Catching Up to Speed: Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2008

Recycling exhaust

Biodiesel? Yawn. Reusing that waste is old news. Researchers at General Motors Corp. and at other companies are perfecting a plan to use car exhaust to save gas. This is all in response to an Energy Department challenge to improve fuel economy by 10%. This would save more than 100 million gallons of fuel per year in GM vehicles in the U.S., according to a story by the Associated Press.

Car production news

Chrysler unveils the 2009 PT Dream Cruiser Series 5 and revs up production of the 2009 Dodge Challenger. Plus, Toyota's new Highlander will be ready six months earlier than planned. Back over at General Motors, Cadillac considers replacing the DTS and STS with one model or just skipping out on large luxury cars altogether.

Getting the most from your mileage

Still worried about pain at the pump? CNN Money answers 11 questions of the mileage-obsessed.

— Whitney Friedlander

Photo (top): 2008 Chevrolet Suburban. Credit: General Motors

Photo (bottom): 2009 PT Cruiser. Credit: Chrysler

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Comments

[Biker Karl]

Just imagine if the U.S. auto companies had not lobbied so vociferously against the higher federal mileage mandate. Perhaps they wouldn't be hemorrhaging so much money to the Japanese imports and we wouldn't be as beholden to foreign oil. Is it possible that 100 million gallons we save per year would exceed the benefits of both expanded offshore drilling and properly inflated tires combined? There's no need to drill but I would love to have an Obama air pressure gauge.