Whenever a microhybrid vehicle stops at a light or a loading zone, the internal combustion engine is shut down. When the driver is ready, it starts up again within milliseconds. Idle-stop can be done for every piston-engine car in the world to good effect.

The corporate average fuel economy of GM's light trucks will decline from 22.8 miles per gallon on average to 22.6 mpg, the automaker said in its annual report. The federal requirement is 22.2 mpg.

Four percent increases in CAFE standards would cost the Big Three an estimated $85 billion to implement and divert research dollars from more promising long-term solutions, contends this Detroit News editorial.

Summer is coming and car prices, in general, are firmer during the warmer months when more people are out shopping for cars.

Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association and the Battery Association of Japan plan to draw up safety guidelines for battery packs and notebook computers by the end of March.

Filed under: Biodiesel, Etc., Volkswagen

We told you about Chili Pepper Racing entering a Volkswagen Jetta TDI in the Speed World Challenge Touring Car championship this year. The car started its first race Friday at Sebring but unfortunately dropped out after only 2 laps. Press reports say the biodiesel-powered car, driven by Jim Osborn, suffered mechanical problems. Next race is May 17-19 in Utah.

[Source: motorsport.com]

 

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Filed under: Diesel, Hybrid, Hydrogen, Transportation Alternatives

The Australian state of Victoria may be planning to trial a fleet of hybrid diesel-electric buses after recently upgrading 24 of its existing public transport buses with clean diesel models. The Australian-first Euro 4 Clean Diesel buses, which are able to reduce carbon emissions by a third, are seen as an important stepping stone towards introducing hybrids models. The state government is planning to spend AUD$189 million (US$150 million) replacing 880 buses across Victoria in a move to make them compliant with national disabled access standards.

Analysis: Hybrid buses are already well established in many U.S. cities including New York and Seattle, with other cities around the world such as London planning their introduction. While trials of hydrogen-fueled buses are also taking place, I think it's important to move forward with hybrid technology available today - a fact reinforced every time I'm stuck behind a diesel bus in traffic belching out smoke.

Related:

• DOE & USDA study proves biodiesel massively reduces dangerous emissions
• New York City's clean air buses striving to be the cleanest fleet in the world
• PublicRoutes.com Launches Directions Resource for Los Angeles Public Transportation System

[Source: Drive.com.au]

 

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Filed under: Biodiesel, Green Culture

A recent issue of Sports Illustrated examined how global warming is affecting sports and athletes. The TV show Living on Earth this week interviewed the story's co-author, David Epstein, and features a transcript on its website.

Some of the more obvious concerns involve heat exhaustion or Nordic skiers not having any snow. But Epstein also looked at auto racing and how the sport is changing.

"There's not a cohesive movement right now. Well in some sports there are. Let's say in some of the driving sports, which maybe can make a big difference. In the clean air act of 1970 which said, you know, new consumer cars would have to run on unleaded fuel, race cars were actually exempt so they don't have to comply with that. But NASCAR is now going to comply with it anyway and they're mixing in ethanol into their fuels. And Indy Car is going to 100 percent ethanol, and F-1 is introducing hybrids and ethanol, things like that. And obviously their emissions are a drop in the bucket but how far is it from a NASCAR driver to a NASCAR fan in terms of being conscious about ethanol," said Epstein.

He also pointed to athletes that are making environmentalism a personal issue, the way other athletes are philanthropic in their off-field activities. He noted that Steve Gleason of the New Orleans Saints drives a biodiesel truck and started a foundation called One Sweet World that's devoted to sustainability.

[Source: Steve Curwood/Living on Earth]

 

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Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Tesla Motors

When Tesla Motors CEO Martin Eberhard talked to AutoblogGreen recently, he said that Tesla would not be using traditional franchised dealers to sell their electric cars. Instead, they will be establishing company owned customer centers around the country. For established car-makers with dealer networks, opening company owned dealerships is considered unfair competition under most state franchise laws. Since Tesla doesn't have any existing dealership network, having company outlets won't be unfair competition, because there is no one to compete with. Another issue is that no existing dealers are prepared to service and support the Tesla vehicles, so the company would have to provide the training and support.

Since initial sales volumes will be relatively low, and very little maintenance is required with an electric car, they won't need as many stores at first. Initially there will be five customer centers opening up in 2007 in the strongest markets for the Roadster. After that, more will be added over the next two years in preparation for the launch of WhiteStar. Tesla Marketing VP Darryl Siry confirmed that they have selected a location in Los Angeles and are scouting locations in the Bay Area, Chicago and New York. The Miami area is another likely launch location for the Roadster, since it's a natural market for sports cars. After launching the Roadster, they will move into other secondary markets like Seattle, Boston and Atlanta.

[Source: Tesla Motors]

 

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Filed under: Biodiesel, Vegetable Oil

Microbreweries are a good thing in my eyes. I like their products and I like that they are usually smaller, locally owned establishments. One more good thing coming from small breweries is that they can use some of their own waste products in biofuels. Here is one such example of exactly that. Stone Brewery in San Diego is now using a 20% biodiesel mix using leftover oils from their onion rings. They plan to switch to 100% biodiesel later this year. It turns out that an employee who was making his own biodiesel turned them on to the idea.

[Source: Stone Brew via Live Green SD via Hugg]

 

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