Washington Wants You to Guzzle Gas

Related Newser Stories

• Volt's Looks Kill Some GM Buzz

  Sep 16, 08 1:58 PM CDT
  GM offered its first official look today at the plug-in Chevrolet Volt, CNNMoney reports, the electric car slated to go on sale in 2010. Its tame appearance drew the ire of gearheads hoping it would look more like the futuristic concept version. "A lot of people are saying they're very disappointed and 'take me off the [waiting] list,' " said one blogger. More »

• Small Cars Carry Big Price Tags

  Sep 3, 08 10:57 AM CDT
  With sales of SUVs and trucks dwindling, car companies have begun to push smaller, more fuel-efficient models—but not for the same small prices. Without the $10,000 profit that was typical on SUVs, automakers can no longer sell cars like the Ford Focus for an average profit of $100. Some are using extras to lure higher-spending customers.
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• GM, After 16% Sales Dive, Eases Finance Options

  Jun 23, 08 3:58 PM CDT
  General Motors is offering no-interest financing for up to 6 years on a selection of its 2008 automobiles in an effort to boost US sales, which plummeted 16% in May, Bloomberg reports. Soaring gas prices have hurt sales across the board, and falling trade-in values and general tightening of purse-strings have left fewer Americans looking for new cars. More »

• Gas Prices Drive Americans Off the Road

  May 27, 08 3:31 AM CDT
  The summer driving season that kicked off over Memorial Day weekend will see significantly fewer Americans hitting the road, reports CNN: Figures from March released yesterday show the biggest decline in driving since the federal government began keeping records in 1942—down 4.3% or 11 billion miles from last year. Gas consumption for the first 3 months of 2008 is estimated to be about 0.6% lower than the previous year, and the summer consumption is projected to be down 0.4%. More »

• High Gas Prices Fuel Transit Boom

  May 10, 08 6:10 AM CDT
  The soaring price of gas is driving people across America out of their cars and onto mass transit, the New York Times reports. Buses and trains are up 5% or more in cities like Boston and New York, where mass transit is already a popular alternative, but the biggest leap in rider numbers—10-15%— has been in cities in the South and West where car culture is strongest. More »