Eight-year-old Owen Erickson has some scrapes and bruises but is otherwise no worse for wear after he found himself on the hood of a Toyota Prius this week. Owen had turned his bicycle onto the road in front of the car, which his mother says he didn't hear. The event, which thankfully ended well for all involved, brings additional attention to the debate regarding hybrids and the lack of noise they make under electric power. Owen's mom notes that the noise matter is, in her opinion, a big safety concern. That said, had her son looked before turning into the street, he would have likely avoided his accident entirely.
The blind can't simply look, however, and they rely on their ears to know when a vehicle is approaching. This is a matter that's garneredcoverage here in the past. Legislation that addresses the noise-for-hybrids issue now sits before the U.S. House of Representatives. Whether it'll lead to anything is anyone's guess, but when you consider that hybrids are now part of the mainstream and not the novelties they were a few short years ago, someone's probably going to do something soon. It'd be nice to see the automakers proactively address this and eliminate the need for additional federal regulation. Politicians are experts at overcomplicating matters, and when you boil this one down, it's pretty uncomplicated: just add noise. After all, hybrids and electrics are likely to become an increasingly common presence on our roads as automakers bring the next generation of green vehicles to market. The whole idea's not that ridiculous, anyway. Don't forget that Henrik Fisker plans to pipe noise out through speakers on his Karma hybrid...and he's promoting it as a desirable feature.
Hey, Seattle's not the only town looking for people willing to dump their cars, at least temporarily. May marks Ann Arbor, Michigan's 4th annual Curb Your Car Month. All month, participants are encouraged to leave their cars at home and choose an alternative such as walking, biking, carpooling or public transit. One of the centerpieces of the month-long program is the Commuter Challenge, in which local businesses compete with one another to see which can get the most people involved in an alternative to the traditional commute.
Prizes for the challenge range from free scoops of ice cream to higher-value stuff like gratis movie and event tickets. Info on the initiative can be found here, and now that Spring is upon us, we're sure there's a good number of people who are actually out there enjoying the walk or bike ride to work. This is probably why Ann Arbor does this in May and not February.
Posted May 6th 2008 6:49PM by Alex Nunez Filed under: Etc.
Click image to enlarge
Stop. Pick-up. Go. Repeat. This is the routine your sanitation and recycling trucks follow as they go about their daily rounds, relieving us of the astonishing amount of junk we all manage to accumulate in a week's time. This eats up fuel in traditionally-powered vehicles. Peterbilt might have a solution on display at the Waste Expo 2008 in Chicago (Waste Expo? Who knew?). The Model 320 HLA is equipped with Eaton's Hydraulic Launch Assist, which captures braking energy and stores it as pressurized hydraulic fluid. That fluid is then used to help propel the truck when the driver gets it back underway. UPS is currently piloting a delivery van equipped with the same technology.
Peterbilt has not released any specific numbers, but states that the reductions in emissions and fuel consumption observed during the Model 320's testing are significant, and that as a bonus, the system should help reduce brake-related maintenance costs as well. Because garbage trucks start and stop so frequently, this might be the most natural application of hydraulic launch assist yet. Fuel sure isn't getting any cheaper, so it'll be interesting to see whether the technology catches on in the sanitation biz.
The Aspen Police Department has a fleet of seven Volvos, but the city's contract with the Swedish automaker is set to run out. Hence, it's time to see what other vehicles could fit the resort community's patrol needs. The city has purchased a single Toyota Highlander Hybrid, given it full markings, and outfitted it with all the accessories required for police duty. While the hybrid Toyota is greener than the vehicles it could potentially replace, there are some issues that will have to be overcome before it's deemed truly ready for police use. Apparently, supplying power to all the additional police-specific add-ons is problematic and there's some hang-up about snow tire availability for the CUV's stock wheels at this time (in a ski community, this is no small concern, but we have to believe this will be resolved). Finally, the hybrid's battery pack reportedly interferes with the operation of the speed radar. Wait...this is a problem? Suddenly, the Highlander Hybrid sounds like the best police car ever.
Coca-Cola and its bottlers are increasing the number of hybrid vehicles they use in their sales and delivery fleets. By the end of this year, Coke's sales fleet of 800 vehicles will contain 550 hybrids (as of now, it has 325), and by the end of next year the entire fleet should be hybridized. The Atlanta-based soft drink giant's green fleet includes the Toyota Prius, Camry Hybrid, and Highlander Hybrid along with the Ford Escape Hybrid. Similarly, both Coca-Cola Enterprises and Coca-Cola Consolidated, the company's #1 and #2 bottlers respectively, are following suit with plans to add more hybrid cars and SUVs through next year. Coca-Cola Enterprises also operates 120 diesel-electric hybrid trucks in its larger 20,000-vehicle delivery fleet. According to a representative quoted in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, fuel prices are a huge concern for Coke, and the hybrids are less costly to operate. The biggest impact is likely to be made as Coke's bottlers leverage hybrid trucks for deliveries. Coca-Cola Enterprises' pilot fleet showed that the hybrid trucks' emissions and fuel consumption are a third lower than their traditionally-powered counterparts. With fuel prices on a steady climb, that kind of savings gets the attention of the decision-makers in the boardroom.
It's looking as if Aussie readers hoping to drive greener might soon be able to do so in a locally-produced machine. The first word of Toyota's desire to build the Camry Hybrid in the land Down Under came in October at the Tokyo Motor Show. Without government handouts assistance, however, it wasn't going to happen. Fast forward to the present: all signs point to a deal getting inked by the end of July, with Australian government reps saying that talks with the automaker are progressing "fruitfully." Once the agreement is formalized, look for the Camry Hybrid to go into production at the Altona plant where the Australian-market Camry and Aurion sedans are currently built.
Elevated gas prices resonate in strange ways. Sure, while the average commuter might now consider alternatives like public transit or carpooling to ease the sting at the pump, the repercussions of high fuel costs are felt globally -- and not just by the average cubicle-dwelling workerbee. Take India, for example. Financial Times reports that in the state of Rajasthan, farmers are looking to the camel as a replacement for fuel-swilling tractors. As a result, demand for the animals is up, as is their cost. Still, a strong, work-ready camel costs just a quarter of what Indian farmers would need to shell out for an entry-level tractor, and the critters don't need to be constantly refilled with expensive fossil fuels. FT notes that a full-scale camel revival faces other challenges, but this rediscovery of the animal as a good worker could be the start of something. It's not "backward" if it gets the job done, right? Camels: they spit on costly tractors!
The Seattle city government is looking for residents to part ways with their cars via the One Less Car Challenge. The idea's pretty straightforward: interested parties must register (spots are limited) and agree to give up their car for either one month (the "trial separation") or one year (the "break-up"). To soften the blow, this cold-turkey car sacrifice might deal to program participants, the city will provide incentives in the form of Commuter Vouchers that can be used towards public transit or goods and services that dovetail with a car-free lifestyle (like walking gear from REI, etc.). Additionally, One Less Car participants are enrolled in a bicycle club and get access to a variety of resources designed to help ease the transition to carless living. If you live in Seattle (residency in the city is a requirement) and think you can handle your daily routine without a car, you might want to look into the program. Worst case: you try it for a month, miss your car terribly and realize this won't work on a long-term basis. At least the city picks up part of the tab for your commute, and you save a month's worth of gas expenses for your trouble. Not a bad deal. Full details on the program here.
Unfortunately, the arrival of the Beijing Motor Show didn't bring much new information regarding the BYD e6 electric MPV concept, but there's still news to report. The tech spec sheet displayed with the car indicates that it's (theoretically?) got motors for both the front and rear axles. Autoblog Chinese did a walkaround of the green people mover on the floor, taking pictures of the exterior from every angle. BYD thoughtfully accessorized the e6 with a cute model to boot, and as you'll see in the attached gallery, she and her male counterpart positioned on the other side of the car help illustrate the size of the five-seat MPV. As we reported during the runup to the show, the all-electric e6 is said to have a 300-kilometer operating range on a full charge and could possibly go into production within the next two years, according to BYD Auto.
It would seem that a green theme will be present when Auto China 2008 kicks off in Beijing on Saturday. We've already seen BYD's e6 concept, and next up is an electric version of the Great Wall Peri. The Peri is the car that raised the ire of Fiat due to its strong resemblance to the Panda. Copycatting arguments aside, the Peri EV concept is pretty self-explanatory: it's an electric Peri driven by a 50 kW electric motor. With lithium-ion batteries supplying power, the Peri EV is claimed to have a maximum operating range of 180 kilometers (111 miles), a top speed of 130 km/h (80 mph), and an operating cost of under 100 yuan ($1.43 USD) per 100 kilometers. The reported 70 percent charge in 10 minutes sounds a shade optimistic, however. We expect to hear full details about the Peri EV concept as the show gets underway this weekend.
This week in Beijing, BYD will unveil the e6, an EV crossover/MPV concept that looks a lot like the JDM Honda Odyssey. Unlike the Honda, however, the e6 runs on battery power only, with a reported range of 300km (186 miles) on a full charge. The battery pack, presumably lithium-ion, can be charged via a 220V household outlet or attached to a quick-charger that delivers an 80 percent charge in fifteen minutes. Performance-wise, the e6 is capable of acceleration to 100 km/h (62 mpg) in ten seconds and has a maximum speed of 160 km/h (99 mph). The battery pack is stored beneath the car's rear seats, a position BYD says provides the best protection in the event of a crash. According to the company, the e6 could reach production within two years. We'll keep an eye out for updates as the show gets underway next week.
As is the case with so much of the pre-Beijing Motor Show news, details on Changan Automotive's new hydrogen concept are sparse, but rest assured that the automaker's display will be headlined by the green vehicle. Weighing in at 750 kg (1,653 lbs) with a drag coefficient of 0.28, Changan promises a car offering performance comparable to a world-class gasoline engine, only emissions-free and more fuel efficient. Whether an actual production vehicle is anything more than a pipe dream is still to be determined. We'll follow up during the week as Autoblog Chinese ramps up its Beijing coverage.
Click image for a photo gallery of the Aston Martin Vantage GT2
Aston Martin Racing announced the E85-compatible Vantage GT2 car back in January, but all we saw at the time was a sketch. Well, on Friday, Aston finally unveiled the sexy flex-fuel racer, and it's a visual feast. The Vantage is a beautiful starting point, and when race-prepped, it looks positively menacing. It's race debut comes on April 5th when the green flag waves at the European Le Mans Series round in Barcelona. In addition to the European LMS, the Vantage GT2 is also cleared for use in ALMS competition. In due time, racing cars like this -- ones that use flex-fuel or other alternative fuel technologies -- will become the norm as race series integrate green policies and initiatives like the Green Challenge ALMS announced this year in Detroit.
Click above for a high-res gallery of the Mitsuibshi i MiEV (22 photos)
I drive a Ford Mustang GT; I'm Autoblog's resident HUMMER aficionado; and I think my favorite car in New York this year is a Japanese-market all-electric kei car. What is going on?
My dirty little secret (if you could even call it that) is that I'm alsoverymuchintokeicars. Often endearingly wacky-looking, the little city cars are packaging marvels, boasting roomy interiors despite their compact footprints -- and I love them. This year, the New York Auto Show is home to keis (the Mitsubishi i and Subaru R1e) as well as another JDM favorite, the Nissan Cube. What's interesting is that each one is on display as an all-electric vehicle. What was especially interesting to me is that Mitsubishi's electric i MiEV (it's pronounced "eye-meev", incidentally) was actually available for journalists to drive. So I drove it. Read on and watch video after the jump.
Click image for a high-res gallery of the Transit Connect Taxi
The Ford Crown Victoria makes for a seriously great taxicab. It's durable and comfortable, but that V8 engine no longer meshes with the direction many cities are taking when it comes to their taxi fleets. Greener is better, but the trick is to improve without sacrificing utility. Ford will use New York, the ultimate Big City, as the backdrop for the premiere of the Transit Connect Taxi concept. With a 2.0L four-banger motivating things, the Transit Connect is fuel efficient (19 mpg city) with 90% lower tailpipe emissions than many of the traditional cabs prowling the city streets today.
If you thought the Crown Vic was spacious, this thing must be like riding in a mobile racquetball court. The tall roof is augmented by large glass panels that add a sense of airiness to the passenger cabin. The clear partition between driver and passengers is also home to a 13-inch infotainment/payment system powered by the Ford/Microsoft Work solutions system, and while. Decked out in yellow and charcoal gray, the transit taxi certainly looks the part, and if it can handle the relentless punishment cabs endure daily, it looks like it could be an attractive alternative. A hybrid system would make it even more so. Ford, you listening?
Hey, 
_thumbnail.jpg)
_thumbnail.jpg)
_thumbnail.jpg)
_thumbnail.jpg)
_thumbnail.jpg)
