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Official: EPA, DOT unveil updated window stickers [w/video]

Filed under: Car Buying, Government/Legal

Electric vehicle label

Electric vehicle label – Click above for more labels

Updated United States fuel economy labeling, unveiled on Wednesday, includes additional information on plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles, and highlights other advanced technologies aimed at reducing gasoline consumption and tailpipe emissions.

The redesigned window stickers, required on all 2013 models, enables consumers to quickly compare fuel savings for different types of vehicles, whether they rely on gasoline or some type of alternative fuel. For example, the labels display estimates of how much fuel or electricity would be required to drive 100 miles and how much time is needed to charge a plug-in vehicles like the Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf.

Lisa Jackson, administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), says the reason for the redesigned labels is to give consumers, “the best possible information about which cars on the lot offer the greatest fuel economy and the best environmental performance.” The EPA developed the updated labels with assistance from the Department of Transportation.

Click here (pdf) for a detailed look at all of the revised fuel economy labels and follow the jump to view video on the labels’ Smartphone “QR Code.” Let us know your thoughts on the updated labels by voicing your opinion in the Comments, as well.

Continue reading EPA, DOT unveil updated window stickers [w/video]

EPA, DOT unveil updated window stickers [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 25 May 2011 11:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EPA, DOT, California all agree on timeframe for new CAFE standards

Filed under: Government/Legal

Last April, the three main fuel economy regulatory players – the EPA, the DOT and the State of California – announced new CAFE targets for the 2012 through 2016 model years: 34.1 miles per gallon by 2016. If there’s one thing U.S. automakers liked about this, it was that we had a “national standard” for fuel economy regulations. The U.S. has been shifting towards a cohesive, nationwide set of rules since 2008 and it looks like we had avoived the dreaded “patchwork” regulations that OEMs were so troubled by.

This week, the regulatory partners announced “a single timeframe for proposing fuel economy and greenhouse gas standards for model year 2017-2025 cars and light-duty trucks.” Whatever MPG number they agree to, we’ll hear about it from a singular voice by September 1 instead of an announcement from California in the spring and then a federal one in the fall, as had been expected.

Because of the Clean Air Act, California still had the authority to define its own motor vehicle emissions standards, but the feds have been working to make their own regulations strict enough to keep California happy while providing “certainty” for automakers that are building next-gen clean cars. Last fall, California “accepted compliance with these federal GHG standards,” and – for now – everyone is still playing together nicely.

[Source: EPA/DOT/CARB, USAToday | Image: BEHROUZ MEHRI/AFP/Getty Images]

Continue reading EPA, DOT, California all agree on timeframe for new CAFE standards

EPA, DOT, California all agree on timeframe for new CAFE standards originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 25 Jan 2011 13:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Videos: DOT tugs on heartstrings with ‘Face of Distracted Driving’ campaign

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety, Videos

Faces of Distracted Driving

Faces of Distracted Driving – Click above to watch videos after the jump

As part of this year’s Distracted Driving Summit, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and the Department of Transportation unveiled a new campaign to curb distracted driving. Called The Faces of Distracted Driving, the web series tells the stories of friends and family members who lost someone to distracted driving. So far, just three episodes have been released, but more are expected in the future.

The DOT says that last year, 5,500 people were killed and over 50,000 were injured in incidents related to distracted driving. Here’s hoping the Faces of Distracted Driving campaign does something to curb that figure. Click past the jump to see the videos for yourself.

[Source: Department of Transportation]

Continue reading Videos: DOT tugs on heartstrings with ‘Face of Distracted Driving’ campaign

Videos: DOT tugs on heartstrings with ‘Face of Distracted Driving’ campaign originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 19 Nov 2010 16:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DOT: Booster seat use below where it should be

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, Safety, Event Alert

Recaro Booster Seat

Recaro ProSeries child safety seats – Click above for high-res image gallery

U.S. Transportation Secretary and friend of Autoblog, Ray LaHood, is sharing new research garnered from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The results of the study show that many young children are still being placed in the wrong restraint or booster seat systems. It’s Child Passenger Safety week and it’s time for parents to make sure they know what type of system their kid requires. Also, it’s important to be certain their safety seats are inspected to insure they’re working properly.

NHTSA data shows that in 2009 the leading cause of death for young people (ages 3-14) was motor vehicle accidents. Child Passenger Safety week runs from September 19th through the 25th, during which NHTSA has set up safety seat inspection stations around the country. The service is free and safety technicians are on hand to answer any questions you might have. The safety week ends on the 25th (that’d be today) with National Seat Check Saturday, and it won’t take much time for you to stop by. For the nearest location, check out http://www.nhtsa.gov/Safety/CPS.

There are more numbers to look at for all you stat fiends, in the press release after the jump.

Gallery: Recaro ProSeries child safety seats

[Source: U.S. Department of Transportation]

Continue reading DOT: Booster seat use below where it should be

DOT: Booster seat use below where it should be originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 25 Sep 2010 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New fuel economy labels proposed by EPA and DOT

Filed under: Government/Legal

EPA/DOT Proposed Fuel Economy Labels – Click above for high-res versions

According to the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, the Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Transportation are charged with designing new fuel economy labels for vehicle stickers that appear in the window of new vehicles at the dealership. Today the two agencies have put forth a pair of design proposals and are asking the public to comment on which they like better and why.

Both labels have been designed to better incorporate new vehicle types that aren’t represented well by the current labels, including mainly electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles. In addition to information already provided (fuel economy and estimated annual fuel cost), the new labels would also add such things as indicators for carbon dioxide and other smog-promoting emissions, fuel cost savings compared to an average gasoline-powered vehicle of the same model year and even a QR code that allows smartphones to collect the data.

In order to accommodate the growing crop of EVs and plug-in hybrids, the new proposed labels would also translate the energy usage of such vehicles into a miles per gallon equivalent, or MPGe. In the case of the first label design (the tall, thin one), a letter grade would also be featured prominently that corresponds to a vehicle’s overall environmental performance.

You can check out both designs in the gallery below, or head over to epa.gov/fueleconomy and tell these agencies what you think directly. Either way, a new label’s on its way, so speak now or forever hold your tongue.

Gallery: EPA/DOT Proposed Fuel Economy Labels

[Source: EPA]

New fuel economy labels proposed by EPA and DOT originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 30 Aug 2010 13:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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