New posts from Gas 2.0!

Virgin Airlines Orders New Engines That Save Fuel, and Money

Posted: 15 Jun 2011 05:29 PM PDT

High fuel costs are cutting into the profit margins of many airlines, leading to higher ticket prices and more annoying service fees. Virgin Airlines is taking a different route, ordering 30 new LEAP engines that will save fuel, and money.

This is the first big order for the CFM International (a joint GE and Snecma company) LEAP series of engines, which uses composite materials and other advances to improve on existing turbofan jet technology. The result is about a 15% savings in fuel (and emissions) which makes each route about 6% more profitable. That works out to a savings of $1.6 millions per plane, per year. Multiply that by 30 planes, and you're saving around $48 million a year for these new engines. This is how to make green work for you.

Virgin Airline's order of 30 new Airbus A320NEO jets equipped with LEAP engines is a big break for GE and partner Snecma. They are competing with a Pratt & Whitney design that also pledges 15% in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions, and there have already been hundreds of orders for their design. The Airbus 320NEO itself is a revolutionary airplane, designed to save fuel, lower emissions, and increase comfort when it starts service in 2016, Another benefit of the LEAP engines is reduced engine noise, down by 15 decibels, and hopefully lower ticket fares as a result of the fuel savings.

In addition to the 30 new aircraft, Virgin America also plans to purchase another 30 CFM56-5B engines for the rest of their Airbus order. The total bill for the new LEAP engines and other engines is $1.4 billion, so they won't start seeing real savings overnight. However, many of today's airplanes have an average "lifespan" of 20 years. So, $48 million a year, times 20 years works out to cash savings of $960 million, more than its fair share of the $1.4 billion price tag. Going green and saving green, what could be better than that?

Source: Inhabitat | Airlines and Destinations | Image: Airbus

Chris DeMorro is a writer and gearhead who loves all things automotive, from hybrids to HEMIs. You can read about his slow descent into madness at Sublime Burnout or follow his non-nonsensical ramblings on Twitter @harshcougar.

Ford Gets Its Prius: C-Max to be Hybrid Only

Posted: 15 Jun 2011 11:49 AM PDT

When Ford first introduced the C-Max to America, it was pledging two hybrid 5-door versions, and a 7-passenger mini-van. Well the mini-van isn't coming here, meaning the C-Max will be available only as a hybrid. Is this Ford's own Prius?

I guess, in a way, yes, even though it does share the C-platform with the Ford Focus. By dropping the 7-passenger mini-van model, which would likely have received an EcoBoost engine, Ford has made the C-Max its first pure hybrid vehicle. The C-Max will come in two flavors, the first most likely being a series-parallel hybrid system, like the Prius and Fusion Hybrid. Then there is the C-Max Energi, which will be a plug-in hybrid, like the Chevy Volt, but will have an estimated 500 mile driving range (compared to the 350 or so miles of the Volt.)

And here I was thinking the next Ford Fusion Hybrid, which could get up to 48 mpg in the city, would be the Blue Oval's Prius fighter. But now, with the C-Max line devoted purely to hybrids, it is clear that Ford wants to position the 5-seater C-Max as its answer to Toyota's benchmark. However, Toyota has its own plug-in Prius in the works, and early reviews are promising. And as much of a Ford fanboy as I am, I wouldn't count Toyota out of the running yet.

Just on looks though, which do you prefer? C-Max, or Prius? If you ask me, they look disturbingly similar…

Source: Ford Inside News