July Newsletter: Which automaker sells the most “lemon” cars?

GM wins dubious title of most-sued

California consumers who purchased General Motors vehicles between 2018 and 2021 were 26 times more likely to file a lawsuit over serious defects than those who purchased a Toyota vehicle, according to The Auto Lemon Index – our report with CALPIRG Education Fund and Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety (CARS) Foundation. The report reviewed more than 30,000 cases filed under California’s automotive “Lemon Law,” which is celebrating its 40th anniversary. The law offers California consumers among the nation’s strongest protections against seriously defective cars. The report was covered by San Diego KPBS.

What’s the risk of using methane gas?

A serious gas pipeline incident occurs somewhere in the U.S. every 40 hours on average, spewing climate-warming methane into the atmosphere and threatening property damage, injuries and death. Methane Gas Leaks, our report with U.S. PIRG Education Fund and Environment America Research & Policy Center, documented nearly 2,600 gas pipeline incidents serious enough to be reported to the federal government, involving 328 explosions, 603 injuries and 122 deaths. The report was covered by Gizmodo, The Hill and Reuters.

On the blog

Intern Amelia Lake digs into the unsustainability of the synthetic fabrics in our clothes … Analyst James Horrox shows that the best way to use trees to store carbon is to leave existing forests alone … Analyst Bryn Huxley-Reicher details the scope of the U.S. ethanol industry, citing new research that questions ethanol’s friendliness to the climate and environment … Senior Analyst Tony Dutzik explores how new forms of carsharing are showing promise for a greener, less car-dependent future, even as services like Uber and Lyft find themselves on the ropes.