automobile.[Via AutoblogGreen]
UK households to get "free" energy monitors
The environmentalists in the UK have certainly been earning their paychecks of late, as it's been the Brits who have looked at outlawing standby buttons, offered up a way to kill power en masse, and now, officials are readying the launch of free household energy monitors to bring wasteful habits to light. As a part of the upcoming Energy White Paper, England is hoping that the real-time monitors "will help cut greenhouse gas emissions and the amount of energy wasted by appliances being left on standby." The devices are supposed to give dwellers a quick look at just how much energy is going to waste by leaving the bathroom light on, and a handheld extension allows you to view the killowatt-burning action from all over your domicile. Of course, it should be noted that while citizens can request one for free starting sometime in 2008, "the cost of the scheme will either be recouped through taxes or their energy bills."[Image courtesy of MoreAssociates]
Swedes envision greener navigation routing
We can all agree that having a navigation system at all helps the environment out, since you'll be headed right where you need to go (well, most of the time, anyway) rather than spinning your wheels trying to figure out what's what, but a group of Swedish researchers have envisioned a plan that could actually help drivers cut down on emissions without even requiring them to hop in a hybrid. Instead of sorting your routes by criteria like "shortest distance" or "near food," Eva Ericsson at the Lund Institute of Technology in Sweden would rather you follow the path of least resistance, which would channel through the most efficient pathway depending on traffic, time of day, and speed limit. The team has trialed various routes and estimates that its thrifty approach to navigating provides fuel savings of "near four percent," but commercializing the idea has some tall hurdles ahead. A spokesperson for NAVTEQ insinuated that re-mapping the current roadways based on these scenarios is practically infeasible, and the idea only becomes marginally plausible if drivers were to volunteer en masse to use their vehicle as a "probe" device that could track and record data as they drove, slowly covering larger areas. Of course, folks aren't apt to cruise around for hundreds of miles (and burn through multiple tanks of fuel) on a whim, but with the right marketing approach, it's possible to turn an entire fleet of vehicles into one giant guinea pig.
