Tesla Repays $465M Government Loan 9 Years Early
Electric carmaker Tesla has paid off its U.S. Department of Energy loan nine years earlier than required, using money raised last week in a stock and debt offering.
transportation
Used Cars Get More Affordable as New Car Sales Pick Up
With new car sales revving up, consumers are trading in old cars, resulting in lower prices for used cars.
Amtrak's New Locomotives Symbolize Railroad's Revival
Amtrak is unveiling the first of 70 new locomotives, marking what the railroad hopes will be a new era of better reliability, streamlined maintenance and increased efficiency.
Toyota's Comeback Gains Momentum
Toyota's quarterly profit more than doubled in its latest quarter as cost cuts and better sales worked with a weakening yen to add momentum to the automaker's comeback.
Honda's Quarterly Profit Picks Up Despite Losses in China
Honda's fiscal fourth quarter profit rose nearly 6 percent as the Japanese automaker's recovery from floods in Thailand the previous year offset recent sales losses in China.
Drop in Gas Prices A Boon for Drivers and the Economy
A sharp decline in the price of oil this month is making gasoline cheaper at a time of year when it typically gets more expensive.
Reports: Boeing's Dreamliner Could Resume Flights Next Month
Boeing's grounded 787 jetliners could soon be flying again, published reports say.
Cars Powered by Cheap, Safe Batteries Likely Years Away
Used in everything from laptops to electric cars, lithium-ion batteries nonetheless have an image problem following several high-profile incidents involving smoke and fire.
Automakers Expected to Report Highest U.S. Sales Since 2007
Automakers are expected to report Tuesday that U.S. car and truck sales hit their highest level in nearly six years in March.
Crackdown on Sulfur Could Boost Gas Prices 9 Cents a Gallon
Reducing sulfur in gasoline and tightening emissions standards on cars beginning in 2017, as the Obama administration is proposing, would come with costs as well as rewards.
Gas Prices: Down Lately, But Up 30% From 2010
Most of the media coverage about gas prices lately is focused on the fact that they've fallen from an average of $3.98 to $3.58 in about two months. What's rarely mentioned is that the cost per gallon is still 30% higher than it was this time last year, when a gallon cost $2.75.
Five Reasons to Buy Railroad Stocks
Railroad stocks are poised for resurgence despite Wednesday%u2019s post-earnings slips for Union Pacific and CSX. The fundamentals for the industry are solid -- and that includes other railroad operators like Kansas City Southern and Norfolk Southern.
Free Money! Make Pretax Deductions Work for You
You can't clip coupons or bargain shop for many of your biggest household expenses -- but what if there was a way to get a discount? There is: You can often take pretax deductions from your paycheck and allocate it for basic expenses like child care, transportation and tuition.
Toyota Prius Sales Hit New Milestone in U.S.
Toyota's recent recall woes may have pushed its U.S. sales lower during the past year, but they haven't stopped one popular model from setting a new milestone: The fuel-efficient Toyota Prius hybrid recently surpassed 1 million sales in the U.S.
UAW Head Uses Ford CEO's Big Payday to Rally Union
When Ford awarded CEO Alan Mulally more than $50 million in compensation for 2010's record profit it raised eyebrows around Detroit. Now, the UAW is using that big payday as a rallying point for members as it starts negotiations to regain some of what autoworkers gave up in concessions during the downturn.
Toyota to Keep Japanese Plants Idle Into Next Week
The Japanese automaker has extended its halt on vehicle production at its plants in Japan through March 22, as the country continues to reel from the devastation of last week's massive 9.0 earthquake and ensuing tsunami.
Earthquake's Effects Rattle Japan's Carmakers
Toyota, Nissan and Honda, among other companies, have shut down plants temporarily in Japan in the wake of Friday's earthquake and tsunami. While many of their factories were undamaged, crippled nuclear plants are causing power shortages, and there has been damage to parts makers and transportation infrastructure.
Resurgent Ford Awards Top Two Execs $99 Million in Stock
Ford CEO Alan Mulally and Executive Chairman Bill Ford, have been awarded $56.5 million and $42.4 million in stock, respectively, in recognition for the company's stunning turnaround, which resulted in the automaker raking in $6.6 billion last year -- its best performance in more than a decade.
Honda, Chrysler and Toyota Issue Safety Recalls Involving 77,000 Cars
Three top automakers are recalling vehicles for items ranging from steering problems to stalling engines to faulty tire-pressure monitoring systems. The largest involves 35,000 Honda Civic hybrid models to fix electrical components that could cause headlights to shut off or the engine to stall.
Toyota Issues Recall Over Faulty Tire Pressure Monitors
Toyota is recalling another 22,000 trucks and sport-utility vehicles, this time so that it can repair faulty tire pressure monitoring systems. Vehicles affected by the recall include the Toyota FJ Cruiser, Land Cruiser, Sequoia, Tacoma and Tundra from the 2008 through 2011 model years.
GM Plants Cancel More Shifts After Fire at Parts Supplier
Last week's fire at auto parts supplier Magna International continues to echo through General Motors' supply chain. The automaker shut down the Lordstown plant where it makes the Chevy Cruze for another day Monday. Five other GM plants have also seen shortened and canceled shifts.
Are the Proposed Truck Driver Safety Regulations Unsafe?
Proposed federal safety regulations aimed at protecting truck drivers from fatigue could result in more -- not fewer -- truck collisions, according to the National Retail Federation.
Flyers, Get Ready to Pay More to Take Off
The price of a plane ticket is heading sharply higher. That's because airlines face steeper fuel costs and continue to cut capacity to keep profits from falling. You can still find some relative bargains, but it's going to take a lot more planning ahead.
Chrysler Recalls 250,000 Minivans, Crossovers to Fix Engine Stalling
Chrysler is recalling nearly half a million popular minivan and crossover models because the engines may unexpectedly turn off while driving, increasing the risk for a crash.
February's Sales Put Carmakers in the Fast Lane
It was a good month for auto sales despite inclement weather across much of the country and surging oil prices. Cars sold near an annual pace of 13 million vehicles. That would make February the best on record since the "cash for clunkers" rebate program in 2009.
GM's February Gain Outpaced Forecasts
GM models sold smartly despite the steadily rising price of gas. GM says it sold 207,028 vehicles during the month. The increase was driven largely by a 70% jump in retail, or individual consumer, sales.