The auto field has seen interesting twists and turns over the years as it has explored the use of alternative fuels and advanced technologies to improve environmental performance. I have witnessed the ebb and flow of focus on fuels ranging from hydrogen, methanol, ethanol, propane, and natural gas to battery electric, gasoline-electric hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and fuel cell technologies.
While electric drive is a primary focus among automakers and others for some obvious reasons, it’s just as obvious that plug-in electric vehicles, with their costly batteries and often substantial incremental price, are not likely to displace internal combustion engine vehicles in the mass market anytime soon. These vehicles are important. But their commercialization in mass market numbers is a process that will unfold over many years, perhaps decades.
It’s important to reflect on the mission at hand. If our goal is to resolve America’s near-total dependence on petroleum – and specifically the oil we import from far-away nations at great cost to our economy and our energy security – then we should be thinking about fuels that can make a realistic difference in the short- to mid-term, at affordable cost. Clearly, an important focus is also emissions reduction, as it has been for several decades as we’ve sought to improve the air quality in our cities, plus the imperative of decreasing CO2 greenhouse gas emissions.
Natural gas seems an ideal answer. This fuel can be used seamlessly in internal combustion engines that have been designed or modified for its use. It is the cleanest-burning
fossil fuel so creating extremely low emission vehicles is not only possible, it’s being done today with great success. In internal combustion engines, reducing CO2 emissions corresponds directly with higher fuel efficiency. Thus, using natural gas fuel in the increasingly efficient mass-market vehicles being required by government regulation in the years ahead will provide multiple benefits.
And, of course, let’s not forget that our domestic reserves of natural gas are significant. Shifting reliance from a fuel in short domestic supply – petroleum – to an abundant domestic fuel is important economically and strategically. It’s something we should be focusing on now, not at some point in the future when government decides it’s an expedient or politically useful answer.
If you think this is a relatively new line of thought, you would be wrong. T. Boone Pickens, known best for the current ‘Pickens Plan’ that urges a transition to natural gas transportation, was encouraging NGV use two decades ago when foreign oil imports then accounted for more than half of the U.S. federal trade deficit.
We have also been highlighting the benefits of NGVs and the use of natural gas as a motor fuel since our first issues of Green Car Journal in 1992. In the 1990s, we were reporting on production NGVs available for sale at the time like the Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups, Chevy Corsica and Caprice sedans, Chevy G30 cargo and passenger vans, Dodge B-Series Ram van and wagon, Dodge Caravan and Plymouth Voyager minivans, Ford Crown Victoria sedan, and the Honda Civic GX.
This diversity of light-duty natural gas models faded years ago as attention focused on other potential answers. It’s time to refocus once again in ways that allow greater choices of natural gas vehicles and enable widespread use of a domestically available fuel. America will be stronger because of it.
Ron Cogan is editor and publisher of Green Car Journal and editor of CarsOfChange.com
A line has been drawn in the sand. It’s a new standard that is pushing automakers to higher levels of fuel efficiency. That threshold is 40 mpg. Not long ago, a 40 mpg car was a rarity. Reaching 40 mpg required alternative powertrains like gasoline-electric hybrid drive or clean diesel. Today, 40 mpg is being achieved with more efficient gasoline engines. Engine downsizing combined with turbocharging, advanced valvetrains, gasoline direct injection, super efficient transmissions, weight reducing materials, and aerodynamic tricks are making 40 mpg more common.
I test and review a different car nearly every week and the trend toward higher fuel economy is eye opening. Even with fuel prices near record levels, it’s a relief to know you can manage an average week’s worth of commuting, errands, and miscellaneous trips and often cover it with a twenty when it’s time to top off. That makes a huge difference in a family’s annual household budget.
The national average for gasoline was $3.53 per gallon in 2011. If you figure the difference between a car that achieves 40 mpg verses one that manages 25 mpg, you’ll find a significant difference. Using 15,000 miles per year, an average driver would spend $2,118 on gas at 25 mpg and $1,323.75 at 40 mpg. The savings totals $794.25 in your pocket at the end of the year. What could you do with an extra $15 dollars and change in your wallet each week?
Now, 40 mpg is a highway fuel economy figure and some would argue that the combined city/highway economy is what really matters. Actually, if you use the combined number the savings actually go up. A 40 mpg highway car might have a combined fuel economy of 33 mpg. A 25 mpg highway car is likely to be 20 mpg combined. Run the numbers and the annual savings is more than a grand in your pocket at the end of the year.
In my testing I find that it is pretty easy to beat EPA fuel economy estimates if you pay attention to your driving and use some basic frugal driving techniques. On many of the latest generation of fuel efficient cars I am able to easily push highway fuel economy into the mid-40 mpg range with combined averages near 40 mpg.
The EPA test cycle was revised in 2008 to provide better ‘real-world’ estimates. The new test model includes a city cycle, a highway cycle, and also factors in three additional test cycles. There is a high-speed test, another test is run with the air conditioner on, and a fifth test is preformed in cold temperatures. They are fairly extreme, too. The high-speed test, for example, hits 80 mpg at one point and acceleration is more aggressive in all the test cycles. Obviously, these three additional tests drive down the traditional city, highway, and combined numbers.
It has an effect of ‘dumbing down’ consumers’ fuel economy expectations, which can negatively impact how a driver operates a car. Lower gas mileage expectations generally lead to less efficient driving habits.
On the plus side, automakers are now cranking out some great 40 mpg cars. Fuel economy is trending upward. Some will say it’s not happening fast enough, but when you factor in the constraints of the added weight and complexities of modern safety and convenience equipment, the progress toward improved fuel economy is making real progress.
Todd Kaho is executive editor of Green Car Journal and editor of FrugalDriver.com
I am excited to update you on the recent progress that we’re making at Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas) and San Diego Gas & Electric Company (SDG&E) in the compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicle market. This technology is here now, and the future is bright!
I’m extremely bullish about natural gas as a transportation fuel. Compared to other fuels, CNG is cleaner, less expensive, abundant, and domestically produced. Along with our customers, we are taking the lead in developing the Southern California market, which plays a significant role in the development of the U.S. market as a whole. Let me share with you a few of our initiatives and successes.
First, there are about 80 public-access CNG refueling stations across SoCalGas’ and SDG&E’s service territories. Every month, we hear from owners of gasoline stations who want to add CNG capability to their existing stations. These opportunities are especially exciting in that they create awareness of CNG vehicle technology among owners of gasoline vehicles. These stations have prominent locations, full retail signage, snack shops, and all of the other expected conveniences. Without a doubt, development of this public infrastructure will help drive the adoption of light-duty natural gas vehicles (NGVs) by individuals.
On the commercial side, there are nearly 200 private CNG refueling stations across our service territories. These stations serve major fleets including over 2,200 transit buses in use by Los Angeles Metro, more than 400 buses operated by the Los Angeles Unified School District, as well as other fleets such as Waste Management, UPS, and AT&T. This past fall, SoCalGas announced plans to purchase approximately 1,000 new dedicated NGV trucks to support its fleet operations. In addition, Los Angeles Department of Transportation began deploying its new fleet of 95 new CNG-powered Commuter Express coaches.
But the transit and heavy-duty segments are just the beginning. Elsewhere on the vehicle front, we are playing an active role in the Drive Natural Gas initiative sponsored by the American Gas Association and America’s Natural Gas Alliance. With this initiative, we are collaborating with other NGV industry partners to address the most pressing issues in the marketplace. Among other tasks, we are working closely with vehicle original equipment manufacturers to develop prototype CNG vehicles in new segments, such as a sport utility vehicle, mid-size sedan, and even a sports car! We are also working to identify potential manufacturers who can develop a more affordable home refueling appliance, which we hope in turn will help stimulate the market for personal use light-duty CNG vehicles.
Finally, SoCalGas is also taking the lead in innovation. In October, we unveiled a new modular CNG refueling station at the SoCalGas Riverside base. Developed by Galileo, this station represents dramatic reductions in space, time, and potentially cost to provide compressed natural gas for transportation applications. We also recently filed an all-new Compression Services Tariff application with the California Public Utilities Commission that, if approved, will allow SoCalGas to construct, own, and operate gas compression equipment on customer facilities for NGVs and other applications, such as Combined Heat and Power systems. The new Tariff will be attractive to a wide range of customers, including those with limited capital budgets who will be able to avoid most of the up-front equipment and construction costs. The growth outlook is very positive for natural gas vehicles and the fueling infrastructure, and we expect that this momentum will continue to increase. We feel fortunate to have so many positive and energetic partners in the industry and we look forward to continue to foster its growth here in the U.S.
Hal Snyder is Vice President of Customer Solutions for Southern California Gas Company and San Diego Gas & Electric
A common refrain in recent years has been that, while there are many fuel-efficient models on the market, most consumers persist in their love of gas guzzlers. Once manufacturers are making a full range of appealing high-mpg vehicles so that everyone can choose efficiency without compromising other features they’re seeking, things will change. We’ll see about that.
In the meantime, though, the matter of consumer vehicle choice does need some attention.
The fuel economy standards shaping up for 2025 will rely heavily on incremental advances in gasoline vehicles and will not require the sale of large numbers of electric vehicles. But it does seem clear that hybrids in particular will need to become truly mainstream to take fleet average efficiency where it needs to go.
With gasoline prices still keeping consumers guessing and the economic recovery painfully slow, another shot in the arm for advanced vehicles would be very helpful to reach the product maturity and sales volumes that will bring prices down.
But Congress is unlikely to look kindly on broad-based tax credits for efficient vehicles during the wrenching budget battles coming up.
It’s time to have another look at a revenue-neutral ‘feebate’ that would provide a rebate or charge a fee to new car buyers, depending on how far the vehicle purchased exceeds or falls short of a certain reference fuel economy.
Feebates have been pitched as a good way to keep fuel economy moving upwards when standards are stalled. But now, they could provide a source of funding for incentives to promote sales of highly efficient vehicles, while helping to align consumer preferences with the new crop of vehicles that will be entering the market in the coming decade.
Therese Langer is Transportation Program Director of the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, www.ACEEE.org
I am a car guy and can attest to this: It is thrilling to go fast. And it’s also exciting to see a fuel economy display hit 50+ mpg. Similar feelings are experienced when behind the wheel of a truly stylish car, when a favorite song pops up unexpectedly on Sirius XM, or when deplaning after yet another long flight, exhausted, and sliding in the back seat of a car knowing I won’t have to be negotiating heavy urban traffic in an unfamiliar city. I don’t even have to be driving to appreciate that car.
None of these are mutually exclusive.
I noted with interest an auto review that recently criticized an all-new model designed to look fast and sporty as being anything but, with a performance threshold that was disappointing. That got my attention. The car was sharp-looking and would surely find its share of young buyers thrilled to be behind the wheel, at speed or not. My question, then, is this: Would all those buyers really care about going fast? Or would they be just as excited driving a sharp, eye-catching ride at everyday speeds without the ability to churn serious g-forces, with a great audio system cranked up with their favorite tunes?
I know the answer to that one…and my intuition is right.
Consider this: Among the many cars I have owned over the years, there was a serviceable but somewhat unstylish Porsche 914. Essentially, it was a low-slung box on wheels powered by a 1.7-liter four-cylinder engine producing 79 horsepower, with a Porsche emblem on the hood. It was targa-topped and peppy, but not what anyone would call fast. If I wanted that then I would have opted for the 914-6, powered by a 2.0-liter engine sourced from the 911T model, serving up an additional 31 horsepower with markedly better torque.
Did I want the additional horsepower? Not really, since the 1.7-liter powered car was spirited though not fast. But I did want a more stylish, faster-looking car to go along with my high-power Kenwood stereo system and daily open-top touring. I got it by customizing my 914 with a sleek Chalon fiberglass styling kit, custom paint, lightweight Center Line racing wheels, and beefier B.F. Goodrich tires. I had the look, the feel, and the excitement I was seeking. Did I need to go faster than my 79 horsepower four-banger would take me? Nah. That wasn’t the point.
But it is the point I’m making in this column.
There is a ready market for the hundreds of vehicle models sold in the United States, for good reason. Ours is not a one-size-fits-all auto market. We all have our requirements and desires, and these range from safety, quality, and value to performance, status, and luxury. To some, a car is an appliance used to get from one place to another. To many others it is more personal, reflecting an important part of our lifestyle.
Many seeking a sleek-looking car are perfectly happy owning one without ever moving far beyond the speed limit or jumping from one stoplight to another. It’s the overall experience…the feeling…a vehicle imparts that’s important, not necessarily raw horsepower. And with that more conservative approach comes greater potential for maximizing fuel efficiency.
Hmmm…could I be on to something here?
Ron Cogan is editor and publisher of Green Car Journal and editor of CarsOfChange.com
The mission was simple enough: drive to my daughter’s college 90 miles away and return her and a sizeable load of laundry home for a long weekend visit. It was a perfect test for the long-range capability of the Prius Plug-In hybrid I was driving for the week. With a full charge in the lithium-ion battery, my goal was to drive with the flow of traffic and document indicated mpg every 10 miles once fuel economy dropped below 100 mpg.
After seven miles of two-lane country roads, my route merged onto a stretch of 65 mph highway. I stayed at 62 mph – the upper limit for all-electric driving in this model – to see just how far the 2012 Prius Plug-In would travel before reverting to normal gas-electric hybrid operation. The transition occurred at 14.6 miles. On subsequent trips at lower speeds, we were able to extend the all electric range higher. The Prius fuel consumption gauge doesn’t register fuel economy above 99.9 mpg, so our next goal was to see how far this plug-in hybrid would travel before dropping below a 100 mpg average. At highway speed, the 100 mpg mark was passed at 32.5 miles.
Once the initial battery charge is depleted, fuel economy in a plug-in hybrid slowly drops as the gasoline engine works in conjunction with the electric drive system. Fortunately, since the normal Prius is an honest 50 mpg car when driven normally, average fuel economy remains very impressive as the miles roll on. It also drops at a slower rate the farther you travel.
Here’s how our ‘normal’ flow of traffic drive went: After 40 miles it was 88.9 mpg; 50 miles 81.1 mpg; 60 miles 77.2 mpg; 70 miles 72.9 mpg; and 80 miles 71.4 mpg. At this point we left the high-speed freeway traffic for city streets and the mileage average climbed back up to 73.4 mpg as we reached our 90 mile destination. I didn’t reset the fuel computer for the return trip and after 180 miles of freeway driving we were still at a 68.2 mpg average.
Once back at the ranch with a convenient plug at hand, the overall fuel economy average began to increase quickly. A 30 mile round-trip to the grocery store would net well over 100 mpg before plugging back in. Shorter trips to the barn on a route with very steep hills could be covered on electric drive alone. That’s impressive because some of the hills are greater than a 10 percent grade and more than a quarter-mile long. There was one day when we made three different trips without the gasoline engine firing at all.
The Prius Plug-in can be driven in ‘eco,’ ‘normal,’ or ‘power’ modes. During most of the week, I left the eco function off since I find that I can modulate the accelerator well enough to deliver maximum efficiency without the mushy feel that most eco settings provide. I also liked the more aggressive feel of the power mode when quicker acceleration is needed. In power mode, additional electric assist takes the lag out of the constantly-variable transmission, delivering responsive performance.
Over the past four years of Toyota’s development cycle with the Prius Plug-In, I’ve had the opportunity to drive several iterations of the car, each exhibiting continuing technical refinement, an integral part of the development process. After my experience with the most recent version, there is little doubt that loyal Prius fans will find the now-available production Prius Plug-In well worth the wait.
Todd Kaho is executive editor of Green Car Journal and editor of FrugalDriver.com
As we look at the connected issues of sprawl, traffic congestion, air pollution, societal disconnection, and global warming, we begin to see that a new model and vision for our communities and mobility is needed. One such vision was put forth in 1939 at the World’s Fair in New York.
Futurama was an exhibit designed by Norman Bel Geddes that showed a future of expressways and suburbs, all centered around the car, creating a vision for 20 years into the future. Funded by General Motors, the impact that vision and model had upon urban planning and the American psyche was unmistakable.
Nearly 75 years later, no such model of inspiration – or aspiration – for our communities and cities has been put forth with the same magnitude of impact. How do we inspire the public, media, and leaders to create and transform communities so they are sustainable and more livable? How do we create the model of aspiration for mobility experts, planners, and elected officials to shift how we move about our cities?
How do we create the new model, the new Futurama? By unleashing the kind of breakthrough thinking and innovation that is already out there by calling out to designers and planners via social media. Collaboration in the 21st century can occur in different, virtual forms via design crowdsourcing, connected by online platforms.
We have presented the problem, now let’s ask for solutions to begin to solve it and present a Futurama 2032 at the 20th anniversary of the Rio Earth Summit that will take place in June 2012.
But how do we create a lasting approach to sustainable communities and mobility solutions to carry forth the ideas and inspiration from Futurama 2032? What if we created a mobility solutions laboratory akin to the MIT Media lab? OEMs and leading-edge mobility and automotive companies would all benefit, as would our cities, future generations, and economy if we brought the best mobility thinkers and doers together under one roof -- virtually and physically. Why not right here in Los Angeles, where thinkers and doers have come together via the L.A. Clean Tech Incubator to pursue such an idea?
I look forward to your contributions to Futurama 2032.
Matt Petersen is President and CEO of Global Green USA, the American arm of Green Cross International
