Green Fleet

TOKYO - Toyota, Nissan and Mitsubishi are among the companies that have formed the CHAdeMO Association, a group focused on increasing quick-charger installations worldwide for electric vehicles. The association will promote standardization of EV charging systems.

Tags: CHAdeMO Association , electric cars, electric vehicles, EV charging standards, EV charging stations

ST. LOUIS, MO - The National Truck Equipment Association has formed a new affiliate division, the Green Truck Association, to help fleets, manufacturers and others stay informed about regulatory and industry developments.

Tags: Green Truck Association, The National Truck Equipment Association

BURBANK, CA - General Motors Co. said it is testing a production-intent hydrogen fuel cell system that can be packaged in the space of a traditional four-cylinder engine and be ready for commercial production in 2015.

Tags: electric vehicles, fuel cell electric vehicles, fuel cells, General Motors, hydrogen fuel cells, Project Driveway

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Senate on March 10 restored the $1 a gallon biodiesel tax credit when the legislators voted 62-36 to pass the American Workers, State and Business Relief Act, Biofuels Digest reported.

Tags: biodiesel, National Biodiesel Board

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has named Nissan a 2010 Energy Star Partner of the Year, recognizing the automaker's achievements in energy management and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.

Tags: emissions reduction, EPA, Nissan

TOKYO - Nissan is planning for a production capacity of 500,000 Leaf electric cars in North America, Japan and Europe by 2012, the Chicago Tribune reported.

Tags: electric cars, electric vehicles, Nissan Leaf

AMES, IA - Renewable Energy Group (REG) said it has completed the asset purchase and consolidation agreements with commercial-scale biodiesel plants in Newton, Iowa, and Danville, Ill.

Tags: biodiesel, Renewable Energy Group

SAN DIEGO, CA - Toyota said Monday, March 15, that its preliminary test results on a 2008 Prius, which was allegedly involved in an unintended-acceleration episode last week near San Diego, were inconsistent with the driver's account.

Tags: Prius, sudden acceleration

ASHEVILLE, NC - Altech-Eco Corporation of Asheville, N.C., has obtained approval from the Department of the Treasury, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for the first Year-2010 Ford Focus to receive a $4,000 Federal Income Tax Credit designation.

Tags: Altech-Eco, Focus, Ford, natural gas

ST. LOUIS - James Steffen, director of fleet engineering and technical support for Memphis-based ServiceMaster, recently shared his insights at a two-day meeting of fleet operators interested in new fuel technologies.

Tags: fuel, ServiceMaster

DETROIT - According to General Motors Vice President Bob Lutz, a major portion of the automaker's truck and SUVs will be gasoline-electric hybrids and GM will pay back its bailout loan at a profit for U.S. taxpayers.

Tags: GM, hybrid

PROVIDENCE, RI - A total of 65 GenDrive fuel cell-powered lift trucks will be mobilized at United Natural Foods' Sarasota distribution facility, with a targeted completion date in June.

Tags: fuel cell, hydrogen, United Natural Foods

SAN DIEGO, CA - Toyota Motor Corp. and the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration both dispatched teams on Tuesday, March 9, to inspect a Prius that sped out of control on a freeway in the San Diego area a day earlier, Reuters reported.

Tags: sudden acceleration, Toyota Prius

GRAND RAPIDS, MI - Metro Cab in Michigan has added seven biodiesel-fueled Vokswagen Jettas to its fleet, the Grand Rapids Press reported.

Tags: biodiesel, Metro Cab, Volkswagen Jetta

COLUMBUS, IN - Engine manufacturer Cummins Inc. last month agreed to pay a $2.1 million penalty and recall 405 engines under a settlement agreement aimed at resolving Clean Air Act violations, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Tags: Clean Air Act, Cummins, EPA

HONG KONG - Chinese automaker BYD Co. said it plans to begin selling electric and hybrid cars in Western Europe next year, Bloomberg reported.

Tags: BYD , electric vehicle, hybrid vehicle

LOS ANGELES - KB Home, a major American homebuilder, announced it will begin offering an option to pre-wire its new custom homes to accommodate charging stations for homeowners' electric vehicles.

Tags: electric vehicle, EV charging stations, plug-in hybrid

ANNAPOLIS, MD - The state of Maryland launched a program this week that offers $1 in grants to further the use of electric vehicles, the Baltimore Business Journal reported.

Tags: electric vehicle, EV charging stations, Maryland Clean Cities Coalition , Maryland Energy Administration

TORRANCE, CA - For the first time, Lexus has launched a marketing campaign that showcases all four of the brand's hybrid vehicles currently in market: the RX 400h, GS 450h, LS 600h and HS 250h.

Tags: hybrid vehicles, Lexus, Lexus hybrids

TOKYO, JAPAN - Mitsubishi Motors Corp. said on Tuesday, March 8, that it had reached a final agreement with PSA Peugeot Citroen on development and supply of a new electric vehicle for the European market.

Tags: Peugeot, electric car, electric vehicle, Mitsubishi , Peugeot i-MiEV, PSA Peugeot Citroen

MONTVALE, NJ - Mercedes-Benz' E300 BlueTec hybrid, the carmaker's first ever diesel-electric hybrid car, will soon be launched. Mercedes-Benz confirmed that the hybrid will arrive at European showrooms early in 2011.

Tags: diesel-electric, hybrid, Mercedes-Benz

WASHINGTON - The Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) will host the 2010 Propane Engine Fuel Summit - highlighting a comprehensive program in on-and-off road propane vehicles and applications as well as the latest developments in propane technology.

Tags: 2010 Propane Engine Fuel Summit , Cub Cadet, Dixie Chopper, EnviroGard, Ferris, Kohler, Lehr Industries, Mitsubishi , PERC, Propane, ROUSH, Toyota

IRVINE, CA - Peter LeFort, one of the founding members of the California Hydrogen Business Council, passed away Feb. 12. He was 79.

CAMBRIDGE, MA - Verenium Corp., a developer of cellulosic ethanol and specialty enzymes, said it has extended its joint development program with partner BP for an additional month until April 1 of this year.

Tags: biofuel, BP, cellulosic biofuel, cellulosic ethanol , ethanol, Verenium Corp.