Recent Gas News/GasBuddy Blog

GasBuddy Blog -- Here are some highlights from yesterday's Department of Energy Report on U.S. supply and demand:

>Crude inventories increased 1.0 million barrels from the previous week.
Comment: This is a pretty small increase compared to past reports, but brings the amount of oil in storage to 344.0 million barrels, which is 4.1% below last year, when we had 358.8 million barrels in storage.

>Gasoline inventories decreased 1.7 million barrels from the previous week.
Comment: While this number may seem to be a decent number, conventional gasoline inventories actually increased while blending components decreased over 2 million barrels. The loss in blending component inventories may be a result of refiners drawing down on...  (go to article)

Washington Times -- The Obama administration is poised to ban offshore oil drilling on the outer continental shelf until 2012 or beyond. Meanwhile, Russia is making a bold strategic leap to begin drilling for oil in the Gulf of Mexico. While the United States attempts to shift gears to alternative fuels to battle the purported evils of carbon emissions, Russia will erect oil derricks off the Cuban coast.  (go to article)

GreenBiz -- China's production of scientific knowledge is now second only to the U.S. It is the top manufacturer of both solar PV and solar hot water heaters, and was also the largest installer of new wind farms in 2009. Over the next 10 years, China may dump a staggering $660 billion into its clean energy build-out.

But while China is leading the global clean tech race, the competition isn't over, according to research firm Clean Edge.
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Associated Press (newsvine) --
The first Corvette with the Grand Sport name since 1996, the new model slots below the pricey Corvette Z06, which has a starting price tag of more than $75,000.

The Grand Sport, in comparison, has a starting manufacturer's suggested retail price, with destination charge, of $55,720 for a coupe and $59,530 for a convertible with at least 430 horsepower. This is $5,840 more than a base Corvette coupe and $5,000 more than a base Corvette convertible.
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Toledo Blade -- OAK HARBOR, Ohio - With more questions arising out of the latest situation at Davis-Besse, federal regulators announced late yesterday they have dispatched a special inspection team to the Ottawa County nuclear plant.  (go to article)

Sympatico.ca -- As if Toyota wasn't facing enough problems already, there's now speculation that cosmic rays could be causing the sudden acceleration.

An anonymous e-mail to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration last month prompted federal regulators to look into the matter. The individual said radiation could very well be the cause, citing historical malfunctions in both airplanes and spacecraft. In these incidents, sudden software crashes occur without any pre-indication - and the problems end just as unpredictably as they start.

The e-mail also said the auto industry lags behind, because it has not accepted the possibility, nor has it prepared for it.

The only way to block the interference is through a design that combines software and hardware, but Toyota claims its technology  (go to article)

The Montreal Gazette -- 2011 MAZDA2

Mazda's display is all about the 2011 Mazda2, a stylish, eco-friendly, fun-to-drive five-door hatchback. Compact and efficient yet packed with style and substance, the Mazda2 will launch into the Canadian market late this summer.

Also appearing are a trio of concept 2011 Mazda2s with two of the three cars making their Canadian debuts. The first is the 2Evil Special Concept, a track-inspired weekend racer that is equally comfortable on the urban commute, while the second is the Active2 Surf Concept. Also appearing is the Active2 Snow concept. All three variants showcase the Mazda2's ability to meet the needs of a customer's desire for personalization, says the automaker.  (go to article)

USA Today -- Looking for an excuse to carry your St. Patrick's Day binging into tomorrow? Well, consider celebrating National Biodiesel Day, noting the birthday of engine inventor Rudolf Diesel.

So says Ford, which is using the anniversary as a reason to promote the 2011 Ford Super Duty pickup as a "green" vehicle, a bold move given that it's about the biggest thing on the road. Ford says it's one biodiesel-lovin' truck. What is there to love?

Biodiesel is diesel fuel made from renewable stuff like vegetable oil and animal fat. The monster 6.7-liter Power Stroke V-8 turbocharged diesel engine in the Super Duty is B20 compatible, meaning it can handle of blend of 20% biodiesel and 80% petroleum diesel.  (go to article)

Canada.com -- Having honed the modern engine to the point where it is going to take an enormous change (camless valve activation, for example) to further the economy cause, the next logical step is the hybridization of the powertrain.

There are two main types of hybrid systems. The mild hybrid uses the electric side to supplement the gasoline engine.

As such, it cannot drive the vehicle on its own. These systems -- such as that in the Mercedes-Benz S400 -- do have a place in the near term.  (go to article)

New York Times -- DETROIT — General Motors has a “reasonable chance” of earning a profit this year, the carmaker’s chief financial officer, Christopher P. Liddell, said Wednesday.  (go to article)

Flyer obtained at RAM station in Silver City, NM -- Tom Turner Sr. the founder of TETCO (Tom E. Turner Company) started selling gasoline in 1947. He later developed his company, Sigmore, into the largest independant distributor of gasoline in the United States. In the early 1970's he was one of the modern convenience store concept. He later sold the company to Diamond Shamrock today's Valero.

RAM is the newest brand offering from TETCO, one of the largest and most experianced fuel distributorships in the United States. TETCO is a San Antonio company, owned and operated by the Tom E. Turner family for more than 60 years. TETCO Stores: PO Box 171720, San Antonio, TX, 78217. (210)821-5900  (go to article)

VOA News -- What's billed as the biggest rollout of electric vehicle infrastructure in the world is about to begin in the United States.

Urban planners are deciding where to locate more than 11,000 charging stations in 11 major cities. They want those stations up and running when the first mass-market electric cars from Nissan and General Motors go on sale at the end of this year.

The infrastructure will include more than 2,000 electric car chargers in the greater Seattle area in western Washington, and another 2,000 at homes and public places in four Oregon cities. They'll be near shopping centers, fast food restaurants and movie theaters, "the variety of places that people think about when they're able to park and leave the vehicle for an hour or two."  (go to article)

Detroit Free Press -- "Ford and General Motors achieved impressive marks in the latest vehicle dependability study released today by J.D. Power and Associates.

Lincoln finished second to only Porsche in the study, which measures the number of problems experienced by the owners' 2007 model year cars. Mercury and Ford also scored in the top 10.

“It’s pretty impressive to get all three of them in the top 10,” David Sargent, J.D. Power’s vice president of global vehicle research, told the Free Press.

Meanwhile, GM’s Buick brand finished in third place and the Cadillac DTS was the top-rated vehicle in the entire study, beating the Lexus LS which has finished first for the past several years."  (go to article)

CBC News -- The Canadian dollar marched closer to parity with its U.S. counterpart Wednesday, supported by higher commodity prices and the prospect of continued low American interest rates.
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The loonie's official close, as recorded by the Bank of Canada at 4 p.m. ET, was 98.98 cents US, up .36 of a cent on the day, but it continued trading later on currency markets above the 99- cents level.
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Demand for the loonie is also expected to increase along with the appetite for Canadian commodities.
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In Toronto, the S&P/TSX Composite Index finished up 11.3 points at 12,100.7. That came a day after it rose 81 points Tuesday after the U.S. Federal Reserve's decision on interest rates.
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WIFR -- Gas prices shot up in some areas, but some experts said the days of paying more at the pump are numbered
If you've filled up lately, you've probably noticed gas prices jumped nearly twenty cents in the last month.

"I think they are astronomical and ridiculous," Dr. L.D. Tate said.



Experts said that usually happens near Spring because refineries undergo maintenence.

And with clear sky's above, summer has a brighter outlook. According to experts, they say gas prices are actually expected to be lower than what they are right now, clustering the $2.50 mark. With that said, AAA reps said more people will likely travel this summer.

"The economy is stabilizing and from what we've seen so far, people are starting to travel in more ways," AAA rep Beth Mosher said.
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Reuters -- Japan's Nissan Motor Co will begin building the Leaf electric compact car at its Sunderland plant from early 2013, making Britain its third global production site for the zero-emission vehicle.

Nissan, Japan's No.3 automaker held 44 percent by Renault SA, had already announced plans to make batteries for the electric cars in Sunderland, but had been considering several sites for European production of the car itself.

Nissan said in a statement on Thursday that the Sunderland site would start with annual production capacity of 50,000 Leaf cars.  (go to article)

Reuters -- BRATISLAVA, March 18 - Car maker Kia Motors said on Thursday it will invest 100 million euros ($136.6 million) to build a new engine plant at its assembly site in Slovakia.  (go to article)

Houston Chronicle -- James R. “Jim Bob” Moffett could have retired years ago with his legend fully intact. Today, however, in the twilight of a long, storied and sometimes controversial career, the 71-year-old oil and mining executive is taking what amounts to a victory lap.

Moffett, co-chairman of New Orleans' McMoRan Exploration Co., is riding high again after the recent discovery of a major natural gas field in the shallow waters of the Gulf of Mexico, touted as the biggest there in decades.

Called Davy Jones, the discovery is significant for more than its size: It is in an ancient layer of sediment buried at a depth few in industry have ever drilled. As such, it could herald a new frontier for oil and gas development in the heavily explored offshore region.

“Nobody thought we'd be sitting ...  (go to article)

The Wall Street Journal -- Crude oil futures in Asia fell Thursday on the heels of a stronger U.S. dollar, but prices were poised to rise into the mid-$80 range as investors renewed their appetite for risk, according to some analysts.

"This week's revived upward momentum is keeping alive the possibility of a run toward the $84-$85 (a barrel) area, " said Jim Ritterbusch, president of Ritterbusch & Associates. "A renewed speculative incursion into the long side is developing even amid ample supply cover in both crude and products."

On the New York Mercantile Exchange, light, sweet crude futures for delivery in April traded at $82.26 a barrel at 0634 GMT, down $0.67 in the Globex electronic session. May Brent crude on London's ICE Futures exchange fell $0.63 to $81.33 a barrel.

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Reuters -- As U.S. gasoline prices head toward $3 a gallon, states with many drivers in rural areas would take the biggest financial hit if pump costs spiked to record levels again, according to a new report released on Wednesday.

The national price for gasoline hit $2.79 a gallon this week, the highest level since October 2008, according to the Energy Department. The department's forecast arm expects the pump price to top $3 a gallon this spring and summer, as demand picks up and crude oil prices remain high.

The five states that are most vulnerable to the higher fuel prices are Mississippi, Montana, Louisiana, Oklahoma and South Carolina. Drivers in Mississippi would have to spend 11 percent of their annual income, or about $3,345 on average, on gasoline if costs returned to $4 a gallon.  (go to article)

USA Today -- WASHINGTON — Complaints of sudden acceleration in Toyotas repaired under recalls have nearly doubled in the past two weeks, according to an Associated Press analysis of government data.

The complaints from 105 drivers raise questions about whether Toyota's repairs will prevent the cars from speeding up on their own or if there is another reason for the problem.

Toyota has said it is confident in its repairs and has found no evidence of other problems, such as faulty electronics. The automaker did not immediately comment Wednesday on the latest complaints.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said it was contacting owners who have complained about their repaired vehicles. David Strickland, NHTSA's administrator, said in a statement Wednesday the agency has found "....  (go to article)

Detroit Free Press -- WASHINGTON - Toyota is considering how to fix computer flaws in up to 1.2 million 2005 through 2007 model-year Corolla and Matrix cars that can cause engines to stall, but has told federal auto safety regulators the problem does not pose "an unreasonable risk" to safety.

The disclosure adds to the quality questions dogging the Japanese automaker, which has been forced to recall 8 million vehicles worldwide, launch heavy incentives to lure U.S. car buyers into its showrooms and faces several probes into its handling of sudden acceleration complaints.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened a probe last November into 26 complaints of engines stalling in 2006 Corolla and Matrix models, according to NHTSA records.

Several owners said the problem happened without ....  (go to article)

Bloomberg -- John Browne, the former chief executive officer of oil company BP Plc, said that governments worldwide should help companies get loans to develop alternative energy sources as banks recover from the recession.

“The single-most important thing at the moment is to find ways of producing more finance for the sector,” Browne said today in a television interview at the Bloomberg New Energy Finance conference in London. Borrowing “is difficult to come by because banks have no capability of lending significant quantities.”  (go to article)

Bloomberg -- Crude oil fell for the first time in three days as a stronger dollar weakened demand for most commodities and a report showed U.S. crude stockpiles increased last week.

The dollar index, which measures the dollar against six other major currencies, rose for the first in three days. Crude oil inventories grew last week to the highest level since August, according to a U.S. government report yesterday.

“Currency is a short-term factor for the oil market,” said Christophe Barret, a Credit Agricole CIB oil analyst in London. “Prices are disconnected from the physical market; demand looks very weak.”  (go to article)

Bloomberg -- Tesoro Corp. shut down several units at its oil refinery in Anacortes, Washington, because of the failure of boilers that supply most of the plant’s steam, NWCN-TV reported on its Web site.

Thick black smoke plumed from the refinery’s flare stack because of the event yesterday, according to the report.

The refinery in the U.S. Pacific Northwest can process 120,000 barrels a day, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.  (go to article)

Businessweek -- Anadarko Petroleum Corp. and Mariner Energy Inc. submitted the largest single bid in an auction for oil and natural-gas drilling rights in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, offering $52.6 million, according to the Minerals Management Service.

Results of the auction for 468 tracts covering 2.4 million acres off of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, were announced today by the agency, part of the U.S. Interior Department. The government said there were 642 total bids, with high bids amounting to $949 million.

Participation was up 10 percent from last year, to 77 companies from the 70 that took part in the 2009 lease sale for the central gulf region, said Lars Herbst, Gulf of Mexico regional director for the agency.

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chron.com -- Mercury emissions from power plants remain flat despite the availability of the technology to cut back on the dangerous toxin, according to a report released today by the Environmental Integrity Project.

Texas has five power plants in the top 10 list of worst emitters of mercury, according to the study. Leading the pack: Luminant's Martin Lake power plant in Rusk County, which reported a 4.56 percent increase from 2007 to 2008 (the most recent data available.

...Mercury emissions don't need to be as high as they've been at the nation's power plants, according to the report:

Sorbent injection, which can achieve mercury reductions up to 90 percent from coal-fired power plants, has been proven by more than 30 full scale demonstrations performed by the U.S. Department of Energy, Ele
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Breitbart -- TOKYO, March 18 (AP) - (Kyodo)—Domestic automobile sales in Japan in fiscal 2010 beginning April are expected to drop 4.9 percent from the previous year to a 33- year low of 4,649,600 units, the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association said Thursday.
It would be the lowest level since around 4.23 million vehicles were sold in fiscal 1977, with auto demand expected to taper off after the government subsidy for fuel-efficient vehicles expires in September.

"While the subsidy will expire in the first half (of the financial year), we hope auto sales will be supported as economic conditions recover fully through various measures," JAMA Chairman Satoshi Aoki said, citing the Bank of Japan's decision Wednesday to further ease its ultra-loose monetary policy.

The industry body also said domest  (go to article)

Business Week -- March 17 (Bloomberg) -- Wall Street’s contribution to the debate on how to curb global warming: Buy coal, sell solar.

Peabody Energy Corp., the biggest coal producer, is rated a “buy” by 79 percent of analysts, while 44 percent recommend First Solar Inc., the largest maker of thin-film solar panels. The Stowe Global Coal index of 38 coal producers has gained 6.5 percent in 2010, and the Bloomberg Global Leaders Solar index of 38 solar module and component makers has dropped 17 percent.

While investors including T. Boone Pickens and Warren Buffett are pushing cash into green technologies, the tilt toward Peabody and away from First Solar is the widest in two years. It reflects a sense that government support for reducing air pollution may be waning, said Kevin Landis,  (go to article)

bloomberg.com -- Pumping natural gas trapped in shale rock has made the U.S. the world’s largest producer of the fuel. While geologists say Europe may have similar fields spread from northwest England to Ukraine, drilling them profitably will prove a whole lot harder.

Getting the shale gas out requires drilling hundreds of wells and blasting the rock with water and chemicals, raising environmental objections in densely populated Europe. Those obstacles suggest Russia’s OAO Gazprom, supplier of 25 percent of Europe’s gas, will have plenty of customers for its fuel pumped through new pipelines across the Baltic and Black Seas.

“There is a great future for Russian gas in Europe,” John Barry, a strategic issues manager at Royal Dutch Shell Plc, said in an interview. “There is a lot of unconventional

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Reuters -- CALGARY, Alberta, March 17 - Steam-driven projects to extract crude from Canada's oil sands, often held up as more environmentally friendly than mining, have major drawbacks of their own that require more stringent regulation to fix, an environmental think tank said on Wednesday.

The Alberta-based Pembina Institute compared nine projects that employ "in situ" extraction methods -- where steam is pumped into the earth to liquefy the extra-heavy crude so it can be pumped to the surface -- and found all need to make improvements to varying degrees.

"The impacts of in situ have sort of been framed as low-impact oil sands development, but when you look at the data that isn't actually borne out," said Simon Dyer, one of the authors of the report, called "Drilling Deeper."  (go to article)

Newsweek -- Miles below the ocean floor lies enough oil to power the U.S. for more than a decade—and perhaps our best shot at energy independence.

Oil producers like Chevron say offshore drilling represents our best shot at energy independence. Today some two thirds of U.S. production comes from land-based reserves, mostly in Texas and Alaska, but those sources aren't producing the way they once did. The U.S. government estimates that the Gulf of Mexico holds somewhere around 70 billion barrels of oil, 40 billion of which remain undiscovered in the deep water. Combined with the entire Outer Continental Shelf, there's thought to be more than 85 billion barrels of undiscovered crude off the coast of the U.S., more than a decade's worth of oil at our current pace. By 2020, 40 percent of U.S. oil could c  (go to article)

Washington Post -- Never has the political climate in Virginia so favored offshore drilling.

Most Virginia leaders -- regardless of their political party -- have expressed interest in joining Alaska, Texas, Louisiana and other states in setting up offshore platforms to drill for oil and natural gas.

The political shift comes as pressure builds for the United States to search for alternative energy sources while creating new jobs and revenue during the economic slowdown.

"This is common sense. Why not use our resources so we don't have to depend on fluctuating political realities in the Mideast to determine the cost of gasoline?"

Virginia is in line to be the first Atlantic Coast state to drill off its shore, although it will probably be years before it starts, even if it receives the necessary approval  (go to article)

Bloomberg -- Renewable energy investment may rise by 23 percent this year as government stimulus funds mainly in the U.S. and Europe are spent on wind turbines and solar panels.

Spending may rise to between $175 billion and $200 billion this year from $162 billion in 2009, said Bloomberg New Energy Finance Chief Executive Officer Michael Liebreich today.

“There’s a big bulge of stimulus money coming through this year,” he said during a press conference at the consultant’s annual conference in London. “The question is what happens when they switch off the stimulus.”  (go to article)

Bloomberg -- Iraq will increase its estimate of crude reserves, Oil Minister Hussain al-Shahristani said.

The level “is going to go higher, we’re revising it now,” al-Shahristani said in Vienna today.

The Middle Eastern country, the only member of the 12- nation Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries without a quota, had reserves of 115 billion barrels at the end of 2008, according to BP Plc’s Statistical Review. It’s producing 2.5 million barrels of oil a day and exporting slightly more than two million barrels, al-Shahristani said. Exports from the semi- autonomous Kurdistan region will resume within a month, he said.  (go to article)

The Detroit News -- Moody's Investors Service has upgraded Ford Motor Co.'s credit rating, along with that of its Ford Credit lending arm, and hinted that another upgrade could come soon.

Moody's upgraded Ford's corporate family rating to "B2" from "B3" and increased the rating of the automaker's secured credit facility to "Ba2" from "Ba3." Ford's senior unsecured debt rating was increased to "B3" from "Caa1" and raised Ford Credit's senior debt rating to "B1" from "B2."

"Ford clearly has a much more robust and competitive business model that is capable of supporting significant improvement in performance over time," said Bruce Clark, senior vice president with Moody's.  (go to article)

BloggingStocks -- Nissan (NSANY) is jumping in on the electric car revolution, producing a car called the Leaf. It's an all-electric car that seats five. The good news for Nissan is that this car will face little in the way of competition; no other electric car seats as many passengers. Nissan is planning to make 500,000 of the Leaf in North America, Japan, and Europe by 2012. The company also announced that 56,000 of the Leaf are on order in the United States; but, this could be the number of dealers ordering the car, not individuals. The company also expects this electric car to be a popular choice for a no-emission fleet vehicle (like a taxi). Last month, Forbes ran an article on why the Leaf would flop, and Jerry Flint (the author) sure seems eerily prophetic. One of the reasons Flint gave for the  (go to article)

cnbc -- Interest rate hike not likely to push crude oil prices out of the $75-$83 band.

Turning our attention abroad, much ink has been spilled on OPEC’s meeting today (Wednesday), but we’re expecting very few surprises. There is no incentive for any of the members to hike/cut production, apart from Iran being Iran.

Another big concern is China’s upcoming interest rate shift. With a stronger than expected increase in the consumer price index (2.7% instead of 2.5%) for February, analysts are beginning to worry about inflation and over-heating.

But if the government steps in to increase interest rates it could signal a tightening in the credit markets and a sell-off in the equities markets and, in turn, commodities prices.

Light-Sweet and Brent Crude Futures Now
But just like OPEC,  (go to article)

Bloomberg -- March 17 (Bloomberg) -- Crude oil rose above $82 a barrel after the Energy Department reported U.S. imports fell to a seasonal low and fuel inventories dropped.

“Imports are down to a really, really small trickle,” said Carl Larry, president of Oil Outlooks & Opinions LLC in Houston. “We’re not able to bring in as much oil as we’d like to because the oil that is out there is going elsewhere. When the economy does start to grow and the refineries start to pick up runs, that crude isn’t going to be there.”

Crude oil for April delivery gained $1.22, or 1.5 percent, to $82.92 a barrel at the 2:30 p.m. close of floor trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Prices have increased 69 percent in the past year.  (go to article)

GasBuddy Blog -- With gasoline prices on the rise the past few weeks, many of you have heard multiple reasons (some from yours truly) on why gasoline prices are increasing.

First of all, the economy has long since bottomed out, and perception is that with an improved economy comes higher gasoline and oil demand. It's held true in the past, but what we saw in 2008 was a large recession, one that some called the largest in decades. Reality is that gasoline demand will be slow to bounce back, and prices are out of line with that reality.

Secondly, there are supply concerns that are completely overdone. Looking at this week's numbers, refineries used just over 80% of their capacity. In the unlikely case of a large increase in demand, there...  (go to article)

Reuters -- Pakistan has signed a deal with Iran paving the way for the construction of a much-delayed pipeline pumping Iranian natural gas to the energy-starved South Asian country, officials said on Wednesday.

The $7.6 billion project is crucial for Pakistan to avert a growing energy crisis already causing severe electricity shortages in the country of about 170 million.

Pakistani Petroleum and Natural Resources Minister Naveed Qmar hailed the signing of the deal in Turkey on Tuesday as an "historic achievement."

"It's a milestone toward meeting energy needs of the country," a Pakistani government statement quoted Qamar as saying.

Iran has the world's second-largest gas reserves after Russia. But sanctions by the West, political turmoil and construction delays have slowed its development...  (go to article)

Reuters -- Exxon Mobil Corp (XOM.N) has received clearance from U.S. and Dutch regulators for its $27 billion acquisition of U.S. oil and gas company XTO Energy Inc (XTO.N), Exxon said in a regulatory filing on Tuesday.

The approvals put the U.S. oil major one step closer to completing a deal meant to ramp up global exploration for natural gas in substances like shale or impermeable sands.

The deal, which is expected to close in the second quarter, still lacks the approval of XTO's shareholders, according Exxon's filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.  (go to article)

Daily Finance -- For most industries, 2009 will be remembered as one of the worst economic years in history. But it was a year in which the global clean-energy market -- including revenue from solar photovoltaics, wind power and biofuels – grew 11.4% to reach $139.1 billion, according to a report that research firm Clean Edge released Tuesday.

That doesn't mean clean-energy companies have made it out of the recession unscathed. Solar revenues decreased for the first time since Clean Edge began tracking the clean-energy industry a decade ago, falling 20% to $30.7 billion from $38.5 billion in 2008...  (go to article)

Red Orbit -- ENON, Ohio, March 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Speedway has been ranked as the nation's top retail gasoline brand for a second consecutive year. According to the 2010 EquiTrend® Brand Study conducted by Harris Interactive®, Speedway is the highest ranked gasoline in overall brand equity. The EquiTrend® study evaluates key metrics including: Equity, Customer Connection, Commitment, Energy, Brand Behavior, Brand Advocacy and Trust. The keystone to the program is Equity, which provides an understanding of a brand's overall strength and is determined by a calculation of Familiarity, Quality, and Purchase Consideration.  (go to article)

Budet Travel -- But even more surprising was the news this week that China is in negotiations with 17 countries to build a high-speed rail network to Europe...
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The Detroit News -- General Motors Co. is developing technology that will help drivers -- particularly older motorists -- navigate through fog and other dangerous road conditions. The technology involves night vision, navigation and camera-based sensors that transform windshields into transparent displays that can illuminate the edge of driving lanes and alert motorists to dangers -- from deer to motorcycles to children -- outside their normal field of vision.

The technology could become increasingly important as baby boomers age, and older people keep their licenses longer and drive more miles than in previous years -- and presumably keep buying new model vehicles. Though the population of people 70 and older climbed 10 percent between 1997 and 2006, crash deaths fell 21 percent in that group....  (go to article)

Reuters -- Is the Golden State getting ahead of itself?

Starting today, the Clean Vehicle Rebate Project will offer financial incentives of up to $20,000 towards the purchase of a new, zero-emissions and plug-in hybrid vehicles. Cars like the all-electric Tesla Roadster qualify for a $5,000 rebate, and the money can be applied towards passenger cars, commercial vehicles, and neighborhood-electric cars. But are there really enough such vehicles to justify the $4.1 million program at a time when many state governments are tightening the fiscal belt?  (go to article)

Reuters -- - Gas 2.0

by Christopher DeMorro

In 1984, General Motors and Toyota joined forces to produce cars together at a single plant in Fremont, California. Called the New United Motor Manufacturing Inc., the joint venture gave Toyota its first manufacturing base in the U.S., and GM a chance to learn from its rival Toyota on quality and lean manufacturing techniques. Over the years the plant gave us the Geo Prizm, the Toyota Hilux, and Pontiac Vibe/Toyota Matrix, among many other items.  (go to article)

Associated Press -- Prices at the wholesale level plunged in February by the largest amount in seven months as a big drop in energy prices offset higher food costs.

The Labor Department said Wednesday that wholesale inflation dropped 0.6 percent in February, much larger than the 0.2 percent decline economists had expected. Excluding food and energy, prices edged up a slight 0.1 percent, in line with expectations.

The deep recession and weak economic rebound are keeping inflation at bay and giving the Federal Reserve leeway to maintain record low interest rates in an effort to build momentum from stronger economic growth.

While overall wholesale prices have risen 4.4 percent over the past 12 months, core inflation, which excludes energy and food, is up a much more subdued 1 percent over the past year.  (go to article)

Bloomberg.com -- General Motors Co. aims to commercialize autos fueled by hydrogen even as the largest U.S. carmaker prepares to begin selling the battery-powered Chevrolet Volt plug-in vehicle late this year.

While U.S. policy has shifted to favor developing cars that use lithium-ion packs, rather than hydrogen fuel-cell models, both are needed to cut oil reliance and greenhouse gases, Charles Freese, GM’s executive director of global powertrain engineering, said at a briefing in Burbank, California. He discussed GM’s new fuel-cell power system that’s smaller, lighter and cheaper than the one used in its hydrogen-powered Equinox wagon.

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The New York Times -- By the end of the year, at least five plug-in cars, including the Nissan Leaf and Chevrolet Volt, are expected to be on the market. And as electric vehicles roll out, their owners will be wiring their homes to accommodate what is called Level 2 charging. The wall-mounted 220-240-volt boxes can recharge an E.V.’s batteries in four to eight hours.

Think of home chargers as gas pumps for your garage. The more sophisticated ones will be programmable to charge only late at night when energy rates are low and can be scheduled from cellphones and computers.

But as is often the case, the answer to the question, “How much will they cost?” is more complex. Because of the challenges in homes with what can be very outmoded electric service, a Nissan spokesman, Mark Perry, said that the cost of a  (go to article)