Navigation Cng Gx Natural Gas Dealer Owned on 2040-cars

Auto blog

West Coast labor dispute hampers Japanese automakers' US plants

The ongoing labor dispute between the International Longshore and Warehouse Union and port owners along the West Coast is starting to affect more Japanese automakers building vehicles in the US. The issue already forced Honda and Subaru to take the expensive option of airlifting some parts into the US weeks ago, and according to USA Today, Toyota and Nissan have begun doing so, as well. The choice hasn't been cheap, though, and Subaru's chief financial officer estimated that the decision cost around $60 million more per month than sending components by cargo ship. The effects continue to radiate, according to USA Today, and shortages of some models are possible. Honda is slowing production at its factories in Ohio, Indiana and Canada because the automaker doesn't have enough transmissions and electronics for some vehicles. Toyota already cut back on overtime at some factories. Nissan has only seen a small effect from the issue, though, because of its local suppliers. Dock workers and port owners have been negotiating on a new contract since last year, and the union has organized work slowdowns in response. According to USA Today, the automakers could move shipments to Canada or Mexico, but it would take longer for parts to arrive. News Source: USA TodayImage Credit: Mark Ralston / AFP / Getty Images Earnings/Financials Plants/Manufacturing UAW/Unions Honda Nissan Subaru Toyota shipping port labor dispute

Hydrogen could deliver one fifth of world carbon cuts by 2050, industry says

BONN, Germany — Increasing the use of hydrogen in power, transport, heat and industry could deliver around one fifth of the total carbon emissions cuts needed to limit global warming to safe levels by mid-century, a report by the Hydrogen Council said on Monday. To encourage industries to use hydrogen, Toyota and Air Liquide helped set up the Hydrogen Council, a global lobby launched in January this year. Its 27 members include automakers Audi, BMW, Daimler, Honda and Hyundai, and energy firms such as Shell and Total. The council said using hydrogen for transport, energy generation, energy storage, industry, heat and power could cut annual carbon emissions by 6 billion tonnes by 2050. "This would ... contribute roughly 20 percent of the additional abatement required to limit global warming to two degrees Celsius," the council said in a report released on the sidelines of a U.N. climate conference in Bonn. To achieve a two-degree limit this century agreed by governments in Paris in 2015, the world must reduce energy-related carbon emissions by 60 percent by 2050. The report said one in 12 cars sold in California, Germany and Japan were expected to be powered by hydrogen by 2030. By 2050, hydrogen could power 400 million cars, 15 million to 20 million trucks, around 5 million buses, a quarter of passenger ships and a fifth of non-electrified train tracks, as well as some airplanes and freight ships. Achieving this shift in transport and other sectors would require investment of $280 billion by 2030, with about $110 billion to fund hydrogen output, $80 billion for storage, transport and distribution, and $70 billion to develop products. Fuel cell vehicles combine hydrogen and oxygen to produce electricity to power an electric motor, producing water as a byproduct. However, making hydrogen from fossil fuels, a common route, also produces some greenhouse gas emissions. So far the take-up of hydrogen vehicles is tiny and industry experts say their wider use is years away, with high purchase prices and a lack of refueling stations the major barriers. But some firms, such as miner Anglo American and carmaker Toyota, are pushing for fuel cell cars to play a role even with the rise of battery-powered electric vehicles (EVs). Woong-chul Yang, vice chairman of automotive research and development at Hyundai said EVs and hydrogen fuel cell cars were needed because EVs were better for city driving and fuel cell vehicles better for longer journeys.

2016 Civic Coupe: The Prelude is back!

Honda used to sell a coupe loosely based on the Accord architecture that was sporty yet economical, it was called the Prelude. Many Honda aficionados have fond memories of the Prelude, it was more than just a sportier Accord, but not quite a true sports car. It was a car you could take out and toss around on the weekend, but also drive to work every day of the week. It was a testbed for new Honda technologies while still being a car you could put hundreds of thousands of miles on. The Prelude was a sporty car, not overly powerful, but just balanced enough to be a slow car you could drive fast. It handled extremely well, it had an interior that was no-nonsense and controls that were equal to or better than any of it's contemporaries. Sadly as the market waned for sporty coupes the venerable Prelude lost sales and Honda altered their focus to selling CR-V's and Pilot's. In 2001 Honda shelved the Prelude, but now it is making a comeback, well not exactly, but after sampling a new Civic Coupe I believe the spiritual successor of the Prelude has finally arrived at Honda. You might be wondering why the new generation Civic Coupe has more Prelude DNA than any of the Civic models which have come before it? The answer comes down to several objective and subjective factors. Objectively the new Civic Coupe hits the sweet spot on Prelude dimensions. When the Prelude debuted in 1978 it had a wheelbase of 91.3 inches and an overall length of 161 inches. Over five generations the Prelude grew to a wheelbase of 101.8 inches and an overall length of 178 inches. The new Civic Coupe rides a longer wheelbase of 106.3 inches but has nearly identical overall length at 176.9 inches. Width of the new Civic is 70.8 inches vs. the last generation Prelude at 69 inches, the new Civic matches the Prelude of yore with a curb weight range of 2750-2900 lbs vs. the 2950-3000 lbs range of the Prelude. In the engine department Honda is offering two units, a 158 HP naturally aspirated 2.0 liter 4 and a 174 HP 1.5 liter turbo mill. The five Prelude generations featured Horsepower ranging from less than 100 in gen 1 to 200 by gen 5 from a naturally aspirated 2.2 liter 4. The last generation of Prelude would hit 0-60 in about 7 seconds, the current model Civic with a CVT and the 1.5 turbo will hit 60 slightly faster. Many cars today feature similar specs to these two coupes and so did some of the prior model year Civic's so what makes this one the heir to the Prelude name?