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.

In order to cut fuel consumption and CO2 emissions in the delivery of new automobiles, Honda has launched a 400-car fleet of new Auto-Max railcars to carry its products from factory to city.  Currently, Honda transports 82 percent of its Honda and Acura cars by rail, more than another other automaker.

The new, multi-level rail cars hold up to 22 vehicles, both cars and trucks, to reduce unused space.  Honda says conventional rail cars hold only 10 trucks.

The Auto-Max railcars are designed to last 50 years, compared to the 20 year lifespan of standard railcars.  Honda says the new transport system results in a more fuel-efficient method of getting their cars to dealers.

In addition to the new transporters, Honda invested nearly $7 million in the redesign of the rail infrastructure at their two plants in Ohio.  As a result, more units can be shipped by rail from more efficient rail yard operations at the plants.  That, says Honda, reduces CO2 emissions and other air pollutants discharged by switch and road locomotives that are often left idling.

The new railcars are the result of a participation between Honda and Greenbrier Companies, which is the exclusive manufacturer of the Auto-Max railcar.  Greenbrier is located in Lake Oswego, Oregon, and builds, repairs, refurbishes and leases freight railcars in North America.

Source.

Image:  www.trainweb.org

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:

• An Electric Car You Can Buy Today: The $20K TRIAC EV
• Save Gas Without Losing Your Shirt: 3 Gas Saving Devices with High Scam Potential
• An Electric Car With Muscle: The 175 MPGe X1 Prototype by Wrightspeed Inc.
• Low Impact Living: Think Hybrid Cars are Too Expensive?
• Goodbye Trucks and SUVs; Hello Gas Saving… Geo Metro?

Sources:

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

Photo Credit: Ford

Like it or not, we depend on them to bring us our food, fuel, and products for everyday living. It’s a connection that most of us often forget about, only remembering it long enough to curse them as they slow us down on the highway.

It’s also an industry that has recently been hit hard by soaring fuel prices, and now, with the average price of diesel in the US at $4.70/gallon and climbing, it’s sure to get worse.

Needless to say, there’s a rising cacophony of voices within the trucking industry clamoring for relief. Most of this noise currently comes in the form of wanting a break in fuel prices, but really that’s just a temporary fix. Any solution with sticking power would have to offer both economic and environmental benefit — you know, win-win.

Enter Turbine Truck Engines. The company has developed an engine for heavy duty trucks called the Detonation Cycle Gas Turbine (DCGT). Key features of this engine technology include:

• Uses over 30% less fuel than current heavy duty engines
• 30%+ fewer emissions including nitrogen oxide (NO, NO₂, N₂O₂) and carbon monoxide (CO)
• Operates on all fuels and mixtures of fuels: biofuels, hydrocarbon fuels, hydrogen and synthetic
• Has few moving parts, requiring much less maintenance
• Has no pistons or valves, and uses no lube oil, filters or pump
• Is air cooled and lightweight (less than 2 lbs. per hp)

The company has been aggressively seeking investors recently and last year won the prestigious Frost and Sullivan Award for Technology Innovation.

Currently Turbine Truck Engines holds several patents and has a few prototypes under its belt. When (and if) their technology finally reaches the market, the combined savings on maintenance and fuel, as well as environmental benefits, could make this engine extremely popular with truck drivers and trucking companies worldwide.

What do you think? Is it worthwhile to invest in this type of technology, or should we move past fuel altogether and focus on other things such as our rail infrastructure for movement of goods? Is that even possible? Are big rigs a permanent feature of our society? Is there any way to run them entirely on electricity?

Post Related to Engines and Fuel Economy:

• Six New Technologies Will Help Manufacturers Reach the 35 MPG Goal (Without Hybrids)
• Scania’s Ethanol Diesel-Engine, Runs On Biodiesel Too
• How Biodiesel Fuel-Cells Could Power The Future (And Your Car)
• Need a New Car? Nope, Just a New Engine!
• U.S. Fuel Economy Standards Boosted to 31.6 MPG by 2015

Image Credit: Turbine Truck Engines

“Railroads are the most environmentally friendly and energy efficient way to move goods on land.”

Freight trains have evolved over the years, carrying freight in a variety of ways, including taking semi-trailer rigs off the highways and shipping them on flat-cars. If you’re anywhere near a railroad track, you’ll see what are called intermodal trains carrying shipping containers stacked on top of one another, along with trailers and the usual box cars and other forms of equipment.

However, the physical infrastructure in some areas of the country creates a barrier for some railroads who want to stack shipping containers in order to carry more freight.

Such is the dilemma of mid-Atlantic coast rail line CSX, anticipating completion of the Panama Canal Upgrade project. When completed, ships with more than double the capacity of freight containers will be able to make the transition between the two oceans, increasing the amount of goods delivered to and shipped from mid-Atlantic ports.

CSX has launched it’s National Gateway program, a $700 million project to expands the railway’s freight carrying capacity.

I spoke with Mr. Robert Sullivan of CSX, about the project, what it will mean to the mid-Atlantic-Midwest shipping corridor, and to the environment.

I’ve posted a written version of the podcast on Gas2.0

“One train can carry the load of more than 280 trucks.”

If you live near a railroad, you see them every day, flat cars with semi-trailers secured to the deck, or shipping containers stacked two-high. They’re moving freight that isn’t clogging our highways and polluting the air with excess hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxide and particulates produced by over-the road trucks.

So says the CSX Railroad, a major carrier of goods in the mid-Atlantic shipping corridor, now positioning itself for $700 million in system improvements. The program is called National Gateway, a project the railroad says will create a more efficient flow of rail traffic between Mid-Atlantic ports and Midwestern markets.

Costs and Funding of National Gateway

CSX spokesman Robert Sullivan, in a podcast interview posted on Planetsave, said the railroad is committing $300 million toward construction of key intermodal terminals in Wood County and South Columbus, Ohio, and Pittsburgh and Chambersburg, Pennsylvania.

CSX says the terminals will provide a more efficient means of transferring shipping containers and semi-trailers to trucks for local or regional distribution in three major corridors:

1. I-95 Corridor between North Carolina and Baltimore, Maryland via Washington D.C.
2. 1-70/I-76 Corridor between Washington, D.C. and northwest Ohio via Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
3. Carolina Corridor between Wilmington and Charlotte, North Carolina.

Sullivan said the other $400 million will hopefully come from what they term a public-private partnership, relying on funding from states and private industry in their coverage area. He said the State of Ohio has welcomed the project, but funding from the state has not yet been established.

79 Barriers to Double-Stack Freight Movement

The railroad has pinpointed 79 bridges or tunnels that will need modification before CSX locomotives can transport double-stacked cars.

Sullivan said some bridges and tunnels may only have to be “notched out” to allow the taller traffic, others may have to be raised, or the railroad road bed my need to be lowered.

He said the project will provide $8 in public benefits for every $1 of public money invested.

Once completed, possibly by 2015, CSX will be positioned to carry more intermodal freight between the midwest and mid-Atlantic ports, which they believe will receive more traffic upon completion of the Panama Canal Upgrade project now underway.

Currently, the canal can handle ships carrying no more than 5,000 containers. After completion of the upgrade, ships with 12,000 containers on board will be able to use the canal, increasing the amount of freight potentially reaching mid-Atlantic ports. CSX wants to be ready to handle the increased traffic.

Environmental Impact of Rail vs Long-Haul Truck Shipments

“Trains can move a ton of freight 423 miles on a single gallon of fuel.”

“Rail is the safest mode of ground freight transportation.”

“Shifting 10% of long-haul freight from the highway to the railway would reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions by more than 12 million tons.”

“Railroads are the most environmentally-friendly and energy efficient way to move goods on land.”

Quotes from the CSX National Gateway website.

The website contains a Carbon Calculator, a handy tool for those interested in calculating the difference a shipper makes by choosing rail. The calculator, according to the railroad, was developed by CSX and is provided for estimating purposes only. Actual emissions savings may vary based on routing and other factors.

Is Biodiesel in the Future for CSX?

In a word, no, at least not now according to Mr. Sullivan. He did say he’d heard of some research into the issue, but was unable to comment.

The CSX website has a section addressing it’s Environmental Stewardship that explains, in company terms, system and equipment improvements that would seem to exclude the use of biofuels in their locomotives.

Photo from CSX

Posts Related to Trains and Biodiesel:

• California Building 220 MPH High-Speed Train from San Francisco to LA
• Earthrace Biodiesel Boat Circumnavigates Globe, Aims For World Speed Record
• Biodiesel Mythbuster 2.0: Twenty-Two Biodiesel Myths Dispelled

May 6 was World Asthma Day. Since car exhaust can lead to asthma as well as global warming, we thought it would be a good day to highlight the importance of not idling your car or truck engine.

What makes idling especially bad for health is that drivers tend to idle in gathering places - by sidewalks, schools, playgrounds, homes, and offices. Breathing in pollution close to the source is more dangerous than farther away.

Take a look at the evidence.

Tailpipe Exhaust May Cause Asthma

Tailpipe exhaust from both gasoline- and diesel-burning vehicles contains the pollutants that produce ozone when combined with sunlight and heat. Ozone occurs mostly during the summer months. A warming planet means more hot days, and thus more ozone.

Breathing in ozone irritates and inflames your lungs, and repeated exposure can reduce lung function. There’s a lot of evidence that ozone makes asthma worse. But the Children’s Health Study in California found evidence that ozone causes asthma. The study also found that children can suffer irreversible lung damage as adults from breathing smog.

On top of that, diesel exhaust contains particulate matter (soot). This has long been known to cause a variety of health problems, including aggravated asthma (see CARB report on health effects [PDF]). But as with ozone, there is evidence that diesel exhaust particles may cause asthma, and not just worsen it.

California kids aren’t the only ones to suffer from tailpipe-induced asthma. A 2005 NYU Medical Center study showed that asthma symptoms among children in the South Bronx doubled on high traffic days.

Conversely, reducing ozone can improve asthma rates. During the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, the city closed downtown to private cars for 17 days. During this time, daily peak ozone levels dropped more than a quarter and hospitalizations for asthma fell by almost one-fifth.

Fight Global Warming, Save Money

There’s no reason to idle your vehicle engine. As I explained my previous post:

• Today’s engines don’t need a warm-up period.
• If you’re stopped for more than 10 seconds, it uses more gasoline to idle than to restart.

Many cities, including New York, have laws against idling, but they’re rarely enforced. We need better enforcement, but we can make a difference with our own actions and behavior.

So in honor of World Asthma Day, switch off that idling engine. You’ll curb global warming pollution, save money on gasoline, and help everyone to breathe better.

In modern times, trade between North and South has seen an increasing volume of trucks making the long, slow journey through narrow valleys, high passes, and long tunnels, many of which twist and spiral their way through the rugged mountain terrain. At the beginning of school holidays, tailbacks at the entrance to the 15 mile Gotthard road tunnel can reach 30 kilometres as droves of Northern Europeans migrate South for the food, wine and sunshine of Italy.

Concerned by the consequent increase in pollution (amplified as the narrow valleys trap particulate emissions from cars and trucks, which threatens the balance of delicate alpine eco-systems), the Swiss voted in 1994 to limit trans-alpine freight transport to 650,000 trucks per year. Achieving this will involve a massive engineering project, with 2,000 people working on the new Gotthard Base Tunnel, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

A Massive Engineering Project

Deep beneath the Alps, the new tunnel will be the world’s longest at 35 miles. Built at an altitude of 1,540ft above sea level, the tunnel will be buried by up to 2 kilometres of rock in places and has the unique feature of remaining level throughout it’s length. This will allow trains to reach speeds of 145mph through the tunnel, reducing journey time from Zürich to Milan to a mere 2.5 hours and significantly reducing road freight pollution by allowing trucks to be driven directly onto special rail cars.

Building the tunnel, which is expected to cost at least $8 billion, has required the use of the world’s largest tunnel boring machines, which will excavate over 24 million tons of rock - enough to build 5 Gizeh-pyramids. Other world firsts have been achieved, such as a vertical 1 kilometre elevator shaft which provides workers with access to parts of the tunnel.

Unfortunately, not everybody is happy with the rate of progress. The original act of parliament called for reductions in road freight to be achieved by 2009, but with the tunnel not due for completion until 2015 these targets will be missed - “We have to accept that the government is far behind schedule,” said Kaspar Schuler, director of Greenpeace Switzerland.

Until then, trans-alpine travelers can continue to enjoy the magnificent views afforded whilst driving across the Swiss Alps, knowing that grand designs below will assure the long term future of the local environment.

Further Reading: BBC, Wikipedia, Swissinfo

Photos Courtesy of Wikipedia and Flickr

This series of posts is intended for readers looking to start using biodiesel by finding an older diesel vehicle, ‘converting it’, and then finding a local fuel source.

Before embarking on a biodiesel adventure, it may be a good idea to determine whether biodiesel is available in your area (it probably is), and most importantly, whether or not it’s conveniently located. While some of us are willing to go to great lengths to find and use alternatives to petroleum-based fuels, this isn’t practical for everyone.

For information on how to find biodiesel, see 6 Ways To Find And Use Biodiesel Anywhere, and for more background you may want to get started with the Biodiesel Mythbuster. This post is primarily focused on buying a used diesel, but it should be helpful to anyone interested in using biodiesel.

Finding Your First Biodiesel Car (or Truck)

It’s important to understand that any diesel engine can run on any blend of biodiesel with no major conversion. In older vehicles, it’s not a bad idea to change out fuel lines (biodiesel eats rubber over time), but don’t let anyone convince you that this is difficult or expensive (more on this later). First, let’s find your first biodiesel vehicle:

Step 1: Determine Your Needs

Will this be a commuter car or do you plan to live out of it for the summer?
This might seem like an obvious consideration, but make a sincere effort to use the same criteria you would for any vehicle purchase. Don’t let the excitement of buying a diesel cloud your judgment, and trust me, it will. Anyone on Ebay knows how easy it is to click the ‘Buy-it-Now’ button, and you may end up in a noisy tin can that won’t go over 55 mph.

Here are some things to consider:

• Do-it-yourselfers should look for pre-1990 vehicles, since engine components get considerably more complicated with each passing year. Workspace also decreases dramatically as more parts are crammed under the hood. Changing out fuel lines in a 1982 Datsun is a snap. Accessing the same lines in a 1987 Toyota is considerably more difficult unless you have small hands and considerable dexterity.
• Small Trucks are hard to find. If you want the versatility of a truck but don’t need to tow a super-tanker, you may have a hard time finding a reasonable compromise. Larger Ford models (F-250, F-350) and Dodge trucks are ubiquitous, but huge–not a good choice for the city. The only small-model trucks I’ve seen are Datsuns, VW Rabbits, and the oh-so-rare Toyota diesels.
• Diesels are more expensive. Diesel engines last longer, so seeing 190K miles is not uncommon. Expect a diesel that’s running and in decent condition to set you back about $5,000. If you don’t pay $5,000 for a diesel, expect to put as much as $2,000 in maintenance costs into the beast in the first 2 years. You may get lucky, but you tend to get what you pay for.
• Not all diesels get fantastic mileage, but most passenger cars do. Take a look at VW models like the Jetta, Golf, Beetle, and Passat. In most of these you can easily get 45+ mpg.
• Make sure you can find parts for you new car. Finding a one-of-a-kind truck may not be so great when your injection pump fails.

Step 2: Start Looking

Some places to look:

• Craigslist
• Local Newspaper
• Autotrader
• Ebay Motors
• Diesel Forums

Your best bet is to search Craigslist (free local classifieds) in your area under ‘cars+trucks’. The local newspaper and Autotrader are also options, but Craigslist seems to offer lower prices and less hassle. Search for ‘diesel’ and set the maximum price you’re willing to pay.

If you’re lucky, you can also find good deals on Ebay Motors. Just remember that everyone is on Ebay (as opposed to your local Craigslist), so it’s hard to get lucky. You also have to deal with long-distance buying, which introduces numerous complicating variables that you don’t necessarily want to deal with. I would recommend buying locally, defined as within an easy day’s drive from your current location.

Another good source may be the classified sections of online forums, such as ToyotaDieselMadness or the Nissan-Diesel Forum.

Step 3: Ask Questions

This is especially important for older diesels. When you see the car (or truck) of your dreams remember: it may be too good to be true. Not that the seller is a swindler, but it’s standard practice to gloss over the less-desirable features of your soon-to-be new car. Be aware that in many areas (like the Pacific NW), biodiesel-ready vehicles will fetch a tidy premium, and ‘runs great’ would be more accurately read as ‘it runs!’

Here are a few questions to be sure to ask:

What kind of mileage does it get?
Does it burn oil?
What major repairs have been done?
What needs to be done?
Have you run it on biodiesel?
If yes, have the fuel lines been changed yet?
When was the last fuel filter change?

Here are a few more ideas.

Step 4: Get the Vehicle Inspected

A good seller should have no problem taking the vehicle to a mechanic for routine inspection. This shouldn’t cost more than about $80—unless you run into problems—and is absolutely worth the money. Ask to speak directly to the mechanic, and don’t let them off easy. If the mechanic says “It’s fine, except for such and such,” ask them what the specific problem is and how much it will cost to fix. Remember: $200 now, even if you decide not to buy the car, is much better than $2000 later. Beware of sellers who balk at the proposition since they may be hiding something.

August, 2007: “It runs great, except it’s really low power.” This was coming from a mechanic in Bozeman, MT, advising me on the purchase of a 1987 Toyota diesel truck. What I would learn 3 weeks after buying the vehicle and driving it back to Oregon was that the injection pump was due for a ‘catastrophic failure’. Oops. Price tag for this mistake: $720 and counting. Moral of the story: don’t take their word for it…

Since we’re talking about diesel engines, you may also consider getting a compression test done to test the health of the engine before you commit to any financial hardship.

Step 5: Inspect the Vehicle Yourself

You don’t have to know anything about cars to do this. Look underneath the car and check for leaks. Check the body for rust and signs of repair. Check the tires for uneven wear. Does the engine look clean and tidy, or does it look like the vehicle spent the last 6 months in Afghanistan (I actually had a mechanic say that about my engine once). Ask about anything that looks abnormal.

Step 6: Take a Test Drive

This step is all-important. New cars require a more refined set of criteria (e.g. do I really need leather seats?), but with old diesels the major deal-breaking issues must be carefully evaluated. Besides the car actually running, you should consider:

• Noise
• Driveability

Noise. I bet you never thought about this one but, trust me, older diesels can be extremely loud. Make sure you get on the freeway and push the vehicle to max operating speed (probably 65-70 mph). Could you have a conversation in the cab, or would you have to shout? Think you could stand 10 hours in there without a headache or ringing ears?

Driveability. How comfortable is the vehicle to drive? Does it ride smoothly and stop straight? How are the seats? Does it shimmy when it hits a bump? Make sure the dash lights, blinkers, and speedometer work.

Step 7: Final Evaluation Criteria

Having a ‘good feeling’ isn’t enough, and should be tempered with careful evaluation of the vehicle’s overall condition and the cost of fixing any apparent problems. That being said, make sure you like (or at least can tolerate) the car or truck you buy, since that goes a long way for having the patience to deal with future problems.

It also never hurts to get a second opinion before you buy. Is your significant other really going to let you park that in the driveway?

Next Stop:

Biodiesel Mythbuster 2.0: Twenty-Two Biodiesel Myths Dispelled
6 Ways To Find And Use Biodiesel Anywhere (Part I) and (Part II)
Learn How To Make Biodiesel On YouTube
Study: Buying Biodiesel May Be A Gamble

Photo Credit