Green Options » Clayton B. Cornell

Biodiesel’s New Approval Rating Could Ease Warranty Concerns

Clayton B. Cornell — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 12:30:39 +0000

Lack of warranty support for biodiesel has been a major stumbling block for new diesel owners who want to start using the fuel. But three long-awaited ASTM specifications could help change that.

Automakers and engine manufacturers have been requesting a finished blend specification for B20 biodiesel blends for several years, with some citing the need for that spec as the single greatest hurdle preventing their full-scale acceptance of B20 use in their diesel vehicles.

On June 19th, after more than five years of research and discussion, the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) finally approved the following specifications for biodiesel fuel:

Changes to the existing B100 biodiesel blend stock specification (ASTM D6751)
Finished specifications to include up to 5% biodiesel (B5) in the conventional petrodiesel specification (ASTM D975)
A new specification for blends of between 6 percent biodiesel (B6) to 20 percent biodiesel (B20) for on and off road diesel.

If that’s gibberish to you, here’s the take home message: the new specification for B6-B20 biodiesel blends could prompt more automakers to fully support B20 in their new cars and trucks.

Anyone who’s ever seriously looked into buying biodiesel for a new car or truck knows that manufacturer warranty approval of biodiesel is all over the map.

For example, Chrysler supports a B20 biodiesel blend in 2007 Dodge Ram trucks like the one above—but only for use in government or commercial fleets. GM also only supports fleet use of B20, but supports B5 in all commercial vehicles as do Ford, Mercedes, and VW. (Interestingly enough Case IH and New Holland, two manufacturers of $200K+ agricultural machines both support B100.)

Automakers: Could You Please Start Supporting B20? Thank You!

Why don’t automakers provide better support for biodiesel? The most (seemingly) reasonable explanation I’ve been given has to do with biodiesel’s ability to withstand the incredibly high pressures and precise specifications of the new common rail fuel injection systems, which also could apparently impact the ability of new clean diesels to meet NOx emissions standards.

But I’m going to need to see some numbers before I buy that, since biodiesel is already cleaner burning than diesel fuel anyway. I’m also not convinced that biodiesel wouldn’t work in high-pressure situations when diesel does.

I fired a few questions at VW about this, after test-driving the new clean diesels earlier this month. All I got was:

“There are studies taking place that suggest we won’t authorize anything beyond B7.”

and:

“Anything higher than a B7 mixture may degrade the burn thus the potential for negatively impacting emissions”

The keyword there is may. I’ve never seen any evidence that biodiesel would not work at a B20 blend in these newer engines, and hopefully these new standards will further ease any concerns automakers might have.

Final Words:

The new ASTM spec for B6 – B20 is a major building block in GM’s efforts to elevate biodiesel as part of our overall energy diversity strategy.

-John Gaydash, Director of Marketing for General Motors Fleet and Commercial Operations

Posts Related to Biodiesel and Biodiesel Warranty Issues:

More: http://nbb.grassroots.com/08Releases/ASTM_final/

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Photo Credit: skidrd via Flickr under Creative Commons License

Are Automakers To Blame For Consumer Car-Buying Trends? Auto Alliance Weighs In

Clayton B. Cornell — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 19:28:46 +0000

Editors Note: This guest post was contributed by Charley Territo, spokesperson for the Alliance of Auto Manufacturers, in an effort encourage better dialogue between the auto industry and the environmental movement. Charley also contributed a guest post on Grist on May 20. I asked him to weigh in on a question I’ve had for a long time: How can automakers like GM complain that consumers only want to buy big cars when they spend hundreds of thousands advertising brands like Hummer? Here is his response. Feel free to weigh in with your own comments below.

For years it’s been assumed that, using their superior marketing skills, automakers have the ability to trick consumers into buying SUVs and pickup trucks…when, in reality, the consumers really only
wanted to buy compact cars. While that’s probably quite flattering to the marketing departments, it doesn’t have the important benefit of actually being correct.

Current events are now allowing people to see more clearly the greater force at work driving consumer demand: Gas prices.

Gas just pushed past $4 a gallon – a record high. With no drop on the horizon, customers are adjusting not only their driving habits but their purchasing patterns, as well.

The last time the average gas price in a given month constituted a record high, it was May 2007. Incidentally, that is also the only month in the five years prior to March 2008 in which consumers
purchased more passenger cars than they did light trucks. That is not a coincidence.

Think about that: years have been spent trying to legislate incremental increases in fuel economy standards. But the recent rise in gas prices has succeeded in changing the fuel efficiency of the new automobile fleet without any government intervention. The lesson here is very important: when consumers became a part of the equation, both consumers and the auto industry will respond. . .and this response is faster and more effective than artificial regulation. But let’s be clear, though: the auto industries response did not happen overnight. In fact, the auto industry has been working toward this for many years now.

For years, automakers have been touting the more than 100 models that achieve fuel economy ratings of more than 30 mpg on the highway. For years, they have been introducing alternative fuel autos like hybrid electric, ethanol capable e-85, clean diesel and more to prepare for a time when consumers valued fuel economy the way they valued attributes like towing capacity, 4 wheel drive, cargo room, safety, performance and styling.

That time has arrived.

Automakers have been preparing for that shift, and they are working even harder now that it is arriving,. They are increasingly changing their product lineups to meet the challenge, and more and more fuel efficient autos will be introduced in the future. By the end of next year more than 50 new models of hybrids are expected to be available, and the sales of clean diesel vehicles are expected to grow from less than 1% of sales today to 10-15% by 2015. Last year more than 1 million ethanol capable ffvs (flex-fuel vehicles) were sold in the U.S with the increased renewable fuels standard included as part of last year’s energy bill. That number will continue to grow.

The U.S. is not one size fits all, though. If real progress is going to be achieved on fuel efficiency, consumer incentives are important.

Remember these points:

What works in one part of the country doesn’t always work in another.
The fuels available in one part of the country aren’t always available in another.
The vehicles that are popular in one part of the country aren’t always popular in another.

That’s why automakers believe that the best way to enhance our energy security, save money at the pump and reduce our carbon dioxide emission is through the use of diverse fuels and diverse autos. No one likes to pay more for gasoline. . .or for that matter food, airline tickets or any other consumer good. But higher prices force consumers to make decision about their habits that otherwise wouldn’t be made. For now it looks like high gas prices and demand for more

Fuel efficient cars are here to stay. Automakers are ready to respond with cleaner, safer and more fuel efficient vehicles than ever before, proving once again that the market will respond faster than incremental government mandates.

Photo Credit: rick on Flickr under Creative Commons License.

2009 VW Jetta Mileage Revised to 38/44 MPG. Price? $21,990

Clayton B. Cornell — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 23:14:52 +0000

2009 Jetta TDI Clean Diesel Sedan

VW announced the pricing of the 2009 Jetta and SportWagen yesterday, along with a new fuel economy certification from the third-party certifier AMCI. It seems that VW wasn’t particularly impressed with the EPA’s 29 mpg city / 40 mpg hwy estimation, and wanted a second opinion.

There has been some general confusion circulating about fuel economy estimates for the new Jetta (which will be available in August) ever since VW’s Director of Powertrain Development announced the car could get up to 60 mpg.

With the right driving style, I’m sure it could, but AMCI came up with what seems like a more reasonable estimate of fuel economy under “real world driving conditions:” 38 mpg city and 44 mpg hwy.

I can tell you after driving the new Jetta last week that it has more power than any car I’ve driven that even approaches a 30 mpg city rating. If you can afford the $21,990 sticker price you might give this car some serious consideration.

Amendment: While it probably won’t assuage all concerns over VW reliability, this is certainly a perk:

Also standard for 2009 is Volkswagen’s carefree maintenance program, with this program there are no charges for the scheduled maintenance described in the vehicle’s maintenance booklet for the length of the New Vehicle Limited Warranty—three years or 36,000 miles, whichever occurs first.

VW Debuts Tiguan HyMotion Fuel-Cell Vehicle and 2009 Clean Diesel Jetta

Clayton B. Cornell — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 18:18:31 +0000

Tiguan HyMotion Fuel Cell Concept Car

Last Thursday I had the opportunity to attend a VW press event showing off the new hydrogen fuel cell powered Tiguan. The vehicle (above) is one of only two concept prototypes in the world, and this one was flown in from Germany for its US debut.

The event was originally intended to be a test-drive of the HyMotion Tiguan, but the vehicle was having “electrical problems” that kept it out for display only. A VW spokesperson assured us that it had nothing to do with the fuel cell, but whatever the problem was they didn’t want it to happen to us in mid-day San Francisco traffic.

But it was a good opportunity to get under the hood of a fuel cell powered vehicle. The Tiguan HyMotion has an onboard carbon-fiber tank capable of storing 3.2 kg of compressed hydrogen, which gives it a range of about 160 miles. It has a lithium-ion battery that serves as auxiliary energy storage and is re-powered by braking energy or the fuel cell. (In case you aren’t familiar with fuel cells, they can power an electric drivetrain by using electricity generated from splitting hydrogen molecules. More on how fuel cells work.)

Where does the hydrogen come from? Well, noone really knows yet. Unlike GM, who backed a new hydrogen refueling station near LA the other day, VW does not have any plans to invest in infrastructure. The Tiguan HyMotion is just a prototype that allows them to play around with the technology, and they said it was at least 7 years away from any kind of commercial production.

On the other hand, VW did let us test drive the new 2009 2.0L Jetta “clean” TDI Sedan (which will be released in the US in August) and the gas-powered 2.0L Tiguan TSI. I took the wheel of the Tiguan first, which felt like just about any other new car but was noticeably sluggish in responding to the gas pedal. I wasn’t particularly impressed by its 18 mpg city / 25 mpg highway rating either.

But the Jetta sedan was worth waiting around for. Having zero experience with newer diesels (I own a 1987 Toyota Truck, which is a heartless 2L diesel), I was surprised to find out just about everything they’ve been saying is true: the new diesels are so quiet you can hardly tell it’s a diesel, except at idle, and it handles like any other comparable sedan on the road.

It also has power. Close your ears/eyes VW, but during the downtown SF test drive I was somehow able to hit a clear straightaway onto a freeway onramp that left my passenger and I deeply imprinted in our seats. If you’re worried about acceleration and horsepower in these new diesels, well, don’t be.

It’s been several years since VW introduced a new model diesel in the US, due to the implementation of strict new emissions standards. I’ve written before (see Clean Diesel Cars Coming to US This Fall: 2008-2010 Timeline) about how the new clean diesel Jetta has cleaner emissions than your average car. My only gripe is that the EPA mileage estimate is listed as 29 mpg city / 40 mpg highway. Older Jetta’s seem relatively well-known for getting up to 55 mpg, and I’m not sure if the difference has to do with the new emissions technology or changes in horsepower.

Posts Related to Hydrogen Fuel Cells and Clean Diesels:

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Hydrogen refueling:

2009 Clean Diesel Jetta TDI Sedan:

GM Backs Hydrogen Refueling Station Near LA

Clayton B. Cornell — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 16:39:01 +0000

Despite claims to the contrary, it seems like General Motors is getting more and more involved in the refueling business. GM has already invested heavily in two different cellulosic ethanol companies (Coskata and Mascoma), and has now partnered with Clean Energy Fuels Corp. to open a hydrogen fueling station near the Los Angeles Int’l Airport (LAX). The station will be located at Clean Energy’s compressed natural gas (CNG) facility and should be operational by the fall.

Mary Beth Stanek, GM’s director of energy and environmental policy & commercialization made it clear that this is just a continuation of the company’s general policy to advance the development of refueling infrastructure for their future vehicle fleet. No one wants a car they can’t buy fuel for, and GM isn’t go to wait around for the government to step in and mandate or subsidize one of the options.

“Developing and growing hydrogen infrastructure is vital to GM’s efforts to bring larger volumes of fuel cell vehicles to the market.”

Reforming hydrogen from natural gas is controversial, especially since California already has a reasonably well-developed CNG refueling system powering some of the cleanest cars on the road (14,000 daily according to GCC). But proponents argue that natural gas is an ideal transition feedstock until a more sustainable alternative for hydrogen production can be developed.

Hydrogen from the new station will be used primarily for Chevrolet’s Project Driveway, which is the largest market test of fuel-cell vehicles to date. If you want to test drive a Chevy Equinox Fuel-Cell Vehicle, check the link to see if you’re eligible (I tried to get through Project Driveway’s survey, but gave up after answering 50 questions that still wouldn’t tell me if my area is included—I’m pretty sure it’s not).

Final words from Andrew J. Littlefair, Clean Energy president and CEO:

Developing a cost-effective hydrogen infrastructure is a challenge. By leveraging the growing network of natural gas stations, a variety of hydrogen station designs can be introduced to the public. Ultimately, reforming pipeline natural gas to produce hydrogen at our stations may be done inexpensively, thereby taking advantage of the ready infrastructure. This approach can help accelerate a larger-scale deployment of hydrogen vehicles.

Posts Related to Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Vehicles:

More: GM partners with Clean Energy for new hydrogen statiion in Los Angeles

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Photo Credit: Clayton B. Cornell (Detroit Auto Show)

Think Electric Cars are Expensive? Try Ford’s F-250 Full-Sized Truck

Clayton B. Cornell — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 17:36:05 +0000

Think paying $100,000 for an electric car is obscene? How about $100K for an F-250?

As much was we covet electric cars like the Tesla Roadster, most of us balk at the $100,000 sticker price. But with gas prices at or above $4 / gallon, the cost difference isn’t as dramatic as you might imagine.

The NYTimes reported last week that if you account for total ownership of a full-sized truck, including insurance, interest, repairs, taxes, and gasoline, a big vehicle like Ford’s F-250 will now set you back $100,000 in the first five years of ownership. Five years is the average amount of time an owner keeps one of these trucks.

Obviously, the average person and automakers alike are noticing how expensive large vehicles have become (GM just announced it would stop making trucks and SUVs at four of its North American plants). Until May, full-sized trucks accounted for 13% of the US vehicle market. They’ve now now plummeted to 9%. Ford’s F-series trucks have been the best selling vehicle annually since 1976, but for the first time in years the top selling vehicle last month was a car: the Honda Civic sedan.

Unfortunately, there isn’t a great renewable energy replacement for heavy duty trucks yet, besides incorporating hybrid technology (like GM has done) which can boost fuel economy by 20%, or modifying the fuel system to accept high ethanol blends (50% of GM’s fleet will be Flex-Fuel by 2012).

One thing has been made abundantly clear: the threshold for buying a full-size truck has gone up a few notches. I was shocked earlier this month when my mechanic said he would be downsizing to a Toyota Tacoma for his daily commute. Will he keep the full-sized truck? Of course, he says, because well, he still has a boat and horse trailer to haul around.

Posts Related to Electric Cars and Gas Prices:

Sources:

New York Times-
Big Vehicles Stagger Under the Weight of $4 Gas
Detroit Automakers Compete for a Vanishing Truck Market

Photo Credit: Ford

An Electric Car With Muscle: The 175 MPGe X1 Prototype by Wrightspeed Inc.

Clayton B. Cornell — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 15:03:51 +0000

The X1 prototype: Faster Than Your Average Ferrari.

Most of the time I like to profile cars we might actually get the chance to drive, but it never hurts take a look at the forefront of technology. Enter the X1 prototype, an open-canopy electric vehicle that meets somewhere between go-cart and Indy-500 race car.

Think electric vehicles can’t hack it? They don’t all look like golf carts, and they sure as hell don’t all poke around under 65 mph: The X1 was just featured in a series of Mythbusters’ tests where it beat a Ferrari in a quarter-mile race (see MythBuster: Why Electric Vehicles Beat Gas in 5 Extreme Tests).

The X1 uses a 3-phase AC induction motor and inverter from AC Propulsion, which catapults it from 0-60 in 3.07 seconds. There’s no clutch, no shifting, and first gear will take you all the way to 112 mph. The electrical system is powered by lithium polymer batteries, which is another variation on lithium-based systems I’ve highlighted before. The X1 has a 100 mile range and reaches an overall equivalent of 175 MPG.

Before you get too excited, note that this is only a concept vehicle, not a production model. The company says the X1 will lead to a production vehicle in the future that will be “better… much better,” but the cost is expected to be somewhere around $200,000. Lithium polymer batteries aren’t cheap either: $40,000 to swap them out.

But man, this car can move, and it’s the kind of game-changing technology that we like to support. As Jamie Hyneman concluded in his article (above): “if you can go electric, you should.” It won’t take you and your family cross-country, but it beats buying gas, and if you mostly drive to and from work (which most of us do), what else do you need?.

Too expensive? Check these two out: An Electric Car You Can Buy Today: The $20K TRIAC EV and Affordable Electric Cars Coming to US in 2009.

An Electric Car You Can Buy Today: The $20K TRIAC EV

Clayton B. Cornell — Tue, 27 May 2008 19:07:19 +0000

TRIAC Electric Car. Range: 60-100 Miles. Cost: 2 cents per mile

This little number has been getting some good press lately (see EcoGeek and Inhabit), and for good reason: it’s the first commercially available electric vehicle with a price tag and functionality that could meet the needs of the average city driver (assuming you can afford it).

OK, you aren’t going to fit a family of 5 in there, but that’s not what it’s made for. Green Vehicles, manufacturer of the 3-wheeled TRIAC EV, calls it a “modern freeway commuter,” because the zero-emissions vehicle can reach 80 mph and will get you into the carpool lane with a single driver. Safety-wise, it has a structural steel cage the company says is the “same metal skeleton used in race cars” and a low center of gravity to maintain balance (but surprisingly has no airbags).

Back at home, it takes about 6 hours to charge the car’s lithium-ion batteries at an estimated cost of about 2 cents per mile. Not a bad deal if you can afford the $20,000 price tag. The company website says the TRIAC EV is currently available at dealerships in San Jose and Mill Valley, California, and should be more widely available in the future..

Final thoughts: to me, it looks like they added an extra wheel to a racing bike and built a canopy around it, which makes it a powerful ride but a lot safer (and a lot greener). Generous State/Federal tax credits would put this car within reach for many more drivers, like the $4,000 Federal credit for electric vehicles that ended in 2006.

Want one of these? Check out the Green Vehicles website.

See more pictures below.

Huddler.com Releases “Green My Ride” FaceBook App: I’m Ranked #8 Worldwide

Clayton B. Cornell — Fri, 23 May 2008 23:58:28 +0000

The Green My Ride Facebook App

Huddler.com, the new green community of crowd-powered product reviews (and other good stuff), just released a new Facebook app that gives you yet another excuse to avoid what you really should be doing.

Green My Ride has a simple premise: start out as a gas guzzling, flower crushing monster vehicle, and by earning credits through various actions (below), you can earn more efficient cars (up to a solar-powered electric car) to display on your Facebook profile.

If you need some incentive to blow more time on Facebook (most of us don’t, and I’m not kidding about being number #8 in the world), Huddler is offering a weekly prize to the top scorer: one year’s worth of real renewable energy credits (RECs) from Village Green Energy.

You can earn credits by doing any of the following:

1 credit for: Each product added to your profile (up to 8), and every friend invited to use Green My Ride.
5 credits for: Each friend you invite that actually signs up.
10 credits for: Each review you write on http://greenhome.huddler.com (check out the site for more)
15 credits for: Creating an account on http://greenhome.huddler.com and linking it to this Facebook account.

I’ve already upgraded to a green hybrid after accruing 89 credits.

So what’s the point?

Well, if you really need a reason, I think Huddler does a great job of aggregating green products into a simple interface, giving users the opportunity to explore, rank, and review green product options, and see what others have to say about them.

Just take a look at the number of electric vehicles listed under the transportation section, half of which (I’m embarrassed to say) I’ve never heard of before. Speaking of which, I’ve added most of the cool ones to my profile already…

Beyond winning a year of RECs, there’s also some simple satisfaction in making a symbolic gesture that, on some level, might be helping to reinforce the ecological consciousness of other Facebook users.

Or you can just use it as another bragging point with your friends.

My only question is, who’s going to knock me off Green My Ride’s Top 10 List?

Check out the Green My Ride Facebook App Here.

Check out Huddler.com Here.

Posts Related to Green Car Technology:

USDA Says Ethanol Accounts for Only 3% of Increased Cost of Food

Clayton B. Cornell — Thu, 22 May 2008 16:38:11 +0000

On Monday, USDA officials met with reporters to discuss just how closely biofuels (specifically corn-based ethanol) are linked to the increasing price of food. Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer, who has vehemently defended biofuels before, had this to say:

One theory that has been widely discussed in recent weeks is that the nation’s growing demand for biofuels and the crops needed to produce them is the real culprit behind higher food prices, both at home and abroad. Yet the evidence that we have seen. . .does not support this.

It’s true that higher demand for corn for ethanol and soybeans for biodiesel has led to higher prices for those crops over the past couple of years. But we do not have a one on one relationship between higher prices for those commodities and what consumers are paying for foods at the retail level. There are many factors at work. . .

So just how much is ethanol contributing to global food prices? According to Schafer:

On the international level, the President’s Council of Economic Advisors estimates that only 3 percent of the more than 40 percent increase we have seen in world food prices this year is due to the increased demand on corn for ethanol.

Their reasoning includes things I’ve written about before including oil prices, economic and dietary expansion in India and China, droughts affecting wheat crops, etc.

For more, read the USDA’s biofuel briefing in its entirety or watch the video:

USDA video.

Clean Diesel Cars Coming to US This Fall: 2008-2010 Timeline

Clayton B. Cornell — Wed, 21 May 2008 11:32:01 +0000

New diesels will get better mileage and have cleaner emissions than your average car. Pictured above: 2009 Jetta SportWagen 2L TDI Clean Diesel.

Later this year (see the timeline below), we will finally begin to see an influx of new model diesels in the United States. While diesels make up 50% of the market share of vehicles in Europe, they’re still trying to shrug off the stigma of being dirty, noisy beasts here in the US. So what changed?

What are “clean” diesels?

In 2006, the EPA required the introduction of Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel (ULSD), which removed a major polluting component of diesel fuel. Since sulfur would damage advanced emissions control systems, ULSD paved the way for better emissions control technology.

As early as August, we will start to see a new era of diesels that employ new technology to meet the strictest emissions standards in the world—BIN5/LEV II—which are enforced by 5 US states: California, Massachusetts, Maine, New York, and Vermont. BIN5/LEV II standards severely cap nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions (0.05 g/mile), one of the two tailpipe pollutants that have given diesels a bad rap (that and particulate matter).

Newer filters in these emissions systems trap particulate matter, while each model uses its own method to process NOx. Several models, including those from BMW, Mercedes, and Audi, will require the maintenance of a six- to eight-gallon tank of urea. The ammonia-rich solution (for example: Mercedes BlueTEC) is injected into exhaust to neutralize smog-forming nitrogen oxides. Since the urea tanks only require replenishing every 12,000 miles or so, inconvenience seems minimal, and some models, like Honda and VW diesels, meet emissions requirements without them.

While you might expect most of these diesels to get exceptional mileage, some of them do surprisingly poor. For example, the Mercedes and Audi models only get around 18/25 MPG (making this a good reason to continue to avoid SUVs). I know that the new emissions technology is supposed to negatively affect mileage, but 25 MPG is unimpressive, considering that VW’s Jetta BlueTDI got a road tested 60 MPG.

While the high price of diesel fuel is eating into some of the economic advantage of buying a new diesel vehicle, the difference is offset by mileage gains of 25 to 40% over comparable gas models. You might not see too much difference in sticker prices, either. Some models could cost $1,500 to $3,500 more for this new emissions control technology, but VW says its Jetta SportWagens could cost $2,000 less. Also be on the lookout for Federal tax credits that could be as large as $3,400 per vehicle.

When can we expect to see clean diesels in the US? Here’s the timeline:

1. Volkswagen

When: August 2008
Models: 2009 Jetta BlueTDI sedans and SportWagens
Engine: 2-liter turbodiesel in-line 4
Est. Mileage: 29/40 m.p.g. Sedan road tested at 60 MPG.
Est. Base Price: $22,000 to $25,000

2. Mercedes

When: November 2008
Models: Mercedes-Benz ML320 Bluetec, other GL-, ML- and R-Class sport crossover utilities (and someday: Vision GLK BlueTec diesel hybrid).
Engine: 3-liter turbodiesel V-6
EPA Mileage: 18/24 m.p.g.
Est. Base Price: $46,000

3. BMW

When: Fall 2008
Models: 335d sedan and X5 35d sport wagon
Engine: variable twin-turbo 6-cylinder
Est. Mileage: ?
Est. Base Price: ?

4. Audi

When: January 2009
Models: Q7 3.0 TDI utility wagon
Engine: 3-liter turbodiesel V-6
Est. Mileage: 18/25 m.p.g.
Est. Base Price: $53,000

5. Honda (yes it’s true)

When: 2009
Models: Acura TSX sedan, other models could follow
Engine: 2.2-liter i-DTEC
Est. Mileage: 34/53 MPG
Est. Base Price: ?

6. Jeep

When: 2009
Models: Jeep Grand Cherokee

7. General Motors/Ford/Dodge

When: 2009 or 2010
Models: Light-duty pickup trucks

8. Nissan

When: 2010
Models: Maxima sedan

9. Subaru

When: 2010
Models: Legacy sedan or Outback wagon
Engine: 2-liter turbodiesel flat 4
Est. Mileage: 33/47 m.p.g. (Outback)
Est. Base Price: $28,000 (Outback)

Header Photo Credit: VW

For more, see: Diesel Engines Clean Up for an Encore (New York Times)

Posts Related to Clean Diesels:

Second Annual Clean Air Car Show in South Pasadena: July 20th, 2008

Clayton B. Cornell — Tue, 20 May 2008 20:28:59 +0000

For anyone who’s interested and in the area, on July 20th the second annual Clean Air Car Show in South Pasadena will be highlighting auto manufacturers with hybrids and low emissions vehicles, along with the next generation of these and other alternative energy vehicles.

Since California is the largest market for hybrids and other low emissions vehicles, the show should be full of new models trying to capture this large Southern California market. For more information, see the press release:

(South Pasadena, CA) - The City of South Pasadena, in association with State Senator Gilbert Cedillo and Assemblymember Anthony Portantino, will once again present its free Clean-Air Car Show and Film Festival on Sunday, July 20, 2008. The success of last year’s inaugural event demonstrated that the public is eager to learn about the new technologies that can lead to cleaner, more healthful air for people and pets, help reduce our nation’s dependence on foreign oil, address growing concerns over global warming, and strengthen our national and economic security. Like last year, the show will be part of an effort to promote cleaner, more efficient alternatives to the gasoline-powered internal combustion engine by showcasing emerging alternatives like Hybrid, Plug-in Hybrid, Electric, Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), Ethanol, and Biodiesel vehicles.

Free movies centering on environmental themes are planned to be shown throughout the day at the historic Rialto Theatre. In addition, the popular mini-seminars on environmental topics will once again be held in the Stage Tent.

Last year an estimated 3,500 people from around the region were drawn to this charming San Gabriel Valley city, nestled between Los Angeles and Pasadena. “Southern California is one of the largest markets for clean-air cars, and South Pasadena is the perfect place to see them all,” says South Pasadena Councilmember Michael Cacciotti. “I’ve had people tell me that last year’s show helped them pick their next car, and they learned more about the environment and air quality. With gasoline prices at an all-time high and rising, attending this year’s show will be even more appealing.”

Exhibit space and sponsorships are still available. Manufacturers, reps, and sellers are encouraged to contact the City of South Pasadena to get involved.

For more details, visit www.ci.south-pasadena.ca.us/whatsnew/cleanaircarshow.html . To sign up for exhibit space and/or a sponsorship, please contact Jeannie Chiu at 626-403-7239.

About South Pasadena:
The City of South Pasadena is a full service City of 25,000 that maintains its own Police and Fire departments, an active Parks and Recreation program and an outstanding Public Library. South Pasadena is also known for its commitment to an excellent public school system and support for a thriving business community with unique shops and restaurants. All of these things combine to maintain the small-town atmosphere that makes South Pasadena one of California’s most desirable locations. Learn more at www.ci.south-pasadena.ca.us.

How to Get 70 MPG Out of a Honda Civic

Clayton B. Cornell — Mon, 19 May 2008 23:05:46 +0000

Although it could be one of the ugliest car hacks I’ve ever seen, Mike Turner of Hodges, SC, modified his 1992 Honda Civic to get 70 MPG.

As you can see in the picture and video clip, the modifications are relatively simple use of aluminum siding and plastic, which decrease wind resistance (vaguely reminding me of Aptera’s Typ1 electric car) and lowering the vehicle’s drag coefficient. It’s a much more extreme version of the modification seen on Ernie Rogers’ 76 MPG VW Beetle.

The reporter in this cheesy news clip from WCNC couldn’t have said it better: “It is absolutely hideous looking.” But you’ve got to appreciate how little this guy cares.

Click on the image above for video.