Executives from the Scuderi Group are busy hosting the company’s booth (1502) at the 2007 SAE World Congress at the Cobo Center in Detroit today, the first day of the conference.
The SAE World Congress is one of the biggest automotive conferences in the world, with engineers, manufacturers, and journalists from around the globe converging here to discuss the latest technological designs and accomplishments.
This year’s theme at SAE is “sustainable mobility.” In a welcome message to participants, Michigan Governor Jennifer M Granholm wrote that developing sustainable resources and practices “is one of the most critical issues of our time.”
With a theme like that, the Scuderi Group is in the right place at the right time at this year’s SAE World Congress.
Since the beginning of the event this morning, Scuderi executives have met with representatives of OEM’s from Asia, India, and North America. The company’s new video has spurred interest and discussion and many more meetings are planned through the week.
We will be blogging live from this year’s SAE World Congress, so keep coming back for updates as they unfold.
Both AutoBeat Daily and AutoTech Daily took note Thursday of comments from General Motors Corp. Vice Chairman Bob Lutz at the New York auto show. Lutz told reporters that meeting White House proposals to raise U.S. fuel economy standards by 4 percent annually through 2017 would boost the cost of the typical vehicle by $5,000 to $6,000.
The Bush administration has estimated that a 4 percent fuel economy increase would cost the auto industry $114 billion between 2010 and 2017. It calculates GM’s share at $40 billion, although the company says that estimate is too low.
Lutz says the higher standards would require hybrid systems or other advanced technology on almost every vehicle. He warns that consumers would rebel at the price hikes.
Ironically, Lutz made his comments at the unveiling of three Chevrolet mini-car concepts with 1- to 1.2-liter engines. He says it’s a “safe bet” GM will launch production of at least one of the highly fuel-efficient cars fairly soon for sale in various markets worldwide.
By Associated Press, April 4, 2007
SACRAMENTO — The Bush administration has reopened California’s stalled petition seeking to control greenhouse gases after the Supreme Court’s ruling this week that the government can regulate emissions from cars.
The action by the Environmental Protection Agency breathes life into California’s effort to become the first state to cut tailpipe emissions from cars, light trucks and sport utility vehicles. It also could influence the outcome of an auto industry lawsuit in California to block the state regulations, contained in a 2002 state law.
“We’ve reviewed the issues within the waiver request,” EPA spokeswoman Jennifer Wood said Tuesday. “We’re moving forward to the next steps of the process.”
The agency next will schedule a public comment period and public hearing.
At stake is California’s 2005 petition to gain an exemption from the federal Clean Air Act. The state wants automakers to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions from cars and light trucks by 25 percent and from sport utility vehicles by 18 percent starting in 2009. Ten other states have since adopted California’s standard, while Maryland is considering a bill that would enact it.
US Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe (both R-ME) have introduced a measure (S.1073) that would require automakers to reduce new vehicle greenhouse gas emissions 30% below 2002 levels by 2016. This would nationalize California’s motor vehicle greenhouse gas reduction standard. The EPA would be required to tighten the reductions every five years.
The bill also requires fuel suppliers to increase the percentage of low-carbon fuels—biodiesel, cellulosic ethanol E85, hydrogen, electricity, and others—in the motor vehicle fuel supply by 2015. This would reduce emissions from motor vehicle fuels by 10% below projected levels by 2030.
