Volvo Trucks is expanding its model range in Europe with a new version of the Volvo FE running entirely on natural gas. Methane gas is odorless when combusted and it contains very low levels of harmful particles. Engines Heavy-duty Natural Gas Volvo FE CNG. Click to enlarge. MORE

Last year, Nissan sold almost 330,000 Rogues in the U.S., making it by far the brand's most popular model. For 2017, the compact crossover utility vehicle has added a new model, a hybrid that competes with the very successful Toyota RAV4 Hybrid—of which 44,000 were delivered last year. We recently spent four days and almost 380 miles with. hybrid SUV MORE

That''s because road maintenance is heavily reliant on revenue from gas taxes, and that revenue is shrinking as cars use less fuel--and those that run on grid electricity use none. Green Gas Tax Infrastructure Oregon plug-in cars state laws taxes As cars get more efficient, their owners spend less money on fuel. That''s good for their wallets and for the environment, but not so good for the nation''s infrastructure. MORE

emissions Germany greenhouse gas Fuel Economy carbon dioxideGermany is one of several countries with aggressive plans to curb transportation-related carbon emissions. Over the past few years, its large domestic car industry has worked to improve fuel efficiency--and even launched several plug-in electric models. But a recent study claims the transportation sector in Germany is the only one that hasn't, in. MORE

The oil and gas industries certainly know how to tailor their messages to specific demographics. Marketing oil natural gas Social Media Millennials fossil fuelsThe process of hydraulic fracturing—commonly known as "fracking"—to release fossil-fuel reserves from the earth has led to a boom in U.S. production, but has also proven controversial because of environmental issues. So to shore up support. MORE

Project Volt Gas Volt is based on a long-term financing plan and the use of existing technologies for the large-scale conversion of surplus renewable electricity to methane, with subsequent reuse. Gas produced by the VGV system would be bought on this basis. MORE

By now, it's hardly a secret that we're big fans of the redesigned second-generation Chevy Volt plug-in hybrid. We gave it our Best Car To Buy 2016 award, and we've written that it's better in pretty much every way than the innovative first-generation Volt. Last month, we were able to spend four weekend days with a 2016 Chevrolet Volt, to get a. Plug-In Hybrids Chevy Volt plug-in cars Range-Extended Electric Vehicle GCR Best Car to Buy Best Car To Buy MORE

emissions natural gas renewable energy solar clean energy wind energyRenewable-energy growth has accelerated in 2016, but this may go down as a milestone year for one renewable-energy source in particular. Together, all renewable-energy sources are expected to account for 8 percent of U.S. electricity-generation capacity in 2017, according to the Department of Energy, and solar energy is responsible for most of. MORE

Trucks natural gas plug-in cars Commercial vehicle semisWhat will Elon Musk think of this? There is now a second company named after inventor Nikola Tesla—and it too plans to build electric vehicles. Unlike Tesla Motors, though, the first products of the newly-revealed Nikola (pronounced Neek-oh-la) Motor Company won't be a sports car or a luxury sedan. DON'T MISS: Recovered Energy And. MORE

But driving the most recent generation provides a nice case study of the improvement in gas mileage over three decades of updates to the core product that helped build Mercedes into the powerhouse it is. The Mercedes-Benz E-Class luxury sedan is hardly viewed as green, even if it'll soon have a plug-in hybrid version offered in small numbers. MORE

Politics taxes Gas Tax registration plug-in cars Indiana state lawsIndiana may soon follow Michigan in implementing fees for electric cars, with the stated goal of helping to pay for road repairs. Michigan is now adding fees for electric cars, as well as plug-in hybrids and battery-electric cars, because they don't burn enough gasoline to generate the same state tax revenue as other vehicles. Similar reasoning. MORE

But Oklahoma may be the only state that can claim a comprehensive network of natural-gas. emissions Infrastructure natural gas CNG natural gas vehicle OklahomaSeveral states have made concerted efforts to create adequate charging infrastructure for electric cars. And California now boasts a handful of hydrogen fueling stations, making it the only state with any public infrastructure that supports fuel-cell vehicles. MORE

The 2017 Hyundai Ioniq comes in two versions: a nationally distributed hybrid-electric version, and an all-electric model that will be sold mostly in California and a handful of other states. There'll also be a plug-in hybrid version coming for 2018. We liked the Ioniq Hybrid when we first drove it at the launch event in February, and now we've. Fuel Economy MORE

When it comes to lower-emission alternatives to diesel in long-haul trucks, natural gas has some positives. But the extra cost of natural-gas powered vehicles has largely kept fleet operators away. emissions Trucks heavy duty natural gas fleet semisIn addition to being cleaner burning, the fuel is in abundant supply, and doesn't come with any severe range or performance shortfalls. DON'T MISS. MORE

natural gas electric utilities plug-in cars solar clean energy energy wind energyOne of the advantages of electric cars is that they get cleaner as the emissions associated with generating the electricity to power them decrease. And the good news for electric-car drivers is that the grids that supply their electricity have been getting cleaner--and will likely continue to do so this year and into the future. Coal's share of. MORE

New natural-gas passenger cars from major carmakers have disappeared from the U.S. Natural-gas options are available for large pickup trucks and vans but only exist for cars through aftermarket conversions offered by specialty firms. In Europe, though, the German luxury maker Audi remains committed to natural-gas powertrains. Geneva Motor Show natural gas CNG Geneva Auto Show alternative fuel vehicles MORE

Electric cars have no tailpipe emissions when running. But unless they're charged entirely on renewable energy—still statistically unlikely today—there are emissions associated with generating the electricity used to charge their batteries. For several years now, rigorous "wells-to-wheels" analyses of the carbon-dioxide emissions. Carbon Footprint emissions carbon dioxide electric utilities plug-in cars GRID MORE

Gas stations are ubiquitous across the world, many with diesel pumps as well, to fuel the more than 1 billion vehicles now roaming the surface of our planet. California hydrogen hydrogen fuel cell government subsidy charging infrastructure gas station Tesla SuperchargerAs regulators get increasingly serious about reducing carbon emissions from transportation, we'll see competing sites for refueling or recharging zero-emission vehicles emerge--the first. MORE

liter midrange, factory-built natural gas engine is now fully available as a production engine for shuttle bus, medium duty truck, and vocational applications in North America. An engine of this size is a natural addition to CWI’s portfolio of natural gas engines. MORE

DON'T MISS: Low Gas Price An Opportunity For Higher Gas Tax? Politics CAFE Fuel Economy taxes Gas Tax transportation policy Corporate Average Fuel EconomyIt's now a widely-accepted tenet of today's U.S. political landscape: You just can't come out and advocate for higher taxes. For any purpose, under any circumstances, no matter what the end purposes. Any politician who does so will be punished by voters. Not A Chance Two recent articles. MORE

Audi will introduce the compact A3 Sportback g-tron—which can be powered by the CO 2 -neutral Audi e-gas, synthetic methane generated from eco-electricity in the Audi e-gas project ( earlier post )—at the end of the year. e-gas. Audi A3 Sportback g-tron. MORE

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA), IVECO (a brand of CNH Industrial) and ENGIE (Global Energy Player) are broadly collaborating to promote natural gas vehicles and infrastructure in Europe. The partnership between FCA, IVECO and ENGIE has been formalized by a long-term Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), with the aim of cooperating together to offer all stakeholders (public and private) complete solutions for alternative fuels based on natural gas. Europe LNG Natural Gas MORE

Thanks to its generally lower cost, natural gas is quickly displacing other fuels in the nation's power plants. Environmental emissions natural gas climate change MethaneWhile renewable energy gets significant press as an alternative to coal in electricity generation, it isn't the main factor in decreasing the use of that carbon-intensive fuel. In addition to its cost benefit for electric utilities. MORE

California Gas Tax state laws transportation policyLast week, the California state legislature approved a $52 billion transportation-funding package. Unlike the practice in previous years, this one is to be used only for improvements to the transportation infrastructure, to begin cutting into an estimated $ 130 billion backlog of repairs and expansions. As a result of the new bill, owners of. MORE

When it comes to spurring electric-car sales, it seems a gas shortage is pretty helpful. In France, strikes have brought the oil industry to a standstill, leading to a shortage of fossil fuels and lines at pumps. That's bad news for drivers of gasoline and diesel cars, but good news for carmakers that sell plug-in models. DON'T MISS: In Paris. Europe sales France plug-in cars Car Sales MORE

Natural gas has not proven popular for vehicles bought by individual consumers, but some fleet operators continue to find it an attractive alternative to gasoline and diesel. That's because the lack of public fueling infrastructure proves a major drawback for natural-gas passenger cars, but fleets can circumvent that by operating their own. natural gas CNG NGV fleet sales alternative fuel vehicles fleet natural gas vehicle LNG MORE

While owners of electric cars may not want to touch a gas pump because of what comes out of it, there may be a reason for everyone else to be concerned too. Objects that are regularly handled by a lot of people tend to gather germs, and gas pumps are handled by many, many people on a daily basis. Gasoline health gas station pumping gas MORE

electrolysis powered by renewable electricity) to natural gas supports the decarbonization of the natural gas system and integration of sustainable energy sources. However, the properties of hydrogen differ significantly from those of natural gas, and its introduction into the gas infrastructure may negatively impact public safety, the integrity of the gas system and the performance of end-use equipment. Hydrogen Hydrogen Production Natural Gas Power-to-Gas MORE

And the natural-gas industry hopes certain provisions in the House's long-term transportation bill will survive the reconciliation process. Green NGV congress incentives natural gas natural gas vehicle transportation policyAs another Congressional session winds down, the two houses are working to pass a long-overdue transportation funding bill. MORE

Trucks Plug-In Hybrids natural gas NGV Commercial vehicle Armored Cars natural gas vehicleHave you ever thought about the carbon footprint of your money? Everything we use has to be transported from place to place, including the cash in our wallets. And the big, hulking diesel armored trucks that move money around are hardly the most fuel-efficient vehicles. DON'T MISS: Armored Electric Chinese Police Patrol Car Is. Words Fail Us. MORE

drivers have enjoyed low gas prices. That's been particularly true over the past couple of months, as gas prices have dropped closer to $2.00 Lower gas prices put more money into consumers' pockets, in theory allowing them to spend more on other things. For the past year or so, U.S. per gallon around the country. DON'T MISS: Why Electric Cars Make. Economic Economy Fuel Economy MORE

But two members of today's Civic lineup won't survive into the new generation: the Honda Civic Hybrid, and the Honda Civic Natural Gas. Green CNG Civic GX Honda Accord Plug-In Hybrid Honda Civic Natural Gas natural gas plug-in carsHonda surprised the industry when it pulled the wraps off a brand-new tenth generation of its Civic compact at April's New York Auto Show. MORE

Southern California Gas Co. SoCalGas) and waste management company CR&R Environmental announced that renewable natural gas from CR&R’s anaerobic digestion facility in Perris, California is now being used to fuel CR&R’s waste-hauling trucks. The trucks are being fueled from special storage trailers while SoCalGas completes a 1.4-mile pipeline that will bring the carbon-neutral renewable natural gas into the SoCalGas distribution system. MORE

Adsorbed Natural Gas Products, Inc. ANGP), a pioneer in the commercialization of adsorbed natural gas (ANG) vehicle technology, and United Technologies Research Center (UTRC), the innovation engine of United Technologies Corp., ARPA-E Natural Gas Vehicle Systems MORE

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles recently unveiled a fleet of natural-gas vehicles, but they won't be sold to consumers. Trucks natural gas CNG fleet Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA That's because they're semi trucks, used to deliver parts to assembly plants from FCA suppliers and component-manufacturing facilities. The company is investing $40 million to convert 179 trucks operating throughout the Detroit area to. MORE

CWI) announced that orders are being processed and production of the ISL G Near Zero (NZ) NO x natural gas engine ( earlier post ) has commenced. g/bhp-hr and also meet the 2017 EPA greenhouse gas (GHG) emission requirements. CWI natural gas engines have met the 2010 EPA standard for particulate matter (0.01 The start of production of the ISL G Near Zero natural gas engine offers a game-changing solution for the reduction of urban tailpipe and engine related emissions. MORE

Researchers at West Virginia University have characterized pump-to-wheels methane emissions from heavy-duty (HD) natural-gas-fueled vehicles and the compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG) fueling stations that serve them. MORE

But then bad things happen--and a leak at a single natural-gas well shows how much damage can be done to air quality by. emissions California natural gas California Air Resources Board CARB electric utilities MethaneFor half a century, California has been at the forefront of reducing emissions and cleaning up air pollution. And the state has made breathtaking progress since the days of early-Seventies technicolor photochemical smog alerts. MORE

The US Department of Energy (DOE) Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy (ARPA-E) will issue two new funding opportunities (FOAs): one to support R&D on advanced nuclear reactor technologies, the other for the development of hybrid fuel cell and engine systems for the ultra-high efficiency conversion of natural gas to electricity. Hybrid Systems For Ultra-High Efficiency Conversion Of Natural Gas To Electricity. MORE

Siemens has achieved a breakthrough by finishing its first full load engine tests for gas turbine blades completely produced using Additive Manufacturing (AM) technology. The tests were conducted at the Siemens testing facility in the industrial gas turbine factory in Lincoln, UK. MORE

Natural gas still hasn''t really caught on as a fuel for private passenger vehicles, but it''s slowly finding more success in commercial applications. The selection of natural-gas commercial vehicles is much larger, and using the fuel in fleets makes more sense from an environmental-impact standpoint than it does for individual cars. Trucks Green CNG Commercial vehicle NGV natural gas semis MORE

One of the major tasks of electric-car advocates is getting people used to the idea of cars with plugs. For some people, driving around in near silence and plugging in at charging stations can take some getting used to. MORE

Natural-gas cars sell only in tiny numbers to individual retail buyers, although they have found some traction with fleets that have ready access to the fuel. natural gas alternative fuel vehicles propaneNow, those fleet buyers will get another choice--one that happens to be the best-selling vehicle in the U.S. The 2016 Ford F-150 will be offered with a gaseous-fuel prep package, allowing it. MORE