Green Options » diesels

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

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.

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2009 Clean Diesel Jetta TDI Sedan:

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)

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Sorry Folks, VW Diesel Electric Hybrid Not Coming to US

Clayton B. Cornell — Mon, 12 May 2008 17:00:47 +0000

Diesel Hybrid Electric Golf Doesn’t Make it out of the Showroom

It looks like VW won’t be sending a diesel hybrid to the US after all. VW announced the 70 MPG diesel-hybrid electric Golf at the Geneva Motor Show, but turned around in the March 27 edition of Auto, Motor und Sport to say they wouldn’t be building the car because it would be “too expensive.”

I’m not sure how this story slipped under the radar (except that the magazine is written in German), but the VW hybrid Golf’s demise is unfortunate. Pairing a clean diesel engine with hybrid system seems like the best of both worlds (especially for biodiesel users), but we might just have to rely on Mercedes and their diesel-hybrid SUV for now.

For more on what the car would have been, see A Biodiesel Prius? VW To Release 69.9 MPG Diesel Hybrid.

Post Related to Hybrid Diesel Electric Cars:

2009 Jetta BlueTDI Comes to US This Summer, Sports 60 MPG and Cleaner Emissions

Clayton B. Cornell — Fri, 09 May 2008 17:20:44 +0000

VW’s Jetta BlueTDI: 60 MPG, 90% Emissions Reduction for NOx

VW’s ultra-low emission Jetta BlueTDI will be coming to the US mid-summer, according to an announcement made late last month at the Vienna Motor Symposium.

This newer version of the Jetta will meet the strictest emissions standards in the world—BIN5/LEV2—which are enforced by 5 US states: California, Massachusetts, Maine, New York, and Vermont. BIN5/LEV2 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).

As it happens, Bin5/LEV2 standards are tougher than their European counterpart, the Euro-5, and VW had to custom modify the Jetta BlueTDI for the North American market. NOx reductions were met with internal engine modifications—some of which are “unique worldwide”—and a maintenance-free NOx exhaust trap. Altogether, this system reduces NOx emissions by 90%.

Combining clean emissions with a road-tested fuel economy of up to 60 MPG highway could make this a winner in the US. Dr. Ing. Jens Hadler, Director of Volkswagen Powertrain Development commented:

[H]igh fuel prices and a dramatic change in environmental consciousness means that diesel is becoming more and more attractive for American drivers every day. This is why many customers, especially in California, have been waiting for a super-clean diesel like our BlueTDI. I think this motor will help the diesel get its big break in America because it consumes so little and yet can go such long distances on a single fill-up. And in a country as big as the United States, this is a priceless advantage. On the highway, for example, this engine can reach up to 60 miles per gallon. This is an improvement of 12 percent over its predecessor, which had a lower capacity and higher emissions.

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Photo Credit: VW

First Heavy-Duty Diesel Powered By Algae Biodiesel, Solazyme’s “Soladiesel”

Clayton B. Cornell — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 00:07:54 +0000

It looks like Solazyme will be making algal biodiesel for the US military, after a test-drive demonstrated the fuel’s superior cold-weather properties when compared to commercially-available biodiesel.

Former Director of Central Intelligence and Under-Secretary of the Navy R. James Woolsey tested the fuel himself by driving to the Worldwide Energy Conference & Trade Show in an unmodified 2008 Ford F450 fueled by 100% algal biodiesel.

Solazyme is a synthetic biology company using novel methods to produce algae biodiesel. I reported on the company back in January, when they made head turns with their algal-powered Mercedes at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival. While the Mercedes was only powered by B20 (20% biodiesel), Solazyme was already highlighting the cold-weather benefits of their fuel. It looks like Wolfson was also impressed:

“The DoD’s requested testing of the Soladiesel fuel showed superior performance especially in terms of its cold temperature properties,” said Wolfson. “Greater performance in cold temperatures means our biodiesel and other algae-based fuels could help the military in remote northern locations like Alaska and North Dakota, as well as in hot climates, while reducing dependence on petroleum. We look forward to continuing to work with the DoD on Soladiesel and other algal based fuels, and are pleased to be presenting at the DESC conference.”

Solazyme has already been working with Chevron, after their “biodiesel feedstock development and testing agreement” was established in January. What isn’t apparent is when Solazyme’s algal biodiesel will be commercially available, and how it compares to other production methods (like the algae biodiesel facility that went online April 1st in Texas) in terms of energy balance, greenhouse gas emissions, etc.

Solazyme’s novel method grows algae in the absence of light. Since algae need light to make sugar to then make oil—which is how the organisms store energy—Solazyme just feeds them sugar, skipping the entire photosynthetic process.

While this achieves a 1000-fold increase in productivity, it has two obvious problems: no carbon is sequestered in the growing process, and it requires a source of sugar. That source is currently sugarcane, but Solazyme says cellulosic feedstocks could also be used at some future date.

I’m in contact with Solazyme now, and if more information becomes available I’ll be adding it in another post. See Solazyme’s press release here.

For more on Solazyme’s algae biodiesel production, see:

Audi TDI Place Second in European LeMans

Benjamin Jones — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 00:12:54 +0000

I’ve posted in the past about a possible hybrid LeMans car and performance diesels, but today there is some actual news on some non-gasoline race cars from Audi. As reported by AutoBlogGreen, Audi recently took second place in their first showing with the diesel-powered cars in the European LeMans (this is after having raced these cars since 2006 outside of Europe).

Sure, a diesel engine isn’t that much different from a gasoline engine, when you really get down to it (in terms of environmental impact in racing), but it’s interesting to see a shift from the traditional thinking in auto racing. As we all know, sometimes an idea has to hit the limelight before it hits the showroom floor, even if it is more practical.

So what do you think? Is this a good thing or is racing just racing, no matter what fuel is used?

Mercedes 40-MPG Diesel Hybrid: Cleanest SUV on the Planet

Clayton B. Cornell — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 16:38:51 +0000

Mercedes plans to release a diesel-hybrid SUV capable of 40 miles per gallon, with cleaner emissions than your standard car. Demo’d at the 2008 Geneva Auto show, the SUV is built on Mercedes’ relatively new BlueTec emissions control technology—a combination of catalytic converters and advanced chemical processing that scrubs out the worst pollutants produced by the diesel engine.

The 4-cylinder, 214 horsepower engine will also break the world’s record for lowest carbon emissions (157 g/km) in an SUV.

The new Vision GLK BlueTec hybrid sports a standard hybrid-electric system: An electric motor seamlessly supplements the 2.2 liter diesel engine during fuel-intensive acceleration. Regenerative braking repowers the lithium-ion batteries, and start-stop technology shuts the motor off when the car is at a dead stop.

What isn’t standard is the 40 MPG fuel economy, which beats many passenger cars but still gives SUV-hungry consumers the option. I’ve never been that impressed by sub-30 MPG hybrids (or straight 30, like the original Ford Escape Hybrid SUV) even if the industry claims the hybrid drivetrain boosts fuel economy on any model by 25%.

It isn’t clear from the story when we might expect to see this model released, but if I had to guess I would say 2010—which seems to be the year for big changes in green car technology.

Will Mercedes support a 40 MPG biodiesel SUV? Don’t count on it. At this point Mercedes only supports a B5 biodiesel blend in their common-rail (CDI) diesel engines.

Via: Ecogeek

The World’s Most Fuel Efficient Car: 285 MPG, Not A Hybrid

Clayton B. Cornell — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 23:17:45 +0000

This is what a team of engineers can do when challenged to push the limits of fuel efficiency and technology. You may have already heard of VW’s 1-liter car, but take a closer look. It’s a sports-economy concept car produced a few years ago by VW engineers, to answer one big question: could they build a car that consumes less than 3 liters of fuel for every 100 km traveled?

It turns out they could, but they didn’t stop there. Instead, VW blew by that goal to create a car that uses only 1 liter of fuel for every 100 km. That’s 285 MPG.

To accomplish such a feat, VW’s engineers had to go back to the drawing board and start from scratch. They knew that fuel efficiency depends on aerodynamics and weight, so they created a bullet-shaped, ultra-lightweight (640 lbs) carbon-fiber car powered by a new, completely redesigned diesel engine. To save more weight, they didn’t even paint it:

Proper aerodynamics were key to the low fuel consumption. VW engineers knew they needed a small frontal area. This led to its unusually narrow, bullet-shaped body where the passenger sits behind the driver. As well, the car features an aircraft-like canopy, enclosed rear wheels, special flat carbon-fibre front wheel covers, and an aerodynamic underpan. Even the side cooling air inlets only open when the engine needs cooling, and otherwise stay closed. . .the 1-Litre-Car has an amazingly low coefficient of drag of 0.16 (a typical car has a drag coefficient of approximately 0.30 ).

Everything in the car was made out of lightweight carbon-fiber or magnesium, gears were hollowed, and bolts were made from titanium. Like the electric Aptera Typ1 that I wrote about earlier, the VW 1L was designed without side mirrors (too much drag), instead relying on internal video screens to guide the driver. And also like the Aptera, safety was of particular concern:

Despite its small size and light weight, Volkswagen says the 1-Litre-Car is as safe as a GT sports car registered for racing. With the aid of computer crash simulations, the car was designed with built-in crash tubes, pressure sensors for airbag control, and front crumple zones. Its aluminum fuel tank is located in a protected area behind the passengers. As well, the 1-Litre-Car includes ABS and ESP (electronic stability program).

The existence of the VW 1-Liter car suggests the possibility of drastically reducing our vehicle fuel consumption without any major advances in technology. You probably won’t ever see the VW 1-Liter on the road, but don’t think something like this will never come to the market. You’ll see Aptera’s electric and plug-in hybrids within the next year, and they look like spaceships too.

Addendum: VW’s 1L car will be released in 2010!

Subaru STI: Is Diesel the Intersection of Power and Fuel Economy?

Benjamin Jones — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 22:41:32 +0000

We all know that fast cars are fun and fuel-sipping cars are environmentally responsible, but is there a middle ground?

Short of expensive electric sports cars like the Tesla Roadster, there may be a solution to be found in diesel. Not only can diesel cars be fueled with waste vegetable oil, biodiesel, or some mixture of these fuels, but diesel engines produce a lot of torque and get better fuel economy than their gasoline-powered brethren.

Autoexpress reports that the Impreza lineup will soon feature a 2.0L diesel engine sporting 148 bhp - but that engine could easily be tuned up to 180bhp for use in a sportier WRX model. This model could go 0-60 in under 7 seconds and wouldn’t top out until a respectable 140 mph.

Certainly impressive, but what we really care about is the fact that this engine could achieve up to 45mpg and reduce CO2 emissions 40% compared to the gasoline-powered STI.

Source: Autoexpress

A Biodiesel Prius? VW To Release 69.9 MPG Diesel Hybrid (We Thought)

Clayton B. Cornell — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 19:36:25 +0000

Update: VW announced this car will not be built because it was deemed “too expensive.” Sorry Folks, VW Diesel Electric Hybrid Not Coming to US.

Toyota may lose its high-mileage stranglehold on the U.S. auto industry, thanks to Volkswagen’s new Golf hybrid-electric diesel. At 69.9 MPG, the new model is a serious contender for high-mileage biodiesel usage with a ridiculously low-emissions profile, especially since it will meet the strictest emissions standards in the world: Europe’s Euro V and America’s Tier II Bin 5.

This makes it likely to be released in California, since the major impediment to U.S. diesel vehicle sales has been emissions technology. But VW doesn’t plan on releasing the vehicle in until Europe late next year, which means we’d optimistically see a U.S. version sometime in 2010.

Now, I don’t know if VW has been keeping track of its competitors, but 2010 could be the year for green auto manufacturing, and the Golf may face some serious competition. 2010 is the year slated for the Chevy Volt’s release (along with a plug-in from Toyota). It may all depend on sticker price, since plug-in hybrids will get unbeatable mileage within the city limits (40-50 miles on pure electricity).

The Golf should have all electric capability at slow speeds, regenerative breaking, and a 7-speed transmission.

VW will release the Golf at the Geneva Motor Show, and they may be considering other hybrid models in the future. Check out the only other diesel-hybrid I’ve heard of: Mercedes 40-MPG Diesel Hybrid: Cleanest SUV on the Planet.

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Autopia (Feb. 28, 2008): Coming Soon from VW: A 69.9 MPG Diesel Hybrid

Autopia (Mar. 3, 2008): Revealed: Volkswagen’s 69.9 MPG Diesel Hybrid

Photo Credit: Volkswagon

Germans Release 117 MPG Diesel Sportscar: Biodiesel, Anyone?

Clayton B. Cornell — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 12:00:33 +0000

The German company Loremo (short for low-resistance mobile) released a turbodiesel sportscar at last September´s Frankfurt International Auto Show capable of a whopping 117 mpg and range of no less than 621 miles. They also plan on hybrid and electric models, and even one that runs on vegetable oil.

High-mileage-sportscar may sound like an oxymoron, and it’s a fair question to ask what was sacrificed to get 117 MPG out of this sleek, sporty-looking turbo-diesel, which is available in two models: a 2-cylinder LS and a 3-cylinder GT.

Besides the cool-looking flip-up lid and snazzy interior, Loremo’s real innovation (if the name was any hint) is based on two fuel economy fundamentals: substantially reducing weight and drag.

The Loremo’s construction is based on a steel linear cell structure: with a weight of only 95 kg the patented hull features three straight longitudinal struts and one centre cross strut. The steel struts of this clever construction principle provide the needed rigidity and safety and create a 600 mm deformation zone. Additionally the unique design enables the Loremo to reach an extremely low aerodynamic coefficient of 0.20.

But still: with all its safety and comfort features the Loremo weighs less than 600 kg [1323 lbs], which is less than half the weight of regular compact vehicles. That’s why it is so economic.

Although 117 mpg makes the 76 mpg VW Beetle hack look a bit paltry, it’s based on the same principles. Remember that by using a spoiler to reduce the VW’s drag coefficient from about 0.38 to 0.28, Ernie Rogers increased his mileage between 5 and 8%. But the real key seems to be weight reduction.

Although it all sounds good on paper, there are two big questions to address when talking about small lightweight vehicle.

Safety and Power

Loremo would ask you to ponder how lightweight (1100 lbs) Formula 1 cars can keep a driver safe through crashes of over 155 mph. In Loremo’s manufacturing, longitudinal struts run the length of the car, leaving more “surviving space” in the event of head-on collision than comparable passenger cars. The Loremo also has an integrated roll-cage and 3 air-bags (front and sides) to protect passengers.

But will it have any power? I’d say yes, yes it will. I’ve personally spent a lot of time in 4 cylinder, 2.0 Liter diesels, and they don’t typically light up the tires. But add a turbocharger to the engine, drop 1,500 lbs, and make it aerodynamic, and you may be on to something. The 3-cylinder Loremo GT adds a bit more muscle, but drops fuel economy to about 78.5 mpg.

The 2-cyl L Loremo LS has a top speed of 100 mph (3-cyl GT 125 mph), and with one passenger will do 50 mpg up a 10% grade.

Cost and Availability

The Loremo’s debut at the International Auto Show in Frankfurt late last year means most of us haven’t heard about it, but it should be available in several countries in 2009.

If you were hoping for a U.S. model, don’t hold your breath. I’ll let Loremo explain:

We are quite surprised to see that the Loremo is being well accepted in the US. Due to the complicated and instable regulations we will not offer the Loremo for US markets upon launch in 2009. Should the success and the future market demand from US markets enable us to offer the Loremo we will certainly do so.

If it was available, the 2.0 L Loremo LS should be around $20,000 U.S.

Other Models

While either of the models can run on 100% biodiesel right off the assembly line, Loremo does have plans for plug-in hybrid and electric models, and may even build one designed to run on straight vegetable oil.

You’ve got to love German ingenuity.

A Biodiesel Prius? VW To Release 69.9 MPG Diesel Hybrid
376.59 MPG Car Found In Museum (It Was Built In 1959)
6 Ways To Find And Use Biodiesel Anywhere (Part I) and (Part II)
Photo Credit: Loremo. See more photos here.