Major automotive parts supplier, Delphi, is working on new technology that could improve the fuel economy of standard gasoline engines by 50 percent.

Currently Delphi is running a test engine that is similar to a diesel engine, but runs on gasoline. The single-piston test engine with the new tech was demonstrated under a wide range of operating conditions and early fuel economy figures show that the engine could be far more efficient than even diesel engines. The estimates were based on simulations on how an average, mid-sized vehicle would perform with a multi-cylinder variant of the powerplant.

Delphi is hoping that this technology, which combines the best qualities of diesel and standard gasoline engines, will make an affordable alternative to the much more expensive hybrid and electric vehicles on the market today. Its approach is using a gasoline-direct-injection compression ignition system, taking advantage of the advanced fuel injection, air intake and exhaust controls modern engines have.

Engineering manager of advanced powertrain technology at Delphi Powertrain, Mark Sellnau, also said the engine could be paired with a battery back and electric motor to further improve fuel efficiency, though the costs may not be worth it. The major question is whether or not automakers will adopt the technology rather than investing into a hybrid or electric powertrain of its own.

[Source: MIT Technology Review]

As if it wasn’t bad enough that analysts are reporting that gas prices will hit an all-time high this summer with a potential of hitting an average of $3.90 per gallon, reports are now coming in that East Coast gas prices may spike due to refineries closing.

“There are going to be logistical problems getting product into New York,” said Ben Brockwell, an analyst at the Oil Price Information Service. “The people I talk to are expecting shortages from August through the rest of the year.”

Nearly 50 percent of the refineries on the East Coast have either shut down or may shut down in the coming months being unable to compete with the Gulf Coast facilities that can use cheaper oil. This could cause gas shortages out on the East Coast, raising prices even more than what we’re already seeing this year.

The older refineries are unable to process the cheaper, heavier types of oil that are coming in from Canada’s oil sands, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela. Currently the majority of the East Coast refineries can only process the light, sweet crude oil from West Africa and the North Sea. Refineries along the Gulf Coast, however, have been updated to support the heavier, cheaper oil.

[Source: CNN Money]

You may think America has its fair share of uninsured motorists on the road, but out in the United Kingdom one out of every 25 drivers do not carry insurance. That equates to an astonishing 1.4-million people that law enforcement has had a tough time cracking down on.

The UK government has decided to step in hoping to curb the problem by installing cameras at gas stations and parking lots. Thanks to their automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) system working in conjunction with CCTV cameras, the government will be able to track down all the uninsured motorists in their country.

The hope is that the cameras with the ANPR system will be able to quickly check whether or not a car getting gas is insured or taxed. If either of those are missing, the system will automatically shut down the pump – possibly leaving the vehicle’s owner stranded. What happens after that though would be an interesting scenario, especially if it happened in America.

The UK government plans to meet with representatives from major fuel companies to discuss whether or not this is a good idea. So far the idea has been met with criticism and skepticism; fuel companies fear that gas station cashiers could be in danger from angered motorists while insurance companies are playing devil’s advocate in the scenario where the system doesn’t instantly update that a motorist had renewed their insurance.

[Source: Mirror News]

New EPA labels have had QR codes for users to scan with their smart-phones since 2011, but an update to the mobile site of fueleconomy.gov allows users to take the next step in fuel savings.

Using www.fueleconomy.gov/m on your smartphone now gives you more options than ever before. Users can not only browse the EPA numbers of new and older cars, but can also personalize the information of each car to reflect that driver’s commute.

That means that you can plug in the cost of gas in your neighborhood, the distance of your commute, and your annual driving habits to reflect what the annual cost of fuel would be for your individual situation. Additionally, you can modify the percentage of city and highway driving you do to understand how many miles per gallon a car could bring you.

Another new feature that helps people who aren’t interested in buying a new car is the “Your MPG” feature. Now users can log their own MPG right at the pumps. The old process had users doing it when they got home to use the full desktop site.

The information you use in the “Your MPG” section of the site can be used to help fueleconomy.gov users find out real world MPG information on cars from actual drivers instead of EPA estimates.

Lastly the updated mobile site includes “Gas Mileage Tips” in order for you to save cash with better driving habits.

Reports are coming in that the United States is paying upwards of $400 per gallon of fuel delivered to troops on the ground, that’s a whooping 100 times more than we pay.

Of course that’s not the cost of fuel by itself. The high rate of gas price there includes the cost of having it delivered to the US ground military operations in Afghanistan, which is by parachute. That’s right, huge Air Force cargo planes drop dozens of pallets on the ground in a remote drop zone containing food, water and of course fuel. Almost seems like a scene right out of Lost huh?

And it appears that it won’t be getting any cheaper for the military as more and more air drops will be occurring now that ground-based supply convoys are becoming more dangerous to setup.

Check out the Wall Street Journal report video after the break.

[Source: Autoblog]

The American Petroleum Institute has reported that total petroleum deliveries fell by 0.5 percent in July, compared to the same month one year ago. This was the first time deliveries have decreased for any month this year. As well, gasoline demand hit a ten-year low for the month of July.

John Felmy, API chief economist, said, “The numbers, though mixed, confirm continuing weakness in the economy. Consumers aren’t spending, and jobless claims have increased, so it isn’t surprising gasoline demand was down and overall demand slipped a bit”. It was also interesting that U.S refinery production of gas decreased for the first time in 2011, down by 2.3 percent from July 2010. However, on a year-to-date basis, gasoline production remains on par to set a record.

Galpin Auto Sports, also known as GAS, has been building some of the industry’s wildest Ford Mustangs since it opened shop. The tuner’s newest project is a collaboration with specialty manufacturer SPX, and will be a 1969 Mustang Boss 429-inspired ‘Stang featuring 700-hp, Candy Apple Red Pearl paint, a custom one-off metal widebody and Forgiato three-piece wheels. The completed project will be auctioned off at the 2012 Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale, Arizona with the proceeds benefiting St. Jude Hospital to fight cancer.

With everything going towards a good cause, the fortunate one to win the Mustang will get themselves one hell of a machine. The 5.0L V8 will be a whole new monster thanks to Ford Racing’s supercharger, camshafts from Comp Cams and a Bassani exhaust system. All 700-hp will feel nice and snappy through the transmission thanks to a Hurst short-throw shifter while the Eibach lowering springs give the Mustang better handling and a nicer stance. Speaking of stance, GAS will be outfitting the one-off custom with a staggered set of 21-inch (front) and 22-inch (rear) Forgiato wheels, wrapped with Pirelli P-Zero rubber. Peeking behind each custom three-piece wheel will be a set of Wilwood 14-inch rotors, with 6-piston calipers in the front and 4-piston calipers in the rear.

On the outside, the Candy Apple Red Pearl PPG paint will be accented by the previously mentioned one-off metal widebody. A Roush billet aluminum grille will give the front end a bolder look while the original 1969 Boss 429 hood scoop pays homage to a true classic. For the rear, a Boss 302 Laguna Seca rear spoiler will be added.

Once it’s completed the car will tour several shows across the country, including the 2011 SEMA Show.

Wal-Mart is rolling back gas prices just in time for the Fourth of July driving weekend. The retailer is offering ten cents off a gallon at Wal-Mart and Murphy USA stations if purchased with a reloadable Wal-Mart gift card, MoneyCard or a Wal-Mart credit card.

The discount gas is available until September 30th, but is limited to only 18 states. Americans feel very strongly about having cheaper gas which has become apparent with fuel becoming a budget concern just like household and grocery items in homes across the country.

“Our customers have told us that high gas prices are a top budget concern, nearly as large an expense to their households as food and groceries,” said Stephen Quinn, chief marketing officer. “We listen to our customers and because we know they are feeling squeezed by gas prices, we’re implementing this gas [price] rollback to help them save, especially during high travel summer months.”

Wal-Mart will be discounting gas in the following states: Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.

[Source: USA Today]

According to the latest Kelley Blue Book survey regarding gas prices, new cars and used cars, consumers feel gas prices will improve.

In a recent May 2011 survey by KBB, more than half of car shoppers (52 percent) say they think gas prices will either stay the same or go down in the next 30 days. As well, consumers that said gas prices would affect their choice of vehicle  has decreased by five percent from April (35%) to May (30%).

“Prices at the pump have halted their steep rise and now gas prices are slowly going down in many parts of the country, and the latest kbb.com survey results show that car shoppers are taking note,” said Jack R. Nerad, executive editorial director and executive market analyst for Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com.  “If consumers feel more optimistic about the near-future state of gas prices and more confident in their personal economic situations, this will bode well for the automotive industry, though declining home values present a continuing concern.  Vehicle availability issues caused by the Japanese earthquake and tsunami also could blunt gains to be expected from increased car-buyer confidence.”

[Source: Kelley Blue Book]

There’s a good chance that wherever you live, it’s been $4 a gallon-plus for some time now, but according to the newest Lundberg Survey, the national average for a gallon of gas has hit the magically awful $4 a gallon mark. Gas hasn’t been this expensive since the summer of 2008.

The latest numbers show that the cheapest gas found in any major metro area is in Tucson at just $3.62 per gallon. The most expensive? that would be Chicago, where the price is around $4.50 a gallon and has been over the $4 mark since April.

And there is likely more bad news coming for commuters, with the Memorial Day long weekend, the start of the summer driving rush, still three weeks away.

Just a year ago, gas averaged out at $2,80.

[Source: HybridCars]

An old finance maxim states that “by the time you’ve read about it, it’s already too late”, but that hasn’t stopped used car dealers from eagerly snapping up any 4-cylinder or hybrid vehicle as gas prices continue to climb.

With one dealer calling the sudden trend a “panic”, values of previously undesirable cars like the Chevrolet HHR have shot up to $11,000 from the $8,000 or $8,500 they previously commanded.

In an interview with Automotive News, a NADA guides official stated that prices for these types of cars will probably rise between 3 and 4 percent above what the NADA guides state, while SUV and truck prices are set to fall. However, NADA is not set to alter their residual values, in part because they feel that any major spike in gas prices will last for three years, roughly the same term as most leases.

[Source: Automotive News]

Ford‘s strategy involving smaller cars priced at a premium will become even more important if gasoline rises beyond $4 gallon, said Ford of the Americans President Mark Fields.

“There is a natural kind of water level that if a gallon of gas goes over, that may shift the market mentality,” Fields told Automotive News. ”When it starts getting over $4 a gallon or gets to triple digits when you fill up your tank, that catches people’s attention.” Gasoline prices are currently at a national average of $3.55 per gallon, and global unrest means that they are likely to keep rising.

The Focus in particular represents Ford’s new premium small car strategy, with high end models costing as much as $29,000, while still achieving 40 mpg on the highway. But with more than 80 percent of its parts shared in common with global variants (and expected worldwide sales of 2 million per year in 2012), the Focus could prove to be an extremely profitable car for the company.

[Source: Automotive News]