Even with gasoline prices reaching higher and higher, and natural gas prices at decade lows, consumers are doing as little as possible to adopt natural gas vehicles. As investment blog Seeking Alpha found out, the answer isn’t so complex.
Diesel drivetrains have long been a crucial component to the European market’s forbidden-fruit appeal for American enthusiasts, ranking right up with station wagons and manual transmissions on the list of under-offered features in the American market. But there are signs now that Europe’s longtime infatuation with oil-burners might be drawing to a close (and not just for biodiesel). The Telegraph reports that Europe-wide diesel market share has fallen from 52 percent to 46 percent in the last 12 months, with the UK’s share dropping from about 43 percent to about 41 percent. Much of this trend is being driven by growth in the low-cost car segment, where the higher cost of diesels make them less competitive. Fears of higher repair costs for more complicated clean-diesel drivetrains and a relative undersupply of diesel fuel aren’t helping either. And just as diesel is faltering in its most important consumer market, the EU is eying a tax increase that Reuters UK says “could boost demand for gasoline at the expense of diesel.”
While the world is trying to come to grips with pedal-gate, tiny Hong Kong is attempting an exorcism of its own gremlins: 18,000 (mostly Toyota Crown) taxis and 2,000 minibuses are propelled by LPG, liquefied petroleum gas. The gas is lugged around in a large tank housed in the trunk of the taxis, much to the chagrin of suitcase-schlepping tourists. The real problem is: The LPG mobiles are breaking down in wholesale fashion, China Daily reports. Hundreds a month.
The Hong Kong government set up a special task force to investigate. Nobody is blaming Toyota – this time. (Read More…)
mkirk - No illusions here. It had 250k miles and broke. It was not solid, now it is. In all honesty I could replace it with something far less capable and be OK for daily...
28-Cars-Later - “virtually any Acura in the last 10 years” Really, this includes RL and the glass transmission TLs? I would say “virtually any Acura in...
Luke42 - I’d like to make a distinction between maintainability and reliability. My old Ranger was maintainable, on account of the fact that it was simpler than most...
mkirk - I would love to do this but there are no refueling stations within 100 miles and to do it legally is complicated if it is a vehicle that was not certified...
threeer - Volt…unfortunately, most Americans who are considering a BMW aren’t looking for a base model variant. They’d be appalled to find one with cloth seats...
Recent Comments
mkirk - No illusions here. It had 250k miles and broke. It was not solid, now it is. In all honesty I could replace it with something far less capable and be OK for daily...
Klaus - So no RWD 2er hatch, like we had with the 1er in Europe?
28-Cars-Later - “virtually any Acura in the last 10 years” Really, this includes RL and the glass transmission TLs? I would say “virtually any Acura in...
Luke42 - I’d like to make a distinction between maintainability and reliability. My old Ranger was maintainable, on account of the fact that it was simpler than most...
Ltd783 - What a fun, friendly website we have here…
mkirk - I would love to do this but there are no refueling stations within 100 miles and to do it legally is complicated if it is a vehicle that was not certified...
jimboy - As the proud owner of a 1st gen LX; Magnum, I can certainly attest to the continuing desirability of these cars. I only wish they would...
28-Cars-Later - This was in reference to AKM
DeeDub - Inside every old guy is a young guy saying “What the hell happened?”
threeer - Volt…unfortunately, most Americans who are considering a BMW aren’t looking for a base model variant. They’d be appalled to find one with cloth seats...