Dr. Drive

Biodiesel boat aims to break round-the-globe record

2005-03-31T10:20:00.000-08:00

This isn't specifically car related, but it's not far off and I couldn't resist.

An outfit called Earthrace is aiming to smash the round-the-world boating record in a biodiesel-fueled powerboat. Based in New Zealand, Earthrace aims to circumnavigate in 65 days, well short of the current record of 78 days set by a British team in 1998.

Earthrace intends to showcase environmentally firendly technologies such as low-emmission engines, non-toxic coatings, efficient hull design and solar powered electronics. "It is also one of the coolest looking boats ever imagined," notes the website proudly.

Indeed, it is a wicked-looking craft, resembling a spacecraft more than a boat. It's essentially a tri-hull design, with a long needle-like central hull crafted to pierce waves. The boat will use two Cummins Mercruiser marine diesel engines. The team is using renewable biodiesel because the fuel is "clearly one of the keys to our future transport needs."

Target date for the record attempt is March-April 2006.

Gas prices pump up interest in diesels

2005-03-31T09:42:00.000-08:00

Two reports are out today saying that high gas prices in the U.S. are prompting increased demand for diesel vehicles, which are generally 20 to 40 percent more fuel efficient than gas cars. This is a significant turnaround for the States, which have long considered diesels to be crude. I guess America is finally catching on to the idea that modern diesels actually can be "real cars."

The first report comes from PR Newswire, which reports findings from the Diesel Technology Forum that new registrations of diesel vehicles in the U.S. are up 56 percent over the past five years. In the case of vehicle models that offer a diesel engine option, nearly 40 percent of consumers chose the diesel model. In trucks, the figure rises to 60 percent.

The second report, in CBS Marketwatch picks up on the first and adds info from Hart Downstream Energy Services. It also adds this perspective:

"Despite these gains, the share of the passenger vehicle market in the U.S. that uses diesel increased to just 3.4 percent in 2004 from 3.1 percent in 2003."

Link: Diesel Technology Forum

German green group pushes for driving ban

2005-03-30T09:19:00.000-08:00

The German environmental group German Environment Aid is pushing for mandatory driving limits in major German cities because of diesel particulate pollution that exceeds legal limits.

European Union health laws say cities cannot have more than 50 micrograms of fine particle dust per cubic meter of air for more than 35 days a year. The German capital Munich has already logged its 36th day over the level this year. As a result, politicians are looking at closing down key streets, imposing a city-wide 30 kmh speed limit, or banning all vehicles on Sundays.

Diesel vehicles account for half of all cars in Germany now, primarily because diesel fuel is much cheaper than gasoline in Europe. One solution would be particulate exhaust filters, which are just now starting to become widely available.

Suzuki Ignis: Another cool microcar you can't have

2005-03-28T20:06:00.000-08:00

Ignis
Originally uploaded by BlogAdmin.

I like finding these stories about funky cars other countries get to enjoy and we don't. I guess I like to torture myself, and you.

This time it's the Suzuki Ignis, a peppy little car with an ugly name, available in New Zealand and other nations that understand the pleasures of little cars. It has a 16-valve four banger, four-wheel disc brakes and fully independent suspension.

It won't hold your family of seven or your Quadrunner, but it gets to 60 mph in just over 8 seconds on a sniff of gas, and you can park it just about anywhere. It has proven itself in competitive rally racing, and I would buy one for dashes to the ski hill or running around town.

If I could.

Canadian newspaper unveils Eco-Driver column

2005-03-28T11:28:00.000-08:00

The Globe & Mail, a leading Canadian newspaper, has unveiled a new Eco-Driver column by Dan Proudfoot that will focus on cars getting 30 mpg or better.

The first column features the Kia Rio, which Proudfoot describes as more refined and better assembled than many of its econo-car competitors, though it failed to attain the magical 30 mpg in real-world combined driving.

I'm thrilled to see Proudfoot's new column. It may force automakers and consumers to think about new ways to combine "fun to drive" and "economy" in the samecar. I hope other papers pick it up for their readers, or copy the idea themselves.

Lexus unveils hybrid sport sedan

2005-03-24T12:34:00.000-08:00

Lexus unveiled its new GS450h hybrid sport sedan at the New York Auto Show. It has a V-6 engine and electric motor in place of the V-8 in the conventionalc GS430 sedan on which it is based.

The hybrid delivers performance nearly equal to the V-8 sedan, while offering better fuel economy. Not a great deal better, but a few points more in combined driving. Now word yet on how much more the hybrid will cost.

This is another example of the trend toward "feel good" hybrids I've complained about before. Instead of seizing the ultimate benefits of the hybrid package, many automakers are building compromise vehicles that deliver kinda-better economy while retaining supercar performance. The Lexus, for instance, still turns out 0-60 springs in under 6 seconds. Could they have shaved that back a little and delivered better mpg to help justify the price premium?

As we've already seen, the real-world benefits of many hybids don't measure up to EPA testing claims. These "feel good" cars could end up being an even bigger disappointment.

I would argue that what the market needs is more hybrids that average people can afford, not more for the luxury set.

Ford to throw more money away on SUV ads

2005-03-24T12:28:00.000-08:00

Ford Motor Co. recently announced that it plans to spend $50 million on an advertising campaign this spring to sell more of its Explorer and Expedition SUVs.

Sales of the two SUVs have fallen 30 percent and 24 percent, respectively, this year, The Detroit News reports, reflecting rising gas prices and a gradual shift by consumers to smaller, more fuel-efficient SUVs. Ford things a costly ad blitz will convince customers to keep buying these behemoths. Somewhere, I can hear the distant groan of thousands of progressive Ford shareholders.

Quote of the week: Steve McQueen

2005-03-23T10:45:00.000-08:00

"A lot of people go through life doing things badly. Racing's important to men who do it well. When you're racing, it's life. Anything that happens before or after, it's just waiting."
--Steve McQueen, from the film "LeMans"

I hadn't seen this movie since I was a kid, so I decided to rent it recently on DVD. It's a true classic of automotive cinema, and this quote from it is a motor-racing classic in its own right. The film is different. Hardly any dialogue. Many call it "boring." But to a car nut and racing fan, it is splendid, with arguably the most authentic racing sequences ever filmed. Check it out.

Spotted: Gray ladies

2005-03-23T10:44:00.000-08:00

PorschePair
Originally uploaded by Dr. Drive.

Looking like a pair of shapely ladies caught sunbathing in their altogether, these two Porsche 356 shells were caught recently outside a local restoration shop.

'Clean' cars? Carmakers crank up the propaganda

2005-03-23T10:13:00.000-08:00

The New York times reports that a coalition of automakers has begun an advertising campaign to convince the public that its cars are "virtually emission-free." (Note: the NYT site may require subscription)

This comes as the companies are, again, trying to convince regulators to keep us in the dark ages of pollution and waste by shelving tough new mileage and pollution controls. The campaign, unfortunately, includes virtually all major automakers, including Toyota, General Motors, Ford, DaimlerChrysler, Mazda, BMW, Mitsubishi, Porsche and Volkswagen.

The campaign employs exploitative images of children to convince people that their cars are "99 percent cleaner than you think." In my experience, whenever advertisers whip out the children, it's time to get skeptical.

So far, the ads have appeared mainly in trade journals, but they've prompted a vigorous response from the Union of Concerned Scientists, including complaints to the Federal Trade Commission that the automakers' ads are deceptive.

You can view examples of the competing ads at this UCS site.

Ebay Freak of the Week: 1958 Tornado

2005-03-22T14:40:00.000-08:00

This Batmobile-like car is said to be a one-off custom car based on a Plymouth Fury. One look at the pictures certainly had me furious. This thing is an offense to the eyes. check out the two huge rectal protrustions in the rear, and the hideous nose with evil chrome dentalwork.

Amazingly, bidding has reached $18,000. Even more amazing, the reserve still has not been met. With any luck, it will be purchased by someone who intends to put this car (and us) out of its misery.

Ebay item #4535876404.

Smart car may be plowed under

2005-03-22T14:25:00.000-08:00

We reported here before about ZAP Inc.'s efforts to import the spiffy Smart car, and about rumors that DaimlerChrysler might cancel plans to import the tiny truckster itself. Well, now the car giant's CEO is saying so himself. At least that it's a possibility, anyway.

The Car Connection is reporting that Daimler Chrysler CEO Juergen Schrempp said the minicar "could be expunged," not just as a new U.S. import, but as a going concern altogether. Nearly 80 Mercedes dealer stateside have signed up to be Smart dealers, and ZAP has buyer commitments for some 3,000 cars, which it planned to import through an intermediary.

Schrempp's comments were short on specifics. But the Smart has allegedly never been a profitable vehicle, though it sure inspires swooning among car crazies. With its excellent mpg rating combined with sporty looks, I hope the car survives.

A Republican speaks on Peak Oil

2005-03-21T14:36:00.000-08:00

I missed this last week, but here it is anyway. Rep. Roscoe Bartlett, R-Maryland, gave a lengthy speech before Congress on Peak Oil, or the prospect that worldwide oil production has reached its historical maximum. The good folks at Energy Bulletin had the foresight to reproduce the entire speech. It's long, so I'll summarize.

Basically, Bartlett said that if we have not already reached Peak Oil, we will very soon, with consequences "enormously greater" than the impact of the Social Security and Medicare problems combined. He calls for a sustained and significant investment in conservation and alternative energy development to deal with the Peak Oil problem.

Now before you dismiss all this as political twaddle, let's take another look at Bartlett. He's not just a politician addicted to feeding at the trough. He is an award-winning scientist who got into the business of building solar-powered homes. He drives a hybrid car. And he states on his website that he is opposed to drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, saying it "should be preserved for future, wiser use."

To hear all this from a Republic in these times, you almost have to slap your head to make sure you are not hallucinating. But Bartlett speaks common sense, and I hope other Republicans in Congress, and in the White House, listen carefully.

Diesel hybrids are here

2005-03-21T14:15:00.000-08:00

Not many people know it, but Dodge is already producing a diesel hybrid truck. Considered a "contractor's special" because it is only offered to fleet buyers, the Ram Diesel HEV truck may be the first diesel hybrid passenger vehicle in production.

It uses an electric motor and a 42-volt battery pack to supplement the 5.9 liter diesel engine at low speeds. The package features idle-stop capability and regenerative braking to recharge the battery pack. The hybrid system also functions as an auxiliary power source on jobsites. Overall, the package improves the truck's fuel economy by 15 percent.

Dunno if you can walk into a Dodge dealer and order one, but it's worth asking if you're in the market for a big truck.

Other automakers will introduce diesel-hybird concepts at the New York Auto Show, which starts Friday. These include a Mercedes S-class sedan and the Mercury Meta One, a crossover wagon from Ford.

These vehicles will likely demand a steep price premium over conventional gas cars, but diesel hybrids are capable of 25 percent better fuel economy than conventional diesels, which are already more efficient than gas engines. But if conservation is our goal, the cost is probably worth it.

Zeta zinger: GM killing new cars for trucks

2005-03-21T12:36:00.000-08:00

Zeta
Originally uploaded by Dr. Drive.

We've all heard the bad news about General Motors over the past week. And it's also hard to ignore soaring gas prices.

Then why, oh why, would GM announce that it is killing off a new car line so that it can build more full-size trucks, instead? Is this company suicidal? Does it intend to drag down the nation, too?

Yes, GM annnounced today that it is killing plans for its new Zeta platform, an exciting rear-wheel-drive automobile proposed as the basis for the new Camaro and a new Buick Velite, shown here, which wowed critics at the '04 New York Auto Show.

If you ask me, this is the car GM needs to redeem itself. Yet it has shelved the platform "to free up resources to bring its next generation of large pickups and sport utility vehicles to market quicker," in the words of Ed Garsten at The Detroit News.

That is the last thing consumers want right now, and it's the last thing the nation needs. What is this company thinking?

Analysts say it's a "missed opportunity to compete," and suggest that GM is out of touch with the marketplace.

Shhh... I can hear GM V.P. Bob Lutz scratching out the company obituary on the back of a Suburban brochure right now.

Seeking a hybrid bargain: Try the Honda Civic

2005-03-20T11:06:00.000-08:00

In all the excitement over hybrid technology, it seems the Honda Civic Hybird has been overlooked, probably because it doesn't look any different from the conventional Civic. But if you're yearning to make an environmentally correct transportation choice and save money on your fuel bill, check out the Civic hybrid.

While thousands of Americans sit on waiting lists for the trendy Toyota Prius and Ford Escape hybrids, Civic Hybrids are gathering dust on Honda lots. When I visited one local Honda dealer recently, I saw eight of them just waiting for new owners to take them home. I've even noticed some dealers offering discounts on the cars. Today you can pick one up for under $20,000.

Granted, the Civic may not be as exciting as some hybrids. Frankly, its looks are pretty boring. Only a fairly discerning eye could tell it apart from the conventional Civic. But it contains the same hybrid technology as the class-leading fuel miser, the Honda Insight. It's available with either a CVT automatic or manual transmission, the latter with an mpg rating of 45 city/51 highway.

And it has the benefit of a real backseat and trunk, which makes it practical for everyone. For a quick rundown on the car, click here.

Watch out for this van

2005-03-18T15:43:00.000-08:00

VanKill
Originally uploaded by Dr. Drive.

I came across this today on the side of a decrepit old Ford van. What does it mean? Does this indicate all the other cars it has taken out? Or does it illustrate that the van consumes as much gas as 25 cars put together? Or is it the owner's way of telling the world how many cars he has owned? Seems a little creepy...

Poll: Fuel efficiency is patriotic

2005-03-18T15:03:00.000-08:00

The poll released yesterday by the nonpartisan Civil Society Institute found that 66 percent of survey participants agreed that driving vehicles that require less fuel is patriotic, since it would help reduce U.S. dependence on Mideast crude. The survey polled 1,013 Americans across the country.

The poll also found an overwhelming 89 percent of Americans agreed on the importance of government action to reach a 40 mpg fuel efficiency level, to cut greenhouse pollution as well as dependency on Mideast oil.

Fifty percent of those surveyed said they had already purchased or were considering buying a more fuel-efficient car.

The survey is intended to kick off a new website, 40mpg.org, that will campaign for a new 40 mpg national fuel economy standard.

So, what does this say about all those Americans who have patriotic bumper stickers on their SUVs? Well, I guess it says that hyprocrisy is patriotic, too.

Catalyst creators win award

2005-03-18T12:01:00.000-08:00

The three men who invented the catalytic converter this week were awarded the National Medal of Technology, America's most prestigious technology prize.

Irwin Lachman and Ronald Lewis developed a specially coated ceramic honeycomb material at Corning Inc. in 1972 and 1973. Rodney Bagney developed the manufacturing process that made it possible. Precious metals in the coating converted unburned engine exhaust into water vapor, nitrogen and carbon dioxide. Over 30 years of use, the invention has kept 3 billion tons of toxic pollutants out of the planet's atmosphere.

"People don't realize how bad it was when millions of cars were spewing out deadly fumes," Bagley, now retired, told the Associated Press. "Many of the cities were almost unbreathable."

Three cheers for this trio!

Newspaper automotive journalism bothers me

2005-03-18T11:32:00.000-08:00

I read the auto section in my local papers religiously, and most of the time it leaves me gagging. At smaller papers, these "car reviews" are usually produced by the advertising departments and are nearly unreadable. They are not journalism, but carefully disguised advertising for whatever car dealer bought the biggest ad that week. The writer is not a journalist and often doesn't know much about cars and usually fills the piece with misinformation. I hope people realize this.

Few newspapers have their own real journalist writing about cars. These people do a better job and sometimes real information will creep into these stories. You might even get an honest review of a car, with truth-telling about bad handling or poor quality. But still, even these writers don't seem to know much about cars.

Take today's "review" of the '05 Honda Odyssey minivan by The Boston Globe. The author contrasts the Odyssey's front frame structure with the "paired, rigid rails that protrude in most cars." Sorry, but "most cars" haven't had that kind of frame since, oh, probably the early 1980s. Many trucks and SUVs still do, but that's another matter.

The author says he got to drive the Odyssey at 100 mph on a track, then says: "That's far faster than a minivan should ever be driven." Then why did he do it? The minivan is built to attain those speeds, so why should it never be taken there (setting aside legal matters, which aren't the issue)? Minivans often attain 100 mph on the German Autobahn. Why does the author think that should never happen? This is either sloppy writing, or ignorance.

Finally, nowhere does the author mention the van's fuel efficiency or warranty. Newspaper "reviewers" routinely neglect this stuff.

The sad thing is that stories like this may be the only source of information about cars for many people. Auto journalism in newspapers should be held to the same high standard as any other mainstream journalism. But in most cases, that isn't happening now.

Spotted: Alfa Romeo coupe

2005-03-17T14:00:00.000-08:00

Alfa2
Originally uploaded by Dr. Drive.

I think this is one of the most beautiful coupes ever designed. I'm not sure which model this is, but it's one of the Bertone designed 105 series cars, and this is one of the "inezione" or fuel injected cars. Not exactly a rare car, but a joy to look at and not many left in nice condition like this.

Quote of the week

2005-03-17T13:07:00.000-08:00

"The putting into force of laws which shall secure the conservation of our resources, as far as they may be within the jurisdiction of the Federal Government, including the more important work of saving and restoring our forests and the great improvement of waterways, are all proper government functions which must involve large expenditure if properly performed."
-- President William Howard Taft, Republican, inaugural address, March 4, 1909.

ANWR drilling: The response

2005-03-17T12:16:00.000-08:00

There's still hope to prevent drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The U.S. Senate has acted to include drilling in the massive federal budget bill, but keeping it there and getting full Congressional approval is another matter.

There are a number of defectors in the Senate who both aided and opposed drilling. Here's how to let them know how you feel.

The following Democrats voted in favor of drilling. ANWR drilling isn't possible without their support. Here are their email contacts so you can tell them to change their minds:
Sen. Daniel K. Inouye (D-Hawaii) (web form)
Sen. Daniel Akaka: senator@akaka.senate.gov
Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-Louisiana) (web form)

The following Republicans (and one Independent) voted against ANWR drilling. They deserve your support. Email them to say thanks:
Sen. John McCain (R-Arizona) (web form)
Sen. Lincoln Chafee (R-Rhode Island) (web form)
Sen. Norm Coleman (R-Minnesota) (web form)
Sen. Mike DeWine (R-Ohio) (web form)
Sen. Gordon Smith (R-Oregon) (web form)
Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine): olympia@snowe.senate.gov
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) (web form)
Sen. Jim Jeffords (I-Vermont) (web form)

GM in crisis. Duh!

2005-03-17T11:12:00.000-08:00

There's much in the news today about the problems at General Motors. A lot of this can be found at the Detroil Free Press Auto Insider and in your local papers, so I won't go into many of the details here. In short, the situation is dire. The world's biggest automaker could be on its last legs.

Folks, the handwriting has been on this wall for a long, long time. Losing GM will be an economic blow to the planet, but it won't be a blow to the evolution of the automobile.

GM now stands for Gross Monotony. The company has been a dependable producer of boring vehicles that are wasteful and horrid to drive (the current Corvette and maybe the Cadillac CTS-V being exceptions). The company saddled itself to the SUV craze at the expense of all other priorities. This generated record profits, but the truck-based vehicles and the neglect of its passenger cars ultimately didn't offer the consumer much.

My first car was a 1969 Camaro. I bought it when I was 15, before I even had a driver's license. I crashed it once, rebuilt it and then won a car-show trophy. I later owned a 1970 Chevy 4x4 truck, crashed and rebuilt that. Then I owned a 1969 Blazer 4x4 that barely ran, rebuilt that and drove it all the way across the country and back.

GM vehicles taught me a lot about life. I was loyal to them once, but I learned that loyalty can be betrayed. Now maybe life will teach GM something.

Senate approves oil drilling in Arctic refuge

2005-03-16T14:00:00.000-08:00

The U.S. Senate voted today 51-49 to allow oil drilling in the remote and pristine Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The vote succeeded because three Democrats voted with the Republican majority, two from Hawaii and one from Louisiana.

Technically, the vote keeps ANWR drilling in the federal budget bill. It was put there by Republicans to prevent a filibuster and to lower the voting threshold for approval from 60 votes to 51.

It's still possible this will be rejected in a compromise bill with the House. But the House has voted with a solid majority to approve ANWR drilling in the past, so don't hold your breath.

If you ask me, this is a dark moment in American history. We're sacrificing a priceless wilderness for six months worth of oil, when a slight increase in national fuel economy standards would do even more.

British firm unveils first fuel-cell motorcycle

2005-03-16T11:22:00.000-08:00

The firm, Intelligent Energy, says the motorcycle can reach a top speed of 50 mph in 12 seconds and run for at least 100 miles on a tank of hydrogen. The fuel cell itself is completely detachable, a self-contained and portable unit that the owner could then use to power his or her home, office or motorboat.

It's been dubbed the ENV, or Emissions Neutral Vehicle, and its futuristic styling comes straight out of "Blade Runner." Only problem so far is the same one faced by all fuel-cell pioneers: There's only one place in all of Britain that offers the required type of hydrogen.

OK, there's another problem. The bike is too quiet -- virtually silent, in fact. Traditionalists will miss the roar of smog-producing exhaust pipes, so the company may fit the bike with some kind of artificial soundtrack -- if only for safety reasons.

"It’s our job to face the future optimistically and projects like this point the way," said Richard Seymour, one of the bike's developers.

Click here for links to a press release and brochure in .pdf format.

Pump prices may bring GM microcar to U.S.

2005-03-15T16:41:00.000-08:00

matiz
Originally uploaded by Dr. Drive.

Tired of watching its gas-guzzling SUVs pile up on dealer lots, General Motors may begin selling its Korean-made Daewoo Matiz microcar in the U.S.

Thecarconnnection.com quotes a GM executive saying the tiny Matiz could hit U.S. shores "if gasoline prices continue to escalate."

The car has a tiny 3-cylinder engine and takes 17 seconds to reach 60 mph (as delivered in Britain), but also gets 45 mpg in combined driving.

The Matiz is cute enough to interest American buyers already drawn to the Mini and forthcoming Smart. But its performance may drive some to wear a bag over their heads at those routine stoplight drag races.

'Baywatch' babe busted in EV1 protest

2005-03-15T16:14:00.000-08:00

In the latest drama over GM's determination to crush the last of its EV1 electric cars, former 'Baywatch' actress Alexandra Paul was arrested for blocking the path of a truck hauling the cars out of a Burbank storage yard.

Paul, who played Lt. Stephanie Holden on the notorious TV series, was released on her own recognizance after arrest. A spokeswoman described Paul's actions as "very peaceful," though it did not keep GM from hauling another 28 of the pioneering electric cars to the crusher.

Sabre-rattling over Venezuelan oil

2005-03-15T15:52:00.000-08:00

President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela is threatening to stop supplying oil to the United States because of recent Bush administration charges he is turning a cold shoulder to Democracy.

White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan said today the Chavez government continues to "move away from democratic institutions and freedom for the Venezuelan people."

Chavez is courting China as a new customer for Venezuelan oil, further angering the White house. An opposition political analyist in Venezuela claims religious fervor is driving Chavez, saying the U.S. would be "well advised" to seek anouther source of oil because Chavez is "bursting" to cut off the U.S.

In related news, oil prices in the U.S. were reported just one penny away from the all-time record price. Adjusted for inflation, that's still below the 1981 high of $3.08 per gallon. On the other hand, Americans generally spent less on housing and other necessities than they do now, so rising oil prices may be harder to bear.

Iowa House committee OKs biofuels bill

2005-03-15T15:06:00.000-08:00

The goal of the bill is to establish at least 30 ethanol stations (pumping a blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline) and four biodiesel off-site terminals in Iowa during a three-year period.

Sponsors of the bill include Iowa Corn Growers Association, the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, and the Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Stores of Iowa.

Potential beneficiaries include 45,000 Iowans who drive flexible-fuel vehicles that can burn the ethanol blend, and an untold number of diesel vehicle owners who can use biodiesel.

Biodiesel beats hybrid

2005-03-15T10:28:00.000-08:00

Interesting discussion here in Grist.com about the relative merits of hybrid cars vs. biodiesel-fueled cars. The writer concludes that biodiesel is preferable to gasoline-powered hybrid because, basically, biodiesel is a renewable fuel and represents a "closed carbon cycle."

In other words, the carbon released by burning the fuel is balanced out by the carbon absorbed by the growth of the plants that produced the biodiesel. This means biodiesel does not contribute to global warming.

It's also why diesel cars are making a comeback, and why even some automakers are now shipping their cars with biodiesel in the tank (including Jeep and Mercedes).

Tally your tailpipe tripe

2005-03-15T08:59:00.000-08:00

Came across this interesting site recently that allows you to compare the emissions and fuel economy of various vehicles. There are a few tools like this out there, but this one is unique in that it incluces vehicles all the way back to 1978. So you can see just how much that old clunker of yours compares to, say, a new clunker, like a chevy Suburban.

Granted, the site is run by a green group, Environmental Defense, so you may have to put up with a certain ideology. But it seems based on sound methodology and would be a good tool to use in considering your next car purchase.

To illustrate how far pollution controls have come, a 2004 Chevy Suburban releases half the smog-forming emissions of a 1982 Honda Civic, according to the site. But the Suburban makes more than twice the global-warming gases, and will more than double your fuel costs. An '04 Toyota Prius, in comparison, produces half the smog-forming gases of the Suburban and would save you $1000 a year in fuel.

Hybrid cars: Ideal for bird-watchers

2005-03-15T08:03:00.000-08:00

A Nebraska Honda dealer agreed to donate a Honda Civic hybird car to the Platte River Valley Bird Observatory at Crane Meadows in Nebraska, recognizing the car's idle-stop feature might be attractive to bird watchers.

"When you stop, all you hear is the wind," said Heidi Hughes, director of the observatory. "The really eerie thing is, when you brake and stop, the car is stone cold turned off. No rattling, no shaking, no nothing. The only thing that might scare a bird away is if you drop your binoculars."

Hughes figured this was an advantage some might not have considered, so convinced the Grand Island, Neb., dealer to donate the car. She'll use it to conduct tours of the nature preserve.

So here's to creative car buying...and quiet motoring!

Home-grown mileage mods

2005-03-14T12:32:00.000-08:00

AirDam
Originally uploaded by Dr. Drive.

Not many people know this, but hot-rodding isn't just about speed. You can also modify your car to make it a better gas-sipper. If you think about it, lots of the best speed tricks are simply meant to get more power out of a squirt of fuel. This is what good mileage is about, too. The trick is self-control â not overindulging in the extra power.

Some of the easiest tricks are to make your car more aerodynamic. This photo shows a front air dam I made for my 24-year old Mercedes diesel wagon. It's made out of plastic garden edging, a very cheap and durable material that's easy to work with. I cut it to shape and attached it to the front of the car with sheet metal screws and a couple of small aluminum brackets.

This reduces drag on the car by keeping air off "dirty" exhaust and suspension components underneath. It also helps reduce aerodynamic lift on the car, which may help it stick better in corners. Studies show this type of aerodynamic aid is much more effective on street cars than a rear wing, which only come into play at triple-digit speeds. A front air dam, however, offers benefits from 30 mph on up.

Other simple tricks for reduced drag include keeping your car clean, removing roof racks when not in use, and not attaching stupid flags and doo-dads to the antenna and windows.

Ebay Freak of the Week: Mercedes tow truck

2005-03-14T10:20:00.000-08:00

This 1973 Mercedes diesel tow truck must be the cutest tow truck ever devised. It has a 5-speed manual tranny, a mere 44,000 miles, and will set you back only around $4,000.

Check out the retro white-faced gauges (now popular again with customizers), the tall exhaust stack and the dual strobe lights. The four-cylinder diesel engine means it's ungodly slow, but this would be a perfect working toy for the vintage repair shop or car collector.

OPEC reaches production peak

2005-03-13T19:07:00.000-08:00

The Associated Press reports that, according to Algerian officials, OPEC has reached its oil-production peak, and that attempting to pump more oil could damage oilfields and lead to a quicker decline in production.

At the same time, oil futures reached $54 a barrel Friday as the International Energy Agency estimated demand for oil would outgrow supply more rapidly than expected this year.

Looks like it's time to invest in a bus pass, or maybe find a friendly neighbor and launch a carpool.

Is Smart car ready to graduate?

2005-03-12T09:37:00.000-08:00

Smart
Originally uploaded by Dr. Drive.

The Smart microcar has been getting lots of headlines lately. Its U.S. distributor, ZAP, claims to have purchase orders worth $55 million, equal to about 3,600 cars. The company has its first batch of 100 or so cars at a facility in Southern California and is converting them to U.S. safety and emissions specs. Various appearances and news items have whipped the public appetite for the car into a frenzy.

That's a good thing. Developed in a partnership with Mercedes and the Swatch watch company, the car has been available in Europe and Canada for several years. It's a small, exciting car that gets good gas mileage. I would consider buying one myself.

But it's still unclear when the car will actually hit the streets. ZAP is noncomittal about that. The company has dealt mainly in obscure electric cars and scooters, and has no experiences with mainstream automobile sales and distribution. Furthermore, it has yet to obtain certification in the largest U.S. markets: the five so-called "green states" that have the toughest emissions regulations, including California and New York.

The company also suffered a blow when the EPA recently challenged the car's claimed 60 mpg efficiency. EPA testing produced only 37 mpg, and the agency ordered ZAP to alter its marketing to reflect that. ZAP is challenging.

ZAP is bringing the cars over on its own through an intermediary. As a result, legally they are defined as used cars. Mercedes itself appears to be backing away from its plans to sell the car here.

I hope the Smart car can make it here. I'm glad so many people are stepping forward to buy the car, and I'm glad ZAP has taken the initiative to sell the car. Smart's message is that small, efficient cars don't have to be dull. We need a car like this to set an example for other carmakers.

'Stealth' move to expand offshore drilling...

2005-03-11T16:47:00.000-08:00

The S.F. Chronicle reports that the House Resources Committee, led by the artful plunderer Richard Pombo (R-Tracy, Calif.), is quietly working on a bill that would end the 23-year-old ban on new offshore oil drilling in the U.S.

Dubbed SEACOR, or the State Enhanced Authority for Coastal and Offshore Resources Act of 2005, the bill is heavily backed by oil industry groups (surprise!) and includes provisions to bribe state governments...Umm, I mean, give them a bigger stake in the royalties.

One critic calls the bill "a stealth strategy to undo all protections of U.S. coastlines for offshore drilling."

The solution to our energy problems is not to ruin the last remaining natural areas we have left. The solution is to conserve and speed up research on alternatives.

Reviewer: Honda FCX really works

2005-03-11T11:28:00.000-08:00

honda_FCX
Originally uploaded by Dr. Drive.

In a first-ever unsupervised trial of the Honda FCX hydrogen fuel-cell car -- for three full days -- Detroit Free Press writer Mark Phelan says the car "performed brilliantly, which is to say: just like a conventional car."

Phelan says he had no trouble keeping up with traffic, and even scorched the tires on occasion, thanks to the car's ample torque. All the while, the car's exhaust was as clean as the steam from your tea kettle.

I had the pleasure of briefly driving the FCX myself a couple of years ago, but I had a very twitchy Honda propeller-head in the seat beside me. My only complaint was mid-range accelleration. The car got up to about 40 mph as fast as most any gas car, but then seemed to take forever to reach highway speeds.

Maybe they've fixed that since then. But they haven't done a thing with the car's bread-box looks.

For Detroit, hybrids are the new way to waste gas

2005-03-11T10:35:00.000-08:00

The great minds at GM and DaimlerChrysler have teamed on a new hybrid vehicle system that turns a V8 from a gas-guzzler into a gas-guzzler with pearls.

The system, as reported in Technology Review, only boosts the mpg of a V-8 SUV from 16 to 20. I suspect many buyers will find it hard to justify the extra cost and complexity of this sytem when it's tire-kicking time.

The problem with this system, by my reading, is that it focuses on increasing the efficiency of gear-driven power delivery rather than using hybrid technology to supplant the gas engine. In other words, Detroit just isn't willing to give up its thirsty V-8s yet.

Oh, and by the way, the national average gas price broke $2 a gallon yesterday. Just so you know.

Ford to kill T-bird...finally!

2005-03-11T10:27:00.000-08:00

Ford Motor Co. has announced it will cease production of the retro-themed Thunderbird due to poor sales. Apparently the car was only popular with certain Mary Kay Cosmetics sales reps. It never sold even half as well as the previous version of the T-bird.
Here's hoping this is the beginning of the end of Detroit's nostalgia trip, and the start of some fresh thinking in car design. As noted by the curious car nuts at jalopnik.com: "Will today’s young car buyers have anything of their own to be nostalgic about when they hit their peak earning years?"

Idling wastes fuel, so cut it out...

2005-03-10T08:22:00.000-08:00

I found this nifty (and scary) counter that tells you how much fuel is being wasted in realtime by unnecessary vehicle idling -- diesel big rigs and trains, in particular. Since Jan. 1, 2004, frivolous idling has pissed away nearly 120 million gallons of fuel. At $1.50 a gallon, that's worth $180 million in only a little over a year.

That's enough fuel to circle the earth 120,000 times in my diesel Mercedes wagon.

The counter is part of an effort by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to standardize idle-reduction rules nationwide. Besides wasting fuel, all this unnecessary idling also pumps a heck of a lot of pollution into the air we breathe. Last month I wrote about California's new idle-reduction rule, which says that diesel trucks may not idle for more than 10 minutes and buses not more than 15 minutes.

I see people engaging in wasteful idling all the time, not just trucks and buses but also regular cars. So the other day while waiting in a long line of cars at a road-construction site, I tried it: I turned my engine off until the line started moving. It wasn't a big deal.

Think about it: 26,000 gallons were wasted in the time it took me to write this post. That's one lap around the planet.

Trackback added, speedbumps too...

2005-03-09T21:07:00.000-08:00

I added "trackback" to the blog today via haloscan.com and apparently it deleted your comments posted to the blog around the same time and possibly even just before that. So I apologize and hope you will bear with me. Please post your comments again if you want, or just reply to this post and tell me what a loser I am!
Apparently Haloscan replaces the whole Blogger commenting framework, so this is why it wiped out some posts. Again, I apologize for the mess and I hope comments will work OK from here on. Otherwise, Haloscan will be getting sugar dumped in its gas tank and I'll switch back to Blogger for comments.

GM extends Hummer warranty. Hmm, wonder why...

2005-03-09T12:48:00.000-08:00

General Motors announced this week it will extend its warranty on the massive Hummer SUV to four years starting with the 2006 model year. GM officials say they're doing it to compete with other "luxury" SUVs.

The real reason is that GM just can't sell the cretins anymore. Sales were down a whopping 17 percent last year because people began discovering that, yes, an SUV that gets 11 mpg really can hurt the beer budget. And they also discovered that these things are crap. J.D. Power ranked the Hummer LAST in quality among 37 brands.

Perhaps all this is why I'm staring to see an unusual number of used Hummers for sale lately. A quick search of cars.com tells me there are 686 used Hummer H2s for sale nationwide, many of them sitting on dealer lots. This compares with 495 similar-sized Ford Excursions for sale.

Are people getting a clue, or am I just desperate for a sign of hope?

China delays fuel tax

2005-03-09T12:09:00.000-08:00

China's exploding economy is arguably the biggest threat to world oil supplies and air pollution. Yet due to inflation, the nation has decided to delay adopting a national fuel tax.

The intent of the tax is to encourage conservation. Certainly an important goal in the world's most populous nation, where new wealth has people knocking each other over to buy their first cars. But sudden fuel scarcity and 4 percent inflation in China have put the tax on hold. Finance Minister Jin Renqing told AP that another reason is to protect cab drivers. Hmm...

Seems to me this is an opportune time for China to adopt just such a tax. Because before long, it will be caught in the same death-spiral of illegal market subsidies, greed and environmental decay that has been drowning us in the U.S. for so long already.

Life with a diesel: Making fuel

2005-03-09T11:09:00.000-08:00

Fuel2
Originally uploaded by Dr. Drive.

Since there's still nowhere to buy biodiesel in my area, I've decided to move ahead with making my own. I've read a lot about it and taken a couple of classes, so I'm plunging in.
The top photo shows the first load of used cooking oil I've acquired. I got this stuff from a guy near Grass Valley who wanted to make his own biodiesel, but basically gave up. I hope this isn't getting me off on the wrong foot!
Part of his problem, I think, was poor quality oil. Look at all the glop in the bottom of those pails. He got this stuff from a local restaurant, and it must have been a yucky one. All of that is solids that settled out of the oil.
I pumped the "good" oil off the top and into the middle container in the bottom photo. Looks a little better. The container on the right shows what I started with. It's half-full of solid glop.
The container on the left shows new biodiesel I purchased on the same trip from an outfit called Ag Natural in Grass Valley. So you can see I have a ways to go.
I put some of that new biodiesel in my car for the first time, and it runs great on the stuff: much smoother and less soot out the tailpipe when I punch it.
And by the way, the price is starting to get competitive. I paid $3.35/gallon for the biodiesel, and $2.47 for regular petroleum diesel at an ARCO station the same day. Something to think about...

It's D-day again for Arctic refuge

2005-03-09T10:07:00.000-08:00

Republicans in the U.S. Senate are planning maneuvers this week to get oil drilling approved in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The New York Times reports today that republicans want to attach drilling to the budget bill, making it more difficult to oppose and lowering the voting threshold.
The refuge, commonly known by its acronym ANWR (An-war), is the largest unspoiled wilderness on American turf. Oil reserves estimated to lie under its tundra would supply the U.S. economy for only six months, and it will take 10 years just to get that oil flowing, by which point the internal-combustion engine may be obsolete. Only one large oil company remains in the lobbying group pushing for drilling, which makes you wonder why many politicians still want to drill.
I think it's foolhardy to sacrifice such a beautiful and wild place on the theoretical notion that it will help keep our gas tanks full. Yet present developments mean that sacrifice is more likely now than at any point in the past decade.
Here's a place to learn more about ANWR, including an easy way to tell a politician how you feel.
Some people actually believe "nothing lives" in ANWR, so why not drill it anyway. There's nothing to lose, in other words. This is patently false and if you believe this (or even if you don't) I urge you to check out "Arctic National Wildlife Refuge: Seasons of Life and Land," by Subhankar Banerjee. Find it at your library or buy your own copy. It's a great coffee-table book with stunning photos of ANWR's thriving real life. I hope it's not our last chance to see a wild ANWR.

Spotted: Mercedes 190SL?

2005-03-08T21:26:00.000-08:00

190sl-
Originally uploaded by Dr. Drive.

I believe there's a Mercedes 190SL convertible hiding under this car cover. A friend of mine had one of these back in high school. It was a beater and I thought it was a joke. Now they're worth real money, and I'm not laughing any more. A good one is worth $40k.
Of course, this could also be a 300SL, which is a much faster and more sophisticated upgrade with similar bodywork. It's also more rare and worth four times as much.

The invisible speeder

2005-03-08T21:13:00.000-08:00

Remember the Romulan cloaking device in Star Trek? You know, they could pull an "Invisible Man" trick with their whole space ship, so Capt. Kirk couldn't shoot at them.
Well, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have figured out how to do it, using a "plasmonic cover" disperse the light striking an object, making it appear so small as to be nearly invisible.
Why am I talking about this? No, I'm not a Trekkie. I just think it's cool. And I'd love to have it for those moments when I just want to drive fast. With my plasmonic shield I could drive as fast as I want and nobody could see me. I'd be invisible to cops and their chaser planes.
Of course, I'd have to be able to turn it off, too, or people would run into me when I was waiting for a stoplight or something.
Do you think this would have been offered as an option on the DeLorean if it was available then?

GM touts fuel-cell technology, hopes you're sold

2005-03-08T17:31:00.000-08:00

The huge automaker has teamed up with the Sandia National Laboratories to develop systems that will store hydrogen more efficiently for use in fuel cell cars. The goal is to give such cars a conventional 300-mile range, presently not possible without fuel tanks the size of the Hindenberg.
Storage advances will require expensive, advanced metals that actually absorb the hydrogen. A huge amount of heat is created in the process, and lots of energy blown to the four winds. Hopefully we will use renewable energy for this purpose one day, but until then we're still burning scarce fossil fuels. We still don't even know how to create a refueling system for these cars that everyone seems to think will save the world.
"To be absolutely honest with you, why we are pursuing this is because we want to grow our business," GM suit Larry Burns told the Oakland Tribune. "It's been driven much more by getting a better automobile out there."
I'm glad there is optimism "out there." It may be the only thing we have left by the time fuel-cell cars are ready.

Ethanol to power Indy 500 next year

2005-03-08T17:15:00.000-08:00

America's premier auto race will start out with a 10 percent ethanol blend in 2006, then 100 percent in '07, replacing methanol and the noxious fumes that go with it. It's the first fuel switch in Indycar racing in 40 years.
Ethanol, made from corn, is considered a renewable fuel, though it takes a lot of energy to produce. It also doesn't solve all the air pollution problems, in fact it aggravates some. Nevertheless, there are 81 facilities producing ethanol in the U.S. now, with 16 more under construction. Politicians have gotten behind the fuel in a big way, passing pork-barrel legislation to encourage more production and try to wean farmers off government subsidies.
"My issue is with the political leadership that says we can use ethanol to solve all our energy problems. You can't say that unless you plan on walking a lot," Davis Sykuta of the Illinois Petroleum Council told Knight Ridder Newspapers.
Does he have a vested interest? Nah....

Old favorites lose out in new impact tests...

2005-03-08T07:48:00.001-08:00

This year, the respected Consumer Reports magazine revamped its side-impact testing to find out how vehicles would fare in a run-in with a mid-size SUV. The results eliminated many formerly top-ranking cars from its recommendations.
Among them were the Ford Focus, which last year was named by the magazine as "best small car." This year it fell from the list completely because it was so devastated by a side impact with a simulated SUV. Many small SUVs even failed the test. Also on the losing-end-of-the-SUV list were: Honda Element SUV, Hyundai Elantra sedan, Mazda3 sedan, Mitsubishi Outlander SUV, Nissan Altima sedan, Suzuki Grand Vitara and XL-7 SUVs.
Something to think about when you go shopping for that nexts car. Like, "These carmakers shouldn't be allowed to sell those huge, gas-guzzling SUVs in the first place."
But more to the point for consumers, the testing showed the importance of side-impact airbags. Said Brian O'Neill, president of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety: "We can't envision any vehicle getting a good score in our tests without side-impact bags."
Sadly, many new cars still are not offered with side-impact airbags. Others have them available, but only as a costly or difficult-to-obtain option.
I seriously considered buying a Ford Focus wagon last year. And I wanted side-impact airbags. But in searching inventories of various dealers in my region, I couldn't find a single car delivered to a dealer with side-impact bags. My only option was to special-order a car with that feature. Not acceptable.

Quote of the week

2005-03-08T07:48:00.000-08:00

"Driving is a spectacular form of amnesia. Everything is to be discovered, everything to be obliterated."
— Jean Baudrillard, 1986

Forbes says diesels lead the fuel-economy race

2005-03-07T16:55:00.000-08:00

Forbes magazine is out with its annual list of the most fuel-efficient cars, and the big news this year is a new wave of diesel cars. Some of them equal the mpg of hybrids without all the complexity and worries about durability.
It's worth noting that diesel fuel also tends to be cheaper than gas, and it's easier to refine from crude oil, producing less pollution in the process.

Mustang Monday: You be the judge

2005-03-07T10:34:00.000-08:00

Mustangs
Originally uploaded by Dr. Drive.

In my neighborhood, I now have the pleasure of pondering 40 years of Ford Mustang history every morning. While my dogs inspect fire hydrants, I inspect hoodlines.
On one corner, one of my neighbors owns a beautiful 1965 fastback with a 289 V-8 and factory rally wheels. It's nicely preserved in original dark-green paint.
Down the street and around the corner, another of my neighbors just brought home a beautiful new Mustang in light-metallic green, one of the best colors (I think) in this new car. This is not a GT, so it's got the V-6 engine, but it does have the nice Hallibrand-style alloy wheels on it.
I call both cars beautiful because they are. But to my eyes, the original Mustang is one of the purest forms of automotive musculature ever designed. I swoon for its creases and curves in a primal way. The new car looks like an overstuffed sausage in comparison.
Personally, I'm tired of Detroit's obsession with retro. I don't want cars to look like yesterday. I want them to look like tommorrow. When the original Mustang came out, do you think people liked it because it was nostalgic? No. They liked it because it was a leap ahead.
Is our imagination so withered that we can't think of exciting new ways to wrap sheet metal around four tires?

In Austin: Drive a hybrid, park for free

2005-03-07T10:00:00.000-08:00

The city of Austin, Tex., proposes to allow owners of gas-electric hybrid cars to park for free at parking meters throughout the city. The idea is to encourage more people to buy hybrid cars.
As the owner of a hybrid, I think this is a great idea, and I wish my city would do it. It's a much better idea, in fact, than California's plan to let hybrid owners drive solo in carpool lanes. I think this is a really harmful concept. The idea of carpool lanes is to get people to ride together to reduce pollution and save gas -- not to mention reducing traffic congestion. If one person drives a hybrid in a carpool lane and gets 45 mpg, that's not as efficient as three people riding together in a 25 mpg car (effectively 75 mpg, because two of their three cars are parked).
Virginia has already gone down this road, and they're already looking for ways to cancel this hybrid benefit because solo hybriders are bogging down the carpool lanes. California's proposal needs federal approval and is stalled in Congress.
Let's hope it dies there. Instead, I cast my vote for the Austin plan: Hybrids park for free!

Life with a hybrid: Skirting the law

2005-03-07T09:59:00.000-08:00

Insight
Originally uploaded by Dr. Drive.

You've already met my other car, so now it's time to meet the hybrid.
Last year I decided it was time for my conscience to do some driving, so after 25 years of playing around with stinky muscle cars and sports cars, I bought this Honda Insight hybrid. I was ready for a hybrid but couldn't afford a new one, so I found this used 2001 model and got it for a great price. This is the only hybrid available with a manual transmission, and it has truly been a joy. I get the swift handling shift-it-yourself dynamics of a sports car, and incredible fuel economy. I regularly get 55 mpg in combined driving.
But last week a little rain dampened my joy. I got a fix-it ticket for not having a front license plate on the car. I removed the front plate as soon as I bought the car, as is my habit with every car I've ever owned. I just think those front plates are ugly, and they hurt a car's aerodynamics, especially this car, which has the lowest drag coefficient of any production car ever made.
What pissed me off is, the motorcycle cop watched idly while a massive garbage truck ran a red light, then maneuvered to pull me over for the missing plate. I ask you, which is more important? A potentially deadly moving violation by a 20-ton goliath, or my little protest?
What I will do is put the front plate on long enough to get the ticket signed off, then remove it again. Am I a bad person? Tell me what you think.

"Love Bug" remake pimping NASCAR?

2005-03-05T19:51:00.000-08:00

A modern remake of the film classic "The Love Bug" is on its way to theaters, featuring Lindsey Lohan and the famous #53 striped VW Beetle taking on NASCAR stock cars. I'm not going to encourage you to see this movie, for several reasons.
1. NASCAR is stupid, and they're taking over American racing the way Wal-Mart took over retail.
2. I'm bloody tired of Hollywood remaking and ruining the best movies of my childhood. It's true, you really can't improve on perfection. These remakes are all about money.
3. Disney is apparently concerned that Lohan is too well-endowed, and will be using digital technology to ensure sensitive families are not put off by her large chest. I don't sit quietly with the knowledge that American media continue to decide reality is too troubling for the citizenry.
Instead, I want you to go out and rent the original "Love Bug" movie. I saw it recently for the first time and was charmed all over again. There's some really fabulous stunt driving in the movie, wonderful appearances by some great classic cars, and the plot is truly touching.

Vigil to save EV1 cars fails...

2005-03-05T19:29:00.000-08:00

As reported here earlier, protesters have been staging a weeks-long vigil in
Burbank, Calif., to try to prevent General Motors from crushing 70-some EV1 electric cars, the only mass-produced electric car ever sold to the public. On Friday, their efforts failed when transporters began removing the cars and the protesters were unwilling to risk arrest by blocking the trucks.
GM's reasoning for insisting the cars be crushed has never been clear. But on Friday, GM spokesman had this to say to the L.A. Daily News: "This isn't a vehicle for the shade-tree mechanic -- it's time for them to go to the ultimate destination."
Ominous choice of words. Are they going to Heaven? Hell? Barthmuss seems to imply it's one or the other.
Bob Seldon of Santa Monica had this to say about the sad turn of events: "My car's still back there. I want it back -- it's the best car I've ever owned, the first American car I've owned in several decades."
And probably, I would imagine, now his last.

Latest temptation: Italian twosome

2005-03-04T12:14:00.000-08:00

TwoFiats
Originally uploaded by Dr. Drive.

Have you ever wanted a free car? How about two free cars? How about two free cool cars?
Well, I recently came across this guy who needs to get rid of two Fiat X1/9 sports cars due to a death in the family. The accompanying photo is what I found when I went to take a look over his fence.
Do you remember the X1/9? It was under-rated. A mid-engine, four-cylinder car with little power but lots of handling. Small outside, but lots of room inside. A liftoff targa top for those nice spring days. I've always liked these cars, and how can you beat free?
Well, neither of them runs, and even from this distance, I can tell they need lots of work. Plus, there are no titles for either car, so I'd have to go through the salvage-title runaround at the DMV.
On the other hand, this could be a fun project, and with two of them, I'm sure I could put together one decent car. Plus, I've had this daydream about building my own electric car. Don't you think this would make a nice platform for a little high-voltage urban speedster? Something like this Porsche 914 kit offered by ElectroAuto.
Why do I do this to myself?
Stay tuned, folks. Weekend developments will decide this one...

Oil prices jump, OPEC says it's just the beginning

2005-03-04T09:54:00.000-08:00

The price of oil hit $53 a barrel Thursday, nearly reaching the historic high of $55 a barrel reached in October. The stock market slumped in reponse, while the price of gas at the pump jumped (funny how that happens instantly, though many stations still draw from underground tanks filled before the price jump).
More interesting were comments by OPEC Secretary General Adnan Shehab-Eldin. He suggested oil prices could hover in the $50-$60 per barrel range for two years, and even reach $80 per barrel for a time.
Can you say "oil crisis"?
Meanwhile, from Newsweek columnist Fareed Zakaria comes a timely missive about the prospect of a 500 mpg car. He proposes a plug-in hybrid car that would run on a blended fuel of gasoline and ethanol. (Fine print: He also means 500 mpg per gallon of gasoline, since it would be blended, not per gallon of fuel.)
Zakaria says it's possible with existing technology, if only the government would subsidize a switch to a methanol refueling infrastructure. He says this would cost about $12 billion, or about three months' worth of spending on the Iraq war.
Which sounds like a better investment to you?

eBay predator turned muscle-car auctions into robberies...

2005-03-04T09:43:00.000-08:00

An Indianapolis man allegedly set up bogus auctions of '60s and '70s muscle cars to rob the buyers of cash. He would lure the auction winner to pick up the car, then confront them at gunpoint to take their money.
Trouble is, he gave the winning bidders his home address, so the cops had little trouble finding him. I guess this proves you don't have to be smart to engage in high-tech crime.

Spotted: Strange sidewalk art

2005-03-03T13:13:00.000-08:00

SidewalkArt
Originally uploaded by Dr. Drive.

Came across this spray-painted on the sidewalk outside my bank during my ramblings yesterday. I don't know what to make of it.
A bunch of people gathered around a parked helicopter. One guy stands apart with his big gut protruding. A sexy face peers down from above.
It's creative. It's cool. But I don't understand.
If you can explain this, or if you've seen it before, shoot me a note.

Reform at last for mpg ratings?

2005-03-03T12:59:00.000-08:00

A bill was to be introduced in Congress today to change the way the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency calculates fuel efficiency. And the monster American Automobile Association is behind the bill, helping to ensure its success.
The Fuel-efficiency Truth-in-Advertising Act already has bipartisan support, with cosponsors Rep. Nancy Johnson, R-Conn., and Rush Holt, D-N.J.
The current testing system is based on a 30-year-old program that allow vehicle engines
to get warm, never pushes the speed above 60 mph, never runs the air conditioning, and never accelerate quickly. Gee, that's not how I drive.
Independent testing shows that current testing overestimates mpg by as much as 10 points. Tests by AAA found that a 2004 BMW Z4 sports car gets just 14.5 mpg in combined city-highway driving, compared to the 24 mpg EPA rating, while a Chevrolet TrailBlazer SUV got 13.6 mpg, well below the 17 mpg EPA rating.
If all this is true, fleet mpg is really a lot worse than we've been hearing. As we all know, the popularity of SUVs and the lack of innovation in American cars has meant that national mpg has not improved at all since the early 1970s. And this information is based on EPA ratings. How bad is the truth? I suspect it's pretty bad.

Life with a diesel: Finding fuel

2005-03-03T11:07:00.000-08:00

300TD
Originally uploaded by Dr. Drive.

You may have noticed there's a lot of stuff about diesel cars here. Well, that's because I recently became a believer.
Last year I became the proud owner of an '81 Mercedes 300TD (pictured). I paid $2,500 for this car with nearly 160,000 miles on it. I have never paid so little for so much car. This thing is built like a tank, and despite so many years and miles under its wheels, it still runs like a Swiss watch. A few things needed fixing, but nothing serious. It's not fast, but it gets you there in comfort and ease.
I plan to run the car on biodiesel as soon as I can find a source in my area. In my last post, we mentioned ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel (ULSD), and how it won't be available nationwide until 2006. Well, right now it's the next best thing to biodiesel, and it's already available in some places here in California, though hard to find. The environmental benefits of this fuel are significant, so I set about trying to find a local source. It hasn't been easy.
In California, all BP and ARCO gas stations already sell ULSD. See this to find a location near you. Alas, there aren't any retail locations near me.
A few calls and a little networking put me in touch with Ramos Oil Co., an independent fuel distributor near me. They sell ULSD at cardlock pumps, but they're willing to sell to cash customers, too. And their price is better than any other diesel retailers in the area, at about $2 a gallon.
I've seen a noticeable reduction in exhaust smoke since filling up on the fuel, and the car runs great on it. If you drive a diesel, try it yourself, and your planet will thank you.

GM to offer diesel engine in full-size vans

2005-03-03T09:48:00.000-08:00

The 6.6-liter V-8 turbodiesel engine, to be offered in 2006 models, is said to deliver 30 percent better fuel economy in combined driving than existing gasoline engine options.
The company also specifically states that the engines are compatible with biodiesel. And the engines will be equipped with an exhaust catalyst to further reduce emissions.
I believe what we're seeing here is a first wave of new diesel vehicles coming to market due to the required introduction of ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel nationwide in 2006. The low sulfur content will allow manufacturers to use exhaust catalysts, just as we've had for years on gasoline cars, which will make diesels as clean — if not cleaner — than gas burners.
You'll start seeing a lot more diesel vehicle options here in the U.S. very soon, because they offer much better fuel economy and durability than gas engines. They figured this out a long time ago in Europe, where more than half of all new vehicles sold are diesel.

DaimlerChrysler commits to new biofuel...

2005-03-03T09:41:00.000-08:00

The company announced at the Geneva Motor show that it is committed to the develoment of SunDiesel, trade name for a new biomass-to-liquid (BTL) fuel.
SunDiesel is similar to biodiesel, but uses the entire plant, not just the seeds or beans. The result is a fuel that is even more efficient and clean than biodiesel, and still completely renewable. The only downside is that it requires significantly more energy to produce.
DaimlerChrysler says the fuel reduces particulate emissions by up to 50% and carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon emissions by up to 90%. It can also be tailored in the refining process to meet the specific needs of high-performance engines.
The car company promises to deliver all its new diesel vehicles to customers with a tankful of BTL.

Solar car on the horizon. You heard it here first.

2005-03-02T18:52:00.000-08:00

A technological breakthrough by scientists at the University of Toronto has allowed the creation of solar photovoltaic cells that draw on the infrared spectrum. This allows the cells to capture 30 percent of the sun's energy, versus less than 10 percent captured from the visible spectrum today. This means that the cells can capture energy from heat, whether from a kitchen stove or the sun itself.
What's more, the development will allow the cells to be manufactured in even thinner and more flexible materials. The researchers say the technology is three to five years from reaching the market.
I can picture it now. A fiberglass- or plastic-bodied car whose entire curvaceous body is a solar-collecting surface. Picture the sexy curves of a Corvette pulling energy from the sun on its every surface, from the hot pavement underneath, even from the heat of the engine under the hood.
Those electric car dreams start to sound a bit more doable, don't they?

Is the party over?

2005-03-02T10:45:00.000-08:00

We're starting to hear more in the news lately about "Peak Oil." This is the point at which global petroleum production reaches its peak, after which, well, mayhem is predicted in various forms. I'm not exaggerating here, and I don't think the experts are, either.
I recently attended a presentation on the subject by Richard Heinberg, author of the new book "Powerdown: Options and Actions for a Post-Carbon World." He offered some startling numbers.
Global oil demand is currently 84 million barrels a day (mbd). The International Energy Agency predicts a demand for an addition 50mbd by 2010, mainly due to the growing availability and demand for cars in places like China and India. But worldwide over the next five years, only an additional 12.5mbd of new oil supplies are being developed, and increasing investment in exploration is yielding disappointing results.
Meanwhile, OPEC nations, with the largest proven oil reserves, are said to have no more reserve capacity — they're pumping oil as fast as they can. And just today, Mexico reported that production from its largest oil field will begin to decline this year, one year ahead of expectations. Pemex, the Mexican national oil monopoly, is the third-largest producer of crude oil in the world, and provides 16 percent of the U.S. oil supply.
Most estimates say Peak Oil will hit in 2007. That's only two years away. After that, economic and political instability is likely, because our way of life is so dependent on oil. Oil drives our cars, it heats our homes and offices, and it puts food on the table. As a nation and as a people, we've done nothing to prepare for life without oil.
"Global oil production peak is something we should have planned for 30 years ago, and we didn't," said Heinberg.
One outfit that's getting ready is the Post Carbon Insitute. Based in Vancouver, Canada, with an office in Oakland, Calif., the group advocates "relocalization" of the economy so basic needs can be met locally, instead of relying on oil's power to deliver these needs from afar. The group proposes forming "Outposts" of people to begin the process and set an example for others. More than 20 of these Outposts are already at work.
This sounds like crazy stuff, eh? Like, survivalist talk. But maybe it's time we started the discussion.

Spotted: Mystery wagon

2005-03-01T14:59:00.000-08:00

Mysterywagon
Originally uploaded by Dr. Drive.

OK, this doesn't happen very often, but Dr. Drive recently stumbled across a car he has never seen before. Check out this wagon. It looks like a Volkswagen Beetle that tried real hard to be a delivery van. This would make an awesome surfer's wagon, eh?
This thing must date from the '50s or early '60s. It's got a funny little engine way up front in the nose. And it wears a European manufacturer's badge that's still around today.
I think I've figured out what it is. Do you know? Have you ever seen one before? Did you own one? Shoot me a note and own up.

S.D. Senate kills biodiesel tax cut, plus more...

2005-03-01T14:10:00.000-08:00

Here's the latest on this story, which we've been following for a couple weeks. Today the South Dakota Senate killed a tiny 2-cent tax cut on biodiesel, intended to make this renewable, low-polluting fuel more competitive with petroleum diesel. The senators said the proposal needs more study. I say the senators need to get a clue.
Meanwhile, in Missouri, the state Senate approved a grant program to help farmers pay for processors to squeeze the oil out of soybeans to make biodiesel.
And in Germany, Archer Daniels Midland, the huge American agriculture conglomerate, plans to expand a plant that crushes soybeans and rapeseed so it can keep up with the demand for biodiesel in Europe. Over there, governments have mandated that all diesel fuel contain a certain percentage of biodiesel. Why? Because they've figured out that biodiesel reduces air pollution and oil imports.
What's going on here? It's simple. Some people get it, and some just don't.

NASCAR unfaithful about unleaded

2005-03-01T13:51:00.000-08:00

The NASCAR stock-car racing series continues to use old-school leaded gasoline, despite being asked by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency six years ago to cease using the fuel. (Link.)
NASCAR flak Ramsey Posten said the lead is an important lubricant. "Without being able to keep the valves lubed, the engines don't work as well and there would be continual problems," he told Scripps Howard News Service. "We just have not been able to find a solution."
Uhhh...how do you explain it, then, that all the world's automakers and oil companies have been able to solve this problem. Not to mention numerous other racing programs that use the same outdated NASCAR engine technology?
Eliminating lead from gasoline is one of the biggest public-health victories of the 20th Century. Lead burned in fuel can remain airborne for up to 10 days. Blood concentrations of lead at 10 ppm in children have been shown to impair brain function and learning. I guess NASCAR figures its next generation of racing fans doesn't need to be smart.

Quote of the week

2005-03-01T09:22:00.000-08:00

"What our children have to fear is not the cars on the highways of tomorrow but our own pleasure in calculating the most elegant parameters of their deaths."
— J.G. Ballard, 1970

Most electrifying cars...

2005-03-01T08:50:00.000-08:00

The Institute of Electronics and Eletrical Engineers has released its list of the Top 10 Tech Cars for 2005. The most interesting selection, to me, is the Toyota Vitz CVT4. Never heard of it? Me either.
Turns out it's a Japanese-market cousin to the Toyota Echo that us Americans can buy. One crucial difference is that the car comes with an extra lithium-ion battery pack that serves the car's idle-stop function. This is a stand-alone system, as the car is not a hybrid.
Like hybrids, the Vitz gas engine shuts off when you come to a halt at a stoplight. The extra battery pack -- it's just like the battery pack in a laptop computer -- runs the car's heater, radio, lights, etc., then fires up the starter when you lift off the brake pedal to drive away. The tiny pack is recharged by the car's alternator and by regenerative braking.
This is a great example of cherry-picking the best hybrid technology for a conventional car. It really bugs me to think of millions of cars idling needlessly every time they come to a sop. From now on, I decree, every new car must come with a system like this.

Spotted: Mini Cooper, the real thing

2005-02-28T11:20:00.000-08:00

Mini
Originally uploaded by Dr. Drive.

Here's the real thing: An original Mini Cooper, tiny and crude, unlike the new one. I spotted this one on a local street recently, looking cute as can be. It's still on the road and in decent shape. I think one of these would make a great platform for an electric-car conversion, don't you? Uh oh, I can hear the purists screaming already...

Toyota to share hybrid technology with Subaru

2005-02-28T09:12:00.000-08:00

Toyota reports that it will provide hybrid vehicle technology to Fuji Heavy Industries, parent company of Subaru. Subaru intends to use the technology to enter the exploding market for hybrids in the U.S.
Here's hoping for a Subaru WRX with hybrid power.

In Britain, guzzlers may get their own "scarlet letter"

2005-02-28T08:48:00.000-08:00

Britain is considering a program that would require gas-guzzlers such as SUVs to wear bright red stickers, so everyone knows just how bad they are for the environment. Cleaner and more fuel-efficient cars, in contrast, would wear green stickers.
The program is intended to increase public awareness about the environmental cost of the vehicles consumers choose. I'm all for it (not surprising, since I've convoluted thoughts of waging my own vigilante stickering campaign).

S. Dakota House revives biodiesel tax break

2005-02-28T08:41:00.000-08:00

We reported earlier that this meager 2-cent tax cut on biodiesel was killed. Well it's been added back into another bill, passed by the House, and now moves on to the state Senate. The latest predictions are that it would cost the state budget only $135,000 initially, not the $10 million originally claimed. If passed, biodiesel would enjoy a 2-cent discount in South Dakota through 2010.

Trading cattle for cars?

2005-02-28T08:23:00.000-08:00

The Edmonton Sun newspaper reports that a Dodge dealer near Calgary is inviting ranchers to bring their cattle in as a down payment on a new vehicle.
The dealer, Cochrane Dodge Chrysler, created the promotion to aid local ranchers. They've been smarting since the U.S. closed its border to Canadian beef nearly two years ago in response to the discovery of mad cow disease in an Alberta herd.
Ranchers can bring 10 cattle to the dealer as a down payment on a diesel truck, five toward a gas truck, and fewer for a passenger car. The car dealer will then sell the animals at a loss to local ranchers.
Plus, everyone who purchases a vehicle from the dealer during the promotion, whether they put down cattle or cash, will walk away with a free quarter-section of beef. That's the dealer's way of stimulating the local beef market. I'm not sure it will have a stimulating effect on vegetarian car buyers.

Long live the EV1

2005-02-28T08:07:00.000-08:00

Remember the General Motors EV1? You know, that egg-shaped electric car that made it into production, with several hundred ending up on the road in California? Well, the last of them are locked up at a GM facility in Burbank awaiting the crusher. Protesters have been staging a vigil for weeks outside the facility, urging GM to sell them the cars so they don't go to waste.
The earliest versions of the car had poor range (maybe 80 miles), but the original leaseholders fell in love with the cars anyway. Later models included upgrades good for a 120-mile range.
Well, the leases eventually ran out, and GM reclaimed the cars. It's believed there are 77 EV1 cars behind the fences in Burbank, all of them the late-model variety. Seems a shame to crush these cars and waste all their wonderful technology. If we could continue to see these cars on the road, I think it would help inspire more innovation.
For more on the EV1, including some sad pix of cars that did not survive the crusher, check out the EV1 Club site.

Ford offering hydrogen engines to industrial buyers

2005-02-25T12:06:00.000-08:00

Ford Motor Co. yesterday announced it will sell V-6 and V-10 engines fueled by hydrogen. These are conventional internal-combustion engines, not fuel-cell vehicles. But still, using hydrogen as a fuel, they produce nearly zero emissions.
The engines are intended for use in shuttle buses and short-haul work vehicles. With a 26-gallon equivalent tank pressurized at 5,000 psi, they will be good for a range of only 150 miles.

Cars still rate poorly on recycleables

2005-02-25T11:51:00.000-08:00

A new report by the Ecology Center of Ann Arbor, Mich., finds that automakers still rate poorly in the amount of recycleable plastic content included in new cars. Toyota received the highest grade, a lackluster C, while the rest of America's top-selling carmakers got (big, fat) Ds.
The report also found that European carmakers include more recyclables than American companies. Even those American makers that sell in Europe, such as GM, include more recyclables in those cars than they do in domestic models. "There's a double standard," said the Ecology Center's Charles Griffith.
The group urged carmakers to move away from petroleum-based plastics, and instead use those made from renewable materials, and also to find ways to reuse those in the next generation of cars, as Toyota has started doing.

Spotted: Mazda rotary pickup

2005-02-25T09:59:00.000-08:00

Mazdatruck
Originally uploaded by Dr. Drive.

To most people, this looks like just another anonymous '70s Japanese import mini-truck. But this is a Mazda truck with a rotary engine. These were only imported for a few years in the mid- to late '70s. You won't find one nicer than this, with a straight, rust-free body and nice paint. Can't say I approve of the choice of wheels, though.
A friend of mine had one of these back when we were in high school, and the thing was a terror. They came with the larger 13b Mazda rotary engine. Really fast.
Check out the Mazda Rotary Pickup forum for more info.

Writer says diesel hybrids won't work...

2005-02-25T09:09:00.000-08:00

Check out this writeup about the feasibility of diesel hybrid cars. The author doesn't seem to think it will work, mainly due to the limited additional benefits of the package compared to a gas hybrid.
I think his premise is flawed because it is based entirely on a luxury Mercedes sedan platform. The weight and size of that vehicle limit the benefits of a diesel-hybrid package. A lighter, more aerodynamic package, however, could offer exceptional mpg and performance gains over a basic gas hybrid car, while remaining accessible price-wise to more people.
I must add that he also does not consider the option of using biodiesel in a diesel-hybrid car. This wipes out the global-warming impact as well as the geo-political problems of relying on petroleum into the future.
Try again, Mr. Naysayer.

Current temptation: TR7 convertible

2005-02-24T16:44:00.000-08:00

TR7
Originally uploaded by Dr. Drive.

I've seen this car sitting in a repair shop's lot for weeks now, so I finally decided to check it out. It belongs to the shop owner and he recently rebuilt the cylinder head and brakes. Looks in good shape, with 130k miles. Says he would take $1,500 for it.
My dad bought one of these new, a red hardtop, back in...what...it musta been '79 or something. I loved that car and remember watching John Buffum win SCCA road races in a TR8 at Laguna Seca.
I've always wanted a convertible version, but I know they're basically a real pain as a used car, with lots of electrical and other problems if they haven't been well maintained. I'm thinking I should pass on this one.

Canada: SUVs should subsidize hybrids

2005-02-24T15:13:00.001-08:00

Our neighbor nation to the north on Wednesday introduced a new budget with a host of enviro-friendly measures. Notably, it proposes a vehicle tax program that would require buyers of polluting cars to pay a surcharge, while those who buy clean vehicles would get a rebate. In effect, buyers of SUVs would subsidize hybrid purchasers, creating an incentive for the Canadian populace to choose cleaner cars.
The government also is considering a tax incentive to get employers to subsidize public-transit passes so their workers will ride buses and trains instead of driving. All this is meant to help Canada meet its obligations under the Kyoto global warming treaty (which the U.S. backed out of).
Writes Steven Chase of the Toronto Globe & Mail: "The proposed measure would be revenue neutral, taxing the owners of gas-guzzlers and giving the cash to drivers of gas-sipping cars."
Me? I like it.
You?

What's happening to hybrids?

2005-02-24T10:43:00.000-08:00

Automobile Magazine offers a glowing review of the new Lexus RX400h hybrid SUV, praising its ratings of 30 mpg city, 26 mpg highway. (The review is laden with purple prose, such as the statement that the SUV's computing power would "dim the lights at IBM," but I won't get into that).
But compare the numbers to the car's conventional counterpart, the RX330, and you find that the city mpg is significantly better in the hybrid, but really not much better at all on the highway (24 mpg vs. 26 for the hybrid). What's the point of that? I know hybrids usually get their best mpg in the city, but a 2 mpg improvement in highway numbers doesn't justify the cost and complexity of the hybrid system, in my eyes.
At least that's not as bad as the so-called "mild hybrid" trucks coming out from General Motors. Really, all they do that's special is the idle-stop feature at stoplights, and then its so-called "hybrid" system serves as a glorified on-board generator for running tools or an electric grille perched on the tailgate. Kind of like a high-tech picnic hauler. The package offers only a 10 percent gain in mpg.
I know, I know, baby steps are important. But if you ask me, these carmakers are just fooling the average consumer into feeling better when they pay more for technology, when it really won't save them gas. Why not just deliver something that really works?

Detroit to D.C.: Hybrid vs. diesel

2005-02-24T10:36:00.000-08:00

This is a story from last year I stumbled across today, but very interesting. A USA Today writer compared a Toyota Prius hybrid and a VW Jetta TDI on a Detroit to Washington, D.C., trip, driving each vehicle one-way and comparing the mpg and the experience. The Prius had to be refueled on the trip and the Jetta made it on one tank. So the Jetta won the matchup, though the writer says it probably lost on emissions because of the high-sulfur diesel fuel sold on the East Coast. With better fuel (coming in 2007) the Jetta might have been the clear winner.
Hybrids get all the attention in this country, but modern diesels are impressive performers. Look for more of them to hit the market when cleaner fuels become available.

Driving while crazy...

2005-02-23T17:01:00.000-08:00

The other day I saw a guy reading sheet music and singing while driving down the interstate. He had the sheet music propped up on the steering wheel of his SUV and he was just belting it out like Luciano Pavarotti. I almost wished I could have heard him, but there were two rolled-up windows and about seven feet of 70 mph air in between us.
Sometimes it seems like some people think they live on another planet. I've got nothing against singing. Been known to do it a few times myself ... when I'm all alone. And it's a fine thing to do in the car, unless you need sheet music. In that, case, please leave it at home. Playing opera singer while handling more than two tons of dangerous machinery is not responsible.
Have you ever seen something like this while driving along? Have you done it yourself? Why? Tell me about it. I want to understand.

S. Dakota Senate panel kills biodiesel tax cut

2005-02-23T16:55:00.000-08:00

The proposal would have cut just 2 cents off the current 22 cents per gallon state tax on biodiesel. Supporters saw it as a key move to make biodiesel more competitive with petro diesel (which is already heavily subsidized by the government at many levels), but legislators on the panel became obsessed with the $10 million the tax cut would have cost the state road fund. That's small potatoes money in a state budget, folks. A stunning lack of vision in a state where local soybean farmers could really benefit from a more robust biodiesel market.

Quote of the week

2005-02-23T13:58:00.000-08:00

"The reason American cars don’t sell anymore is that they have forgotten how to design the American Dream. What does it matter if you buy a car today or six months from now, because cars are not beautiful. That’s why the American auto industry is in trouble: no design, no desire."
— Karl Lagerfeld, 1992

Honda fuel cell scooter

2005-02-23T10:43:00.000-08:00

Honda fuel cell scooter
Originally uploaded by Dr. Drive.

A company called eCycle is developing a trick diesel-hybrid sport motorcycle that gets 180 mpg and runs 0-60 mph in 6 seconds. The electric motor provides power up to 12 mph, then the diesel engine kicks in (and it can run on diesel, biodiesel, or kerosene). At freeway speeds, the diesel engine handles all the motivation.
Meanwhile, Honda has developed two beautiful scooter concepts. One uses a gas-electric hybrid powertrain, and the other is powered by a hydrogen fuel cell. Both are beautiful machines that deliver great economy and low emissions. Who wouldn't want to be seen riding one of these machines?

Some tires are rounder than others...

2005-02-23T10:26:00.000-08:00

Have you heard of low rolling resistance tires (LRR)? These are the tires that usually come on hybrid vehicles, but you can buy your own set when it's time to replace tires on your current car, whether it's an SUV or a 20-year-old Celica.
Low-rolling resistance means -- obviously, I guess -- that the tire passes over the ground easier while you're driving. Such tires use a combination of unique rubber formulations and carcass construction so that they roll better. The result is that they can improve mpg by several points, and save you money at the pump.
It can be hard to find these tires, because tire makers and dealers are not required (yet) to report low rolling resistance criteria. A new state law will soon require this in California.
In the meantime, the environmental group Green Seal has a study available that ranks some of the best low-rolling resistance tires (this link takes you to the study, but the study is is a .pdf document you will have to download). As a bonus, these tires often have longer tread life, which means they'll serve you longer before they end up in a landfill or incinerator.

Oil company opens new hydrogen filling station

2005-02-22T14:17:00.000-08:00

ChevronTexaco yesterday opened a new hydrogen refueling station for fuel-cell cars. Located in Chino, Calif., it will have little use except to refuel a small fleet of experimental Hyundai Tucson SUVs converted to fuel-cell power. The whole project exists thanks to millions of dollars in federal government grants that go toward opening a total of six similar stations. And it makes hydrogen the dirty way, by refining natural gas, which requires more energy input than the finished hydrogen fuel produces. No wonder an oil company is early getting into this game.
A far better way to make hydrogen for fuel cell cars is solar power. Honda Motor Co. began doing this four years ago at its research center in Torrance, Calif. Electricity produced from solar photovoltaic cells splits the hydrogen out of water for use in its experimental FCX fuel-cell car. It's pretty easy to picture this system evolving: solar cells on every garage roof in America, quietly refueling the hydrogen car parked inside. This isn't economical yet, but maybe someday...

GM cuts prices on SUVs

2005-02-22T14:08:00.000-08:00

One industry analyst called it an "unusual move." But General Motors' decision today that it will cut prices on its mid-size sport-utility vehicles by up to $2,000 isn't that surprising. High gas prices are pinching consumers hard, and GM's bloated trucks are among the biggest gas-gobblers out there. So of course consumers need a big incentive to buy one. And if this price cut isn't enough, scan your local paper for more discounts. Every dealer I've seen is offering huge rebates to move these monsters.

The future: Riding on air?

2005-02-22T10:29:00.000-08:00

A Luxembourg company, Moteur Developpment International is hard at work developing a car that runs on nothing but compressed air. That's right, air. It never needs fuel, rarely needs service, and admits no pollution. The Air Car's on-board tanks store compressed air at 4,500 psi. The air is then fed into four cylinders where it drives pistons, which in turn drive the wheels. A top speed of 70 mph and a range of 120 miles are said to be possible at this point, with improvements expected as development continues. "Refueling", if you can call it that, takes place in four hours using the small on-board electric air compressor, or just three minutes using a larger air compressor like those typically found at gas stations and repair shops.
This seems a ways off from "daily driver" status for most people, but at this stage the Air Car's speed and quick-refill ability could make it a better choice than the "neighborhood electric vehicles" some people are buying.

Future peek: Opel Astra diesel hybrid

2005-02-22T10:15:00.000-08:00

astra
Originally uploaded by Dr. Drive.

From General Motors' Opel branch comes what may be the first diesel-electric hybrid concept car. This Astra model features a 1.7 liter direct-injection diesel engine, a nickel-metal-hydride battery pack, and two electric motors. The combo delivers fuel economy of nearly 60 mpg and strong performance, with 0-60 mph sprints in around 7.5 seconds. The car also operates with an advanced exhaust catalyst to reduce emissions.
Many experts believe diesel hybrid cars can deliver better overall fuel efficiency than even fuel cell cars. And if operated on biodiesel fuel, it could be argued that a car like this could even present an equally small, or smaller, environmental footprint. Critics say diesel hybrids aren't feasible because diesel engines already cost more than gas engines, and the hybrid adds a premium that turns buyers off. But I would argue that a car like this presents a far better environmental solution in the near term than fuel cells, because all the technology is proven and available now, and it does not require a new fueling infrastructure.
No word on when, or if, this car will reach production. But I think the world is ready.

Discovered: Simple, affordable electric bike kit

2005-02-21T20:04:00.000-08:00

Stumbled across the Wilderness Energy website recently. You wouldn't know it with a name like that, but these guys make a really cool kit to convert any conventional bicycle to electric power. The kit consists of a small battery pack that mounts on a rear rack, and a new front wheel with an electric motor in the hub. Installation is easy, and for less than $300, you got yourself an electric bike! It will run up to 25 mph with a range of 12 miles, and it recharges in 4-6 hours. Just the thing for someone who wants some assist on their bike commute, or needs a little extra grunt or speed getting around. And with this price and performance, it's hard to justify getting a scooter instead. And don't forget to check out the "Bargain Corner" for some great deals on bike parts.

This guy gets it.

2005-02-18T14:49:00.000-08:00

Check out this story by L.A. Times auto critic Dan Neil. It's about his own 1960 MGA. He admits he doesn't drive it much because it's such a "polluting monster," but he can't quit the habit. He keeps it around because it's beautiful, tinkers with it because it's just fun to wrench on. That pretty much describes my own automotive addiction.
If you haven't red Dan Neil's stuff, you should. He's the best automotive critic in the nation, and you don't have to take my word for it. He won a Pulitzer Prize last year for criticism, certainly the first automotive journalist to win that coveted award.
The auto sections in most local papers are horrible, usually filled with glowing and dishonest reviews of the latest SUV because the car companies paid some poor sucker to fly to Sedona or Aspen for a party and a junket. But this L.A. Times guy tells it like it is, and he's a helluva writer to boot. For instance, he closed his review of the massive Nissan Armada SUV by calling it "inanely bigger, when what the world needs now is better." Nuff said.

Kyoto in your neighborhood?

2005-02-18T10:47:00.000-08:00

The Kyoto global warming treaty took effect this week -- notably without U.S. participation. President George Bush withdrew the nation from the treaty in 2001, claiming it would harm the economy. That doesn't mean you won't be involved.
Many of the nation's mayors are participating in the treaty anyway by setting goals to reduce global-warming gases in their own cities. Among them are Seattle, Portland and Oakland. This could mean you'll see a lot of changes at the local level. For instance, Seattle plans to use more low-polluting vehicles in its fleet, and aims to reduce paper use (and thereby logging) by 30 percent.
Several states -- plus Canada -- are also planning to adopt California's new greenhouse gas emissions rule, adopted in September. Starting in 2009, all new cars sold in the state must emit fewer global warming gases, mainly carbon dioxide. The main way to do this is to simply increase fuel efficiency, a move that's long overdue. Upgrades to vehicles are estimated to cost less than $500 per vehicle, a figure disputed (naturally) by automakers, who are challenging the rule. Would you pay $500 more for a car that gets better gas mileage and may help keep the tide from rising under your feet?