http://phys.org/ en-us Phys.org internet news portal provides the latest news on science including: Physics, Nanotechnology, Life Sciences, Space Science, Earth Science, Environment, Health and Medicine. (PhysOrg.com) -- Scientists know that using supercapacitors in conjunction with batteries could greatly increase the fuel economy of hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) due to the fact that supercapacitors can recover and supply energy much more quickly than batteries. This ability, for example, allows a supercapacitor to recover all of the energy during hard braking, while a battery would allow the energy to be wasted in frictional braking due to its inability to quickly harvest energy. http://phys.org/news251472534.html Nanotechnology Tue, 20 Mar 2012 14:40:02 EST news251472534 Bus and truck companies could cut their fuel bills by more than 7% simply by training their drivers on more efficient driving techniques and offering a financial reward to those who improve fuel economy. A study published in the International Journal of Sustainable Society, suggests that training and financial reward improves efficiency by 7.3% whereas training or reward alone leads to about 5% savings. http://phys.org/news250169377.html Technology Mon, 05 Mar 2012 11:40:01 EST news250169377 (PhysOrg.com) -- Fuel economy of all new vehicles sold in the United States last month was at its highest mark ever, say researchers at the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute. http://phys.org/news248428099.html Technology Tue, 14 Feb 2012 08:20:01 EST news248428099 (PhysOrg.com) -- The average fuel economy of current model year vehicles is 14 percent higher than just four years ago, say researchers at the University of Michigan. http://phys.org/news247825494.html Technology Tue, 07 Feb 2012 09:00:04 EST news247825494 The US auto industry remains unsold over the future of "green cars" such as electrics and hybrids, as carmakers struggle with the first steps in a market most agree shows promise over the long term. http://phys.org/news245509023.html Technology Wed, 11 Jan 2012 12:57:11 EST news245509023 (PhysOrg.com) -- After two months of increases, the average fuel economy of all new vehicles sold in the United States fell by a half mile per gallon last month, say researchers at the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute. http://phys.org/news245499556.html Technology Wed, 11 Jan 2012 10:19:47 EST news245499556 The path of least emissions may not always be the fastest way to drive somewhere. But according to new research from the University at Buffalo, it's possible for drivers to cut their tailpipe emissions without significantly slowing travel time. http://phys.org/news243101555.html Technology Wed, 14 Dec 2011 16:12:52 EST news243101555 (PhysOrg.com) -- The current Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards create a financial incentive for auto companies to make bigger vehicles that are allowed to meet lower targets, according to a new University of Michigan study. http://phys.org/news242551879.html Technology Thu, 08 Dec 2011 07:31:28 EST news242551879 (PhysOrg.com) -- Average fuel economy of all new vehicles sold in the United States is up for the second straight month, say researchers at the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute. http://phys.org/news242376823.html Technology Tue, 06 Dec 2011 06:54:29 EST news242376823 (PhysOrg.com) -- For the first time in seven months, average fuel economy of all new vehicles sold in the United States is on the rise, say researchers at the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute. http://phys.org/news240830887.html Technology Fri, 18 Nov 2011 09:28:16 EST news240830887 Toyota Motor said Tuesday it would unveil a new compact hybrid car at the upcoming Tokyo Motor Show, boasting improved fuel efficiency amid intensifying competition to build more eco-friendly vehicles. http://phys.org/news240551598.html Technology Tue, 15 Nov 2011 04:20:02 EST news240551598 (PhysOrg.com) -- From an environment standpoint, silver and white cars are cool; black cars are not. Researchers at the Berkeley Lab Environmental Energy Technologies Division (EETD) say that the color of your car affects your car's fuel economy and how seriously you contribute to pollution. A light-colored shell reflects more sunlight than a dark car shell. The cooler the color, the cooler the cabin air, and the less of a need to run your air conditioner. http://phys.org/news238737616.html Technology Tue, 25 Oct 2011 05:30:01 EST news238737616 Japanese auto giant Nissan is aiming to sell 1.5 million electric vehicles around the world by 2016, the company said Monday, as it looks to capitalise on growing demand for green products. http://phys.org/news238649627.html Technology Mon, 24 Oct 2011 04:34:04 EST news238649627 (PhysOrg.com) -- For the second straight month, the average fuel economy of all new vehicles sold in the United States remained the same, according to a researcher at the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute. http://phys.org/news237482845.html Technology Mon, 10 Oct 2011 16:27:34 EST news237482845 Flying squads of auto dealers descended on Washington, D.C., in late September. Amped up by a rabble-rousing talk by House Speaker John Boehner and clutching copies of a dealers' association pamphlet entitled "A Flawed Fuel Economy Structure Produces a Flawed Result," about 500 dealers lobbied their elected representatives to do what they could to overturn the 54.5 mpg Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standard for 2025 hammered out between automakers and the Obama administration. http://phys.org/news236865214.html Technology Mon, 03 Oct 2011 14:00:04 EST news236865214 It seems fuel economy is on everyone's minds these days. http://phys.org/news235065347.html Technology Mon, 12 Sep 2011 16:56:42 EST news235065347 (PhysOrg.com) -- While driving a fuel-efficient vehicle is the best way to save gas, motorists can still cut fuel consumption nearly in half by driving slower and less aggressively, properly maintaining their vehicles and avoiding congested roads, say University of Michigan researchers. http://phys.org/news234680967.html Technology Thu, 08 Sep 2011 06:09:46 EST news234680967 NASA opened an energy efficient office building at Langley Research Center in Hampton, Va. The Navy is running boats on biofuel in Norfolk. http://phys.org/news233759969.html Space & Earth Sun, 28 Aug 2011 14:20:07 EST news233759969 General Motors and LG Group will jointly design and engineer electric vehicles, the companies said Thursday. http://phys.org/news233497133.html Technology Thu, 25 Aug 2011 13:19:39 EST news233497133 US President Barack Obama on Friday unveiled a new deal with automakers on fuel economy standards that he said would be a crucial step towards reducing US dependence on foreign oil. http://phys.org/news231167024.html Technology Fri, 29 Jul 2011 14:50:01 EST news231167024 (PhysOrg.com) -- A new national index by the University of Michigan shows that emissions of greenhouse gases per driver of newly purchased vehicles are down 14 percent since late 2007. http://phys.org/news229235295.html Technology Thu, 07 Jul 2011 05:28:41 EST news229235295 It will take more than tougher fuel economy standards for U.S. transportation to significantly cut its oil use over the next half century. It will likely require a combination of measures that foster consumer and supplier interest in vehicle fuel economy, alternative fuels, and a more efficient transportation system, says a new report from the National Research Council. Public interest in reducing the cost of securing the nation's energy supplies, curbing emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases (GHGs), and improving transportation operations could motivate such varied actions. http://phys.org/news228046022.html Technology Thu, 23 Jun 2011 11:07:28 EST news228046022 Although the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) assigns a fuel economy rating to all new vehicles, Consumer Reports magazine conducts its own independent testing. The magazine recently concluded testing on 2011 models and has released its list of the best and worst new cars for fuel economy. Consumer Reports looked beyond a car's fuel efficiency and also weighed each vehicle's test performance, reliability and safety records in making its best cars recommendations. http://phys.org/news227292390.html Technology Tue, 14 Jun 2011 17:47:50 EST news227292390 For years we've had great efficiency labels for washing machines, for refrigerators, for dishwashers and more. http://phys.org/news225987910.html Technology Mon, 30 May 2011 15:25:39 EST news225987910 For more than 150 years, spark plugs have powered internal combustion engines. Automakers are now one step closer to being able to replace this long-standing technology with laser igniters, which will enable cleaner, more efficient, and more economical vehicles. http://phys.org/news222519040.html Physics Wed, 20 Apr 2011 11:51:02 EST news222519040 The greenest car you've likely never heard of will soon be hitting Honda showrooms across the United States as the Japanese automaker expands sales of its compressed natural gas powered Civic. http://phys.org/news221808540.html Technology Tue, 12 Apr 2011 06:29:20 EST news221808540 The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) recently completed a yearlong technology evaluation of gasoline hybrid electric (gHEV) trucks compared with conventional diesel vehicles. A report released this week details NREL’s efforts to determine the impact of hybridization on performance, emissions, and fuel economy. http://phys.org/news217852862.html Technology Fri, 25 Feb 2011 10:41:32 EST news217852862 (PhysOrg.com) -- With the recent announcement that the U.S. government will propose new fuel economy standards this fall, a University of Michigan study shows that automakers fine-tune vehicle fuel economy to qualify for more favorable treatment. http://phys.org/news217100730.html Technology Wed, 16 Feb 2011 18:00:01 EST news217100730 Ever wonder how much fuel you can save by avoiding stop-and-go traffic, closing your window, not using air conditioning or coasting toward stops? http://phys.org/news216317076.html Technology Mon, 07 Feb 2011 16:04:58 EST news216317076 Toyota unveiled new siblings for its popular Prius hybrid Monday, introducing a brand new midsized wagon, a plug-in, and a compact Prius to journalists at the Detroit auto show. http://phys.org/news213900973.html Technology Mon, 10 Jan 2011 16:56:48 EST news213900973