2nd Green Revolution

Yesterday’s post about the Chinese automaker BYD’s announcement at the Detroit auto show begs the question about the future of the automobile. What does the coming decade hold in store for the automobile? Share your thoughts by answering the following poll:

(polls)

- Eric Wilson

Borrowing a page from Inhabitat, we at 2nd Green Revolution thought it was time to put our money where our collective mouth is. With that in mind, here are our “green” resolutions for the new year.

Since I started my doctorate last summer, I began taking public transportation more often because of the mass transit pass that is part of my student fees. Like so many “green initiatives” this one saves me money and reduces my energy expenditure. I resolve to continue (and increase) this trend in the new year. Read the rest of this entry »

My mother-in-law recently purchased a 4 door Volkswagen (VW) Jetta TDI clean diesel sedan. After 3,500 mi (~6,000km) I had the opportunity to drive it this past week in the less than ideal conditions of an icy Minnesota winter. Not being a northerner (I hail from sunny Southern California) I found the car to provide a smooth ride on the compacted snow and ice. With a six speed automatic transmission, the car shifts into gear at low RPM, furthering its gas sipping reputation. At highway speeds, the engine runs between 1800 & 2200 RPM, much lower than my four cylinder sedan.

According to VW’s website, the Jetta TDI (which retails for $22,660) has won several awards: Read the rest of this entry »

For the first time in my driving age life I don’t own or have easy access to a car. Yesterday, I sold my 2003 Hyundai Elantra with 80,000 miles on it. Elantras are apparently in demand, perhaps because word has gotten out they are inexpensive but reliable. Mine served me well. If you have one and have contemplated selling it, this may be the time. Even while living in Japan- the epitome of convenient and efficient train transportation – for two years after college, I was far enough out in the country in a town with no train station that a car was necessary. Let me be clear up front: Read the rest of this entry »

NPR mentioned on the air that the Toyota Prius’s plug-in version of their popular gasoline-electric hybrid will be available in 2011. The New York Times reported today that Japanese car company “planned a widespread release of its plug-in hybrid car in 2011.” According to the story, Toyota is planning an increased roll out due to the pressure the Chevy’s Volt has brought to bear on the industry. Toyota had anticipated moving toward an expanded gasoline-hybrid line, instead of the plug-in hybrid. Read the rest of this entry »

At first look, it seems like something out of a science-fiction movie. With and 80 horse power engine in each of its eight wheels 80 horse power engines in all eight of its wheels and a top speed of 230 mph, the car is turning heads. Even given its radical design, there is potential for the car to make an impact in the commercial car market. Currently, however, the Eliica (or the Electric Lithium-Ion Car) is only a concept car. It was designed by a team lead by Keio University professor Hiroshi Shimizu in Tokyo. According to Wikipedia, “the 5.1 m (17 ft) car runs on lithium-ion batteries (4 tracks of 80 batteries underneath its platform) and can accelerate from 0–100 km/h (62 mph) in four seconds (faster than the Porsche 911 Turbo). The Eliica’s official site (with slide show of car on homepage) says that the unusual design and eight wheels gives it several advantages over standard cars (video and another picture after the jump, too): Read the rest of this entry »

Fritz Henderson, GM’s Chief Executive, remarked at a news conference today that “Our Chevrolet Volt extended range electric vehicle will achieve unprecedented fuel economy. I’m confident that we will be in triple digits.”

Triple digits indeed, if it can be believed. According to Autoblog, Frank Weber, vehicle chief engineer for the Volt, said that the “[230mpg] number is based on combined electric only driving and charge sustaining mode with the engine running.” It is based on city driving. He declined to get specific about the proportions, but did say that the urban cycle would be predominantly EV only.

The Volt can go 40 miles without using any gas by running on its electric motor. The average American commutes less than 40 miles per day, so on many days using the Volt will result in no gasoline consumption. Fritz also remarked that in Detroit, the car’s battery could be recharged overnight for $.05 per kilowatt hour, or a total of 40 cents. (GM webcast link after the jump). Read the rest of this entry »

• Volvo Cars claims it was the world’s first car maker to introduce EPIs (Environmental Product Information) for cars (in 1998).
• Idling a [gasoline] car engine for more than 10 seconds emits more pollution than turning it off and back on again. – Honolulu Advertiser 6/15/2009
• 3 billion gallons (11 billion liters) of vegetable oil are discarded annually. Restaurants pay to dispose of this energy source. – Bill Nye on Planet Green
• By 2020 there be more than 1 billion cars on Earth.
• 240 trees are needed to absorb the 12,000 pounds of carbon dioxide emitted from one U.S. car each year. – Environmental Defense Fund

- Justin Manger

Aiming to show the world that existing cars can be made more efficient with current technology, musician Neil Young is now throwing his name, money, and popularity behind a retro-fitted ‘59 Ford gas-guzzler that he claims gets around 100 miles per gallon. From the LincVolt website, “LincVolt is a 2.5 ton Lincoln Continental Mk IV convertible manufactured by Ford motors in 1959. At 19.5 feet long, it was the longest car of its era. A new series-hybrid system for powering the car is in the final stages of tuning and development.” A detailed article can be found here.   Read the rest of this entry »