Europe’s largest car maker, Volkswagen, is harbouring a “dark secret” according to Greenpeace. Despite its populist and consumer-friendly image, VW stands accused of greenwashing its dirty activities, trying to water down action on climate change and refusing to make popular models more fuel efficient. According to Greenpeace, the car maker has repeatedly claimed that it … Read More
Fuel Efficiency
Enviros Say Climate Bill Should be “Fixed or Ditched”
Cometh the hour, the old phrase goes, cometh the man. Barack Obama is staking much of his high credibility by calling for the House to pass the landmark US Climate bill, that may come before the House this afternoon. Or it may not, depending on the political drama. While Democratic support has been growing, some … Read More
The End of the Road
Within hours, the giant will be dead. General Motors will be no more. The world’s largest car maker will file for bankruptcy in a New York court room. With $176.4bn of liabilities – it will be the world’s largest industrial bankruptcy, the world’s third largest to date, after Lehman Brothers and Worldcom. The colossus of … Read More
Obama’s First Step on Fuel Standards
Years and years ago I sat in a meeting entitled “Talking with the Enemy” where a bunch of enviros sat down with leading corporate executives and talked about the topical issues of the day. One of the participants was the man from Volvo who talked about the company’s prototype vehicle the LCP 2000, that could, … Read More
Obama to Tighten Auto Fuel Efficiency Standards
In another break from the failed Bush policies, today President Obama is expected to direct federal regulators to allow an application by California and 13 other states to set strict automobile emission and fuel efficiency standards. Known as the “Californian waiver” under the Clean Air Act, it would allow Californian and 13 others to set … Read More
The End of the Road?
It is over fifty years ago when the then Chief Executive of General Motors, Charles Wilson, famously told the Senate in 1953 that “for years I thought that what was good for our country was good for General Motors, and vice versa”. Not any more. It could well be the end of the road for … Read More
The $50 Billion Bail-Out
I wonder how Main-Street feels about this one. Even though millions of Americans are already outraged over bailing out Wall Street, they are now being asked to bail out Detroit too. Later this morning expect dismal third-quarter results from GM and Ford, estimated at $2 billion each, which will probably plunge the markets even deeper … Read More
“A Good Day for Democracy”
Whilst the biggest political fight of the moment in Congress concerning the toxic bank bail-out continues to make headlines, another bitter political fight is coming to a head, but this one is in Brussels. On the one side are progressive MEPs, and members of the European Commission coupled with environmental groups and scientists who are … Read More
EU “Should Ban Inefficient Cars”
No that is not some long-haired environmentalist speaking, but the ex-chairman of Shell, Sir Mark Moody-Stuart. He is arguing that the EU should ban the sale of cars that do under 35 miles to the gallon (good thing his is not saying that in America – the roads would be empty!!)
A “Green Hummer” – you are having a laugh…
Now its getting silly. The American motor industry’s rush to greenwash its products has now even affected the Hummer, with GM announcing yesterday an ethanol-powered version of the military-style vehicle. General Motors kicked off the Detroit motor show by revealing biofuel-propelled prototypes of a Hummer, even though the car does just 16 litres per 100km … Read More