Philadelphia Inquirer (May 23)
“Catalytic converter thefts are on the rise nationwide, fueled by record prices for the precious metals in the auto part, which helps gas-powered engines burn cleaner. Demand for the metals, palladium and rhodium, has climbed in recent years as governments pass stricter emissions laws to cut pollution. The auto industry is the metals’ biggest consumer.” In the past five years, palladium has soared from $600 an ounce to $2,900, while rhodium has reached $28,000 an ounce.
Tags: Catalytic converter, Cleaner, Emissions laws, Engines, Gas-powered, Governments, Palladium, Pollution, Precious metals, Record prices, Rhodium, Stricter, Thefts
The Economist (February 18)
We are approaching a tipping point. The automotive dominance of internal combustion engines (ICE) looks increasingly limited. Electric cars are “set for rapid forward thrust. Improving technology and tightening regulations on emissions from ICEs is about to propel electric vehicles (EVs) from a niche to the mainstream.” But the transition “from petrol power to volts will be a tough one for carmakers to navigate.”
Tags: Auto, Cars, Combustion, Dominance, Electric, Emissions, Engines, EVs, Mainstream, Regulation, Technology, Tipping point, Transition