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

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 »

In what may turn out to be a stroke of genius (not unlike the solar roof on the 2010 Toyota Prius), Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut has installed recharging devices on elliptical machines and stationary bicycles used for exercising in the campus gym. The recharging devices, powered by the people using the machines, were the result of an undergraduate working with a faculty member in the electrical engineering department. (Click here for a brief video.) Read the rest of this entry »

Monday marked the beginning of National Public Radio’s week long series on high speed rail in America. The buzz surrounding high speed rail has been growing ever since the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act was signed into law earlier this year by President Obama. NPR reports that some forty states, as well as Washington DC, have submitted proposals for the funding. The $100 billion (US) in proposals are competing for $8 billion (US) available through the stimulus bill.

According to the report, many of the projects would not exceed 100 miles per hour (160 kilometers per hour). However, the California proposal, which includes 800 miles of track, would reach speeds of 220 miles per hour. The only system currently in place that surpasses 150 miles per hour is the Acela line between Washington DC, New York City, and Boston. The average speed though for the Acela is only 80 miles per hour, as it can only travel at the faster speeds for a short stretch of track. NPR states figures that put the price of California’s project in the billions of dollars. “The estimated price tag for the California high-speed-rail project is $40 billion, and expanding this sort of high-speed rail network to the rest of the country would cost in the hundreds of billions of dollars.” Read the rest of this entry »

2nd Green Revolution has tested out the 2009 Prius and managed to get incredible gas mileage. We’ve also had a guest author review his purchase of a 2009 Prius. Though we haven’t had the chance to drive the new 2010 version, the New York Times is running a series on the new car that we’d like to pass along. The Prius Diary, by Micheline Maynard, gives a good account of the features on the 2010 car and goes over its pros and cons. One of the most interesting, in addition to getting even better gas mileage (51mpg highway) than the previous versions, is the multiple driving modes. From the article:

Along with the standard driving system, which Toyota says will achieve the rated fuel economy average, the Prius comes with three other driving modes Read the rest of this entry »

A few months ago 2nd Green Revolution brought news of Toyota Prius’ 50 mile per gallon designation by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). According to the blog Auto Tantra, the third generation Prius, which has a base price of $22,000 (US), debuted Monday in Japan. South African website Motoring claims that “Toyota has rolled out a cheaper, revamped Prius in a bid to boost sagging sales and maintain its lead in fuel-sipping hybrids against growing competition from rival Honda.” Honda debuted the less expensive Honda Insight in March, a redesigned version of the Japanese car makers’ first hybrid offering. The Insight, which sells for less than $20,000 (US) for the basic model, is credited for the drop in the price of the Prius. Read the rest of this entry »

Ford Escape Hybrid Taxi in New York

In the Fall of 2008, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced an initiative to “increase the use of fuel efficient and environmentally friendly taxicabs”. Reuters carried a story in May of 2007 quoting Mr. Bloomberg as saying that by October 2008 New York City would have 1,000 hybrids. The article estimates that New York City cab drivers could save up to $10,000 (USD) annually on gasoline as a result of the switch (depending on the price of fuel). At the time of the Reuters piece there were 375 hybrid taxis (out of a total fleet of 13,000 vehicles) in New York City. A year later there were nearly 1,500 hybrid taxis in the city. The city was well on its way to a fuel efficient fleet. Read the rest of this entry »

Today I drove a Toyota Prius for the first time. I wish I could say it was the new Third Generation Prius to debut around April but it wasn’t. The Prius originally went on sale in Japan in 1997 and hit the U.S. market in 2000, according to Wikipedia. The popular and iconic Second Generation was unveiled in 2003, so I am decidedly behind the curve in taking one for a test drive. But I don’t think I’m alone in that respect.  While the Prius  is pretty well-known in popular culture, the number of people who actually own or who have driven a gas-electric hybrid is still relatively small. If you haven’t driven one or been able to learn about it, get a friend to let you drive theirs or stop by a dealer for a test drive. While the key-less unlock and key-less start features are impressive, the ability to at times burn no gas is the real show-stealer. It’s a game changer of a car. I’m sure I’ll write more about it, but here are a few takeaways:

• This product is the perfect example of the digital revolution and the second green revolution coming together. The feedback on consumer behavior and energy consumption is similar to smart meters and allows the driver to understand and adjust his or her driving behavior. Half computer and half car, the Prius (Latin for “to go before”) foreshadows the possibilities for using digital technology  in other fields.
• The push button “ignition” feels awfully weird at first. There’s no turning a key. It feels more like you’ve pressed the power button on your computer. In a sense, you have.
• Upon coming to a stop, the silence is a little unsettling. The electric motor simply hums and there is no gas engine operating and therefore no noise.
• Keeping the “smart key” in your pocket or in the cup holder and still being able to start the car is also a fun sensation. A sensor in the key fob communicates with a sensor in the car to allow for a wireless, key-less start.
• One of the most rewarding moments is watching the energy flow diagram that appears on the LCD screen in the middle of the dashboard. If coasting down hill, for example, energy generated from the wheels powers an electric motor that recharges the nickel metal hydride battery. In this case, you are neither using gas power or electrical power. Instead, you’re using the natural kinetic energy produced by the wheels to help re-charge the battery. When you lightly press down on the accelerator, the battery kicks in. Again, in this mode no gas is being burned. Eventually the gas engine kicks in to help the car accelerate and climb hills. All this switching between systems happens seamlessly. It is fascinating engineering.

Cars like these are not only exciting to learn about and to drive but have the obvious benefit of significantly cutting down on gas consumption. This not only saves the car owner money but, in large enough numbers, can go a long way toward cutting our reliance on imported oil and lessening exhaust emissions.

- Justin Manger

Following up on the previous post, there is more evidence that the automobile industry is truly poised to have a revolution of its own. While 100 mpg vehicles may not be too far off in the future, 50mpg vehicles can be purchased today. Or this spring, that is. Toyota’s 2010 Prius will go on sale in a few months boasting 50 miles a gallon in the city and 49 on the highway. Several technical improvements have allowed for the increase in fuel efficiency. More details can be found on the NY Times “Wheels” blog.

2010 Prius on Display at the Detroit Auto Show

Though taking a severe beating in the recession, those car companies that manage to survive the downturn will be poised for major growth when the economy recovers. All the major car makers are shifting resources and focus (forcefully by the government or on their own) toward producing plug-ins, hybrids, and more efficient cars that save people money and yet also have a certain cache. With the effects of this recession likely to linger on for years, especially consumers new found sense of conservation and personal financial responsibility, the market for cars like the Prius and the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid (41mpg city) will be deeply competitive. For all the good they can do for reducing oil consumption, one of the most appealing features of hybrids is the cost savings over time. This will be a particularly important seling point once gasoline prices begin to rise again.

- Justin Manger