article thumbnail

American Fuel Consumption Goes Down, Prices Do Not

The Truth About Cars

The Energy Information Administration (EIA) estimates that Americans were burning through a million fewer barrels of oil last week than they were the week before. What isn’t dropping is oil prices and that seems to be making all the difference. million bbl.

Price 105
article thumbnail

Opinion: Stop Blaming OPEC For Low Prices

Green Car Congress

OPEC altered the course of the oil markets last year when it decided to cast aside its traditional role of maintaining balance through production cuts. Instead it pursued a strategy of fighting for market share, contributing to an immediate rout in oil prices. It is an absurd scenario, but not so different from the world of oil.

article thumbnail

Frost & Sullivan: market for lightweight materials in automobiles to reach $95.34B in 2017

Green Car Congress

These laws have resulted in the lowering of vehicles’ weight through the replacement of heavy materials in certain systems with lighter alternatives, as the weight of the automobile has a direct bearing on its fuel efficiency.

2017 210
article thumbnail

Nikkei: popularity of fuel-efficient vehicles lowering demand for gasoline in Japan

Green Car Congress

Prices at the pump are falling in Japan not only due to lower crude oil prices, but also because the widespread popularity of fuel-efficient vehicles has lowered demand for gasoline.A Next-generation cars will account for 56% of all automobiles in Japan in fiscal 2030, the agency predicted in a report released in mid-June.

Japan 258
article thumbnail

Panasonic Group confirms it will supply Li-ion batteries for Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid

Green Car Congress

Given the growing public concern for conserving the environment and escalating oil prices, the demand for rechargeable batteries for eco-friendly vehicles is expected to grow rapidly. This will be the first time for the Panasonic Group to supply its lithium-ion batteries for a mass production plug-in hybrid vehicle. Click to enlarge.

Li-ion 199
article thumbnail

Volkswagen Group invested €11.5B (US$12.9B) in R&D in 2014; ongoing focus on electromobility and digitalization of vehicles

Green Car Congress

It may come as a surprise for you, but I highly welcome the interest of Apple, Google and others in the automobile. Winterkorn introduced Future Tracks at the Geneva Show in 2014, saying that over the next few years, the automotive industry will face one of the greatest upheavals since the invention of the automobile. —Prof.

2014 150
article thumbnail

Navigant forecasts global annual natural gas vehicle sales to reach 3.9M in 2025, up 62.5% from 2015

Green Car Congress

However, the collapse in global oil prices has eroded a significant portion of the natural gas cost advantage. Additional issues that could hinder growth prospects include ongoing political tensions in Eastern Europe that could affect supply and the prices of gas exports from Russia to Western Europe.

2015 150