Cupra have just launched the Leon eHybrid ( a 5-door family hatchback) in the UK with an offical fuel consumption of 702 mpg. That's from a 1.5 litre petrol engine, mated to an electric motor, with an official electric only range of 62 miles. Strangely during a road test a motoring magazine could not get close to the 702 mpg figure, averaging just 52 mpg in mixed motoring. However, thanks to the 10 grams per kilometre emissions rating, company car drivers get an enormous tax break if they drive one. As long as the government tests are as unrealistic as they are currently, then manufacturers will continue to make cars such as the Leon eHybrid.

In the 70s, Honda offered to license their CVCC technology to GM and others to help them meet emissions standards. Instead, they spent money on lobbyists and politicians to lower standards.

1:16 "... truck-sized loop-holes ..." I see what you did there! (CAFE standards are not as stringent for light trucks).

This has been going on for ages. I am 57 years old, and I've yet to see a proper move forward. The different administrations roll back and forth so many times that you don't know which leg you stand on. A pick-up truck is considered an "industrial/work" vehicle, and the rules around it are grossly relaxed. As for the sale of emission credits, I see this as regulators' way of reducing a river dam leak-using paper cups and then gloating about catching a few ounces. It is just deception, a "magic" trick.

We're still living with the gutting of many agencies from the the last four GOP presidents. Takes a long time to recover from with no consistent governance of the country.

@bowtoy

25 күн бұрын

we never recover, then they do it again, and again, and again

@SchmCycles

25 күн бұрын

Unless I am missing something, the last four GOP presidents are Donald Trump (2017-2021), George W. Bush (2001-2009), George H.W. Bush (1989 - 1993) and Ronald Reagan (1981-1989). I have to disagree with including George H.W. Bush in the list of presidents who gutted federal agencies. Following massive ozone pollution episodes in 1987, he campaigned on strengthening the Clean Air Act as part of his platform and, to his credit, he followed through on that promise early in his administration which lead to promulgation of the Clean Air Act of 1990 (which, in turn, lead to me being hired by the EPA in 1989 - an agency for which I still work).

@Species-lj8wh

24 күн бұрын

We are living with the inflation and national debt of the last 2 Democrat presidents. Which affects your pocketbook more?

@transportevolved

24 күн бұрын

Please do not make misinformed statements. The last two democrat presidents reduced debt and inflation.

@angusbartlett9270

24 күн бұрын

@@Species-lj8wh everything you just said is wrong. The deficit (the driver for national debt) goes up during Republican presidencies. The "inflation" we have been suffering under is corporate price gouging, if it was true inflation those corporations would be unable to sustain record profits.

Confusingly enough, the actual café standards are set by OSHA and the FDA.. ;-)

@robertkirchner7981

24 күн бұрын

That took me a minute.

Good video, as an EV owner this does p*ss me off.

Thanks again Nicki

It is good business to lie and if you get caught the fines are far less than the profits that were made. VW Diesel Gate, their punishment was to build out a charging network they were going to build anyway.

There needs to be a new definition of "light utility vehicle" that excludes vehicles which are not primarily used for work. I would suggest something like needing to have a payload that is equal to or higher than its curb weight without variable lift devices such as air springs etc., and having a low limit on the power to gross weight ratio (no limit on torque, though). This would mean that luxobarges, broughams, or muscle cars masquerading as "trucks" would not qualify.

A $6B stock buyback? After a $1oB buyback, and all after increasing pay for factory workers? Wow, that new UAW contract sure 'broke' GM. Those poor car companies.

@onenickthomas

25 күн бұрын

demand more for non-union shops. The only thing GM really doesnt like is that its labor costs are significantly higher than other non-union shops. No matter what business you're in, thats important.

Just make pick-up trucks require a CDL when classified as commercial vehicle. That'll quickly separate the folks who really need them for commercial use, and those who just want a fat lifestyle car.

@robertkirchner7981

24 күн бұрын

Maybe not a full CDL, but any vehicle weighing more than 6000 lbs, or, if equipped to tow, more than 8000 lbs in combination, should require a special license that is both harder to qualify for and easier to lose, whether the vehicle is registered for commercial use or not, simply because of the increased damage such a heavy vehicle can cause. Think of it like type certification for pilots.

@Species-lj8wh

24 күн бұрын

@@robertkirchner7981 That covers all the 3/4 and 1 ton trucks. And all the Rivian's, the Mercedes EQV, EQC. Audi Etron 55. The Hummer EV (of course), Cybertruck, Ford E-transit van and Lighting. And pretty much every Rolls Royce makes. Probably overkill.

@robertkirchner7981

24 күн бұрын

@@Species-lj8wh Yes. That covers the classes of vehicles that have been responsible for the surge in pedestrian and bicyclist deaths over the past decade: large pickups and SUVs. That's the point- to change what and how people drive in a way that benefits the public generally. If people want to drive excessively heavy vehicles that are also overpowered, let's ensure that they do so in an informed and responsible manor. Meanwhile if manufacturers find they can't sell sufficient numbers of such vehicles because the buyers would have to take an extra driving lesson or two, do some coursework and pass a test, they'd be incentivised to start building lighter vehicles.

Love the G4 in the background, still working?

@transportevolved

25 күн бұрын

All our retro-machines used on set work ;)

Hi Nikki, it’s Rick from the declining oil capitol of the world and emerging renewables capitol of the world Houston, Texas. While GM’s violation is egregious and the fine paltry I think you’re being more than generous to believe a those American cars starting in 2012, will still be around by 2040. There wasn’t an American car I owned that needed repairs.

Very good ! Congrats.

13:55 Tesla quotes the range based on tests defined by the US government regulators. I suspect Tesla could also provide their true expected real world ranges for typical drivers given typical driving conditions, but there is no way to provide a single number for the range of any electric vehicle. It is not possible with a single scalar number to allow for all the factors (speed, terrain, weather, temperature, traffic, driver leadfootedness, etc) that impinge upon the "real world range". I would like to see at least two numbers, one for 70 mph highway and a second for city or 40 mph driving, after all, ICE vehicles get two numbers, why not EVs?

@muskrat3291

25 күн бұрын

My EV, a 2023 Hyundai Kona EV, does. I am looking at the window price sticker, which I saved, and it says 134 MPGe for city, 106 MPGe highway, and 120 MPGe combined. Also states 28 kWH/100 miles. At what speeds they are basing that, I have no clue. In the real world I am getting 148 MPGe combined.

Time to bring back the Spark EV but strap on an Aptera solar roof and boost the charging speed and range.

We are old, Nikki, but,i hope, wiser

The US need a presidentwho doesn't trash environmental laws as his first avt after winning the election. Around the 🌎 🌍 We need a president who respect laws, democracy and human rights instead of mere power to himself yo rise sbove the law. Vote fo democracy and Freedom 💙

Good vid. Automakers should not be incentivised by regulators to make larger, more dangerous, (not to mention, more expensive) vehicles. I think Mary (and Biden) thinks EV means Expensive Vehicle.

Thanks

Having any reliance on government policy, incentives, or regulation to fix climate crisis is a fairy tale. Cost of cheaper green energy is what will do it. Greed, when applied correctly, is a very powerful force for change.

I think that companies should be fined 10% of their profits if not revenue for things like this

@mikewallace8087

24 күн бұрын

I think you should ball that idea up and use it on your porcelain throne .

@dylanwhite6539

24 күн бұрын

@@mikewallace8087 our planet is literally becoming less inhabitable and people like you prioritize private company profits over having a planet for the next generation

so even with a loophole big enough to drive a semi thru, GM STILL failed to meet the very very very low standards? standards that need to be a 1000 times tougher and GM still totally failed? wow, they really really hate their grandchildren dont they!!!

Not left, not right, Forward

New Supreme Crt ruling will curtail many of these epa standards. The Oligarchy is not having these green new deals😮 Amerikkka is confirmed lost cause

13:43 You single out Tesla as being overly optimistic with their EPA range figures, yet in real-world tests, Tesla fares reasonably well compared to most other manufacturers. Just watch any carwow "we drove these cars until the battery ran out" comparison video and the Tesla generally gets 20+ miles beyond zero indicated and is up there with the pack. If you're going to make throw-away statements like this, you probably should include a reference to a current test. As usual, the tone when Tesla is mentioned is heavy... but it's upbeat when mentioning others. So, be careful of your biases. Or at least, see if you can say three nice things about Tesla in one video! I know you can do it!

@transportevolved

24 күн бұрын

Look. We went to great lengths to point out that every automaker does it - but in our experience, Tesla is the most overly optimistic (and Porsche has been the most pessimistic)

@angusbartlett9270

24 күн бұрын

There are numerous reports and reviewers that talk about Tesla not meeting their advertised range.

Regarding cheating philosophy: if you're not ready to cheat, you don't care enough about the game.

I mean to place context this was GM during its darkest days 15 years ago...

100 bar minimum fine!

I aint the sharpest tool in the shed, but i reckon if Tesla's able to sell so many credits, then that itself should be a form of proof that the emissions from EV manufacturing cannot be that great as detractors would have us believe. I hope i dont sound too stupid. So the carbon credit system may not be the greatest thing - but it does point out something when ICE manufacturers buy that credit, doesnt it?

I have a question; are car companies responible for carrying out their own crash tests. I think I heard something about this a while ago on youtube, but I'm not sure. You see if car companies are playing silly games with fuel efficency when it's the car companies who do the actual fuel efficiency testing, then you really don't want a similar system to be in place for crash testing and safety.

@CHIEF_420

25 күн бұрын

🧂

@AnonymousFreakYT

25 күн бұрын

For US federal NHTSA crash tests, the carmakers carry them out according to NHTSA standards. Yes, it's possible for carmakers to cheat on this. (These also aren't truly *required* for all vehicles.) But there is also the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (the IIHS) which does independent crash tests on vehicles *bought as if a regular customer.* They even try to buy the vehicles "secretly" so that the carmaker can't deliver a "specially prepared" car. So their ratings should be truly independent and free of any cheating.

@ronaldking1054

25 күн бұрын

@@AnonymousFreakYT But they publish their tests, and as such, the auto manufacturer can cheat by only working on what the test is.

@stevewausa

25 күн бұрын

Carmakers definitely are “taught to the test” with respect to car design.

@AnonymousFreakYT

25 күн бұрын

@@ronaldking1054 Which is why IIHS constantly updates their tests. And they design the tests so that even if a car is truly designed "solely to do well in the test" - that actually improves actual safety. They aren't arbitrary.

Just raise taxes on fossil fuels. Europeans pay three times as much for fuel... and (gosh!) European cars get much better mileage. DUH!

These agencies might be worried they won't exist here shortly so maybe the fines were their way of being nice 😉

Imagine a world where people would prefer buying babies over creating them. Strange stuff

@transportevolved

25 күн бұрын

You win the prize for non sequitur comment. What on earth does this have to do with this video?

face the wrath of the federal govt? when the company in question is "to big to fail" there is no such thing as wrath of the federal government.

Elon’s pay was based on performance, was Mary’s pay based on performance? How about the CEO of Lucid, or Fisker, was their pay based on performance?

Thanks