Business Operations | Fleets | GreenBiz.com

Recovery Act Adds 6,500 Greener Vehicles to USPS Fleet

GreenBiz Staff — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 13:50:00 -0700

The U.S. Postal Service will swap 6,500 old vehicles with a mix of hybrids, flex-fuel and four-cylinder replacements with the help of stimulus funds and the U.S. General Services Administration.

Fleets Leaner, Greener Despite the Recession

GreenBiz Staff — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 00:49:00 -0700

The collapsed economy hasn’t soured commercial fleets' interest in greener vehicles, and in some cases, the recession has actually accelerated efforts, according to a new survey from PHH Arval.

Can Mud Make the Perfect Biofuel?

Marc Gunther — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 10:42:00 -0700

In the search for a clean, planet-friendly fuel, the startup Qteros has discovered and refined a microbe it calls the Q Microbe that turns biomass -- switchgrass, wood chips, grass, corn stover or even municipal liquid waste -- into ethanol.

Ohio State Students Win First Stage of EcoCAR Challenge

GreenBiz Staff — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 12:31:00 -0700

A team of students from Ohio State University took first place in the first milestone of the three-year EcoCAR challenge. The 17 teams in the challenge must take a 2009 Saturn VUE and alter it into an electrified vehicle, improve its fuel economy, lower its emissions and maintain its performance and appeal to consumers.

Ford on Track to Cut Vehicle Emissions, Lags on Energy Efficiency

GreenBiz Staff — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 13:18:00 -0700

Ford's 10th annual sustainability report shows what progress the company is making on its goals related to the environment, vehicle safety, human rights, workplace safety and more. While the company is on its way to meet vehicle emissions goals, it was unable to meet its manufacturing-related energy efficiency goal.

On the Ground Realities (and Solutions) for Truck Companies Looking to Go Green

Maria Stamas — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 14:00:00 -0700

Simply adopting already-existing technologies can save the U.S. trucking industry $7.6 billion dollars per year and cut its fuel use by one-half or more.

Obama Administration Orders $210M Worth of Fuel Efficient Vehicles

GreenBiz Staff — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 17:23:00 -0700

Making good on U.S. President Barack Obama's promise to accelerate the greening of the federal fleet, the U.S. General Services Administration has ordered 14,105 fuel efficient vehicles this month and will use $210 million in Recovery Act money to pay for them.

Hertz Relaunches Green Collection in Europe, Plans Fuel Economy Goals

GreenBiz Staff — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 12:51:00 -0700

Rental car company Hertz is relaunching its Green Collection throughout Europe, offering fuel-efficient vehicles at 70 airport and downtown locations. The company has also committed to setting fuel economy goals, reducing its fleet's emissions and improving its sustainability reporting. Those acts have gained the support of shareholder groups that are pressuring another rental car company to set similar goals.

Three Secrets to Driving Down Your Fleet Emissions

Karen Healey — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 04:08:00 -0700

Even in these tough economic times, there are ways companies can boost their fleets' efficiency without resorting to snake-oil technologies: changing driver behavior can have the biggest impacts of all.

The Green Future of the 'New GM'

Joel Makower — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0700

What to make of this week's bankruptcy filing by General Motors? The beginning of the end? The end of the beginning? A death? Rebirth? Something in between?

Carbon 'Pedometer' Helps Volvo Cut Commute's Footprint

GreenBiz Staff — Fri, 29 May 2009 07:43:00 -0700

The company developed a mobile phone-based program that details the greenhouse gas emissions from daily commuting; employees testing out the tool changed their commute habits to cut emissions by 30 percent.

General Electric to Power Up New Battery Plant in Upstate New York

GreenBiz Staff — Tue, 12 May 2009 10:15:00 -0700

General Electric plans to open a $100 million state-of-the-art, heavy-duty battery manufacturing plant just north of New York's state capital, where it is expected to be the core of the firm's new battery business, the company announced today.

Norway Explores Banning Cars in Climate Fight

GreenBiz Staff — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 04:05:00 -0700

A proposal from the country's Finance Minister this weekend would halt all sales of fossil fuel-powered vehicles by 2015 as a way of spurring the development of clean car technologies.

Ford: 'Boosting and Downsizing is Our Strategy'

Matthew Wheeland — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 09:00:00 -0700

John Viera, Ford's Director of Sustainable Business Strategies, explains the one, soon to be ubiquitous piece of technology in Ford vehicles, and how the company is planning for a low-carbon future in uncertain times.

The Word from Brainstorm Green

Marc Gunther — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 21:45:00 -0700

GreenBiz.com Senior Writer Marc Gunther provides an inside look at Fortune's Brainstorm Green Conference, which is he co-chairing, and comments by Paul Hawken on his work with Wal-Mart and Ford, Better Place's Shai Agassi and more.