Lexus GS 450h

By Joe Ratzkin

Environmental care for most people means driving a Toyota Prius.

But now, at the forefront of hybrid technology, Lexus brings the GS 450h – the world’s first high performance hybrid saloon. Lexus is the luxury division of Toyota, which brought the car industry saying “oh!” into the 21st Century with the noble Prius.

The Lexus GS 450h is a big car that has a conventional 3.5-litre, V6 petrol engine delivering 292bhp which is supplemented by an electric motor powered by a battery pack in the boot, which adds another 197bhp.

The GS 450h can run for just 2km in electric mode only. But the petrol engine gives the car a chance to recharge its batteries through regenerative braking. Other neat touches include the engine shutting off and then restarting when it is time to pull away at traffic lights. This is a car full of creative tricks.

The actual total output from the two power plants is 335bhp when working in combination, which is enough to propel the GS 450h to 62mph in 5.9s and on to an electronically limited top end speed of 155mph.

For a more customized car, Lexus aftermarket parts can be added to this big one.

Acceleration is completely gives you less effort for the engine is so quiet and smooth, even under hard acceleration and with a seamless CVT automatic gearbox. This car assures no rough noises, or squirming torque-steer, or roars to the red line.

The car runs quick and everything is finger light, thereby giving relaxed ride and relatively few sporting pretensions.

The adaptive variable suspension has a Sport setting, which also minimizes the steering ratio. The gearbox have a sequential-shift mode, with six pre-set gears; but somehow, using these, given the beyond adequate response in the normal settings, is hardly necessary.

The GS 450h claims that it is a mighty impressive car when judged against the BMW 5-Series, Mercedes E-Class and Audi’s A6. That is a tough competition, but there is no other place for the elegant Lexus and the pure petrol-powered 460 that won the World Car of the Year Award.

As regards styling, the Japanese brand has combined the huge interior space of a big Mercedes with a sloping, near coupe-style roofline to come up with a shape that belies the car’s iconic five-meter length. Lexus might not quite compete with what the finest cars Europe has to offer when it comes to looks, but the pay-off comes with their legendary build quality and reliability, as well as the ever so gentle sense of smugness.

Chrysler Finally Going Green

By Evander Klum

Despite the strong belief that Chrysler have that its North American consumers will continuously seek for large SUVs, it seems that its time for the automaker to think otherwise. This must be the mindset that Chrysler have, which is evident by its continuous production of gas-guzzlers vehicles despite the increasing fuel prices and the not-so good reputation that such vehicles have on the environment.

Surprisingly Chrysler the producer of Jeep hard top has decided to try its hand on hybrid vehicles which it will present in a sneak preview for media people at its Chelsea proving grounds. Chrysler will be introducing two of its new hybrid vehicles namely the Chrysler Aspen Hybrid and Dodge Durango Hybrid. These two hybrid vehicles are powered by a two-mode hybrid system which Chrysler develops in partnership with General Motors and BMW.

Journalists at the event were given the chance to test drive the two vehicles. The said event is also the first time that Chrysler has exposed a future product to media scrutiny which simply shows the immense confidence that the automaker have on its two new vehicles.

According to Frank Klegon, Executive Vice-President of Chrysler Group’s product development, "This two-mode hybrid system leapfrogs the competition."

Chrysler has also said that their hybrid system is far better than the one used by Toyota basically because the Japanese automaker utilized a single mode system which according to Chrysler affects performance and even fuel efficiency. On the other hand Chrysler for its two new hybrid vehicles will employ a two-mode system which fixes the flaws on found on Toyota’s hybrid system.

The whole hybrid thing is rather complicated to understand for people such as ourselves without any engineering background but fortunately there is the net where we can find easy to understand information on hybrids.

How does a hybrid system works? Basically hybrid technology involves the splitting of power sources which usually is in the form of mechanical and electrical. The output is then channeled through a continuously variable transmission or CVT which is programmed to keep the mechanical or the gas-powered engine operating at its most efficient speed.

The single-mode system which is employed for Toyota hybrids are highly efficient at lower speeds especially ideal for city driving since it’s the electric motor that generates most of the power resulting to lesser fuel consumption.

Meanwhile a two mode system which Chrysler will employ for its two new hybrids functions like a conventional hybrid powertrain for city driving and then shifts to CVT to switch to a second set of gears that increase the vehicle’s efficient speed range while allowing the engine to operate efficiently.

The Durango and Aspen operates in five drive modes namely electric only, electric plus four-cylinder gas, four-or eight cylinder gas only, or eight cylinder gas plus electric. The reverse gear is exclusively electric power.

The two mode system of the Durango and Aspen will improve its overall efficiency by 25 percent and fuel efficiency by 40 percent. Chrysler’s new hybrids will go on sale next year.

GM Takes Chevy Volt To Capitol Hill

By Anthony Fontanelle

The auto industry’s glaring truths make people fret. Gasoline prices continue to rise. Global warming issues continue to worry automakers. What is more, the unending debates on fuel mandates leave both the manufacturers and consumers floating in the air.

Automakers say that the fuel mandate is not feasible hence they are lobbying lawmakers to be more considerate in making their proposals. To convince Congress to pass a more feasible and palatable fuel mandate, General Motors Corp. takes its Chevrolet Volt to Capitol Hill Friday. Making the Volt appear on Capitol Hill is an effort to tout plug-in hybrids at the same time to persuade Congress to legislate less stringent fuel mandates.

The Volt is a plug-in concept vehicle introduced by GM introduced at the North American International Auto Show in January. The updated version of the vehicle was launched in China at the Shanghai Auto Show in April.

The concept vehicle lacks Chevrolet pickup hitches but in the GM lineup, it has more to offer. The Volt is designed to run purely on electricity from on-board batteries for up to 40 miles. The distance is enough to cover the average daily commutes of most Americans. However, using a small internal engine connected to a generator can resupply energy to the vehicle’s batteries. As such, the distance is raised to 640 miles on the highway.

Plug-in hybrids will be on center stage in Washington today as the Chevy Volt makes an appearance on Capitol Hill as part of General Motors Corp.'s effort to convince Congress to pass a more palatable fuel efficiency increase.

Troy Clarke, the GM head of North American operations, returned to the Hill yesterday to meet with about a dozen mostly undecided lawmakers. He brought the Volt with him. By flaunting the concept car, Clarke explained why the Detroit-based company believes the long-term answer to energy independence is through biofuels and the electrification of the automobile, rather than spending tens of billions of dollars to meet four percent annual corporate average fuel efficiency.
Clarke's arrival comes two days after about 100 auto dealers from the Big Three and the Toyota Motor Corp. visited the Hill to back a less stringent fuel economy measure. The “Hill-Terry” bill requires automakers to raise efficiency to at least 32 miles per gallon by 2022. The bill has about 75 cosponsors.

According to the Detroit News, the new push comes as it is still not clear whether House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will bring up fuel economy legislation before the end of the month, although it seems more likely she will wait until after the August recess, U.S. Rep. John Dingell, D-Dearborn, and others say.

In June, the Senate approved a bill that would require automakers to increase fuel efficiency by 40 percent to a combined 35 miles per gallon for cars and light trucks by 2020. Rep. Ed Markey, the chairman of the House select global warming committee, has proposed an even tougher fuel bill.

Separately, the Volt was on display at the National Press Club for an event sponsored by the Electric Power Research Institute and Natural Resources Defense Council on the future of plug-in hybrids. The council released yesterday a report billed as “a comprehensive assessment that finds that widespread use of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles in the United States could reduce greenhouse gas emissions and potential for improve ambient air quality.”

“NRDC believes that a combination of more efficient vehicles, improved battery technology, and a lower-emitting electric power plant fleet can produce substantial reduction in global warming pollution from both the electric power and the transportation sectors,” said David Hawkins, the director of the company’s climate center.

Auto Dealers, Congress Meet for Sound Fuel Economy Hike

By Ally Wahlberg

In July 17, new car and truck dealers from across the country discussed with Members of the House of Representatives their efforts to perform sound hike in the national Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standard. Dealers were urging their Representatives to support a bill, H.R. 2927 -- the Hill-Terry CAFE alternative, which would increase fuel economy 30 to 40 percent over the next 15 years.

The talk highlighted that consumers will ultimately determine the success or failure of any efforts of the government to modify fuel economy standards.

NADA Chairman Dale Willey said that there is a very thin line between directing more fuel economy and meeting consumer needs. According to him, it does not mean that consumers will buy these vehicles just because Congress sets a ridiculous CAFE standard. He added that if the consumers cannot get the vehicle that meets their needs, they will keep the ones they have, and that would defeat the intention of increasing fuel economy.

As regards House action on fuel economy expected as soon as next week, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and other lawmakers have stated publicly that they are supporting the more severe CAFE jump approved by the Senate in June, wherein a 35 mpg is minimum standard for combined car/truck. Automakers would be forced to dramatically trim down the sizes of their vehicles to those that carry less cargo, fewer people, and compromise safety. This would be the coarse just to meet the harsh Senate standard and other more radical proposals. These idealistic standards would greatly increase vehicle prices as new fuel saving technologies, such as hybrids or diesels, would add from $2,000-$5,000 to the cost of a vehicle; or simply totally eliminate certain models.

Willey said that a harder push on an arbitrary CAFE standard and an arbitrary starting date would result to a bigger risk of manufacturing vehicles that conflict with consumer demand rather than complementing or attaching consumer demand.

The Hill-Terry CAFE alternative increases current standards by Model Year 2022 form 32 to 35 mpg. Not like the Senate package, the Hill-Terry bill allows separate attribute standards for different classes of vehicles, such as cars, trucks and SUVs. These separate attribute standards protect the heterogeneity in vehicles that American consumers demand. The measure provides automakers ample lead-time to develop the technology needed in order to meet the new standards, and also balances fuel-economy hikes with vehicle diversity, safety concerns and affordability.

We will see how Honda oil pan maker, will react to the results of the talk, since Honda is one of the makers of fuel efficient cars in the market.

Beware Of Gas Aid Gadgets

By Anthony Fontanelle

As gasoline prices rise above $3 per gallon, the sound of gas aid gadgets that promise improved fuel economy by 20 percent, as auto parts stores are claiming on their web sites, is so enticing. But federal regulators caution shoppers not to act too quickly.

A consumer warning from the Federal Trade Commission showed that gas gadgets such as mixture enhancers, air bleed devices, and fuel additives rarely pay off. In fact, the federal regulator said that they are zero for 93.

The Environmental Protection Agency's Ann Arbor laboratory tested 93 additives, modifications and other products that claim to enhance fuel economy however none received its seal of approval. The lab's analysis, spanning three decades, found ten devices that showed a small improvement in fuel economy, and four of those increased emissions.

“Generally as gas prices go up, consumers are more concerned about saving on fuel cost, and companies or marketers take advantage by selling questionable gas saving devices,” FTC spokesman Hampton Newsome said. “These products often are found to have little or no savings in terms of fuel economy and can damage your engine or increase emissions.”

Products flagged as scams include: ADAKS Vacuum Breaker Air Bleed, Electro-Dyne Superchoke mixture enhancer and Fuelon Power additive. Regulators said that finding those brands is unlikely. This is because faulty products tend to change swiftly but identical devices abound.

Punitive action is often resorted to by regulators. That is what the FTC did last year when it claimed a $4 million settlement from the makers of FuelMax, a product that claimed to increase gas mileage 27 percent but did not come anywhere close to that.

Statistics says over 41 million Americans travel at least 50 miles from their homes, a record for Independence Day. According to AAA Michigan, on Monday, the average price of a gallon of gasoline in Metro Detroit stood at $3.06, down three cents over the past week, but up 12 cents from last year over the same period.

Instead of trying questionable devices, auto experts say that maintaining a vehicle is a smarter choice. Nothing compares to properly inflated tires, maintained filters and tuned auto parts. Ensuring the good condition of the Mercedes Benz expansion tank or the Toyota engine, for that matter, can make a big difference. It will more likely increase gas mileage than using a specialty item.

But not all fuel-improving products should be painted as worthless, said Bill Ponkowski, a manager at Glendale Auto Supply in Farmington. He said, he does recommend fuel injector cleaners, but says drivers should be cautious with other products.

“Don't expect a miracle, but some additives can be very good at cleaning a dirty fuel system out,” Ponkowski said. “A lot of people do ask how to get better gas mileage. First we ask when they last had a tune-up, and then we'll look at fuel additives to make sure they're getting the best mileage they can.”

Most additives come via the FTC, when it is investigating false advertising claims, EPA spokesman John Millet said. “Most of these additives don't have more energy in them than gasoline, there's no way they can improve fuel economy,” he said. He added that one product had the same active ingredients as moth balls. “That might work in the closet, but not the tank.”
One reason these gas gadgets do not often work, Millet said, is automotive engineers tend to be smarter than over-promising marketers. “If there was a device that drastically improved gas mileage or a different formulation of fuel, we'd already be using it,” Millet said. “The best fuel-saving equipment is controlling your right foot.”

Lowe Joins Hybrid Plug-Ins Hype

By Mike Bartley

Actor Rob Lowe went to Capitol Hill last week to tout plug-in hybrids and a bill sponsored by Rep. Ed Markey, D-Mass. The said bill would vest drivers tax breaks for converting their hybrids into plug-in models that can be recharged using a regular wall outlet.

Automakers were annoyed by the decision to include Lowe, while none of them was invited. In his testimony, Lowe twice quoted his Sam Seaborn character from TV's “The West Wing” and said that the car has improved his driving skills since he tries to get better mileage. “I have been driving this car around and I have to tell you, it did what my mother couldn't do. It did what my driving instructor couldn't do, it's made me a better driver,” Lowe added.

Markey's occasion got lots of hype and pulled plenty of environmentalists who back the event with noteworthy speed and reliability likened to ACT performance. One man, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that his group had recently raised money to send copies of the movie “Who Killed the Electric Car?” to all 535 members of Congress and all 50 governors. The initiative would cost around $9,000 at current prices. The film suggests a host of scoundrels were behind General Motors Corp.'s decision to end its EV1 electric car program after investing more than $1 billion.

How did the Congress react? Did lawmakers enjoy the show? And the media thought United Auto Workers President Ron Gettelfinger was not a devotee. A throng of quote-thirsty reporters, grabbing the out of the usual run of things chance, swooped on the notoriously reticent labor chief after his speech to the NAACP at its national convention last week in Detroit.

While auto company chief executives regularly make themselves available to the press, a Gettelfinger interview is a rarity. That fact is especially irritating to reporters in the weeks leading up to this summer's national contract talks.

One journalist asked the labor chief to explain why he does not like talking to reporters. A look of surprise crossed Gettelfinger's face and his jaw dropped. “What do you mean? I have no problem with the media,” he said. Apparently the question stuck with him, because after answering questions, he returned to the topic. “I love the media,” he said. “What makes you think I don't?”
Afterward, to drive the point home, Gettelfinger reminded the group that, while he might not talk to them, at least one journalist in town is on his A list. “Call Paul W. Smith if you think I have a problem with the media,” he noted, referring to WJR's NewsTalk-760 host to whom he habitually grants interviews.

You can go home again. The Cerberus Capital Management LP sees value in Detroit automakers, or at least in the Chrysler Group, the American luxury unit of DaimlerChrysler AG. So perhaps it should come as no surprise that the New York-based private equity firm's chairman, John Snow, has an appreciation for the barrel-aged, exquisite tang of Vernors ginger ale.

The former U.S. treasury secretary was in town last week for an appearance before the Detroit Economic Club. He could not stop gushing when he spotted the green can so familiar to Midwesterners on a table outside a conference room at the Royal Park Hotel in Rochester. “Vernors!” exclaimed the Toledo native Snow to his private equity associates, who gazed on with bewilderment. “This stuff is so good. I used to drink this all the time,” Snow chattered. “This is what I was telling you about. You have to try this.”

Cerberus is expected to close its deal to acquire Chrysler this quarter.

'Highway to the Future'

By Kaye Leery

Toyota, maker of the once famous Toyota Matrix parts, is bringing the "Highway to the Future: Mobile Hybrid Experience," to Livingston, Montana for the Northern Rockies Sustainability Fair. It is a nationwide tour that is designed to provide consumers with a firsthand opportunity to experience automotive hybrid technology.

In January 11, 2007, the tour debuted at the San Jose International Auto Show. It is now traveling to more than 150 events across the country during the next 18 months. Through a number of interactive educational exhibits and test drives, consumers will have an opportunity to test Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive system and learn about hybrid technology.

Celeste Migliore, Toyota's National Manager for Advanced Technology Vehicles, said that most people have heard of hybrid technology and probably have a shallow idea of how it works, but only a few have actually driven a hybrid and or taken an up-close look at its operation. According to Migliore, the tour allows consumers to learn more on the technology behind this system and the benefits derived from hybrid vehicles.

Highway to the Future: Mobile Hybrid Experience functions like a mobile museum to the environment as well as to alternative fuels. The exhibit will be situated at Sacajawea Park from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, July 14.

Within the exhibit, there are four distinct interactive learning areas. One is the "Alternative Fuels: Fueling the Future”. It identifies the differences in the different types of alternative fuels and how they are produced. Next is the "Environment and Resources: Small Steps, Big Difference”, which shows attendees what they can do to make a difference to the environment. The third one is "The Prius Driving Experience", which feigns the current Hybrid Synergy Drive technology allowing visitors to interact with system while on-screen instructions offer driving tips, and the last one is the "Hybrid Technology: Not All Hybrids are Created Equal" exhibit which gives visitors a better understanding of the different hybrid technology options on the market and how hybrids benefit the consumer and the environment as well.

Other than those, the exhibit provides attendees the chance to get behind the wheel of the Prius, Camry Hybrid and Highlander Hybrid for them to experience Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive system.

Not only interesting educational activities are offered by the hybrid experience. It is also designed to eliminate its own environmental impact. As a matter of fact, Toyota will plant more than 50,000 trees in honor of those visiting the experience in lieu of the National Arbor Day Foundation. These trees will help repay the "carbon footprint" of the trucks which are transporting the tour across the country and will continue to have a positive impact on the environment as years pass by.

Please visit http://www.toyota.com/highway for more information or the schedule of events. Experience hybrid!

Freedom From Oil Campaign Applauds Ford, Edison Promise To Build Plug-in Hybrids

By Anthony Fontanelle

Rainforest Action Network Campaign Director Sarah Connolly and Global Exchange Campaign Director Mike Hudema recently commended Ford Motor Company’s announcement that it would team with Southern California Edison to build as many as 20 plug-in hybrid electric vehicle prototypes by 2009.

Earlier, Southern California Edison Co. and Ford Motor Co. announced a partnership that included a multimillion-dollar test of plug-in hybrids. Plug-ins are said to be the next-generation development of the current crop of gasoline-electric hybrids.

In addition to saving gas, Ford and Edison said, increased use of plug-in vehicles would lower greenhouse gas emissions and reduce American dependence on imported oil. The partnership will explore how plug-in hybrids would operate on a day-to-day basis and how they would fit into the state's electricity grid.

“We applaud Ford’s bold commitment to build the first ever road-ready, consumer-class plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. Consumers have been waiting a long time for an automaker to offer the next generation of ultra-fuel-efficient, gasoline-optional cars. Plug-in hybrids could very well be the key to breaking America’s destructive oil addiction by giving consumers a viable alternative to the gas-guzzling cars and trucks currently clogging our roads and polluting our atmosphere,” noted Connolly.

She added, “Plug-in vehicles, which use proven technology that is capable of achieving over 100 miles per gallon, make the U.S. Senate’s goal of 35 miles per gallon by 2020 seem painfully conservative. We are encouraged by what appears to be a sincere effort by Ford and Southern California Edison to chip away at the auto industry’s longstanding relationship with Big Oil. By being the first automaker to put a plug-in hybrid on the road, Ford is leaving its competitors in the dust.”

The Dearborn automaker wants to investigate ways to bring down the cost of the vehicles, including by using an innovative technology that allows plug-in vehicles to return unused power to the grid during periods of peak demand. "They understand the grid, we understand the vehicles and together we can figure out how to optimize the system," said Susan M. Cischke, Ford's senior vice president for sustainability, environment and safety engineering.

The partnership is entitled to grab hold of the Ford door handle to open more opportunities environment- and profit-wise. Under the partnership, Ford will supply a batch of its Escape SUV hybrids for Edison to use. At a later date, it will provide plug-in versions of the vehicle to the utility for testing.

"We're taking this beyond laboratory-scale work to a systematic evaluation of its impact" on the grid, said John Bryson, chief executive of Edison's parent company, Edison International. Edison serves almost five million residential and business customers in the Los Angeles Basin and parts of the coast and Central Valley.

Ford Chief Executive Alan Mulally said earlier this year that he wanted his company to embrace "green" technologies. Ford was the first U.S. automaker to add a hybrid to its lineup when it introduced the hybrid version of the Escape.

“Powering America’s cars by electricity rather than oil will help America kick its oil addiction once and for all. Yet, despite the hope raised by today’s announcement, plenty of work remains. Utilities must earnestly begin the shift away from dirty coal and toward renewable energy sources. A green grid powered by wind and sun can cleanly recharge car batteries and help tackle our twin crises of oil addiction and global warming,” Hudema concluded.

The Freedom from Oil campaign is working to end America’s dependence on foreign oil and end global warming issues by convincing the auto industry to radically improve fuel efficiency and eradicate vehicle greenhouse gas emissions.

Ford Plug-ins Expected Within Ten Years

By Anthony Fontanelle

Dearborn-based automaker FoMoCo will be producing plug-in hybrid vehicles in 5 to ten years according to the company’s Chief Executive Officer Alan Mulally. The announcement came at a press conference where Ford and Southern California Edison formally announced their partnership towards the future of PHEVs.

“Within five to ten years we will start to see this technology in our hands,” said Mulally. When asked whether Ford plug-in vehicles will be available on their dealerships, the Ford CEO answered “Yes. Sure.”

According to Mulally, the production of practical plug-in hybrid vehicles depends on how long it takes for them to produce a practical lithium-ion battery pack for automotive application. Lithium-ion battery packs are seen as focal point of plug-in hybrid vehicles of the future.

PHEVs are essentially hybrid vehicles, having a powertrain composed of an internal combustion engine and an electric motor. What drives the electric motor is the battery pack. A PHEV is a hybrid with a plug-in capability. This means that its battery pack can be recharged by plugging it into an electrical socket.

Lithium-ion batteries are powerful energy storage devices which mean they can store power which can power a vehicle over long distances. This means that for car owners driving around the city everyday, the need to refill their tanks with petroleum fuel will be virtually eliminated.

This advantage of PHEVs is what Ford and Edison are looking to exploit. The working relationship between the two companies is expected to find solutions to problems posed on the mass production of PHEVs. But with complete dedication on the part of the two companies, we may soon see numerous Ford fender-equipped Ford PHEVs in our roads.

The partnership between the second largest American automaker and the second largest American electric utility company has already received praises from different groups. One of the groups which have commended this joint venture of Ford and Edison is the Freedom from Oil Campaign. According to Rainforest Action Network Campaign Director Sarah Connolly and Global Exchange Campaign Director Mike Huderna:

“We applaud Ford’s bold commitment to build the first ever road-ready, consumer-class plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. Consumers have been waiting a long time for an automaker to offer the next generation of ultra-fuel-efficient, gasoline-optional cars. Plug-in hybrids could very well be the key to breaking America’s destructive oil addiction by giving consumers a viable alternative to the gas-guzzling cars and trucks currently clogging our roads and polluting our atmosphere.”

The environmental group also stressed that the partnership encourages their effort to take steps to further protect the environment. “Plug-in vehicles, which use proven technology that is capable of achieving over 100 miles per gallon, make the U.S. Senate’s goal of 35 miles per gallon by 2020 seem painfully conservative. We are encouraged by what appears to be a sincere effort by Ford and Southern California Edison to chip away at the auto industry’s longstanding relationship with Big Oil. By being the first automaker to put a plug-in hybrid on the road, Ford is leaving its competitors in the dust.”

The Freedom from Oil campaign concluded its support of Ford and Edison’s initiative by saying: “Powering America’s cars by electricity rather than oil will help America kick its oil addiction once and for all. Yet, despite the hope raised by today’s announcement, plenty of work remains. Utilities must earnestly begin the shift away from dirty coal and toward renewable energy sources. A green grid powered by wind and sun can cleanly recharge car batteries and help tackle our twin crises of oil addiction and global warming.”

Nigerian Expert: Biofuels as Alternative Fuel May Not Be Best Choice

By Isiyaku Ahmed

Kano, Nigeria

July 4, 2007

Report on Biofuels in mp3

Biofuels are gaining credibility as a supplement to petroleum fuel in some developed as well as developing countries. Biofuels are made from plant waste, including sugarcane and cassava. But some say prospects of using biofuel in large quantities in Nigeria is limited by some constraints regarding resources and costs.

VOA English to Africa’s Isiyaku Ahmed filed this report, first reminding us that crude oil is fuel for engines that run automobiles and planes. But with global competition for shrinking petroleum resources and the ensuing increase in fuel prices, the relatively inexpensive biofuels are beginning to look attractive.

Scientists say biofuels from maize could help run cars, sugar could produce electricity and palm oil could help generate power. Among the food crops that can be made into fuels are: maize, palm trees, sugarcane, beetroot, wheat, groundnuts, pumpkin, sesame and cotton seeds, and the woody shrub called jatropha.

The South African Mail and Guardian newspaper says Nigeria last year awarded two oil concessions to INC Resources after it committed $4-billion to an ethanol project in the northern state of Jigawa. Some say cassava would be a prime candidate for fuel in Nigeria. Africa is a leading producer of the starchy cassava tuber, a staple food for over 200 million Africans.

Dr. Hakeem Ajeigbe is crop-livestock Project manager at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) at Kano Station. He supervises improved seedlings and grains at the research institute. He is not optimistic about the use of biofuel in Nigeria. He says Nigeria is rich in mineral resources, and there’s a lucrative business built around petroleum extraction. He also offers other reasons for doubting the viability of using plant-based fuels, “Biofuel is the process of getting fuel from biological materials and these days mostly they are concentrating on plants, sugarcane for example. Biofuel in its use is environmentally friendly because it will [emit] water vapour instead of carbon dioxide; but in getting the fuel I’m not too sure if it is environmentally friendly.”

Hakeem says the crops grown as biofuels are some of the same crops needed to feed the hungry; also, he says biofuel crops would be competing with other crops for water, “For example, most of the countries that are using it now say Brazil, China and to a large extent also India they are using sugarcane. Here we can produce a lot of sugarcane in northern Nigeria but the amount of water that is needed to produce sugarcane is a lot.”

Hakeem also says plants are needed for sustainable biofuel but the planting might be insufficient to serve an increasing population which increases demand for food. Therefore crop production will be competitive between demand for food and demand for biofuels. He says he’d prefer to see food crops grown rather than sugarcane for biofuel.

The doctor says he prefers an alternative to biofuels -- biogas made from animal waste: “We have a lot of materials for this, poultry droppings, cow manure, ruminant manure could be used for biogas. In several communities in India, especially in the rural communities, you find the farmers generating cooking gas from buffalo droppings and whatever is remaining is taken to the farm as manure. We can do that here, we can use all these ruminant droppings, poultry droppings. Human waste could be used as biogas and that will be sustainable and good for us.”
Biogas is principally used to supply household energy for cooking and lighting without the threat of competition for food resources generated from using biofuels.

Rotten Apples Could Be Good For Your Car

By Rain Stockton

An apple a day keeps the doctor away. Or so the saying goes, for us humans at least.

But how about cars?

If you think that fruits are good for humans (and living things in general) only, think again. Turns out that our adage for the benefits of the good apple – the rotting apple that is, can now also apply to cars – to keep it running and in shape.

For a time it was only gasoline and diesel when it came to powering cars. Then came hybrids, which powered cars via a combination of a small fuel-efficient gas engine and an electric motor for a more fuel-efficient and earth-friendly ride. There’s also ethanol fuel, another popular alternative against the “environmentally evil” gasoline and petroleum fuels. And then there are the weirder alternatives: burger grease, orange juice, hemp – even something called Jatropha Curcas seeds. We’ve all seen or heard about these things.

So what about rotting apples?

Let’s take a look at Somerset farmer Henry Hobson’s story: The man converted his Jaguar XJ6 to run off methane produced from the decomposing fruit in his orchard.

Methane you see, is a good thing. A combustible gas, it can be obtained in two ways -- extracted from the earth’s crust in the form of natural gas, or from waste sludge and biological waste as biogas. The great thing about it is that compared to carbon dioxide emissions, which contribute to the greenhouse effect, methane is about 25% lower than when running on petrol. Biogas forms part of the natural ecocycle and therefore makes a zero net contribution to the greenhouse effect.

So you see exactly what a bright idea this one really is.

According to a report from Topgear, the science is simple enough: Hobson fills two underground tanks with apples from his 10,000-tree orchard, and adds a soupcon of bacteria from cows' intestines (yes, you did not read that wrong) to help the rotting along.

The gas emitted from the decomposition is then filtered through water to remove the sulphur and carbon dioxide, leaving Hobson with lots of pure methane, which also means lots of cheap fuel.

Hobson, discounting the £3,000 it cost to convert his Jag and its Jaguar XJ6 parts– says that the shift saves him more than two grand every year on fuel costs. As an added bonus, his XJ6 is putting out about 10 per cent more power at very similar fuel economy compared to before.
So are we going to see good ol’ apples powering our future cars anytime soon?

According to Hobson, methane is 10 times more efficient to produce than bio-diesel. And, as well as presumably filling the air with the sweet smell of home-brew, his fuel has the advantage of keeping the doctor well away.

Sounds good, doesn’t it? If only all of us had orchards in our backyards like Mr. Hobson.

Why Is Prius The Much-Loved Toyota?

By Anthony Fontanelle

Why is the Toyota Prius much-loved? One answer may be that Prius shoppers want everyone to know that they are driving a hybrid. But there are numerous reasons to add to the list.

Only a third of Prius owners cited that reason just three years ago, according to CNW, which tracks auto shopping trends. “I really want people to know that I care about the environment,” said Joy Feasley of Philadelphia, the owner of a green 2006 Prius. “I like that people stop and ask me how I like my car.” Dan Becker, the head of the global warming program at the Sierra Club added, “The Prius allowed you to make a green statement with a car for the first time ever.”

This spring, over half of the Prius owners surveyed by CNW Marketing Research of Bandon, Ore., said that the main reason they bought their car was that it makes a statement about them.

Mary Gatch of Charleston, S.C., picked the car over a hybrid version of the Toyota Camry after trading in a Lexus sedan. “I felt like the Camry Hybrid was too subtle for the message I wanted to put out there,” Gatch said. “I wanted to have the biggest impact that I could, and the Prius puts out a clearer message.”

Unlike the original Prius buyers, who wanted to be first with its innovative technology, the latest owners are far more conscious of foreign oil dependence and global warming, said Doug Coleman, Toyota’s product manager for Prius. “Consumer knowledge and consumer awareness is changing,” Coleman said.

Prius sales for the first six months of the year increased 93.7 percent from last year, to 94,503, and the Japanese automaker has already sold close to as many Prius cars as it did in all of 2006.
The Toyota Prius was first embraced by famous celebrities and remains in trend long after most cars have lost their hum. Owners have included Leonardo DiCaprio, Cameron Diaz, Billy Joel, and Larry David. David has bought three, including one for his role in the HBO series “Curb Your Enthusiasm.”

Now Prius drivers are typically found in cities on the East and West Coasts, and in college towns like Ann Arbor, Mich., and State College, Pa. “You can’t drive across town without seeing half a dozen of them,” said Peter Darnell, a software engineer and Prius owner in Westford, Mass., north of Boston. Darnell admits to feeling smug this year when gasoline prices spiked above $3 a gallon. But that was not the main reason he purchased a Prius. “I have to admit that I’m a granola-crunching liberal, and I really liked the idea of minimizing the impact on the environment,” Darnell said.

Corey Confer, the general sales manager at Joel Confer Toyota in State College, said that he had received calls from as far away as Key West, Fla., from buyers looking for a Prius. His dealership advertises an $800 discount on each vehicle. A number of dealers in the West are adding $2,000 premiums.

Nationwide, Prius sales increased dramatically in May, when gasoline prices rose over $3 a gallon. Worldwide, Toyota has sold over one million Prius cars. Toyota was alarmed to see Prius sales even out last year. But before gas prices hit record levels, Prius sales were climbing again.

Toyota executives have said that they plan to offer a hybrid version of everything the company sells worldwide, perhaps as soon as 2010. That fact could make a fanatic forget about the most fascinating Volkswagen Touareg part. Japanese press reports said that the Japanese automaker may even build Prius into a separate brand, with basic and sporty Prius models.

General Motors Reports Progress Toward New All-Electric Car

By John Birchard/Voice of America

In January of 2007, General Motors (GM) unveiled a concept car powered solely by electricity. The Chevrolet Volt is a big step beyond today's hybrid, that uses both a gasoline engine and electric motor. VOA's John Birchard reports on the progress GM is making toward turning the Volt from an attractive idea into a production vehicle.

As vice president of research and development and strategic planning for General Motors, Larry Burns is responsible for the company's efforts to reinvent the automobile, so to speak - to move beyond conventional gasoline-powered vehicles to environmentally sound "green" cars of tomorrow.

The seemingly routine news of GM's recent award of two contracts to suppliers who will conduct advanced battery development for the Chevrolet Volt is, according to Burns, really a milestone for the company. Because the battery that powers the Volt is the key to its existence.

"Specifically, what you can do is plug your car into a regular 110-volt outlet at night and, over a four to six-hour period, recharge the battery so that the next day you can drive this car 40 miles [64 kilometers] on pure electric drive with no emissions."

At the suggestion that forty miles, 64 kilometers, doesn't sound like a long distance, Larry Burns cited research that indicates the projected range of the Volt would meet most Americans' requirements.

"Because 70 percent of the people in the U.S. travel less than 40 miles a day. For a lot of people this kind of vehicle could meet most all of their travel needs on pure battery electric driving," he said.

Americans are accustomed to hearing automakers talk about the car of tomorrow... about hydrogen power and fuel cells being the wave of the future. But it always seems to be the next decade, or beyond, before these marvelous pollution-free vehicles will arrive. So, we asked the GM executive when will the all-electric Chevrolet Volt be in a dealer's showroom, ready for sale to the public? His answer?

"Since we started our production engineering in January of this year and, typically, the lead times in the auto industry are three to four years, that would suggest we ought to have it out in that time frame. But we haven't formally announced that date, just because there's still a lot of work to be done on the battery and we want to make sure we get that work done properly," he said.

Storage of electricity has long been a vexing problem for automakers. The battery that is big enough to store sufficient power to not only move the car, but operate all the electrical devices that modern cars require is currently too big to carry in the car and still have room for people and cargo. So, the contracts General Motors awarded to those suppliers recently amount to a crucial component for GM's non-polluting future fleet.

GM Europe launches Environment Initiative

By Iver Penn

General Motors Corp.'s European division announced an affirmation on Friday regarding making its model line more environmentally friendly. The division said that it would put cleaner engines in conventional cars, offer more cars that can use ethanol and move ahead with fuel cell technology.

Company officials said at a news conference in Berlin that the company dubbed the program ecoFLEX and it would offer an ecoFLEX version with lower emissions in each model line, starting with the 2008 Corsa 1.3 CDTI compact from its European Opel brand.

The car will emit only 119 grams per kilogram of carbon dioxide, a figure that is below the proposed EU average standard of 130 grams per kilogram. According to the officials, one key to the new models was that the company aimed to have them driven the same and cost the same as the more conventional vehicles they are based on.

Saab, a Swedish brand, would also expand its range of biofuel engines. Even luxury brand Cadillac will offer a model with an E85 biofuel engine by fall 2007. E85 is a term used for motor fuel blends of up to 85 percent ethanol — an alcohol that can be derived from plants — and just 15 percent gasoline.

Vice Chairman Bob Lutz of General Motors said that the program offers ways to trim down CO2 emissions quickly. He said that E85 has a very strong potential to significantly minimize CO2 from passenger cars in the near term. He added that a pan-European policy is required to make the necessary fuels widely available and reflect the lower CO2 emissions in vehicle taxation.

GM officials said that they would tackle environmental concerns with several technologies instead of just focusing on just one. They continued that they were moving ahead "flat-out" on developing vehicles that run on hydrogen fuel cells, while other technologies could simply enhance the environmental performance of existing internal combustion engines.

One example was the Eco-Turbo engines that make use of smaller cylinder displacements but yield equivalent power and efficiency through turbo charging.

The company claimed that it would develop 16 new GM Europe engine families and 10 new transmission families by 2012.

About General Motors Corporation

The world's largest automaker, General Motors Corp., has been the annual global industry sales leader for 76 years. Founded in 1908, GM today has almost 284,000 employees around the world. GM manufactures its cars, auto part like GMC brake drum and trucks in 33 countries. With global headquarters in Detroit, the company in 2006 globally sold 9.1 million GM cars and trucks under Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, GM Daewoo, Holden, HUMMER, Opel, Pontiac, Saab, Saturn and Vauxhall brands.

Hybrids: No.1 Item On Many Consumers' List

By Anthony Fontanelle

The automotive industry is bombarded with financial crises. One of which is the rising gasoline prices. And in times like this, one would think purchasing cars would be the last thing consumers would do. But that is exactly what they are doing. As a fact, most consumers’ list has hybrids as the first item.

Kevin Volk, the general manager at Bob Moore Saturn, said that hybrid sales have increased in the past week. "People are really trying to come in and get out of their gas guzzlers,” he said. "During Memorial Day, we were in a position where we had to go out of our market in search of hybrids.”

Volk said that sales for the fuel-friendlier vehicles have grown 25 percent in the last month, an increase he attributes to the fact that people have been paying as much as 41 cents more for a gallon of gasoline than they were a month ago.

Paul Taylor, the spokesman for the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA), said that hybrid car sales are up 86 percent nationally as compared to this time last year. "People do take a greater interest in hybrids when the gas prices increase,” Taylor said.

Mike Fowler attributes hybrid sales increase to the number three. "Three dollars a gallon seems to be that magical number,” said Fowler, the chief executive officer of Fowler Toyota in Norman. "Once you hit $3, people start really getting concerned; it seems like people start paying closer attention.”

Astra’s Saturn washer pump may not be the deciding factor. Although driving a hybrid may save consumers money in the long-run, getting into one quickly may be more expensive than anticipated. Taylor said that it takes about four years for consumers to recoup the price of a hybrid in fuel savings.

Mike Wicker, the general manager of Joe Cooper Ford, said that most customers have done the math and know when a hybrid is the right investment for them. The increase of hybrid sales has increased the number of hybrid cars Joe Cooper Ford receives from the factory. Its inventory of hybrids is larger, doubled over the last year, Wicker said. The days of selling one or two hybrids a month are over, Wicker added. "Now they are sold before we even get them.”

Megan Vance Ochs, the general manger of John Vance Auto Group, said that consumers are opting for General Motors vehicles with active fuel management, which allows the engine to turn off half the cylinders under light-load conditions.

"These are really better solutions for this part of the country,” Vance Ochs said. She said that hybrids, while they are capable of saving on fuel, are better suited for stop and go driving under 25 miles per hour. "We are too spread out for that,” she said of the region's layout. Cars that can take either gas or ethanol also have become popular buys during the recent gas price increases, Vance Ochs said. "The manufacturers are coming out with some good solutions,” she said.

Federal Agencies Expands Hybrid Fleet

By Anthony Fontanelle

Three federal agencies in Kansas recently added hybrid vehicles to their fleet. The hybrid vehicles included in the fleet of the federal agencies are the 2007 Saturn Aura Green Line vehicles. Two units of the hybrid car were already delivered to different federal agencies in Kansas.

Two units of the 2007 Saturn Aura Green Line were delivered by the General Services Administration (GSA) to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 7 in Kansas City, Kansas. One of these will be used by the EPA while the other is for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) office in Kansas City, Missouri. The third vehicle will be delivered to the GSA fleet in Kansas City, Mo.

Romell Cooks, the regional administrator for the NHTSA’s Central Region, was given the keys to the hybrid Aura. “While safety of the motoring public is a key concern of the NHTSA, we are equally concerned about the fuel efficiency of our passenger cars and light trucks,” said Cooks. “These types of vehicles will make a difference.”

Aside from the three hybrid vehicles, the GSA has ordered 50 units in all of the Saturn Aura Green Line. The vehicles will be delivered by GSA to different federal agencies across the country. The Aura Green Line became an obvious choice for the federal agencies in Kansas City Kansas due to the fact that these vehicles were built in General Motors’ assembly facility in Kansas City, Kansas.

The deliveries of the hybrid vehicles is in connection with the Executive Order 13423 signed by President George Bush which mandates federal agencies to increase the use of alternative fuel vehicles on their fleet by ten percent every year. To date, GSA’s fleet management division has already delivered 3,581 units of alternative fuel vehicles and 20 biodiesel vehicles to federal agencies.

Administrator John Askew accepted the keys to the Saturn center shoulder seatbelt-equipped Aura Green Line for EPA Region 7. Askew has this to say after receiving the hybrid car: “Using fuel efficient vehicles like the Saturn hybrid we’re receiving today just makes sense. Not only does it protect the environment by reducing emissions, but using less fuel strengthens our energy security.”

Meanwhile, GSA’s Heartland Region Administrator Bradley M. Scott has this to say: “GSA is proud to join EPA and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration as government leaders in using and supporting environmentally friendly vehicles, and we look forward to providing energy efficient vehicles and alternative fuel-use cars to more federal agencies in the future.”

Aside from mandating a ten percent increase in alternative fuel vehicle use, the Executive Order also directs federal agencies across the country with more than 20 motor vehicles to reduce petroleum fuel consumption by as much as two percent every year. The directive will stand until the year 2015.

The Aura Green Line is the hybrid version of the current North American Car of the Year. The Saturn Auras delivered by GSA to the three federal agencies are seen as a good step for the government to take in the present situation. Environmentalists have been lobbying for the widespread use of alternative fuel vehicles because these vehicles are more environment friendly than conventional vehicles which run on petroleum fuels. The Saturn Aura Green Line, according to General Motors, has a fuel mileage of 35 miles per gallon. That figure means that federal agencies will be consuming less fuel as compared to none-hybrid vehicles.