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Defying Trump, major automakers finalize California emissions deal

WASHINGTON — The California Air Resources Board (CARB) and major automakers on Monday confirmed they had finalized binding agreements to cut vehicle emissions in the state, defying the Trump administration's push for weaker curbs on tailpipe pollution. The agreements with carmakers Ford Motor Co, Volkswagen AG, Honda Motor Co and BMW AG were first announced in July 2019 as voluntary measures prompting anger from U.S. President Donald Trump. A month later, the Justice Department opened an antitrust probe into the agreements. The government ended the investigation without action. The Trump administration in March finalized a rollback of U.S. vehicle emissions standards to require 1.5% annual increases in efficiency through 2026. That is far weaker than the 5% annual increases in the discarded rules adopted under President Barack Obama. The 50-page California agreements, which extend through 2026, are less onerous than the standards finalized by the Obama administration but tougher than the Trump administration standards. The automakers have also agreed to electric vehicle commitments. Volvo Cars, owned by China's Geely Holdings, said in March it planned to join the automakers agreeing to the California requirements. It has also finalized its agreement. The settlement agreements say California and automakers agreed to resolve "potential legal disputes concerning the authority of CARB" and other states that have adopted California's standards. In May, a group of 23 U.S. states led by California and some major cities, challenged the Trump vehicle emissions rule. Other major automakers like General Motors Co, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV and Toyota Motor Corp did not join the California agreement. Those companies also sided with the Trump administration in a separate lawsuit over whether the federal government can strip California of the right to set zero emission vehicle requirements. Ford said the "final agreement will reduce emissions in our vehicles at a more stringent rate, support and incentivize the production of electrified products, and create regulatory certainty." BMW said "by setting these long-term, predictable, and achievable standards, we have the regulatory certainty that is necessary for long-term planning that will not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions but ultimately benefit consumers as well." 

2020 Ford Explorer ST vs 2019 Dodge Durango SRT: How they compare on paper

For a few years now, the Dodge Durango SRT has been the sole three-row performance crossover from a non-luxury brand. That all changes now that the 2020 Ford Explorer ST is coming to market. Now we have two family crossovers with rear-drive-based platforms vying for buyers that demand practicality and power. As such, there's no better time to dig into their specs to see how they compare. We'll check out each crossover's horsepower, torque, space, capability and prices. The full specs are listed below, followed by some analysis afterward. We also compared the regular 2020 Explorer models to other crossovers in this segment, if if that's not enough, you can check out our car comparison tool. Performance The Explorer and Durango go about making power in very different ways. The Explorer goes the force-fed route with two turbos feeding a 3.0-liter V6, while the Durango's enormous 6.4-liter V8 produces power with air flow au natural. Of the two, the Durango has the greater output of 475 ponies and 470 pound-feet of torque, feeding the flames of everyone that lives by the phrase "There's no replacement for displacement." The Explorer is no slouch at 400 horsepower and 415 pound-feet of torque, though. Performance isn't purely based on power, though. Other factors play a role, such as weight, and in that regard, the Explorer is way ahead. At 4,701 pounds, it weighs a massive 809 pounds less than the portly Durango. This also means that both crossovers are very close in weight-to-power ratio, with the Explorer only slightly worse at 11.75 pounds per horsepower and the Durango at 11.6. Less weight will also play a roll in handling, and the Explorer is likely to feel sprightlier without so much mass to shift back and forth. Semi-related to handling are tire sizes. The Durango features 295-mm wide tires on 20-inch wheels. The Explorer has 255-mm wide tires on 20-inch wheels, but 21-inch wheels with 275-mm tires are available. So the Durango is working with more contact patch, but as we mentioned, it's carrying a lot more weight. 2020 Ford Explorer ST View 20 Photos Interior Space and Practicality Although the Durango SRT is the largest on the outside in every dimension, it loses out to Explorer repeatedly inside. The Ford has more headroom, leg room and shoulder room in nearly every row except the third-row where headroom comes up a bit short.

Bronco, Yukon, Hummer and a CES recap | Autoblog Podcast #610

In this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Consumer Editor Jeremy Korzeniewski and Assistant Editor Zac Palmer. They kick things off by talking about recent news, including the revival of the Hummer name as an electric pickup, revealing Ford Bronco spy shots and the unveiling of the 2021 GMC Yukon. Then Zac tells about his time in Las Vegas attending CES 2020. They talk about the cars they've been driving: a JCW-tuned Mini Clubman, the long-term Subaru Forester with its new gold wheels, a Volvo S60 PHEV that's been added to the long-term fleet, and a Camry Hybrid. Last, but not least, they help a listener decide how to spend his money on a sports car. Autoblog Podcast #610 Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown Hummer returning as an electric GMC pickup The latest on the Ford Bronco 2021 GMC Yukon CES 2020 recap Cars we're driving:2020 John Cooper Works Mini Clubman 2020 Subaru Forester long-termer (now with gold wheels!) 2020 Volvo S60 T8 Inscription 2019 Toyota Camry Hybrid XLE Spend My Money Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.