Friday, October 29, 2010

Gas 2.0

Gas 2.0

Driverless Vans Complete Their 8,000 Mile Journey

Posted: 29 Oct 2010 12:57 PM PDT

Driverless cars seem to be all the rage these days. In July, a pair of bright orange fans embarked upon an 8,000 mile journey from Italy to China, with the caveat that these two vans would drive themselves. Then Google came out with its own driverless Prius, which had logged tens of thousands of miles of testing.

Back to those vans though. Seems some four months later, the pair has finally completed the journey, and for the most part they drove themselves. Will 2010 be remembered not just as the dawn of the electric car, but of the driverless car too?

Using a system called the Generic Obstacle and Lane Detector, or GOLD, these two vans were able to pretty much guide themselves across the two continents. Lasers scanners and video cameras worked together to ensure the vans didn’t cause any accidents (and it is pretty remarkable they made it that far unscathed.) The researchers had to intervene in heavy traffic or at toll booths, but for the most part they did the driving themselves. The vans also happened to be electric, and they did manage an average speed of just 38 mph. What really drew the journey out though was the fact that the vans had to be charged for eight hours every time they ran out of juice.

The ramifications for this, combined with Google’s driverless cars, are huge. Perhaps within another decade, we might actually be able to buy and operate cars that can drive themselves. This could impact fuel usage, traffic flow, accident avoidence, and so much more. Me personally? I’ll never let a computer drive me. I imagine more than a few drivers would jump at the chance to take their hands off of the wheel though.

Does the driverless car appeal to you, or is this the first step towards a Terminator-style robot uprising?

Source: The Detroit News
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Thursday, October 28, 2010

Gas 2.0

Gas 2.0

Road-Straddling Bus Might Come To The U.S.

Posted: 28 Oct 2010 02:21 PM PDT

Like most Americans, I hate traffic. Sometimes though, there just isn’t anyway to avoid it, especially if you commute to a congested city. You would think, with the millions of miles of highway stretching across the United States, somebody would have come up with a way of utilizing highways that didn’t involve cars. It took a Chinese designer to come up with a way to literally get around traffic.

I already brought you the story of the Chinese bus-train that would straddle highways and carry “hundreds” of passengers right over traffic. I just never expected it might actually come to the U.S.

To quickly rehash, The Straddling Bus was designed by Song Youzhou, who wants to start work on this interesting traffic-avoider sometime in 2011 in China. It is part train, part bus, and takes its passengers over traffic. He also is starting a U.S. company, called U.S. Elevated High-Speed Bus, to work on bringing the Straddling Bus to U.S. cities. Spokesman for the group, Mark Shieh, said that "Relative to the cost of a subway line or other rail transit, our bus delivers extraordinary value. Aside from the low cost, the time for construction is about one third that for a subway."

Sounds all well and good, but what about those pesky big rigs and overpasses that tend to dominate our highways? Hell, even some jacked-up Hummers might pose a problem for this unique idea, as the bus rides just eight-feet above traffic…though last I checked, Americans tend to drive some pretty tall cars and drive up some pretty low underpasses. Also, the average speed of just 25 to 50 mph isn’t very impressive, even if it is 100% electric. I’d rather take my chances with traffic.

I’m not saying this idea won’t work. I just want to know how they intend to get around all these problems.

Source: Wired

Chinese Claim New High Speed Rail Record

Posted: 28 Oct 2010 01:59 PM PDT

China has substantially reinvented itself in just a few decades, going from a closed-off communist bastion to hosting much of the world’s manufacturing capacity. That foreign investment, plus buying up U.S. debt, has allowed China to launch itself into the 21st century, building all sorts of projects from bullet trains to mega highways to a very impressive Olympic Village for the 2008 Olympics.

China is currently gunning for the record of world’s fastest train, and claim that a recent 268 mph broke a world record. So what record exactly did it break?

All land-speed records, whether it be for planes, trains, or automobiles, are divided into classes. The current record holder for conventional is the French V150, which went 575 kph, or about 357 mph. However, that train, so far as I know, does not operate a daily rail service. The fastest maglev train belongs to Japan, which went 581 kph, or 362 mph. That is the absolute fastest train ever.

China is claiming that its new, home-built bullet running train between Hongqiao and Hangzhou achieved a top speed of 262 mph, but will run at a more leisurely 220 mph on a regular basis. That means the 126-mile trip will take just 45 minutes, with tickets costing about $12. On my recent excursion to New York City, it took the train over 90 minutes to cover just 80 miles from New Haven.

The Chinese hope to take the train up to 312 mph eventually. Plenty fast, but hardly record-breaking. So what record did China break? Perhaps it is the fastest Chinese-built train ever?

I guess it doesn’t matter, because China also has the world’s most extensive high-speed rail network. They might not have the absolute speed record now, but give them a few more years and they will. America has a lot of catching up to do.

Source: Endgadget

Is This The Toyota Prius MPV?

Posted: 28 Oct 2010 10:13 AM PDT

Toyota has been hinting that it will expand the Prius lineup to include more than just the current sedan. A natural progression seems to be a more spacious, larger family vehicle, not quite a mini-van, and not quite a station wagon, but something in the middle. A Prius MPV, if you will.

The plan was for Toyota to unveil this Prius MPV at the Detroit Auto Show in January. Pictures of this MPV have leaked on to the Internet though. So is this the Prius MPV, and if so…do you like it?

We already saw some pictures of the outline of the MPV Prius on a billboard, behind a regular Prius. There have also been sightings of a test mule running around. Apparently the Prius MPV will be driven by the same 1.8 liter four-banger in the current Prius, though with a hefty horsepower bump from 98 ponies to 138. This will help haul the family and cargo without feeling underpowered (I hope).

The question then, is will this Prius MPV manage to maintain the lofty fuel efficiency we have come to expect from the world’s best-selling hybrid. More to the point though, is this a vehicle you could see your family in?
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Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Gas 2.0

Gas 2.0

First Chevy Volt Commercial Gets The Point Across

Posted: 27 Oct 2010 09:43 AM PDT

I have been waiting with bated breath to see the first commercial from GM regarding the Chevy Volt. Would it be as confusing as the commercials for the EV1? Would it make unsustainable promises? Could it possibly get me excited about a car I have written about every which way?

The answers were surprisingly no, no, and yes. I like this commercial, which comes from a new ad agency GM hired earlier this year after dumping the agency they have had for over 90 years.

Back in May, GM dumped longtime Chevy ad agency  Campbell-Ewald, which had been with Chevy for 91 years and gave us slogans such as “Like A Rock” for Omnicron’s Goodby, Silverstein & Partners agency. Chevrolet has also hired well-known funnyman Tim Allen to be the new “voice” of Chevy. As we get a nice view of the Volt rolling through the American countryside, through suburbia and past gas stations, Allen cuts in to give us a few simple words on the Volt.

“This isn’t a country where plans made at 9 necessarily apply at 5. This is America, man. Home of the highway, last-minute detours and spontaneous acts of freedom. We’re wanderers, wayfarers, even nomads. So doesn’t it just make sense that we build an electric car that goes far? Really far.”

For me, that sums it up nicely. Could they have talked more about the Volt’s 25-50 mile all-electric range? Sure, but listing off statistics really would have gummed up this commercial. For me, this simple commercial really sells the Volt…or maybe leases it, since it does cost over $40,000.

I don’t care for the “Chevy Runs Deep” slogan, but that is a gripe for another time.

Sound off readers, what do you think of this commercial? Good, bad, or indifferent?

TTXGP Season Final at Albacete: End of a Season…Beginning of an Era

Posted: 27 Oct 2010 04:06 AM PDT

With Technical Contribution from MotoGP Electronics Engineer Francesco DiGoro

While most bloggers report on events from the comfort of home, Examiner.com writer David Herron and I grossly enlarged our CO2 footprints and flew to Albacete, Spain to witness firsthand the crowning of the champion of the inaugural TTXGP season. Although David has attended every American TTXGP race, I only made it to Infineon. Contributor Francesco DiGoro met me in Madrid and we drove to Albacete, a small town southeast of Madrid. We both went expecting some quiet, dusty outpost and were pleasantly surprised with a vibrant, small city with bustling nightlife and no obvious signs of the economic slowdown which has hit the EU harder than most parts of the world. On the highways between Madrid and Valencia we also saw acres of windmills and solar panels, showing that electric motorcycles in Spain could easily be truly zero-carbon. It was an amazing weekend not only because of the racing action, but also for Sunday’s epic dinner with some of the most talented people in the electric motorcycle industry.

Electric vs. Two-Stroke Race Engines

Saturday we went directly to the track and enjoyed the music of children on dinosaurs vying for pole position in tomorrow's 125 race. The death of 125cc 2-stroke racing in the world series is the final nail in the coffin to this heavily polluting yet immensely entertaining form of racing. Dorna continues to adapt to environmental concerns by moving completely into 4-stroke racing because the manufacturers need to race bikes that at least vaguely resemble the bikes they sell. While 2-stroke engines become increasingly illegal, they must move forward into the cleaner 4-strokes.

Although fans of electric motorcycles would rather see the Moto3 class full of electric bikes than the comparable 250cc 4-strokes, the class is dominated by manufacturers who are not currently selling electric motorcycles. Those companies have been working closely with Dorna for too long to be shunted aside for the lesser-known electric manufacturers. Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki, Suzuki and the rest of the 125GP field are not currently selling electric motorcycles. For many of them, this is not yet being taken seriously. And with the best lap of the winning TTXGP still 10 seconds behind that of the winning 125, electric racing still has some catching up to do.

TTXGP 2010 Champion Matthias Himmelmann pulling into victory circle.

A Tale of Two Motorcycles

What's interesting is that TTXGP champion Matthias Himmelmann is significantly larger than most motorcycle racers, at approximately 95kg. Power to weight ratios (7kg=1.5hp) are not as important for electric bikes given their enormous torque, but still have an impact. This shows that the Siemens-powered Münch motorcycle was clearly outgunning its competitors. For the eCRP to do as well as they did considering not only the problems they'd had with their controllers all weekend, but also the fact that their motor had 1/3rd the power of the Münch, was truly impressive. In case you missed it, I toured the CRP factory in May days before they first tested their eCRP 1.2

In this inaugural year, it has been an open-class battle where motors originally designed for cars have frequently beat their twin-Agni powered competitors. Agni Motors inventor Cedric Lynch and CEO Arvind Rabadia were on hand to support their team and competitors. The Agni DC motor has been the default motor of electric motorcycle racing, but many others are developing their own motors, and Arvind hinted at major developments in the works for Agni. So the competition amongst motor manufacturers is poised to heat up.

Himmelmann and 2nd place finisher Alessandro Brannetti had a close battle, with Branetti outbraking Himmelmann into T1 on lap 5 and leading by a close margin until Himmelmann was able to draft past Brannetti before the Start/Finish line on lap 9. He made the pass early enough on the front straight that he was able to maintain the lead until the end, whereas on previous attempts Brannetti had responded by outbraking Himmelmann into T1.

CRP’s Giampiero Testoni inspects the brushes on a particularly trying race weekend.

The bikes were as different as their riders:

eCRP:

  • 2x Agni motors – brushed (2x 16kW = 32 kW)
  • Lithium-Polymer batteries (unknown capacity)
  • Total weight: 160 Kg

MÜNCH:

  • 1 Siemens motor – brushless permanent magnet (90 kW)
  • Lithium-Ion batteries (8.2 kWh)
  • Total weight: 190 Kg

Racing Toward the Future

For 2011, the TTXGP series will have two classes, one limited to 7.5KwH of stored energy and the other remaining unlimited save for a reduction in the maximum weight from 300kg to 250kg. While gas-powered bikes need weight minimums, electric bikes require weight maximums. Otherwise, competitors would just keep piling on the batteries to the limits of handling. More about 2011 rules here. Over 100 teams have expressed interest in competing in TTXGP 2011, a significant jump from the 30 teams who participated in 2010. It will be interesting to see how the technology develops over the winter when teams have more development time.

CRP’s Brannetti at Albacete. Photo Courtesy CRP Racing
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Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Gas 2.0

Gas 2.0

Nissan LEAF: Faster 0-60 MPH Than a (Classic) Mustang?

Posted: 26 Oct 2010 12:37 PM PDT

I’m not sure who was the first car reviewer or company to test their cars based on their acceleration from 0-60 mph, but it has since become the standard of the world. Nothing is more important to speed enthusiasts like myself than those first few seconds after takeoff. It doesn’t just have to do with the thrill though, as 0-60 mph can be a good gauge of a car’s highway merging ability. We all hate getting stuck behind the guy who proceeds up the on-ramp with all the speed of a Model-T.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again; electric cars can, and should be fast. So it does not surprise me to hear that the Nissan Leaf can apparently go from 0-60 mph in just 7 seconds.

Nissan’s little electric car isn’t exactly built for speed, but rather commuting. That said, electric motors can deliver 100% of its peak torque at 0 rpm. That means from the moment you touch the gas pedal, all the power the car has is right there, ready to go. Even for a humble commuter like the Leaf, that is quite a bit of torque on tap. Going from 0-60 mph in just 7 seconds, as Green Car Advisor’s Jack O’Dell did, is a very respectable performance. He also tested out the top speed, which he says is a bit north of Nissan’s official 90 mph estimate (he got to about 92 mph).

Compare it to some other cars fuel efficient cars, and you’ll see what I mean. The Chevy Volt takes about 9-seconds, the Toyota Prius takes about 10 seconds, and the Mitsubishi i-MiEV takes almost 12 seconds to reach 60 mph. On the other end of the spectrum, the Nissan 370Z takes about 5 seconds, the Maxima takes about 6 seconds, and the Nissan Versa (upon which the Leaf is based) takes 9.5 seconds to reach 60 mph. So really, the Leaf is on the “faster” side of the 0-60 gauntlet, though I wouldn’t quite call it fast (especially since I haven’t had any seat time). Generally, anything that gets to 60 mph in 6 seconds or less has good performance, so the Leaf is right on the cusp.

As I was going down the 0-60 mph list though, I noticed most of the cars in this range are rather…boring. Why not compare it to something a little less sophisticated, yet a whole lot more exciting? Yes, I’d like to line up a Nissan Leaf against a 1967 Ford Mustang GT with the 390 V8 engine. I am a muscle car nut through and through, but I’d put my money on the Leaf, because it took the ’67 Mustang GT about 7.5 seconds to reach 60 mph according to multiple Internet sources. Ya, those original muscle cars weren’t that fast…they just felt fast. I should know, I own a 1969 Mercury Cougar (the “gentleman’s Mustang”.)

Yeah, I went there. The Nissan Leaf is faster than a ’67 Mustang. Anybody want to loan me a ’67 Mustang and a Leaf to prove it?

Source: Green Car Advisor

Peugeot Previews Sexy Electric Sports Car, the EX1

Posted: 26 Oct 2010 12:36 PM PDT

I love going fast, though thus far my need for speed has only been fulfilled by gas-powered engines. I see electric cars as being able to offer so much more in terms of performance though, thanks to their unbeatable low-end torque. This is why the Tesla Roadster has been a success and is easily recognizable across most of the automotive world.

Automakers seem to be realizing that marketing electric cars as sporty might not be a bad idea at all. The latest offering is from French car maker Peugeot, a electric sports car concept called simply the “EX1″.

Peugeot gets right to the point and says that right now, they have no plans to produce an electric sports car. Which is a real shame. Sports cars usually carry a price premium, and people have historically proven that they will pay more money for more power…no matter what the power source may be.

Still, as a concept the EX1 comes with a lot of goodies for those of us dreaming of clean speed. On display at Peugeot’s showroom in Paris, this two-seater concept is narrow-yet-powerful. The lithium-ion battery pack powers an electric motor that produces 125 kW of power, or about 340 horsepower and 177 ft-lbs of torque. Doesn’t sound like much, but since 100% of that torque is available at 0 RPMs, this concept can supposedly sprint from 0-60 mph in about 3.5 seconds. It also has a top speed of 162 mph thanks to its lightweight and aerodynamics.

This is definitely the direction I want to see sports cars evolve towards. I love my muscle cars, but I am a big fan of lightweight cars that handle well and do more, with less. That seems to be the plan with the EX1, and hopefully down the road this sleek concept will inspire some sporty Peugeot’s.

Source: Automotive News

EPA Will Set Tougher Fuel Standards For Big Rigs, Improvements Coming

Posted: 26 Oct 2010 12:27 PM PDT

Big trucks represent just 4% of the vehicles on the road today, but consume up to 20% of the oil our country uses every day. That means they are drinking up five times their fill, largely because this big rigs are rolling 100,000 miles or more every year while getting an average of 6-7 mpg. Yes, they are hauling a lot of weight, but profit margins are driven by fuel costs in this business, so you would think the industry would have done all they could to increase fuel efficiency voluntarily.

They haven’t, so the EPA is stepping in. For trucks sold between 2014 and 2018, the EPA is considering finally enforcing a fuel efficiency standard for the largest of these vehicles. Even a modest increase to 10 mpg could have far reaching benefits, for both truck drivers and the environment alike.

The EPA plans to finalize this legislation sometime next year, which would set a as-yet undetermined fuel efficiency for the largest trucks on the market. The Union of Concerned Scientists (admittedly not the best source for trucking information) put together some useful diagrams to show how even a modest increase in fuel standards could make a big difference.

If big rigs were required to get 10 mpg (loaded? unloaded?), it would add about $44,000 to the cost of a new truck. That cost would come from implementing current technology such as reducing engine idling, more efficient truck and trailer aerodynamics, and improvements to the transmission. Over the course of a 120,000 miles at the cost of $3.50 a gallon of diesel, this would save drivers and owners of big rigs $24,500 a year, and 7,000 gallons of fuel, per rig. In just two years, the extra cost would be paid off, and over five years the owner of the rig would pocket an additional $56,000 in saved fuel costs.

That is huge for these guys, who make a profit on the slimmest margins in this highly competitive market. If you were to run a modest fleet of ten trucks, that is over a half-million bucks in your pocket extra in just five years.

This is how green technology needs to be marketed. But will big rig buyers bite?

Source: Treehugger via UCS
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