 
February 2, 2010 - WANT 214 MPG? THINK 2 WHEELS … : Since larger usually means less fuel efficient in the world of vehicles, most people realize that motorcycles get better fuel economy than cars and trucks. For those who don't need the space to haul people and gear and really want to save $$ on gas costs, a motorcycle or moped can be a great fuel-sipping option. 40 MPG seems to be on the low end, with many getting 50, 60, 70 or more MPG. A DIY-er in has even streamlined his Honda Innova, which already gets 133 MPG, so it now gets 199 MPG on average and has even hit an amazing 214 MPG. Plus, his enhancements made the bike stable in a crosswind of up to 40 mph ... Not only are more small and often inexpensive cars making it into the U.S., they are often exceeding consumer expectations tied to now irrelevant "econobox" memories. As the Philadelphia Inquirer notes: "Indeed, yesterday's small cars tended to be homely, cramped, terminally Spartan, and not much fun to drive. But if you fast-forward ... you will be confronted with dramatic evidence that the small car is no longer your father's Datsun B210." For example, the new Chevy Cruze includes amenities such as leather and a sunroof. The Ford Fiesta has leather and exterior chrome details, as well as many technologies seen in higher class vehicles. And the Mazda2 has award-winning drive dynamics and unexpected roominess ... Among the technologies being developed to meet higher fuel economy standard around the globe, Volvo reports that it has developed a new four-cylinder engine with the same power output as the five-cylinder engine but is also more energy-efficient. The turbo-charged, direct injection engine is estimated to get about 28 MPG. It will make it to Asia and Europe first but we hope the U.S. is not far behind, where it would like replace the MPG-challenged five-cylinder engine found in the C30 and S40, which get just 22-23 MPG currently ...
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January 26, 2010 - FINALLY! DETROIT IMPORTS SMALL CARS: For years now, 40MPG.org has been promoting a simple solution to turn around the low MPG situation in the U.S.: bring to the U.S. the scores of more fuel efficient vehicles that U.S. car makers sell in other parts of the world. That recommendation was met by derision from Detroit when we first made it. My, what a difference a few years make! Faced with the need to take action to comply with the new fuel rules issued by the White House, U.S. car makers finally woke up to reality: "The new CAFE standard meant that cars would have to be hitting 42mpg (26mpg for trucks) in less time than it typically takes to develop new car models. The carmakers would have no choice but to try to sell Americans cars developed for Europe and Asia. Furthermore, only by using the same platforms all over the world could the carmakers begin to compensate for the loss of the fat profits that used to come from selling big vehicles," as the Economist put it. We try not to gloat, but it's impossible to resist the temptation here: We told you so! ... At least two of the three U.S. automakers - Ford and Chevrolet - showcased their expanded small car offerings at the Detroit Auto Show. Chrysler, while behind the curve, also announced plans for a new compact sedan in 2012 based on a Fiat platform. And other automakers are getting rave reviews for some of their small cars. Seems like the sea change in the direction of the world's best small cars making it to America's shores is finally here ... If you're shopping for a green auto, ACEEE has just released a new list of the top Green Cars for 2010 to help with your search. The big news? American companies actually made the list this year ...
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Automakers need to understand that Americans want the most
fuel-efficient possible cars using the best available technology. Here is
where you can get involved to make that happen ...
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40 miles per gallon is not a dream. The technology exists today! You could be driving a vehicle that would save you money, make America safer and cut down on pollution ...
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Pam Solo, the president of the nonprofit and nonpartisan Civil Society Institute, which created the 40mpg.org campaign, welcomes you! ...
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If you already are doing 40 mpg or better, we
want to hear your story...
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Save
money ... use less gasoline from Middle Eastern oil ... cut tailpipe fumes ... NOW!
