Senate Democrats are again pushing an auto-safety bill in response to concerns about recent recalls. Separate House and Senate panels have passed versions, but the measures were stalled amid objections from industry officials over costs.
The 2011 Chevrolet Volt, an innovative plug-in hybrid, received not one but three different mileage ratings from the U.S. EPA. General Motors has been touting the Volt for four years now and often refers to it as a technological showcase. The four-passenger car can travel on battery power alone and offers additional driving range when assisted by a 1.4-liter gasoline engine.
A new report estimates $400 million in construction and farm equipment was stolen in 2009. Smaller items like mowers and garden tractors are most popular, but manufacturers are unlikely to provide theft equipment due to cost and lack of customer demand.
Natural gas vehicles took a boost forward. Honda will be expanding consumer sales of its Civic GX to most of the 50 states next year, up from four currently. On the fleet side, T. Boone Pickens says Congress will pass a measure by this year's end that would help the U.S. trucking fleet convert to natural gas.
Advances in clean-diesel engineering are prompting many auto shoppers to consider diesel-powered vehicles. Consumers have always liked the fuel efficiency, but now diesels are much cleaner and don't have the dirty, smelly stigma. Some models even have tax incentives.