Day: December 20, 2023
Baku Says Border Delimitation Can be Done after Peace Deal with Armenia – Asbarez.com Asbarez Armenian News
TUMO Expands its Initiative to Digitally Preserve Armenian Cultural Heritage Sites Armenian News by MassisPost
Washington — U.S. new vehicles set a record high for fuel economy in 2022, with the biggest yearly improvement in nine years to an average of 11 kilometers per liter (26 miles per gallon) as electric vehicle sales jumped, but the Detroit Three automakers continued to lag rivals.
Vehicles were up 0.2 kp/l (0.6 mpg) over 2021 after being unchanged versus 2020, the Environmental Protection Agency said, noting electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles improved the average fuel economy by 0.5 kp/l (1.2 mpg) in 2022. Fuel economy is forecast to increase to 11.4 kp/l (26.9 mpg) in 2023, the EPA said.
EPA Administrator Michael Regan said the report “highlights the historic progress made so far by the industry to reduce climate pollution and other harmful emissions.”
The report showed Tesla sold additional emissions credits and General Motors and Mercedes-Benz purchased credits in 2022. Automakers use credits to meet requirements.
Stellantis had the lowest fuel economy of major automakers, followed by GM and Ford, while Tesla is the most efficient followed by Hyundai and Honda. Horsepower, vehicle weight and size all hit new records in 2022 — and are projected to hit again record levels in 2023.
The EPA said EVs, plug-in hybrid and fuel-cell production rose to 7% in 2022 and are projected to hit 12% in 2023. The average range of EVs rose to a new high of 490 kilometers (305 miles) — more than four times the 2011 range.
The report showed Americans kept moving away from cars and are buying more SUVs. Sedans and wagons fell to just 27% of vehicles sold in 2022, while SUVs rose to 54%.
Dave Cooke, senior vehicles analyst at the Union of Concerned Scientists, said the report showed emissions from gas-powered vehicles have barely moved since 2015.
“Automakers are lagging in their efforts to clean up conventional gasoline vehicles, which are still the vast majority of new vehicles sold and will be on the road for years to come,” Cooke said.
The EPA in April proposed sweeping emissions cuts for new vehicles through 2032, including a 56% reduction in projected fleet average emissions over 2026 requirements that it says would result in 67% of new vehicles by 2032 being electric.
Dan Becker, director of the Center for Biological Diversity’s Safe Climate Transport Campaign, said the EPA should finalize even tougher rules, while automakers and the United Auto Workers union want the EPA to soften its proposal set to be finalized.
Washington — U.S. new vehicles set a record high for fuel economy in 2022, with the biggest yearly improvement in nine years to an average of 11 kilometers per liter (26 miles per gallon) as electric vehicle sales jumped, but the Detroit Three automakers continued to lag rivals.
Vehicles were up 0.2 kp/l (0.6 mpg) over 2021 after being unchanged versus 2020, the Environmental Protection Agency said, noting electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles improved the average fuel economy by 0.5 kp/l (1.2 mpg) in 2022. Fuel economy is forecast to increase to 11.4 kp/l (26.9 mpg) in 2023, the EPA said.
EPA Administrator Michael Regan said the report “highlights the historic progress made so far by the industry to reduce climate pollution and other harmful emissions.”
The report showed Tesla sold additional emissions credits and General Motors and Mercedes-Benz purchased credits in 2022. Automakers use credits to meet requirements.
Stellantis had the lowest fuel economy of major automakers, followed by GM and Ford, while Tesla is the most efficient followed by Hyundai and Honda. Horsepower, vehicle weight and size all hit new records in 2022 — and are projected to hit again record levels in 2023.
The EPA said EVs, plug-in hybrid and fuel-cell production rose to 7% in 2022 and are projected to hit 12% in 2023. The average range of EVs rose to a new high of 490 kilometers (305 miles) — more than four times the 2011 range.
The report showed Americans kept moving away from cars and are buying more SUVs. Sedans and wagons fell to just 27% of vehicles sold in 2022, while SUVs rose to 54%.
Dave Cooke, senior vehicles analyst at the Union of Concerned Scientists, said the report showed emissions from gas-powered vehicles have barely moved since 2015.
“Automakers are lagging in their efforts to clean up conventional gasoline vehicles, which are still the vast majority of new vehicles sold and will be on the road for years to come,” Cooke said.
The EPA in April proposed sweeping emissions cuts for new vehicles through 2032, including a 56% reduction in projected fleet average emissions over 2026 requirements that it says would result in 67% of new vehicles by 2032 being electric.
Dan Becker, director of the Center for Biological Diversity’s Safe Climate Transport Campaign, said the EPA should finalize even tougher rules, while automakers and the United Auto Workers union want the EPA to soften its proposal set to be finalized.
Official Baku has signaled that the delimitation and demarcation of borders between Armenia and Azerbaijan may proceed on a separate track and should not be linked to a peace deal between the two countries currently being discussed.
“The 35-year-long conflict is now over,” Hikmet Hajiyev, a top foreign policy adviser to President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan, told reporters in London, Reuters reported.
“The strategy for Azerbaijan now is to win peace. (This) requires action from both sides,” he added.
“A peace treaty is not rocket science,” Hajiyev said. “For Azerbaijan there are no longer obstacles on the way to a peace agenda.”
“Azerbaijan is ready to form a peace treaty with Armenia. For that reason, Azerbaijan has also suggested five fundamental principles and a text for a peace treaty. Currently, there are diplomatic engagements between Armenia and Azerbaijan in direct talks. I believe that Armenia and Azerbaijan have managed to surprise the world with a positive agenda. On December 7, the two countries made a joint statement expressing their intention to advance the peace agenda and implement confidence-building measures,” Hajiyev told reporters in London on Tuesday.
He noted that last three months could be considered as the most calm and peaceful period in the history of Armenia-Azerbaijan relationship since the independence of the two countries.
“There is no war, no atrocities, and no confrontation, with soldiers returning to their barracks. Relative peace has been ensured on the ground. Now is the time to transform it into a long-lasting peace, including the signing of a peace treaty,” Hajiyev added.
He claimed that Baku has made it possible for Armenians who fled Artsakh to return, after a vetting process and as long as they are ready to accepts Azerbaijani citizenship.