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U.S. denies GM tariff relief request for China-made Buick SUV

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration has denied a General Motors Co request for an exemption to a 25 percent U.S. tariff on its Chinese-made Buick Envision sport utility vehicle. The denial of the nearly year-old petition came in a May 29 letter from the U.S. Trade Representative's office saying the request concerns "a product strategically important or related to 'Made in China 2025' or other Chinese industrial programs." The midsize SUV, priced starting at about $35,000, has become a target for critics of Chinese-made goods, including leaders of the United Auto Workers union and members in key political swing states such as Michigan and Ohio. GM said on Tuesday it was aware of the denial and has been paying the tariff since July. GM has not raised the sticker price to account for the tariff. Buick Envision sales fell in the United States by nearly 27% to 30,000 last year and fell another 21% in the first three months of 2019. Only a small number of vehicles are built in China and sold in the United States. Last month, the U.S. Trade Representative's Office also denied a request by Chinese-owned Volvo Cars for tariff exemptions for mid-size SUVs assembled in China after the automaker sought an exemption for the XC60, its top selling U.S. vehicle. GM, the largest U.S. automaker, argued in its request that Envision sales in China and the United States would generate funds "to invest in our U.S. manufacturing facilities and to develop the next generation of automotive technology in the United States." GM said last year the "vast majority" of Envisions, about 200,000 a year, are sold in China. Because of the lower U.S. sales volume, "assembly in our home market is not an option" for the Envision, which competes with such mid-size crossover vehicles as the Jeep Grand Cherokee and the Cadillac XT5. Ahead of the July 2018 start for higher import tariffs, GM shipped in a six-month supply of Envisions at the much lower 2.5 percent tariff rate, Reuters reported in August 2018.

Volvo EX30 Deep Dive: Designing a budget SUV

We just spent a couple days with, in and around Volvo’s latest all-new electric vehicle, the EX30, at the companyÂ’s headquarters in Gothenburg, Sweden, and we came away impressed. We went in with questions, and came out with answers, or so we think, though some of them will remain until we drive it in November. A number of automakers are promising truly affordable EVs, ones that not only undercut the current, $4,600 price differential between new battery-powered cars and their internal combustion powered siblings, but ones that are significantly lower than the general average new car transaction price, which is currently nearly $50,000. Mass market EVs like this are important, if we are to make a real environmental impact with our switch to battery power, as there is little that is green about the resource-hoarding production and utilization of niche, six-figure, five-ton electric pickups and SUVs. Volvo aims to be first to market with such a car, with the compact EX30, which it plans to sell starting at $35,000. This is a new category offering for the brand, one that slots in well below the current XC40 Recharge EV in terms of price and size. For contrast, that car starts at around $50,000, and is 8 inches longer, 4 inches higher and nearly 3 inches wider. Volvo EX30 View 22 Photos This seems like a strange move for a company whose mission, since being purchased by the Chinese manufacturing company Geely, has been to move upscale into the same consideration set as the luxury German brands. But, as is often the case, Volvo is taking its own path. “This is indeed a lower segment for us,” says Joakim Hermansson, the vehicle product lead for EX30, as he walks us around the car, inside and out, and allows us to sample the sharp accelerative abilities of the range-topping, 442 hp, dual-motor, all-wheel-drive model (0-60 in 3.4 seconds.) “But itÂ’s still premium for Volvo, providing hallmark features of safety, sustainability and personalization, as well as performance.” He's not wrong about any of these. This EX30 comes standard with VolvoÂ’s extra-strength safety cage as well as lane-keeping, adaptive cruise control and blind spot monitoring. Perhaps most notably, it has an all-new interior design that capitalizes on the efforts the brand has been making toward its internal goal of being fully circular in its sustainability efforts by 2040.

Recharge Wrap-up: Green Car award for Volvo XC90, MN air better from biodiesel

The Honda CR-V could return with a plug-in hybrid option. Expected to debut in the fall of 2017, the PHEV could use a 2.0-liter I4 plus an electric motor. It's possible that the new CR-V is being developed in North America, and will borrow design cues from the Honda Civic. There also could be a seven-seat version. Beyond that, details are pretty scarce. Read more at Hybrid Cars, and from Response JP. UC Davis will present findings from a CARB-commissioned study on customer valuation of zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs). Dr. Ken Kurani of the university's Institute of Transportation Studies will report on consumer attitudes toward ZEVs, and the differences between those valuations and market behavior. In Kurani's survey, respondents had the opportunity to design their own car with an in-survey game. Almost a quarter of people designed some sort of EV, including plug-in hybrids and fuel cell vehicles. Read more from CARB, or at Green Car Congress. Minnesota's biodiesel efforts have improved air quality. According to the American Lung Association in Minnesota, summer and winter blends of biodiesel have prevented the emission of 130 tons of particulate matter, 319 tons of hydrocarbon and 2,634 tons of carbon monoxide every year, as well as a total of 3.7 million tons of CO2 over the last 10 years. Minnesota requires a B10 biodiesel blend during the summer months, and B5 throughout the winter. Read more from Biodiesel Magazine. The Volvo XC90 has received the Canadian Green Car Award for Most Efficient Three-Row Family Vehicle. Beating out the Ford Explorer 2.3-liter EcoBoost and the Honda Pilot, Volvo's seven-seat crossover was chosen for its mass market appeal, and a variety of qualities both practical and green. Judges look at value, fuel economy, emissions, performance and technology among other features. The XC90 is available as a plug-in hybrid with about 17 miles of all-electric driving range. Read more in the press release below. Volvo XC90 Wins Canadian Green Car Award The Most Awarded SUV Named Most Efficient Three-Row Family Vehicle RICHMOND HILL, ON. (April 7th, 2016.) The judges of the 2016 Canadian Green Car Award announced their category winners today, with the Volvo XC90 winning the Most Efficient Three-Row Family Vehicle category. The other finalists in the category were the Ford Explorer 2.3-litre EcoBoost and the Honda Pilot.