Filed under: Biodiesel, Ethanol, Vegetable Oil, Legislation and Policy

Most roads are build and maintained using funds that governments collect from taxes on gasoline. So, what happens when you use alternative fuels, including some you make yourself? You might get a knock on the door from the Illinois Department of Revenue, asking for money. That's what happened to one biofuel-loving retired couple. Also, that 15-year-old in the UK who made his own biodiesel (see below) was hit with a per-liter tax, wasn't he? Techdirt lists a few other such cases, and their comments section lit up with people saying it's an outrage. Kind of, but somebody's got to pay for the roads we all use.

I remember a biodiesel co-op that I profiled back in Georgia that was smartly proactively talking about setting aside money for each gallon the members bought to pay for any taxes that might be assigned in the future. Looks like that's the right idea.

Related:

• You might make your own biodiesel, but have you got what this 15-year-old's got?

[Source: Techdirt, h/t to Matt Perkins]

 

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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Phoenix

A reader named Lars wrote in to let us know that he had been invited to the unveiling of the Phoenix Motorcars SUT the other day, and actually had an opportunity to drive the new electric truck. Lars was able to drive the truck for only a few blocks, so this definitely a quick first impression. The prototype that was at the event had no air conditioning system installed although production trucks will have it available, and it will evidently cut driving range by about twenty to thirty percent according to the Phoenix representative.

Acceleration felt sluggish although impression may be exaggerated by the absence of audible feedback in an EV. Phoenix has apparently gone pretty aggressive with the regenerative braking, probably in an effort to maximize the range of the SUT. Lars also talked about pricing which he was under the impression was subsidized, although this in fact refers to the zero emission vehicle credits that Phoenix intends to sell in order to make up the difference between the selling price and the production cost. Darryl Siry of Tesla has more to say about this in his own blog post. This is the first driving impression from a "civilian" that we're aware of, so it's worth checking out.

[Source: PracticalEnvironmentalist.com, thanks to Lars for the tip]

 

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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.

Filed under: Biodiesel, Etc., Green Culture, Vegetable Oil, Volkswagen

Rob Eshman is editor of the Jewish Journal and decided he'd rather enrich Midwestern corn-oil sheiks than Saudi princes. So he purchased a late-model VW Passat diesel wagon and fills it with only 100 percent biodiesel. Eshman was a fan of Tom Vilsack's ideas to reduce America's dependency on foreign oil, but the governor is no longer a candidate for Democratic presidential nod. Eshman says depending on so much Middle Eastern oil endangers Israel, and burning oil in general contributes to global warming. He noted that following a sermon by a local Rabbi who urged his followers to drive hybrids, about 50 families traded in their luxury vehicles for a Prius. This is an important issue to the Jewish community, and Eshman is certainly taking a proactive direction in spreading the message. He even posted a video on YouTube showing him filling up his wagon and mixing a biodiesel cocktail to demonstrate that the fuel is harmless.

[Source: Rob Eshman / Jewish Journal]

 

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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.

Most models easily get 30 miles per gallon, and the smaller vehicles, especially those equipped with advanced diesel engines, get substantially better mileage.

The South Coast Air Quality Management District agreed Friday to spend $2.6 million for a test fleet of 30 plug-in hybrid cars and sport utility vehicles.

Company introduces new diesel engine for European market and reaffirms commitment to hydrogen fuel-cell program.

In addition to the 4 U212A-type submarines to be operated by the German Navy, Italy, Greece, Korea and Portugal have also placed orders or already have them in service.

The Tesla Roadster isn't going anywhere or doing anything for a minimum of three-and-a-half hours while it charges up again. You aren't going to swap a 900lb battery easily.

The prototype unit is powered by 15 automotive batteries and can run for 80 kilometers when fully charged.

The taxman is devising an ad-hoc tax regime for electric Smart Cars, Accountancy Age understands.