Green Car » General

Family car-Toyota Sienna

g2 — Sun, 05 Aug 2007 16:27:45 +0000

I am in Arizona and my in-laws just bought a toyota Sienna. Pretty nice ride, gives about 23-24 mpg on the highway. And as a HOV not bad. With 4 people in the car we get to go on to the Diamond lane. Drawbacks: to many little storage areas.

Pros: You can fit an elephant into it.

Will take it for a test drive later. Need to check out this baby wagon compares to the Honda Odyssey that Mark has.

Interesting fact

g2 — Sat, 09 Dec 2006 14:32:00 +0000

Owning a hybrid does not mean you can go out and buy an SUV and claim that driving a hybrid justifies the fact that one can also own an SUV. A recent survey found that close to 25% of hybrid owners own an SUV. Now who is the hypocrite….

I am back…

g2 — Mon, 20 Nov 2006 16:01:04 +0000

Its been awhile since I last blog, reason being my new job has kept pretty, busy, but i am back.

G2 is in the house.

More support for the Ethanol Gimmick

g2 — Mon, 18 Sep 2006 23:02:03 +0000

So I was not the only one who thought that FFV are just another gimmick put up by the “Big3″. So gas price outside Ann Arbor is priced between $2.13-2.23, this does not mean that its going to stay like that forever. So these guys say oh, buy a FFV, be a patriot, buy American, save the economy. Do people forget we are a Capitalist democracy, when it comes to goods and services, Americans look for the best deals. It has nothing to with a patriotism. If Ford,GM and Chrysler build good fuel efficient cars, people will buy them. But, no these guys want to try and hoodwink the American buyer and call on they patriotism. If this article offends your patriotism, then you may have a problem, because patriotism has nothing to do with what kind of bloody car you own. According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary Patriotism is defined as love or devotion to one’s country, yes, I support the USA, but I am not going to become a patriot by buying a car that gives lousy gas mileage. Check out how through a clever combination of marketing and gimmickry that would make P.T. Barnum blush, domestic automakers claim to be “green” while diverting attention away from the real issue: A federal tax loophole is creating an artificial market for ethanol, while stifling the development of new technologies by automakers that would put more fuel-efficient vehicles on the road.Read the article by William O’Keefe “Ethanol is a Gimmick and not an answer to high gas prices”.

Source: Mercury News

For 100k you can go sporty electric car

g2 — Wed, 26 Jul 2006 22:53:51 +0000

If you have a spare 100k hanging around and gathering dust in your bank account, and you want fully powered electric vehicle. Guess what you can buy one from Tesla. The Tesla Roadster has a range of 250 miles, says the company. The EV1, with the best nickel metal hydride batteries, could go about 150 miles under ideal conditions. A full charge of the EV1 could take eight hours. The Tesla’s lithium-ion batteries can be raised from the dead to a full charge in 3 1/2 hours and, unlike the EV1, the Tesla will come with its own portable charging pack so it won’t be range-tethered to its home charging station.

So when are we mere mortals ever going to be able to buy such a car, never. Great idea, just built for billionaires. Now all we need is for someone transfer this technology into the mainstream automobile industry. Big 3, look this one is on the house. Yeah, I know was it GM who tried this earlier in the 90′s.

Source:http://www.latimes.com/news

MINI Ride

g2 — Sat, 15 Jul 2006 16:18:30 +0000

Last week I was able to get a ride in a super-charged MINI Cooper, this animal was fully loaded. I just fell in love with that little beast. It had 214-hp engine/ 6 speed MT and costing between 18-20k depending on the type of trim. A bit pricey for such a small car, and I would have expected the fuel economy on this car to be really good but it gives about 25/32 city/hwy MPG.When compared to my Mazda3 AT which gives 28/35 city/hwy MPG. But then this little beast has more hp that my Mazda3, so who am I to say anything. Would I buy a MINI if I could, YES!! Imagine how easy parallel parking is with this car (I failed parallel parking), literally you can park this car anywhere. Now this is a small car with attitude.

Hybrid Tax credit update

g2 — Sat, 01 Jul 2006 01:12:21 +0000

If you want to get those tax credits for buying a hybrid, you better do it soon, because once any automaker reaches 60,000 hybrids, those tax credit will phase out within 15 months from that date. Toyota’s best-selling Prius and Camry hybrids will be the first to lose their tax-preferred status, which will be cut in half for vehicles delivered after September 30. And Honda is not far behind.

Source: http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com

Our Mazda3 update

g2 — Thu, 15 Jun 2006 19:47:10 +0000

Krissy & I have driven 5501 miles on our Mazda3 over the last 6 months and it was time to get its oil changed, wheels rotated, inspection etc. Just what Gary told us it would give fuel wise when we first met him. He is one of the three people who made it possible for us to buy it (the other two prefer to remain anonymous). We fill up at the pump once every two weeks. Thanks to the guys at the SESI Mercury Lincoln Mazda dealership in Ypsilanti everything was done within a hour and it cost us about $31.00. While waiting to get this done I was checking out the new Mazda RX-8 Shinka and the Mazda MX 5 Miata. I just cannot wait to get my hands on one of them. Krissy promised me once I get a job and pay off her student loans, I can get one, sure as if that will happen anytime soon. Click on the link to check them out at http://retailer.channelnet.com/sesimazda/sb.cn

Source: http://www.sesimotors.com/

GM, Suzuki to collaborate & develop fuel efficient hybrids

g2 — Tue, 13 Jun 2006 20:43:31 +0000

Japanese car maker Suzuki and US automotive giant General Motors (GM) plan to jointly develop fuel-electric hybrid vehicles for the North American market, the leading Japanese business newspaper Nihon Keizai Shimbun reported Monday.

These guys plan on developing and launching another “fuel-efficient” hybrid SUV by 2009.
Source: http://autos.monstersandcritics.com/news

HondaJet

g2 — Sat, 10 Jun 2006 19:57:07 +0000

For aviation enthusiasts like me who will probably never own it this is what you have to look forward too. Honda is bringing the very light jet HondaJet to this yearâ€™s EAA AirVenture Oshkosh. After making only a brief appearance for its unveiling at Airventure 2005, the HondaJet will stick around for the entire event this year, and be featured in the new Honda Pavilion.

Source: http://www.greencarcongress.com/

Retro-fitted Toyota Prius runs on CNG

g2 — Sat, 10 Jun 2006 19:47:42 +0000

Talk about lowering the carbon dioxide levels down in a hybrid. This retrofitted Toyota Prius emits 20% less CO2 (80 g/km). IFP (Institut FranÃ§ais du PÃ©trole) is presenting a CNG-electric hybrid prototype vehicle based on the Toyota Prius at this Challenge Bibendum, running in Paris from 8-12 June 2006. IFP co-developed the CNG Prius with Gaz de France (GDF).

Source: http://www.greencarcongress.com/

Clean Diesel Cars

g2 — Thu, 08 Jun 2006 19:34:52 +0000

Mitsubishi and Honda plan on developing and producing clean burning diesel cars for the Japanese and US markets by 2009. Currently the only diesel car that is going to be launched later this year in all 50 US states is the Mercedes E320 BLUETEC.

Source: http://www.greencarcongress.com/

Honda Civic GX runs on Compressed Natural Gas

g2 — Thu, 08 Jun 2006 19:06:39 +0000

This Fall in the State of the Governator, California residents will be able to buy the Honda Civic GX which runs on compressed natural gas (CNG). Recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as the cleanest internal-combustion vehicle on Earth, the Civic GX is perfect for getting around town and running everyday errands. In fact, the California Air Resources Board gave the GX an AT-PZEV emissions rating, which means it’s still the “Cleanest on Earth.” On a full tank of CNG, the Civic GX can travel upto to 200 miles (28/39 city/hwy mpg). You can tank up at home overnight using the Phill system which can be set up to the gas line at your house (the same gas line used for gas stoves and gas operated heating units). Downside it may take 12 hours to fill up. At gas stations that vend highly pressurized CNG, it will take minutes to fill up the 8 gallon tank In my opinion at 24k this car is everything one needs to save money, its clean and affordable both at the pump and in the long run.
Source:

Honda

http://www.myphill.com

Best & Worst Cars for city driving of 2006

g2 — Fri, 02 Jun 2006 05:47:46 +0000

Here is a list of the best and worst cars of 2006 by ForbesAuto.com.

Best cars for city driving:

Honda Insigth
Toyota Prius
BMW 3 Series Coupe,
Mini Cooper
Scion xB
Honda Civic Hybrid
Volvo V50
Audi A3
Saab 9-2X
Mercedes-Benz C-class.

Worst cars of 2006 according to Forbes Auto when it comes to city driving are (drum roll please)

Hummer H1 Alpha
Maybach Type 62
Lincoln Navigator L
Rolls-Royce Phantom
Hummer H2
Chevrolet Suburban
Cadillac Escalade ESV
Lincoln Town Car Signature L
Infiniti QX56
Bentley Arnage RL

The criteria used in selecting the best and worst car when it comes to city driving are actually quite simple. Forbes Auto asked some specific question which any rational car owner/buyer ask when he/she goes out to buy a car. For example: How well will the vehicle fit on the streets? How easy will it be to park? How is the visibility from the driverâ€™s seat? How well does it handle and maneuver, and how comfortable is it?

Now if I owned a RR or a Maybach, these are issues my chauffeur has to worry about. Oddly enough no US vehicles make the Top Ten list for best car when it comes to city driving. However, you cannot miss them in the list of worst cars when it comes to city driving 7/10 (Bigger does not always mean better).
Source: http://www.forbesautos.com/advice/toptens

Maranello 4

g2 — Mon, 22 May 2006 04:14:45 +0000

If Krissy and I were living in London, this is something we would definitely have considered buying. The Maranello 4 is a two-seater electric car which comes from the land of Ferrari, Fiat & Lamborghini. With a top speed of 30 mph, it can go up to 45 miles on a single charge (gelled lead-acid batteries). It cost just under 10,000 quid (USD 18,700 approx.). London being a very congested city, this car will be a boon for people who live and work in the city. Added bonus of owning such a small car and the fact that it runs purely on electricity, parking is easy and free in many areas of the city.
Source:

http://www.sbsbsb.com/

http://www.greencarcongress.com/2006/05/new_allelectric.html

Consumer Reports announces Top Picks for 2006

g2 — Wed, 17 May 2006 16:27:40 +0000

In the Hybrid SUV category the Toyota Highlander comes up on top according to Consumer Reports latest announcement. With the inception of the Highlander, Consumer Reports now has two hybrids in its Top Picks, the other being the Toyota Prius. The Toyota Highlander Hybrid beat the other SUV’s in its category based on the fact that it accelerates quicker and has moderately better fuel economy in its class.

Source: www.consumerreports.org

More Corn for Michigan

g2 — Sat, 13 May 2006 18:50:15 +0000

GM is pushing for more ethanol based gas stations in Michigan. There are currently 5 gas pumps in the entire state that supply E85 (85% ethanol and 15% gasoline blend) based gas for FFV. Now GM is going to “encourage” that all its employees driving FFV’s gas up at these pumps. There are plans to introduce 20 more gas pumps which will serve E85 in Michigan, predominately in the Wayne County & Detroit area. General Motors Corp.’s drive to put ethanol-based fuel in the tanks of more U.S. cars and trucks may transform Detroit’s neighborhood gas stations and its drivers into pioneers in the use of the gasoline alternative.

Source: www.bloomberg.com

Prius: International Engine of the year 2006

g2 — Thu, 11 May 2006 14:58:24 +0000

For the third year in succession, the 1.5-liter gasoline engine of the Prius Hybrid Synergy Drive powertrain has won both the International Engine of the Year Award in the 1.4â€“ 1.8-liter category and the â€œBest Fuel Economyâ€ category. The awards were made at the Engine Expo in Stuttgart, Germany.

Apart from this, BMW snapped up five awards in various engine performance and size categories. Other entrants such as VW won three, while Honda and Subaru got one each.

Source:

http://www.greencarcongress.com/2006/05/prius

Ethanol Update

g2 — Tue, 02 May 2006 19:04:50 +0000

Apparently ethanol backers are facing an uphill task when it comes to touting its benefits. Ecology Prof. David Pimentel at Cornell University states that ethanol requires 30% more energy input in the production process and not to mention pollution caused to the environment due to the usage of pesticides and fertilisers.

Now that companies such as GM have figured out that it was foolish of them not to have jumped onto the hybrid bandwagon, they are trying to tout ethanol as a solution to the fuel crisis. Click here for the full article.

Source:

http://motoring.co.za

Honda Fit 2007

g2 — Mon, 01 May 2006 15:50:50 +0000

The 2007 Honda Fit with its 109 hp, 1.5 litre, 16-valve SOHC VTEC engine and with drive-by-wire technology is now available. The Honda Fit comes equipped with both 5-speed manual/automatic transmissions. Fit MT models are said to achieve 33/38 city/hwy mpg, while the models with AT gets 31/38 city/hwy mpg (1 hwy/mpg less in the sport model). The fact that the sports model comes equipped with steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters is just every F1 enthusiasts dream come true. Better contral and faster response, definitely a plus point. This little car will be great for inner-city driving. But is this car “green”?
Source: Honda

Terrapass & Ford: Greener Miles

g2 — Thu, 27 Apr 2006 18:15:47 +0000

If you own a Ford, Lincoln or Mercury vehicle, and you want to find out how much CO2 your car emits, then you are in luck. Ford and TerraPass have come together and launched the Greener Miles program. The Greener Miles program invites Ford car owners to go online to create a personal emissions report, learn about ecodriving and balance out the greenhouse gas nemissions of their vehicles through the online purchase of carbon offsets.

Source:

http://www.terrapass.com/ford/

http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2006/04/27/005043.html

Hybrid Cars

Hybrid buying trends

g2 — Wed, 26 Apr 2006 19:09:31 +0000

A survey conducted by the Wall Street Journal Online/Harris Interactive Personal Finance Poll found that one-third (33%) of US adults who plan to purchase or lease a new vehicle say they are most likely to seriously consider an alternative-fueled vehicle for their next purchase.

Of those people polled, 47% would buy a “greencar” because it was better for the environment, 45% would buy a hybrid/FFV to lower spendings at the gas pump. Study sample size 2,516. Is this demographic a true representation of the people’s mind set in the US. With current gas prices at what, $75 a barrel on the market and going up, I believe this to be true.
Source:

GreenCarCongress

HarrisInteractive

The New Toyota 2007 Yaris

g2 — Tue, 25 Apr 2006 18:39:01 +0000

The 2007 Toyota Yaris has hit the roads, with a starting price of $10,950 for the lift back or hatch back MT model (34/40 city/hwy mpg) all the way to $14,050 for the S sedan AT (34/39 city/hwy mpg). Alas, if only our Jimmy or Geo had lasted us for 4 more months, Krissy and I could have got ourselves a Yaris, not that I do not like my Mazda3, at the end of our day it boils down to simple economics.
Source: ToyotaÂ

Choices??

g2 — Thu, 20 Apr 2006 18:17:39 +0000

If faced with the choice, would you rather buy a hybrid vehicle which runs on gasoline and electricity and gives good city mileage and burns fuel more effectively while emitting way less CO2 and other pollutants. Alternatively, would you opt for a diesel vehicle, which will give you more mileage than a hybrid but diesel cost more than gasoline on one hand but you use less of it and with improvements made to these advanced diesel engines most of these engine run on biodiesel (combination of vegetable oil and animal fat), hence the greasy spoon odour from the exhaust. Both are good options, but the fact remains that until diesel is not refined so that the sulphur level is lowered significantly, diesel obtained from fossil fuel poses too much of a hazard. That being said, at one point Krissy and I had considered the Volkswagon Jetta but for some odd reason we did not look into it too closely, something we may regret in the days to come with the prices of gas currently between $2.79 – $2.89 per gallon in and around Ann Arbor, MI. My Mazda (15 gallon tank) is currently giving us 27 mpg combined. The Jetta (14.5 gallon tank) gives approx. 38 mpg combined. So for about a dollar or so more, if I had a Jetta we would get about 146 miles more out of diesel. Downside, over the course of a year the Jetta would emit 6,528lbs of CO2, 60lbs of CO, 45lbs of NO, 1,842 grams of soot or particulate matter and 22lbs of smog. I used the gas mileage calculator on the Hybrid cars website to get the emission infomation.

Source:

Diesel Cars are back
Hybrid Cars

A Billion Cars

g2 — Tue, 18 Apr 2006 15:52:54 +0000

Analyst predict that by the year 2020 a billion cars will be on the roads all around the world. That’s one for every 61/2 people on the planet — and over 25 percent more vehicles than we have today.

Source: http://www.contracostatimes.com

Top 5 Picks

g2 — Sat, 15 Apr 2006 23:03:36 +0000

Ron Cogan’s Green Car Journal Online has nominated 5 alternative fuel/FFV/hybrid cars etc. out of the many that are there. Judging criteria was based on environmental impact, but newness was the primary factor. Check them out at Green Car’s Top 5.

2006 Honda Accord Hybrid
2006 Honda Civic Hybrid
2006 Lexus RX 400h
2006 Mercury Mariner Hybrid
2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid

If I where to buy a car based on this site reccomendations I would go for the 2006 Honda Civic Hybrid, based on the fact that it gives 49/51 city/hwy mpg and it cost $21,850. Check them all out at http://www.greencar.com/index.cfm?content=topstory2

Source: http://www.greencar.com/

Ford Recalls

g2 — Fri, 14 Apr 2006 06:18:00 +0000

Ford is recalling 134,365 Escape and Mercury Mariner SUV’s 2005 models, so that there can adjust the padding on the drivers side to prevent injuries during a collision, according to U.S safety regulators.

So people who own a 2005 Ford Escape or Mercury Mariner SUV, please contact your local Ford dealer asap. It caught my eye on the local news channel as I was swapping channels, so I thought the best place to verify it would be to go onto the Ford website, to my surprise there is no mention of the recall on their website. So you release the news to the press, but cannot post a sign on your site, fearing bad publicity. Just adding a link to the bottom would have been sufficient.
Source: Reuters

Need for Speed

g2 — Sat, 08 Apr 2006 17:14:40 +0000

The need for speed for those environmentally conscious drivers has finally been answered, but there is a hefty price tag that comes with this sleek solar speed demon.I just cannot wait to see what this baby will look like. Hybrid Technologies will launch the LIX-75 (totally powered by batteries) at the New York Auto Show on April 14, 0-60 in 3 seconds, with max speed of 200 mph and with a recharge radius of 100 miles, only draw back it cost a mere $125,000.

Source: http://www.businessweek.com/autos/content/apr2006/

Dodge Stupidity??

g2 — Fri, 07 Apr 2006 05:12:01 +0000

Now look what Chrysler has gone and done, man if this is not stupid, then I do not know what is stupid. Dodge released the Dodge Durango 2007 (here comes the good part) HYBRID at the Dallas Auto Show. This gas-guzzling hybrid with a combined fuel efficiency of a whooping 17 mpg will be available in 2008. Apparently, Chrysler believes this is the right way to enter the hybrid market. I just cannot believe this, are the guys at Chrysler who thought this was a good idea, were they on some kind of hallucinogenic. Thats all what we need a gas-guzzling SUV thats labelled as a hybrid, duh..

Source: http://www.greencarcongress.com

Are Hybrids really green?

g2 — Tue, 04 Apr 2006 22:05:13 +0000

That is the question many people are asking now, as I have found the real question one should ask is “How much CO2 does it emit?” All car companies foreign or homegrown have leapt onto the “green bandwagon” and are touting their hybrid fuel efficient vehicles, but the fact that even the most fuel efficient hybrid still emits pollutants, is a sign that automakers have other plans. Hybrids used to be the environmentalists’ great shining hope for combating auto pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and gas guzzling. Those were the romance days for hybrids, the first two or three years following their introduction in 2000. But the honeymoon is over. With the emergence of performance-oriented hybrids, and ultra-mild hybrid systems, environmentalists now see the technology as one more example of how Big Auto has hoodwinked..

Source: http://www.hybridcars.com/green-litmus-test.htmlÂ

Honda Accord Hybrid Vs My Mazda 3 2.0L

g2 — Mon, 03 Apr 2006 07:44:31 +0000

I was just curious as to how much impact my Mazda 3 would have on the environment and my wallet. Using the Gas Mileage Impact (GMI) calculator on the Hybrid Cars website, this is what I found:

My Mazda 3 cost just over $16,000, the Honda Accord Hybrid cost approx. $30,000.
Fuel Economy on my Mazda is at 26/34 city/hwy mpg, currently we are getting close to 26 combined on it, Honda Accord hybrid estimates between 25/34 city/hwy mpg.
Now using the GMI calculator my Mazda will consume 447 gallons vs the Honda Accord hybrid 405 gallons over 13000 miles/yr, current gas price at $2.58.
The Accord hybrid saves a whopping $109.39 on gas a year, but cost twice the price of a Mazda.
Emmission wise the GMI calculator estimates the Mazda will emit over 8,494 lbs of CO2 when compard to the Accord hybrid’s 7,689 lbs thats a difference of 805 lbs.
Carbon Monoxide scores are a bit whacked, my Mazda 3 by the GMI calculator estimates to emit 146 lbs, while for the Honda Accord hybrid it is 316 lbs.
Nitrogen Oxide, again its sounds crazy, Honda Accord hybrid gives off 9 lbs compared to 6 lbs by my Mazda and the amt. of hydrocarbons emitted are 4lbs by the Mazda and 7 lbs by the Honda Accord.

Taking all this into consideration, buying the Mazda is really working out for us. So why do we need buy a Honda Accord hybrid, which cost more and actually does not differ significantly from a conventional vehicle like the Mazda 3, when it comes to emissions.

Hydrogen luggage tractors and a bit more…

g2 — Sun, 02 Apr 2006 07:20:01 +0000

When we talk about green cars, we would generally assume that one is talking about cars on the road, but now its time the aviation industry to do its bit and ground support companies for the aviation industry should convert to “greener fuels”. You have probably seen those men & women driving those luggage tractors while skilfully dodging aircrafts at the airport, most of those tractors run on either gasoline and diesel. The Hydrogen Engine Center (HEC) out of Iowa has unveiled its new Mini Oxx three-cylinder 2.4L engine at the Aviation Industry Expo in Las Vegas, Nev. The Mini Oxx is a compact version of HECâ€™s Oxx Power six-cylinder 4.9L engineâ€”the companyâ€™s basic product. HEC has developed hydrogen engines which can be refitted into the luggage hauling tractors. The current problem is that the infrastructure for large supply of hydrogen is currently not available at airports. HEC states that if aviation ground support companies order a gasoline-fuel engine from them, then these comapnies have pre-positioned their operation to convert to a hydrogen engine when the time is right.

Mark had asked me earlier to check out some information about alternative fuel sources for the aviation sector, and what I found was that jet fuel needs to have a very high octance and usually its either kerosene or a blend of kerosene, naptha and lead. Unfortunately the US aviation industry is the only industry that does not have any engine emission regulations set on it.
Source:
http://www.hydrogenenginecenter.com

http://www.baylor.edu

Critic or Not

g2 — Mon, 27 Mar 2006 20:28:29 +0000

One of my close friends from University back in London, who now lives in Texas was checking out the site and this was his feelings:

He just reiterated that I do not drive a hybrid and also that since I have not been to any of the current motor shows, how can I be comfortable being a car/hybrid/environment critic?

This is my response, well technically I do not even own a car, both our previous gas guzzlers were owned by my wife, (1991 Jimmy and 1995 Geo Metro) my current car the Mazda 3i, well let just leave that between the financing company, my wife’s grandparents and her. So technically I do drive, but only grocery runs, cause I happen to be one of the many people searching for a job in Michigan (its literally like finding a needle in haystack). If I had a job and had a salary which would allow me to buy a car, I would definitely go for a much cleaner, fuel efficient car, such as a hybrid. Till then I see them, no touch.

Do I consider myself a critic, at the very best an amateur. I am just giving my honest opinion, I wish I had the capablility to fly to Stockholm for the Motor Show. Last time I was in Sweden (1998) my friend Akshay and I were in Gothenburg and had a lot of schanpps and marinated herings. Spent two days in Stockholm, most of it spent at the Vasa Museum rest of the trip is a blur. One reason why we use the world wide web, is to go and visit or in some instance re-visit places, so till I am financially stable all my thoughts and opinions will have to considered as an honest internet based resource. And finally, I did take environmental studies as a lab elective at Richmond, so I know what “nimby” means, do you!!

EPA & Univ. of Toledo to jointly research advance car technology

g2 — Sun, 26 Mar 2006 18:11:49 +0000

To save energy and help the environment, EPA and the University of Toledo signed a cooperative agreement worth $1 million to develop advanced vehicle technology that will maximize fuel economy benefits and minimize emissions. EPA is providing $450,000 and the University of Toledo will cost share in support of the three-year agreement.

Albeit that a million dollars may not seem to be a exhorbitant amount of money, when it comes down to conducting research over 3 years, this is definitely the kind of inroads I like to see being made by organisations such as the EPA and researchers at the University of Toledo. Colloboration via research funding and joint ventures between the car giants and the scientific community will definitely bear fruit. I definitely agree with all the tasks outlined for this project but the fact that a part of this project will develop and train engineers in advance car technology is definitely a positive sign. I wish them the best of luck in their joint research undertaking.
Currently this is what the proposal between the EPA and Univ. of Toledo entails:

For more details click on: http://www.epa.gov/otaq/technology

Source: The Student Operated Press

http://www.hybridcars.com/news

Saab to debut Gas-Electric Hybrid by 2010

g2 — Wed, 22 Mar 2006 15:48:14 +0000

GM plans on developing a gas-electric hybrid by its European acquired company Saab. What this means to you: Environmentally friendly vehicles would fit nicely into Saab’s image â€” but shouldn’t hybrids be part of every GM brand’s offerings?

Does GM still think that hybrids are foreign concepts and that small, fuel efficient cars are not meant for us.

Do we really need hybrid SUV’s?

g2 — Mon, 20 Mar 2006 05:17:35 +0000

Now come on, even a child can tell you that we do not need hybrid SUV’s. I mean, you go from a SUV such as the Ford Escape which gives about 22/26 mpg city/hyw, depending on engine specs to a Ford Escape Hybrid 36/31 mpg city/hyw (31 mpg combined). I can understand when the car goes from 20 mpg to 60 mpg, it does have a major impact on pollution emissions, oil dependence/addiction, but I assume Ford wants to make this transition a tad bit slower. So to all those SUV owners out there, have no fear you too can save the environment, just at a slower pace.
Source: Ford SUV

Stickers

g2 — Sat, 18 Mar 2006 05:22:33 +0000

Saw a car with 60MPG sticker on its bumper. Now that is definitely rubbing it in gas guzzlers faces. Want to find out your cars average fuel cost, go to http://www.fueleconomy.gov/

Want one sticker with your MPG on it, check out http://www.cafepress.com/mpgstickers

University of Michigan wins Solar Car Challenge

g2 — Sat, 18 Mar 2006 05:12:43 +0000

The team from the University of Michigan had taken top honors at the 2005 North American Solar Challenge, crossing the finish line first in Calgary, Alberta, Canada after 2,494 miles of driving from the start of the race in Austin, Texas. The University of Michiganâ€™s solar-powered car, Momentum, made the trip in a total of 53 hours, 59 minutes, and 43 seconds for an average speed of 46.2 mph.

Now this what I am talking about, a renewable, environmentally friendly,natural source of energy. Yes this happened last year, but hey, this is the way to go. The Sun is one source of energy that we humans have not been able to fully harness. So it was single seater, thats how it all starts, Go Blue.

Ford desperate to offload hybrids…

g2 — Sat, 18 Mar 2006 05:03:32 +0000

For people in the Washington DC area and in California, Ford is offereing interest free loans on its Escape Hybrid SUV. Previously I had mentioned about the $1000 rebate that came with it, well this cannot be added on to onto the 0% APR financing plan that Ford is offering, plan ends in 3 weeks, as if I really care.

Source: http://www.greencarcongress.com/2006/03/ford_offers_int.html#comments

Hybrid critics speak out

g2 — Wed, 15 Mar 2006 17:47:53 +0000

In continuation from yesterday’s article in Mercury News by Gary Richards, Roadshow: The Other side: Readers tell why they won’t buy a trendy hybrid. I do agree with some of the criticism, yes battery replacements are expensive, car pooling does work, but the fact that some people still do not care for the environment and are quite content on driving a gass guzzler just amazes me. The only way hybrid technology can be successful is by putting it on the roads, its only been 5 years since hybrids have been on the roads, technology just does not sprout in to a tree overnight. Give it time, alternative fuel engines, hybrids, fuel cell cars are all coming out. Its not an easy job changing the mind set of current conventional car owners so give it time.

Ford desperate to sell Escape Hybrid

g2 — Tue, 14 Mar 2006 18:17:52 +0000

The Ford Motor Company is going all out by increasing factory discounts and spending more on advertising. Apparently Ford spent $2.5 million on the Super Bowl XL ad just to launch the Escape Hybrid. When we went to a Ford dealership earlier this year in Detroit and asked about incentives in general, we were told there was a $1000 incentive, but the small catch was that you had to pay tax on that. Ford discounted the Escape Hybrid late last year in part because it was moving slowly in some markets, sources close to Ford said. The base Escape Hybrid was discounted $1,411 under Ford’s Simple Plan year-end sales blitz.

Source: Automotive News

Toyota Prius takes over Ann Arbor

g2 — Sun, 12 Mar 2006 21:27:27 +0000

Krissy and I were driving around Ann Arbor today and wherever we drove we were either behind, in front or passing a Prius. At one point we though we just may be seeing the same cars passing by, but that does not see to be the case, Ann Arborites have definitely taken the green car concept to heart. Way to go Ann Arbor.

Where does the “Lead” go?

g2 — Sat, 11 Mar 2006 20:58:06 +0000

Research shows that by 2007 there will be close to 1 million hybrids on the roads in the US. Now all these hybrids have one thing in common, Ni-MH (nickel metal hydride) batteries. These batteries do risk polluting the environment but its toxicity level and impact is much lower than convential lead acid batteries and nickel cadmium. According to a 2003 report entitled, “Getting the Lead Out,” by Environmental Defense and the Ecology Center of Ann Arbor, Mich., an estimated 2.6 million metric tons of lead can be found in the batteries of vehicles on the road today.

The way to go would be to get the lead out of the batteries, but battery companies are finding it very difficult to give cheap lead up so easily. Toyota and Honda provide toll-free numbers on their hybrid battery packs. Toyota goes one step further by offering $200 incentive so that these get back to its battery reprocessing plant. Note: since the Prius has gone on sale since 2000, Toyota has not replaced a single battery from wear and tear.

Gas Guzzler of 2006

g2 — Fri, 10 Mar 2006 19:54:20 +0000

And the Razz award goes to “Dodge RAM SRT 10″. With whooper of an engine 8.3L, 500 hp, 10 cylinder, it give 9/12 mpg (city/highway). Way to go Dodge (Source: Hybridcars.com), I cannot even begin to imagine the CO2 emissions of the car but, hey who cares about the environment.

Running out of juice?

g2 — Wed, 08 Mar 2006 19:30:55 +0000

Will driving a battery only car give you a queasy feeling that you are running out of juice? With a car such as the Blue Car or Mitsubishi’s Concept-EZ MIEV (Mitsubishi In-wheel motor Electric Vehicle) it make us very conscious of where we go and how far we have to go?

Number of Cars on the Road

g2 — Tue, 07 Mar 2006 15:44:08 +0000

Ok, this is as far as I got today, as of 2003 there were 204 million vehicles and 191 million drivers Number of Cars.

Anyone else got some more facts.

Saab Aero X

g2 — Tue, 07 Mar 2006 15:17:44 +0000

Here are some images of the Saab Aero X which was showcased at the Geneva Car Show.

Biodiesel Locations

g2 — Sun, 05 Mar 2006 18:40:34 +0000

There are 13 Biodiesel locations in Michigan. That is 9 more than E85 locations.

DOE Alternate Fuel Vehicles (AFV) 2006

g2 — Sun, 05 Mar 2006 17:52:33 +0000

The US DoE has posted a list of AFV’s.

AFV List 2006

VW showcases 60-MPG Polo at Geneva

g2 — Sat, 04 Mar 2006 21:35:10 +0000

The VW Polo Bluemotion uses a modified version of the 3-cylinder 1.4-liter TDI diesel engine in the conventional Polo to produce the same power outputâ€”59 kW (79 hp)â€”and torqueâ€”195 Nmâ€”but with a reduction in fuel consumption of 11% (0.5 liters/100km) to 3.9 liters/100km (60 mpg US). Emissions of CO₂ drop by 13% from 119 g/km to 103 g/km.

Good Driver, Green Driver

g2 — Fri, 03 Mar 2006 15:13:15 +0000

Now going out and a buying a Green car does not mean that you can throw caution to the wind when you go out driving. Definitely, the car one buys is a very important factor, but how well you maintain and drive your car will be the determining factor on how you help reduce the pollution impact caused by your vehicle.

Drive Carefully and Gently

Avoid “jack rabbit” starts and aggressive driving. Flooring the gas pedal not only wastes gas, it leads to drastically higher pollution rates. One second of high-powered driving can produce nearly the same volume of carbon monoxide emissions as a half hour of normal driving. Think ahead. Try to anticipate stops and let your vehicle coast down as much as possible. Avoid the increased pollution, wasted gas, and wear on your brakes created by accelerating hard and braking hard. Follow the speed limit! Driving 75 mph instead of 65 mph will lower your fuel economy by about 10 percent, and can dramatically increase tailpipe pollution in many vehicles. When possible, plan your trips to avoid rush hour. Stop-and-go driving burns gas and increases emissions of smog-forming pollutants.

I found these tips really insightful, I recommend that you check this site out for more information http://www.greenercars.com/drivinggreen

Loremo: The Ultra Efficient Car – 157MPG!

mark — Mon, 27 Feb 2006 03:01:43 +0000

Loremo: The Ultra Efficient Car – 157MPG! The Loremo LS is powered by a 2 cylinder Turbo Diesel engine with 20 hp and 160km/h top speed. The amazing thing is that the Loremo only needs 1.5l per 100km. This is approx. 157MPG! The Toyota Prius hybrid has only 55MPG (combined city and highway). With one tank (20l) you could drive 1,300km.

An update

g2 — Sat, 25 Feb 2006 05:08:37 +0000

I have been a resident of Washtenaw County since last year and I just found out about the Ann Arbor Area Clean Cities Coalition. This private/public organization was formed to generate interest and create an infrastructure for FFV’s & AFV’s. The main goal obivously being to reduce air pollution and dependence on imported oil. Just a note on our dependence on imported oil, many people believe that Saudi Arabia is the largest exporter of oil to the US, then you are in for a shock, its Canada and not the Saudi’s (placed third after Mexico). As of December 2005 Canada had imported 1.899 million barrels of crude per day, check the Energy Information Administration.

Ethanol Facts

g2 — Thu, 23 Feb 2006 18:41:26 +0000

Here are some facts about E85 ethanol provided by the National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition (NEVC): E85 has an octane of approximately 105. E85 sells for approximately the same price as unleaded gasoline. Ethanol reduces the incidence of greenhouse gas emissions. Ethanol is domestically produced and promotes energy independence. Ethanol production increases the value of feed grains grown by farmers. Ethanol is biodegradable and does not contaminate water. Ethanol can be produced from a number of different feedstocks including paper and agricultural waste. Additionally 2.7 gallons of ethanol can be produced from a bushel (approx. 56 lbs) of corn. Michigan Ethanol LLC in Caro is the only ethanol plant operating in Michigan.

Where does Ethanol come from?

g2 — Thu, 23 Feb 2006 18:14:43 +0000

The simple answer is “CORN”. For those interested in a more detailed explanation read on. Flex Fuel Vehicles (FFV) run on a blend of 85% Ethanol and 15% gasoline. Previously it used to be 90% Ethanol and 10% gasoline. Hence a much cleaner burning fuel. Ethanol is produced by fermenting and then distilling the sugars from agricultural crops such as corn. Similar to making beer. The only thing is that for it to be used as fuel in a FFV, the ethanol produced has to be 100% pure.
All agricultural crops and residues contain six-carbon sugars or compounds of these sugars. To produce ethanol from grain, the starch portion of the grain is exposed and mixed with water to form a mash. The mash is heated and enzymes are added to separate the fermentable sugars.
The next phase, fermentation, involves the addition of yeast to convert the sugars to ethanol and carbon dioxide. Fermentation produces a mixture called “beer,” which contains about 10 percent ethanol and 90 percent water. The “beer” is then boiled in a distillation column to separate the water, resulting in fuel-grade ethanol that is 85 to 95 percent pure. Ethanol production from grain utilizes only the starch.
A variety of highly valued feed co-products, including gluten meal, gluten feed and dried distillers grains, are produced from the remaining protein, minerals, vitamins and fiber and are sold as high-value feed for livestock. Ethanol is also produced today from wood waste, cheese whey, waste sucrose, potato waste, brewery waste, and food and beverage wastes (http://www.e85fuel.com/e85101/faqs/production.php).
Now is you really have a lot of time on your hands, you can read a thesis by Kelly Launder from MSU titled “From Promise to Purpose: Oppurtunities and Constraints for Ethanol Base Transportation Fuel” (http://www.michigan.gov/documents/CIS_EO_Ethanol_Thesis_87917_7.pdf). She wrote it primarily as part of a report for the State of Michigan’s Energy Office in 2001.

Green Car of the Year (2006)

g2 — Wed, 22 Feb 2006 19:40:41 +0000

The Green Car Journal Online has awarded the 2006 Mercury Mariner Hybrid, Lincoln-Mercury’s first gas/electric hybrid, the Green Car of the Year Award. The Mariner Hybrid was chosen by a high-profile jury of auto and environmental leaders, the other nominees were Honda Accord Hybrid, Honda Civic Hybrid, Lexus RX 400h, and Toyota Highlander Hybrid. The five finalists were selected by Green Car Journal after evaluating a field of dozens of 2006 model year vehicles offering varying levels of improved environmental performance. Gasoline-electric hybrids, near-zero emission gasoline models, advanced diesels, and an array of vehicles capable of operating on alternative fuels were among those considered. While all current models are eligible for consideration, “newness” is a factor, with vehicles in the early phase of their production cycle given particular weight in identifying finalists. Check it out.

Mazda3i AT Performance

g2 — Tue, 21 Feb 2006 19:33:45 +0000

My wife and I have been driving our Mazda3i AT for five weeks now and we are averaging 26.15 mpg/combined (26/34 city/hwy mpg). Our Mazda has been keeping its end up. The estimated annual fuel cost is $1,138.00 as of Jan 2006. the car handles really very well and since this is our first Mazda, we definitley have been experiencing that “zoom zoom” effect whenever one of us gets into the drivers seat. On the highway its performs really well and the red glow interior lights are way better and it makes the whole dash just pop up at night. Very sporty for the car and engine size (2.0L).

Why Go Green?

g2 — Tue, 21 Feb 2006 19:12:05 +0000

When considering buying a new car today, there are several factors that go in to our decision making (e.g. safety rating, performance, emission rating, price etc). Buying a “green car” today can become a very complex process and every automotive company has it own version of a “green car”. So I have started reviewing sites that are helful and informative and then I will post them accordingly. Now to address the question, going green is definitely the better way because protecting the environment is crucial to our own survival. Greenhouse gases such as Carbon Dioxide is primarily emitted from burning of petroleum products such as gasoline, diesel, kerosene, coal and this causes CO2 levels to rise drastically and hence trap more heat in the planet’s atmosphere and this leads to global warming and melting of the polar ice caps, you can guess where it goes from there. For example, a gallon of gasoline weighs just over 6 lbs. When burnt the carbon in it combines with oxygen from the air to produce about 19 lbs of CO2. But include the energy that went in to the production and distribution of the fuel, the total global warming impact is equivalent to 28 lbs of Carbon Dioxide emissions per gallon of gasoline. This could be one very good reason why we should go and buy a “green car”.

Green car guide

g2 — Mon, 20 Feb 2006 15:40:53 +0000

If anyone wants to find out green car rankings acccording to the EPA guidelines. This site has separate categories for cars and trucks. Found out my car comes in 7.Go find out if where your car stands.

Live Green, go yellow

g2 — Mon, 20 Feb 2006 15:22:31 +0000

Over the past few weeks I have noticed a lot of commercials for “live green, go yellow”. GM is making a big push for its new line of flexfuel cars. These cars can either run on gasoline or ethanol produced from corn. Check out the GM site.

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