Friday, December 31, 2010

Gas 2.0

Gas 2.0

Top 5 Green Transportation Trends of 2010

Posted: 31 Dec 2010 08:05 AM PST

2010 was a weird year all around. For green transportation though, this feels like the real and true beginning of fundamental changes in the way Americans get around. Here are five stories I feel broke new ground in green transportation.

5) Shipping Gets Cleaner

There are a lot of benefits to a world economy, though nothing that helps the environment. Lax standards on shipping emissions have for decades allowed huge ships to burn dirty fuel along populated coastlines, leading to breathing disorders and horrible air quality. But governments and the shipping companies are taking action, with everything from tighter emissions requirements, bringing back sails, and all-new aerodynamic ship designs. There have even been advancements in solar-powered sailing. Cleaner air, cleaner seas, and less money wasted on fuel. Everybody wins!

4) 40 MPG Fuel-Sippers Now the Norm

Automakers have heard the call loud and clear; consumers (and governments) want more efficient cars. It isn't just about the environment either; as gas prices continue to edge upward even as the economy slowly recovers, people don't want to be caught off guard by $4-a-gallon gas again. Americans are feeling frugal, and automakers are appealing to them with a rash of 40 mpg cars, from the Ford Fiesta to the Chevy Cruze Eco and the new Hyundai Elantra. Even the new V6 Mustang managed to get nearly 50 mpg around a track. And they are doing it without the help of hybrid systems in cars that cost under $20,000. See, I knew they could do it!

3) Cars That Drive Themselves

I feel it is far, far too easy to get your license in this country. Why? Because our roads are overrun with bad drivers, and I'm not just talking about the guy driving too fast and cutting off three lanes of traffic. No, I'm calling out grandma and grandpa driving 55 mph in the fast lane, the teenagers and business people chatting on their cell phones, and all the idiots who do stupid things on the highways that put us all in danger. Luckily, engineers are working on cars that drive themselves. From Google's driverless Prius to the two orange vans that drove across continents, the technology isn't ready for prime time…but it isn't far off either. While I'll never surrender to a Skynet chauffeur, for all the people who'd rather talk than drive, this is a gift from the tech-gods.

2) Racing Goes Green

I love to watch any kind of motorsports, though I can't help but think of all the spilt fuel and tons of emissions pouring into the atmosphere for our entertainment. Yet even racing series are embracing the green theme. The American Le Mans Series continues to pioneer the use of hybrid and cleaner-burning alternative fuels like E85, clean-diesel, and biobutonal, and even NASCAR has embraced E15 Ethanol and fuel injection. Then there are electric motorcycle races, electric ice racing, and all-electric drag racers that can take down Nissan's mighty GT-R. 2011 holds the promise of even more green racing to come.

1) Arrival of the Electric Car (Again)

What 2010 really comes down to, though, is the arrival of affordable, practical, electric vehicles; the Volt versus the Leaf. Sure the Chevy Volt is only electric for between 25 and 50 miles, and yes, the EPA may have only rated the Nissan Leaf at 73 miles. But unlike earlier efforts that were undone by the efforts of the very automakers building electric cars, this new generation of electrified vehicles has the full backing of both the government and the companies. The Nissan Leaf and the Chevy Volt are the vanguard for a slew of electric vehicles that will hit showrooms throughout 2011 and 2012. This time, electric cars are here to stay.

So that’s it. My last post for 2010. Kinda lame, I know, but Monday brings a new week, a new year, and some new changes to Gas2, so make sure you come back and check it out. 2011 is gonna be a good year.
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Thursday, December 30, 2010

Gas 2.0

Gas 2.0

U.K. Electric Land Speed Team Aiming to Break Own Record

Posted: 30 Dec 2010 03:57 PM PST

In 2000, Don Wales set the U.K. electric vehicle land speed record at 139 mph. Ten years later, he has decided to set out and beat his still-standing record and try to match that of his grandfather at 175 mph.

Back in 1925, Sir Malcolm Campbell was a land speed racer who drove Durracq's, a defunct French automaker. Campbell named his car Bluebird, after seeing a play by Maurice Maeterlinck of the same name. He went on to set the land speed record at Pendine Sands in the UK, clocking in the flying mile and kilometer at about 174 mph. Campbell was also the first man to drive a car 300 mph. Both his son and grandson followed in his footsteps, setting land speed records of their own.

His grandson, Don Wales, set the electric land speed record in the U.K. in his own Bluebird at 139 mph. With the renewed interest in electric cars, Wales feels like his record could be vulnerable to an upstart team. So rather than wait for somebody else to break it, he's going to break it himself, and try to match his grandfather's record speed to boot. Wales currently holds the world steam-powered land speed record at 148 mph, but an American team called the Buckeye Bullet holds the electric land speed record at 321.8 mph. In 2012, Wales wants to go 500 mph in an electric vehicle.

A new generation of hot rodders are coming together under the flag of green fuels. I like it. I want to see some more land speed records and more sustainable racing series. While the electric Bludbird is a one-of-a-kind vehicle, production-based electric car races could be just what the customer ordered. As the old adage once went, race on Sunday, sell on Monday.

Source: Electric Car News

Chris DeMorro is a writer and gearhead who loves all things automotive, from hybrids to Hemis. You can follow his slow descent into madness at Sublime Burnout.

Video: Nissan Transporting Leaf in New Eco-Ship

Posted: 30 Dec 2010 11:57 AM PST

The all-electric Nissan Leaf makes no emissions; the huge container ships transporting them around the world are a whole other story. So Nissan introduced its "Eco-Ship," with a more aerodynamic prow that could save up to 800 tons of fuel.

"The City of St. Petersberg" will go into service shipping the Leaf across Europe. Europe has some of the busiest shipping lanes in the world. All of these of the container ships used to move all this cargo are not only pushing against the water, but the wind as well. The sharp prows and tall navigation bridges are not exactly aerodynamic. Making it even a little bit sleek can save a lot of fuel.

So Nissan came up with this spherical design, which cuts wind resistance by 50%, which they estimates could save 800 tons of fuel over the course of a year, which equates to 2,500 tons of CO2. The 21,000 ton freighter can ship about 2,000 cars per-trip between Northern Europe and Russia from Nissan's factories in the U.K. and Spain. It is being deployed in the North Sea because the area is known for its high winds. Nissan thinks the boats aerodynamics will be of more use here.

I'm glad to see Nissan really running with the green ideas and applying them to other facets of their business. They're shoring up a lot of green karma with the Leaf, and I really think in the long run they're going to be running a leaner business by spending less on fuel. If this ship does what Nissan says it does, it could be a revolutionary change to the shipping business. Imagine applying these features on a ship traveling between continents. I bet that would make all the bean counters giddy.

Source: NDTV

Chris DeMorro is a writer and gearhead who loves all things automotive, from hybrids to Hemis. You can follow his slow descent into madness at Sublime Burnout.

Automakers Looking to Trim Down Truck Weight

Posted: 30 Dec 2010 09:18 AM PST

Pickup trucks have traditionally been the best selling vehicles in America while routinely returning the worst fuel mileage. In order to improve mpg's in the face of high fuel economy standards, Detroit is going on a diet.

Reuters reports that since 2000, truck weight has gone up by around 22%, while fuel economy has improved by just 2%. The Fed's want trucks to meet new CAFE standards with fleet wide average fuel economy of 34.1 mpg by 2016; just in time for the next design cycle. Right now, the best fuel economy you can get out of any truck is a 2011 F-150 with the 3.7 liter V6 engine, which delivers 16/23 mpg numbers, while Ford’s 5.0 V8 truck engine gets a 15/21 rating (and about 100 more horsepower and lb-ft of torque). Ford’s also got its EcoBoost V6, which should also get around 23 mpg while delivering the power of a bigger V8.

That’s still a long way off from 30 mpg, but to reach that magic 34.1 automakers just have to sell more fuel efficient vehicles by volume to hit the new CAFE standard. So even if the trucks don’t meet their own standard of 30 mpg’s, it is ok, as long as they sell enough 40 mpg passenger cars to make up the difference and bring their overall economy up to 34.1 mpg. However, considering that Ford, GM, and Dodge, sell more trucks than any other vehicle in their lineup, they’ve still got their work cut out for them. They really only have one option.

Lose weight. Lot's of weight. Unfortunately, consumers have become quite picky when it comes to new car purchase; they want a lot of bells and whistles, safety, power, and now they want fuel economy too. It’d be hard to backtrack and start taking cars back to the stone age of automobiles. Ford is pushing smaller-displacement engines in full-size trucks, but you can only get so many mpg's out of a vehicle that weighs 5,000 pounds.

So Ford and GM are both experimenting with magnesium frames and aluminum body panels, which could shed between 500 and 800 pounds off of the truck. With modern engines and six-speed transmissions that are suddenly all the rage, these trucks could break into the 30 mpg range (on the highway at least). But these lighter metals are more expensive, and that cost will be passed on to buyers. How much more it will cost is anybody's guess, but losing weight is just the first step. Detroit is still trying to make a golf ball out of a brick. Aerodynamics are going to be key to reaching those upper mpg's.

As a truck fan, I'm absolutely elated at the idea of a 30 mpg truck, and business owners who rely on work trucks should be too…depending on how much extra these lightweight trucks cost. The question Detroit has got to ask is, much more wouldare consumers willing to pay for a 30 mpg truck?

Source: Reuters

Chris DeMorro is a writer and gearhead who loves all things automotive, from hybrids to Hemis. You can follow his slow descent into madness at Sublime Burnout.
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Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Gas 2.0

Gas 2.0

Nissan Leaf “Aero” Concept Coming to Tokyo Auto Show

Posted: 29 Dec 2010 03:46 PM PST

Want an electric car, but the Nissan Leaf's looks don't do it for you? Well worry not. Nissan will be unveiling nine new models at the 2011 Tokyo Auto Show in January, including a Leaf "Aero" concept.

The Tokyo Auto Show is a lot like our own Detroit Auto Show, in that it is among the biggest auto shows of the season and manufacturers use it as a launching stage for bold new products. The Leaf is sure to take center stage, and judging from the looks and name of the Nissan Leaf's "Aero" concept, this bodykit is all about aerodynamics. The Leaf is based on the Nissan Versa hatchback, which itself has a drag coefficient of 0.31. The Leaf has a slightly better drag coefficient of about 0.29, which is good, but not great (for comparison, the 2010 Toyota Prius has a drag coefficient of 0.25.)

The Nissan Leaf's Aero Style concept is said to "express an image of futuristic sport EV driving." Uh yeah, if you say so. Looks like an aerodynamics kit to me. I just hope for Nissan's sake, it's actually functional. Imagine a bodykit that gave your Leaf an extra 10% range? I think plenty of people would be down for that. Nissan, are you taking notes?

Source: Inhabitat

Chris DeMorro is a writer and gearhead who loves all things automotive, from hybrids to Hemis. You can follow his slow descent into madness at Sublime Burnout.

Ford to Tear Down Torture-Tested EcoBoost Engine

Posted: 29 Dec 2010 01:18 PM PST

To prove the reliability of the F-150's EcoBoost engine, Ford placed a engine through 164,000 miles of brutal tests. At the Detroit Auto Show, Ford will publicly tear this motor down to see how well it withstood the torture.

After spending the equivalent of 150,000 miles on an engine stand, Ford sent the engine off (in an F-150 of course) to haul logs in the Pacific Northwest. Then they ran it at wide-open throttle for 24 hours around a NASCAR track while hauling 11,300 pounds of stock cars and trailers behind it. For the final test, the engine was dropped into Mike McCarthy's Baja F-150 racer, and tackled the Baja 1,000, a 1,061 mile race across Mexico's Baja peninsula in 45 hours or less. It's regarded as one of the most brutal races in the world, and the engine performed admirably. It got almost three times better gas mileage (8.5 mpg) than the average racer (about 3 mpg) and at no point did it experience mechanical issues save for a clogged fuel pump from some dirty Mexican gas.

After what amounts to basically ten years of difficult work, this engine is going to be torn down in front of a public audience at the Detroit International Auto Show in January. Pretty ballsy of the Blue Oval if you ask me. For almost three decades, Ford has had the best-selling vehicle in America but sticking with a tried-but-true formula.

Trying to convince Ford fans to give up their V8 in favor of a smaller V6 is a risky move, but I like it. I'm pretty damn convinced that the EcoBoost V6 is as tough as any V8 engine, and it makes just as much horsepower and torque as the 5.0 liter naturally-aspirated V8 engine. I can't wait to get a good look inside this bad boy.

Source: Ford

Chris DeMorro is a writer and gearhead who loves all things automotive, from hybrids to Hemis. You can follow his slow descent into madness at Sublime Burnout.

Hydrogen Fuel Cell Trucks Coming to Los Angeles Ports

Posted: 29 Dec 2010 12:01 PM PST

In a partnership with the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, Vision Motors is helping fund a $1 million demonstration project involving a fuel cell semi-truck and yard tractor.

The truck and yard tractor, both built by Vision Motors, will be delivered by mid-spring, when they will begin an 18-month trial run to test the viability of these vehicles. The two ports are each throwing down $425,000, with another $575,000coming from Vision Motors for a total of $1 million.

Vision motors will be providing a 500 horsepower Tyrano fuel-cell semi that can make up to 3,200 ft-lbs of torque from its electric engines, and has enough hydrogen for about 200 miles of driving before requiring a fill-up. The big drawback with hydrogen cars is the lack of infrastructure, so I do understand why the ports are cautious about these vehicles longer-range vehicles.

But the ZETT yard tractor (pictured above), which can operate for two eight-hour shifts on a single tank of hydrogen, never leaves the port, so the addition of a refueling station solves those problems. Ford is leasing eight electric yard tractors at one of their plants in Michigan, so why just one for the nation’s busiest ports (which combined brought in almost 12 million shipping containers last year, and over 600,000 containers last month alone) testing out just a single semi and yard tractor? Weak sauce.

With the nation's worst air quality, Los Angeles and Long Beach really need to clean up their air lest they continue to deal with pervasive health problems and environmental issues. How much impact a single truck and tractor will have is negligible, and the ports have no plans to buy any more fuel-cell vehicles right now. It's a shame, because once businesses start going green, they end up saving green (in the form of cash). I'm sure their lungs will thank them one day.

Source: Green Car Advisor

Chris DeMorro is a writer and gearhead who loves all things automotive, from hybrids to Hemis. You can follow his slow descent into madness at Sublime Burnout.
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