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WASHINGTON — A federal court in New York on Monday blocked the Trump administration's decision to delay a rule that would raise penalties for automakers who do not meet federal fuel efficiency requirements. The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issued an order vacating the July 2017 decision of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to suspend a 2016 Obama administration regulation. The regulation, set to take effect in September, would more than double penalties. Automakers protested the hike, saying it could increase industry compliance costs by $1 billion annually. Congress ordered federal agencies in 2015 to adjust civil penalties to account for inflation. In response, NHTSA proposed raising fines for every gallon of fuel that new cars and trucks consume in excess of required standards under the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) program, but delayed the effective date to September 2018. NHTSA said in a statement on Monday it "is aware of the order … [Read more...] about Court blocks Trump administration from delaying higher CAFE penalties

This year's Detroit Auto Show was a bit light on forward-looking concepts, so the Infiniti Q Inspiration was a highlight, what with it's gorgeous curves and elegant interior. And lucky for us, Infiniti has decided to bring the lovely sedan to production. It will have a substantial difference to the concept, though ... The concept version used the variable-compression turbocharged four-cylinder from the QX50, which was a bit of a surprise considering the car's grille was nearly filled in. The production Q Inspiration will eschew the purely internal combustion engine for an electrified powertrain. Infiniti hasn't given any details, but that wording seems to indicate that it will be some kind of hybrid, or — less likely — an EV. Supporting the hybrid theory is the fact that Infiniti plans on putting this new sedan into production within five years. Infiniti has previously announced that its first full EV will launch in 2021, which is just three years out. That being said, we … [Read more...] about Infiniti Q Inspiration inspires electrified vehicle platform

We need to add another high-tech 18-wheeler entry to the growing list of players at the table: Shell collaborated with AirFlow Truck Company the truck you see above, dubbed Starship. The tractor-trailer combo isn't the wildest rival in the bunch, but it features the best of current technology aided by a host of major and minor tweaks from stem to stern. Shell considers the the Class 8 Truck equivalent of the Project M T25 city car it worked on with legendary English designer Gordon Murray.fuel-saving tweak called "downspeeding." The idea is that for every reduction of 100 rpm at a given road speed, a truck gets one-percent more fuel efficient. Active grille shutters in the nose do their part for a few more tenths in mpg, as do low-viscosity Shell lubricants and Shell synthetic base oils.essentially miles per gallon times payload weight, a more effective way to gauge efficiency considering payload variables.Tesla Semi, the Nikola One and Thor Trucks among the upstarts trying to overhaul … [Read more...] about Shell and Airflow create Starship 18-wheeler to further shake up the segment

Last week, Volkswagen announced its Electrify America would build EV charging stations at over 100 Walmart locations around the country, adding to our needed recharging infrastructure. Today, Target followed suit, saying it will do its own buildout, raising the number of chargers at its properties from 18 to more than 600 parking spaces over the next two years. They'll be located at more than 100 sites in 20 states. The retail chain is partnering with multiple charging providers for the project, including Electrify America and Target's current partners ChargePoint and Tesla. Target cited the increasing popularity of electric vehicles as the reason for the decision, with a quarter of cars sold by 2030 expected to be EVs. "Accelerating our efforts to install new charging stations at Target stores across the country is one way we're building on our commitment to investing in solutions that leave our communities better for future families," said Target VP of Property Management John … [Read more...] about Target targets 600 EV chargers in 2 years

SEOUL - General Motors' South Korean unit dropped a plan to consider filing for bankruptcy after winning concessions on pay, bonuses and benefits from its labor union in a tentative deal reached on Monday. The deal will pave the way for nearly $500 million in fresh capital injection by the South Korean government, providing much-needed liquidity to GM Korea to pay employees and its suppliers, but slumping vehicle sales and low factory run-rates raise questions about its longer-term future. The concessions by GM Korea's powerful auto union are expected to heap pressure on other auto unions for similar moves, at a time when South Korea's auto industry is grappling with higher labor costs and sluggish demand from the United States and other markets. "Through the latest agreement, GM Korea will be a competitive manufacturing company," Kaher Kazem, chief executive of GM Korea, said in a statement in Korean. GM shocked South Korea in February when it unveiled a major restructuring plan for … [Read more...] about GM Korea drops bankruptcy plan after last-minute wage deal

It seems that Volkswagen is rolling out a new I.D. concept every few months, all previewing a production car arriving next year. In just the past few months, we've seen the I.D. Buzz, I.D. Crozz and I.D. Vizzion. Today, there's a new high-performance version, the Volkswagen I.D. R Pikes Peak. As the name implies, this is made to tackle the world's most infamous hill climb. We got some basic stats and some renderings just over a month ago. The car will drive 12.42 miles and take on 156 turns racing to the summit of the mountain in Colorado. The current lap record is 8:13.878, but Volkswagen is likely aiming for the climb's current EV record of 8:57.11. The car will be powered by two electric motors. Total output is 680 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque. The car has been in development for just eight months. The team behind the car said weight was the biggest obstacle. Even with heavy batteries, the team managed to keep the weight under 2,500 lbs. Some aero elements were taken … [Read more...] about Volkswagen I.D. R Pikes Peak debuts, ready to tackle the EV record

Wells Fargo & Co will pay $1 billion to settle with U.S. regulators who say the bank wrongly layered insurance on hundreds of thousands of drivers and routinely hit homebuyers with excessive fees, officials said on Friday. The penalty was a record from the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and comes more than eighteen months after Wells Fargo admitted it opened sham accounts for customers - a practice that likely ensnared millions. Wells Fargo said the settlement lowers its first-quarter 2018 net income by 16 cents per share to 96 cents per share. It had flagged a possible settlement when it reported earnings last week and said then it may need to restate results. The penalty is the first by Mick Mulvaney, whom U.S. President Donald Trump tapped in November as interim head of the CFPB, and fulfills Trump's vow to come down hard on the country's third-largest lender. Mulvaney has worked to dial back the reach of the independent agency, and Reuters has reported the … [Read more...] about Wells Fargo officially agrees to $1B penalty: What’s in the settlement

Lithium battery technology company Alternet Systems says it's forming a new company to build an electric motorcycle based on Chinese replicas of the classic 1938 BMW R71 sidecar motorcycle. That's the one used by German troops during World War II, and by Steve McQueen to outrun them in the 1963 film "The Great Escape." The new company will be called ReVolt Electric Motorbikes, and the first version will be called the ReVolt Classic Electric Motorbike. The company confirms that the motorcycle will be based off the CJ750, a Chinese-made replica of the Soviet-era M-72 sidecar motorcycle, which itself was a replica of the original BMW R71. It's currently made through multiple manufacturers under the Chang Jiang brand name. "We have purchased from more than one manufacturing company and will be evaluating the bikes here in the U.S.," company spokesman Mike Murphy told Autoblog via email. While details are scarce, it'll be powered by an electric motor paired with Alternet's lithium … [Read more...] about ReVolt plans retro electric motorcycle based on WWII-era BMW

Roush Performance has launched the 2018 Roush Super Duty F-250, an aggressive off-road truck that adds upgraded, raised suspension, beefier wheels with all-terrain tires and other features to the Ford base model. Roush says it's the first time it has entered the Super Duty market. Its distinctive looks start with an aggressive new grille with integrated accent lighting and the Roush logo. There's also a front-bumper cover — Roush says it retains compatability with Ford's adaptive cruise control — and custom body-color fender flares, also with integrated accent lighting, to add to the aggressive look. Diesel versions get a stainless steel DPF-Back exhaust system with large dual tips for optimal sound. Inside, there are custom Roush-embroidered headrests, a serialized console badge and WeatherTech molded floor mats. Customizable Roush graphics abound and include a Roush USA flag, rocker blackout with accent color and a windshield banner, all available via Roush's vehicle … [Read more...] about Roush unveils gnarly Ford Super Duty F-250

With the manual transmission becoming less common as time goes on, there are fewer opportunities to learn how to use it and subsequently order a car with one. In response to this, Honda hosted an experience in the Los Angeles area near Angeles Crest Highway called "Shifting Gears." There Honda brought out a bunch of its own manual-equipped cars to teach people how to use a manual transmission. Honda had some cool cars available, too. In addition to new cars such as the Accord, Civic and Fit, the company brought out some older models such as an early Civic CVCC, a Prelude Type SH, and the hardcore S2000 CR. The event included low-speed areas to teach those with little to no experience how to handle a manual, and those with more experience could drive the cars on the Angeles Crest Highway, the road where we got our first taste of the new Civic Si. Honda's program isn't the only one to run a program like this, though. Hagerty Insurance has been running "Hagerty Driving Experience" … [Read more...] about Honda program teaches young drivers to use manual transmission