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Researchers find consumers compensate for fuel-efficient car by buying bigger second vehicle; losing 60% of fuel economy savings

Green Car Congress

An analysis by a team from the University of California, Davis, MIT and Yale suggests that households that buy a fuel-efficient vehicle tend to compensate for that purchase by buying a bigger, more powerful second vehicle. This unintended effect could erode goals of fuel economy standard policies by up to 60%.

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UMD collaborative study finds that fuel efficiency of one car in household may be cancelled out by next car purchase

Green Car Congress

In a recent collaborative study led by the University of Maryland (UMD), researchers found that consumers tend to buy something less fuel efficient than they normally would for their second car after buying an eco-friendly vehicle. The data revealed multiple trends that correlate with a decrease in overall fuel economy and efficiency.

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MIT study finds air quality co-benefits of US carbon policies can significantly offset costs, depending upon the policy

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The human health benefits associated with improvements in air quality related to the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions improvements can offset 26–1,050% of the cost of US carbon policies, depending upon the type of policy, according to a new study by a team from MIT. precursors through 2030.

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Study finds CO2 emissions trading more effective path to automotive CO2 reduction in Europe than tailpipe standards

Green Car Congress

Switching from the automotive standards to the trading scheme could save as much as €63 billion, says the study’s lead author Sergey Paltsev, deputy director at MIT’s Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change and senior research scientist at the MIT Energy Initiative.

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EcoMotors CEO Joints Board of Transonic Combustion

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a start-up developing a supercritical fuel injection system that can improve the fuel economy of internal combustion engines by between 50-75% ( earlier post ), announced that Donald Runkle, CEO of EcoMotors, has joined Transonic’s board of directors. Transonic Combustion, Inc.,

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Consumer Federation of America Calls for LDV CAFE Standard of 60 MPG for 2025

Green Car Congress

A new economic analysis in an issue brief from the Consumer Federation of America (CFA) is recommending that the Obama Administration set a fleet-wide car and light truck fuel economy standard of 60 mpg (3.92 The Obama Administration will release a Notice of Intent for 2017-2025 light duty fuel economy standards on 30 September.

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MIT study finds carbon prices more cost-effective than fuel economy regs at reducing CO2 emissions; fuel economy regs more efficient at reducing fuel use

Green Car Congress

Researchers at the MIT Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change have compared the worldwide economic, environmental, and energy impacts of currently planned fuel economy standards (extended to the year 2050) with those of region-specific carbon prices designed to yield identical CO 2 emissions reductions.