Along with the recent announcement of increased efficiency standards for cars, the US government is also, for the first time, setting efficiency standards for trucks and buses and other heavy-duty vehicles which have previously not had an efficiency standard.

The new regulations apply to three categories of vehicles (combination tractors (semi-trucks); vocational vehicles (such as transit buses); and heavy-duty pickup trucks and vans) and take effect beginning in 2014 and run through 2018. Under these new requirements, national oil consumption is expected to decrease by 530 million barrels. The program is also expected to provide a savings of $50 billion in benefits to vehicle owners.

Furthermore, by the 2018 model year, specific program goals call for semi trucks to be 20% more efficient than current levels, and heavy-duty pickups and vans are to be 15% more efficient, while vocational vehicles to be 10% more efficient.

As was the case with the recent automotive standards, these new truck and heavy-duty standards have also been generally well accepted by the industry.

BMW has released a series of videos to unveil the first two cars in their "i" series of electric vehicles:  the i3 and the i8.  Both are still very much concepts, but the videos give us a good look at what BMW has in store for this line of vehicles.

Both vehicles feature carbon fiber construction and sleek, futuristic styling (note the use of clear carbon fiber panels on both vehicles) and are scheduled for a 2013 release.

The i3 is a four-door, compact city car, formerly going by the name of Megacity, that will be the automaker's first series-produced all-electric vehicle.  It will be 700 lb. lighter than the Nissan LEAF and have 170 hp -- 63 hp more than the LEAF.

The i8 is the two-door, all-wheel drive, plug-in hybrid sports car that was formerly the Vision.  The i8 will have a combined output of 349 hp, will go from 0 - 60 mph in 4.6 seconds, have a top speed of 155 mph and get about 80 mpg.

Check out the video above or watch all the new videos on these vehicles here.