In the News

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  Lightweighting options for heavy trucks

  April 7, 2013 at 9:11 am

  Plastics Today, April 7 2013 An increased industry emphasis on fuel efficiency, safety and operator comfort are accelerating the drive for heavy truck OEMs and their tier suppliers to discover new solutions for lightweighting, better ergonomics, styling, and sustainability. At the recent Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, KY,Sabic’s Innovative Plastics business(Pittsfield, MA) showcased the ways material technology, processing technology, and design technology can help the heavy truck industry achieve lighter weight, more sustainable heavy duty trucks. Today, heavy trucks consume [...]

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  Fuel Economy Keeps Rising: 24.6 MPG In March

  April 4, 2013 at 9:04 am

  by Antony Ingram, Green Car Reports, April 4, 2013 If you’re used to driving around in a Prius then average miles per gallon of 24.6 will sound a little poor in comparison. But that’s the average economy of all cars, light trucks, minivans andSUVspurchased in the U.S. in March–and it’s an all-time high. Read more…

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  GM Pumps $332 Million into New Fuel-Efficient Powertrains

  April 4, 2013 at 8:43 am

  by Anita Lienert, Edmonds.com, April 4, 2013 DETROIT‚Äî General Motors on Thursday said it will invest $332 million to build new fuel-efficient powertrains, including a new Ecotec small gasoline engine family, a new V6 and an eight-speed automatic transmission. The new small Ecotec is part of a new family of gasoline engines that includes three- and four-cylinder variants with displacements ranging from 1.0 to 1.5 liters. Read more…

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  Why Alcoa is pumped about new fuel economy standards

  April 3, 2013 at 12:42 pm

  by Nevin Batiwalla, Nashville Business Journal, April 3, 2013 With higher national fuel economy standards on the way, automakers are making a big push to make vehicles lighter. Few are happier about that than Alcoa Inc., a leading global producer of aluminum.ashville Business Journal, April 3 2013 As automakers transition from steel-bodied frames to lighter aluminum, demand for the metal in vehicles is increasing significantly,saidChris Moore, an environmental engineer at Alcoa, which has an aluminum fabricating facility in East Tenneessee. [...]

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  GM: Newly redesigned Silverado, Sierra will have better fuel economy

  April 1, 2013 at 9:38 am

  by Nathan Bomey, Detroit Free Press, April 1, 2013 General Motors said today that its redesigned Chevrolet Silverado will have better fuel economy and performance, but cost no more than the models they replace. The 2014 GMC Sierra will also exceed its replacement for fuel economy and horse power but will cost about $500 more. Read more…

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  Proposal for cleaner gas could help auto industry hit fuel efficiency goals

  April 1, 2013 at 6:21 am

  by Brent Snavely, Todd Spangler and Alissa Priddle Detroit Free Press, March 30 2013 This time, it could be the oil and gas industry’s turn to make sacrifices in the name of improvedfuel economyfor cars and trucks and cleaner air. On Friday, the Environmental Protection Agency proposed new rules that could cut the sulfur level in gasoline by more than 60%. Read more…

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