Fuel Efficiency

Why are car companies trying to block laws that would save us money and protect the climate?

Posted by bex — 10 May 2012 at 10:43am - Comments

Volkswagen is lobbying against critical environmental laws

With fuel prices at record levels and predicted to keep rising, you’d think that new European proposals to stem drivers’ costs and reduce emissions would be welcomed by all. But major car companies like VW are opposing these laws – so today we released a new report detailing how increasing efficiency will benefit both the public and the climate.

Article tagged as: climate change, EU, fuel efficiency, go beyond oil, oil, transport, volkswagen, VW

250,000 people call on Volkswagen to change

Posted by Richardg — 26 July 2011 at 5:29pm - Comments

Stormtroopers in London on the campaign launch

This morning something momentous happened.

Our Jedi-o-meter hit 250,000.

One quarter of a million people - from all corners of the galaxy - calling on Volkswagen to stop blocking progress on climate change.

Article tagged as: climate, climate change, fuel efficiency, go beyond oil, volkswagen, VW, VWDarkside

VW Viral Video: The Jedi Strike Back

Posted by jamess — 15 July 2011 at 3:28pm - Comments

A little over two weeks ago, we launched our VW campaign with our spoof video of the company’s Darth Vader advert.

It instantly went viral, becoming the most shared ‘ad’ worldwide (see pic on the right).

Article tagged as: 30 percent, climate, climate change, fuel efficiency, go beyond oil, oil, volkswagen, VWDarkside

Do you want to make cars less polluting? Now's your chance

Posted by jamie — 28 August 2008 at 3:26pm - Comments

While congestion charging schemes to control CO2 emissions from traffic are proving controversial in London and elsewhere, there's a chance we might see some action in Brussels on this problem very soon.

Article tagged as: cars, climate change, co2 emissions, fuel efficiency, transport

Yadda dabba don't: cavemen arrested in car protest

Posted by jamie — 27 May 2008 at 5:31pm - Comments

Six cavemen in a Flintstones-style car protesting about the car industry's lack of action on climate change

Protests by lorry drivers in London and Wales today show the strength of feeling surrounding fuel prices and, as oil hit US$135 a barrel last week, they're unlikely to fall anytime soon. Hauliers want the government to abandon proposed 2p tax increase and so ease the pain, but that would only be a short-term fix for a long-term problem - what's really needed is affirmative action on setting minimum fuel efficiency standards for road transport.

Which is why, if you happened to be in Brussels yesterday morning, you would have seen a bizarre site - six cavemen and women travelling the streets in Flintstones-esque car. (Don't believe me? Watch the video.) They were exposing the stone age thinking (geddit?) of the car industry who, lead by German car manufacturers, have been stifling attempts to improve car efficiency and reduce CO2 exhaust emissions for 17 years. First stop was the headquarters of the car manufacturer's lobby group, the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA), to deliver copies of a new report about the impact their industry is having on climate change.

Article tagged as: belgium, cars, climate change, co2 emissions, EU, fuel efficiency, transport

Make cars greener says ex-Shell boss

Posted by jamie — 6 February 2008 at 11:48am - Comments

As one fossil fuel giant sidelines its alternative energy projects and invests in even more damaging technologies such as tar sands, the former head of another multinational has made some startling demands vis a vis car efficiency. To all intents and purposes, Sir Mark Moody-Stuart- ex-chairmen of Shell - wants to see all gas guzzlers banned.

Expanding on a column he wrote for the BBC website, Sir Mark said that the EU should bring in a minimum standard of 35 miles per gallon (mpg). "Nobody needs a car that does 10-15mpg," he said. "We need very tough regulation saying that you can't drive or build something less than a certain standard. You would be allowed to drive an Aston Martin - but only if it did 50-60mpg."

Article tagged as: cars, climate change, fuel efficiency, road transport, transport

Car manufacturers put the brakes on climate law

Posted by bex — 29 January 2007 at 2:51pm - Comments

Emmissions from transport are on the rise

Car manufacturers are trying to sabotage a new European climate law that would force them to improve the efficiency of their new vehicles. But there's time to act to make sure that Europe's cars are cleaner and greener in future.

Article tagged as: climate change, EC, emissions, EU, fuel efficiency, pollution, road transport, transport

Land Rover forecourts targeted in first national day of action against 4x4s

Posted by bex — 4 June 2005 at 8:00am - Comments

A Greenpeace volunteer on the Land Rover forecourt

Teams of Greenpeace volunteers took action this morning to disrupt sales of some of the most gas guzzling 4x4s on sale at Land Rover dealerships in seven major cities across the UK. The activity kicked off the first national day of action against 4x4s.

Article tagged as: 4x4s, climate change, direct actions, fuel efficiency, land rover, road transport, transport

Greenpeace shuts down Range Rover assembly line

Posted by bex — 16 May 2005 at 8:00am - Comments

A Landrover is marked with CLIMATE CRIME SCENE tape

Early this morning 35 Greenpeace volunteers shut down the assembly line making gas-guzzling Range Rovers. Urban 4x4s made at this site are wrecking the climate.

Article tagged as: 4x4s, audio, cars, climate change, direct actions, fuel efficiency, land rover, transport

Tax gas-guzzlers off our roads

Posted by bex — 15 March 2005 at 9:00am - Comments

Exhaust of a 4x4

Climate change is already killing 150,000 people a year. If the government takes climate change as seriously as it says it does, Gordon Brown will tax gas-guzzlers off our roads tomorrow when he presents the budget.

Earlier today the Chancellor made a keynote speech describing climate change as an issue of justice and recoginsed that the millennium development goals cannot be met without stabilising the climate. He also declared his ambition to make British business the world leaders in environmental productivity.

Article tagged as: 4x4s, climate change, congestion charge, fuel efficiency, gordon brown, road transport, tax, transport, VED

Greenpeace UK