economy

analysis DETROIT--Major automakers are scrambling to strip hundreds of pounds off future pickup trucks in an effort to meet new U.S. standards for fuel economy without sacrificing strength or towing capability.

The new mandates take effect in 2016, giving automakers such as Ford and General Motors just one design cycle to make significant changes that will require costly steel substitutes including aluminum, new steel alloys, and magnesium.

Automakers are faced with having to pass on those higher costs to consumers who have come to associate mass with performance.

"There is a lot of hand-wringing in the industry right … Read more

Which 2011 car gets the worst miles per gallon? GE makes the biggest electric car order in history, a speed camera that busts you for way more than your speed, and we drive the all-new 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee.

• 2011 EPA MPG lists are outLINKTEXT

• GE makes biggest electric car order ever

• We spy the 2011 Hyundai Elantra before it's out

• Most diabolical speed camera ever

• CNET's LA Auto Show preview

• CNET's LOL cars gallery!

The Toyota Prius has nabbed the top spot once again on the U.S. government's guide to fuel efficient cars.

Earning a rating of 51 miles per gallon for city driving and 48 mpg on the highway, the 2011 Toyota Prius was named the most fuel efficient vehicle by the Fuel Economy Guide 2011, which is produced jointly by the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Agency.

The Ford Fusion Hybrid, the Mercury Milan Hybrid, and the Lincoln MKZ Hybrid tied for second place with all of them getting a fuel efficiency rating of 41 city mpg and 36 … Read more

Under a new EPA fuel economy label design proposed today, and currently up for public comment, electric vehicles will get an A+, plug-in hybrids score an A, and hybrids, which the EPA now considers a conventional technology, could rate as high as an A-. High performance vehicles would get the lowest grade allowed, a D. No vehicles will get a failing grade because all cars for sale in the United States meet the minimum federal standard for emissions.

Where a vehicle falls on that spectrum will depend on how many gallons it takes to drive 100 miles, its fuel economy, … Read more

The Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Transportation on Monday proposed a fuel economy label overhaul to reflect how electric and alternative fuel vehicles stack up against gasoline passenger vehicles.

The federal agencies released two new labels that officials expect to be finalized early next year and used in 2012 model year cars. The published labels will be available for public comment for 60 days.

The changed label, mandated by the 2007 energy law, includes the same information on city and highway miles per gallon and estimated driving costs based on 15,000 miles a year now available.

But the … Read more

I recently spent an hour getting a hands-on impression of the newly unveiled 2011 Ford Explorer. And let me say upfront, I'm not that easy to impress when it comes to full-size SUVs (or really SUVs in general). I think they're excessive, especially in this era of restraint. And yet, I understand that there are families who want and need the flexibility that a big SUV provides: off-road capability, towing capacity, cargo space, and seating for seven. Even if the majority of SUVs are underused, I understand the need for all-in-one vehicles. You may own a different pair … Read more

How many miles a Chevrolet Volt can travel on a single gallon of gas is still up for debate. The EPA rejected the formula that General Motors used to calculate its 230 mpg estimate for the extended range vehicle. In GM's defense, it used a draft formula that the EPA developed for testing plug-in hybrid vehicles.

Using those calculations, GM has been promoting a 40-mile range on a single charge of the battery when driving the Volt in EV mode. Yet when using its gasoline-powered engine generator to propel the vehicle, the Volt would be able to extend its … Read more

President Barack Obama unveiled a government push on Friday to boost auto fuel economy for model-year 2017 passenger vehicles and beyond, and introduce a truck efficiency target for the first time.

Obama's policy initiative was characterized by leading environmental groups as an especially welcome step in the wake of the BP Gulf Coast oil spill.

"I believe it's possible in the next 20 years for vehicles to use half the fuel and produce half the pollution that they do today," Obama said at a White House ceremony.

Separately, Canada announced similar steps for heavy trucks and … Read more

It has proven itself to be a fun little ride. It even sort of defeated a super car. Now, the upcoming 2011 Ford Fiesta earns bragging rights at the pump with an EPA-certified fuel economy of 40 mpg highway when equipped with Ford's PowerShift automatic transmission.

To achieve this level of efficiency, Ford started with the Fiesta's new 1.6-liter Duratec engine. We found that this 120-horsepower mill was no neck-snapper during our First Drive, but it does feature an assortment of fuel-saving technologies including variable camshaft timing, aggressive fuel shutoff on hard deceleration, and a more efficient … Read more