2009 SEMA Show: All shades of green project cars

There are almost as many ways to go green at the Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association (SEMA) show as there are choices of chrome wheels, but not quite. (There are a lot of wheels on display!) Here’s a quick look at a few of the diverse vehicles on display at the “Making Green Cool Zone.”
 
1956 Ford F100
Built by Steve’s Hot Rods of Marcy, New York, this pickup is powered by a 460-cubic-inch Ford V8 engine fueled by liquid propane. Builder Steve Hale says horsepower is estimated to be in the 450-500 range, and that the truck produces close to zero emissions. Other benefits include lower fuel costs, and that the cleaner burning fuel means the engine stays cleaner on the inside, too. Another green touch: The paint is water-based.
 
1985 Chevrolet Blazer hybrid
A regular smorgasbord of alternative energy, this Blazer hybrid starts with a 1.0-liter diesel engine and lead-acid battery power. A solar thermal collector on the roof heats water that is then routed to an exhaust gas-driven turbine that powers an auxiliary alternator to help charge the battery. A large wind turbine mounted in the grille drives another alternator. But all that’s rookie stuff compared to the Blazer’s shock absorbers, each of which spins yet another energy-producing turbine as their hydraulic fluid goes through compression and rebound.
 
Nissan Altima “Hot rod hybrid” race car
This Altima started out as a stock hybrid, but has morphed into a racer and test bed for battery maker Braille Battery of Sarasota, FL. With a gutted interior, full roll cage, and racing suspension, brakes, and tires, the supercharged Nissan is claimed to produce 450 hp and be able to run a 12.9-second quarter mile. Further, it is capable of 1.02 g of lateral acceleration—that’s road-holding beyond what most sports cars can claim. Students from the Universal Technical Institute in Orlando assisted in the build, along with high school students from Clermont, FL, who applied the green water-based paint.
 

Automotive X Prize DASH+ student dashboard contest

The Automotive X Prize competition is underway with the recently announced list of 43 teams advancing to the next stage in the race to build a 100-mpg car. The program has sparked interest from companies around the world, but for the next generation of innovators and engineers out there, the X Prize, in connection with the U.S. Department of Energy has another contest. The DASH+ competition is a challenge for national high school student teams use science, math, technology and engineering to design a vehicle dashboard for the future. The best dashboard design should incorporate feedback mechanisms and supports behavior change to help drivers maximize fuel efficiency and reduce environmental impact.

To enter, the first step is to gather a team of between two and five students together aged 14 years or older and one adult mentor over 21. The team will then come up with a design of gauges, dials, and other audio and visual sensors that would help the driver participate in saving energy.

The next step is to come up with a technical plan as to how the design will display the data on fuel economy and environmental impact that would help encourage more efficient driving behavior.

And finally, the pitch should be made on video to encourage automakers and drivers to adopt your ideas to help people become more aware of energy use in vehicles.

Registration is open from now until February 1, 2010. All submissions are due March 1, 2010. Three semifinalists will be announced in May 2010 and voting will be open to the public. The grand-prize winner will be announced in June 2010 and the winning team will travel to Detroit in July to present their dashboard idea to representatives from the automotive industry. In Detroit they will have also the opportunity to check out the competing Automotive X Prize vehicles. This contest should inspire students to apply arts and sciences in creative ways, and hopefully inspire the next-generation automotive designers and engineers.

For more information on the contest see the Fuel our Future Now site.  Learn more about the Automotive X Prize competition. And find out more about driving green in the Consumer Reports special fuel economy section. 

—Liza Barth  

Auto X Prize Finalist: Amp Sky

In meeting several Progressive Auto X Prize finalists this week, it was clear that there are many ways to approach the $10 million challenge to develop a marketable car that can achieve a 100 miles per gallon equivalent (MPGe). On hand at the New York City event, Advanced Mechanical Products (AMP) shared their smart strategy for producing electrified cars: convert existing production models.
 
The general concept behind the Amp Sky, and eventually an undisclosed Chevrolet model, is to replace the internal-combustion powertrain with a battery-electric system. And the key here is that Amp is matching the original configuration pound for pound, therefore retaining the weight and weight distribution of the original donor car. The benefit is that General Motors has spent hundreds of millions developing the car, including brakes, suspension, and steering systems. By sticking within basic factory specs, the “Amplified” vehicles should perform in a similar manner and ease future servicing.
 
With the Saturn Sky, Amp removes the engine, transmission, and differential, replacing those components with about 900 lbs. of Valence lithium-ion batteries and motors. The result is a weight balance within one percent of the original car. Amp claims their changes retain similar crash performance as the original car. To keep the transformation discreet, Amp routes the electric powertrain information to the existing instrument panel. Aside from badging and lack of exhaust pipes, one would be hard pressed to identify a parked Amp Sky from a gasoline-fueled model.
 
The two rear-mounted motors can accelerate the car “quicker than the original.” Published company estimates for 0-60 mph times range from six to eight seconds. Top speed is 90 mph. Based on usage, Amp figures 150-mile range per charge – much farther than the average commuter drives daily. Recharging fully drained batteries would take 3.5 hours, though a typical day may require just 1.5 hours from a 220-volt outlet. The company estimates its MPGe rating to be 125.
 
Amp is accepting preorders on the Sky, and the conversion cost is $25,000 plus a donor car. The batteries and motors are warranted for three years, 36,000 miles, and the company predicts the batteries will retain 80 percent of capacity at 100,000 miles.
 
 —Jeff Bartlett

Learn more about the Automotive X Prize competition. And find out more about driving green in the Consumer Reports special fuel economy section.

The Business of Plugging In: Hybrids or battery-only electric cars?

Whatever you've heard about the electric car, it is plug-in hybrids that will lead the way. That's the emerging consensus from  the wide-ranging “The Business of Plugging In” conference in Detroit this week. As automotive, technology, and policy experts share their perspectives at this industry event, there is much agreement that plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) are a necessary intermediate step on the road to pure battery-electric cars. Plug-in hybrids have one obvious advantage over other purely electric cars and some that aren’t so obvious. (See our test of the converted Prius plug-in.)

The obvious advantage is that plug-in hybrids have an internal combustion engine that eliminates concerns about electric cars’ limited range. You can drive a plug-in hybrid anywhere gasoline is available—even places without recharging stations.
 
The best-known plug-in hybrid coming down the road is the Chevrolet Volt. This sedan uses a large 16-kWh battery pack, and GM claims a 40-mile driving range on electric power alone. And it has a gasoline engine  that acts as a generator to provide electricity to drive the electric motor for longer trips. The farther you drive it without plugging in, the more of the time you’re likely to run on plain old-fashioned gasoline, even though that engine does not send its power directly to the wheels. 
 
Range anxiety
A study by the Japanese Ministry of Transport showed that when a fleet of electric-car drivers had only one charging station to use, they were only comfortable using just half their cars’ range. When a second station was installed at the end of those existing trips, drivers went farther and used virtually all of their cars’ range. But they almost never charged at the second station. It was important for them to know it was there just in case they needed it.
 
That leads to the second benefit of plug-in hybrids over pure battery-electric vehicles: They don’t necessarily require any additional infrastructure. One of the big debates in the electric-vehicle community is whether electric vehicles will necessitate some costly new infrastructure, such as a nationwide network of high-voltage charging or battery-swap stations, or whether home recharging facilities will be all that’s needed.
 
One of the main advantages of any electric car, plug-in or pure battery, is that they can recharge when power demand is low and the grid is underutilized, such as at night. But as the Japanese case showed, that won’t be enough if people are afraid they won’t be able to get a recharge in a pinch. 
 
Another benefit of the plug-in hybrid is that their expected popularity--and a growing population of drivers wanting to maximize the miles they travel on electricity alone--will provide an incentive for companies (or municipalities) to build charging stations ahead of pure EVs going mainstream.
 
Plug-ins aren’t stopping several automakers from rolling forward with all-electric cars. BMW is already leasing the Mini-E, electric car, Ford plans to roll out all-electric versions of the Transit Connect minivan and Focus small car next spring, and Nissan plans to introduce the all-electric Leaf in Japan next fall.
 
Now automakers have the flexibility to meet it by selling relatively few electric cars, or greater numbers of plug-in hybrids. Automakers can also trade in credits they’ve earned for building PZEV (ultra-clean) gasoline cars and other forms of electric vehicle before the regulations take effect. The mandate starts phasing in between 2011 and 2014. Those next few crucial years will give us a better idea whether plug-in hybrids or pure electric vehicles are more likely to earn space in consumers’ garages anytime soon.

—Eric Evarts

Learn about driving green in the Consumer Reports special fuel economy section.

Auto X Prize Finalist: Zap Alias electric car

Arguably the most striking model on display when the Progressive Automotive X Prize announced its 53 finalists this week, the ZAP Alias is racing toward production in mid 2010.
 
By designing the Alias as a three-wheeler, the company is able to cost effectively develop the vehicle without going through the expensive certification process required for four-wheeled cars, thereby saving millions of dollars. That said, safety has remained an engineering focus, as evidenced by the roll cage within the composite body. Zap claims the car will exceed federal automotive safety standards, and the cost savings will be passed on to customers, with an expected $35,000 price. (Reservations are being accepted now.)
 
As he gave us a tour of the three-seat vehicle, Zap CEO Steve Schneider explained that the auto industry meltdown has opened up new partnership and supplier opportunities that are aiding his company, and likely others. He shared a quote, we suspect often used, that the three-wheeled, three-passenger Alias reflects a 25-percent cutback back over four-wheeled vehicles that is well timed in this economy. Clearly, there are practical benefits to design, though he claims the Alias is every bit as stable as a traditional car. 
 
The front wheels are driven by a 216-volt electric motor and energized by a lithium-ion battery pack with a claimed 100-mile range. Zap estimates the miles per gallon equivalent rating will be 150-165 MPGe. Top speed is 75 mph.
 
The design means it would be registered as a motorcycle, and in some states a motorcycle license would be required to drive it.
 
Zap has been developing the Alias for the past four years. (The company itself has been in the electric-car market since 1994.) When production begins next year, they will produce an estimated 10-15 units per month, with larger-scale production planned with a cooperative venture now being developed.

 —Jeff Bartlett

Learn more about the Automotive X Prize competition. And find out more about driving green in the Consumer Reports special fuel economy section.

Electric car leaders come together to form "The Business of Plugging In"

Here in Motor City, it is clear that Detroit is looking to possibilities offered by a new generation of electric cars. An electric-car infrastructure, including battery manufacture, could revive this city’s industrial fortunes.

To that end, a broad array of stake-holders have gathered in Detroit this week for a major conference, billed as the Business of Plugging In. Sponsored by the University of Michigan’s Center for Automotive Research, the conference now underway includes car manufacturers, battery makers, companies that build charging stations, the U.S. military, local and national politicians, and companies planning to get into the business in the near future.

Some observers have said that the competition between alternative fuels looks a lot like the competition between gas, steam, and electric cars in the early 20th century. But even within the electric-car advocacy movement, competing factions disagree on what the future should look like. Some are pushing for pure battery-electric vehicles. Others say that until a public car-charging network is built, electrics will need an on-board power-generating capacity. That’s where the plug-in hybrid comes in.

Electric cars’ biggest obstacle is that the current generation of battery technology is too expensive to gain wide acceptance in the market. Several competing ideas for how to reduce the cost to the consumer are under debate.

Concepts under discussion include

• Marketing electric cars by simply promoting their lower operating costs.
• Leasing the cars.
• Having utility companies buy the batteries and lease them back to consumers.
• Establishing specialized service companies that would own the batteries and swap them in and out of consumers’ cars. 

Will any of those ideas catch on? That’s what industry leaders in Detroit are trying to figure out this week. We’ll be sure to keep you posted on their insights.

—Eric Evarts

Test complete: 2010 Toyota Camry

The Toyota Camry improves its fuel efficiency for 2010 with a new 2.5-liter engine and six-speed automatic transmission. This new powertrain combination delivered an impressive 26 mpg overall in our testing – fairly remarkable for a family sedan. In addition to the extra gear and .1-liters of displacement for the base model, now all Toyota Camrys are equipped with stability control. This ESC system improved the Camry’s at-the-limit handling in our testing.

While the Camry may not register high on the fun-to-drive scale for enthusiasts, it does offer a lot for the money. We paid just under $23,000 for our LE which proved to be a very roomy, comfortable, and smooth riding sedan. No wonder it’s been such a sales success. It is simply a sensible and pleasant car.
 
Watch the embedded video for more insights. Online subscribers can see our full Camry road tests and ratings, including hybrid and V6 versions.

—Jake Fisher

Buzzword: Fee-bate

A combination of the words fee and rebate, a fee-bate is a market incentive based on exempting some buyers from a fee imposed on others as a “sin tax” for buying certain products. In some cases, the fee is actually paid to buyers who make particular buying choices, such as purchasing an energy-efficient product.

That’s essentially the idea behind the Efficient Vehicle Leadership Act, a bill introduced in the Senate today by Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME). The bill would levy an additional tax on automakers for cars they produce that get lower than the required average fuel economy required for their class. The bill would eventually replace other existing taxes and incentives such as the Hybrid Tax Credit and the Gas Guzzler Tax.

Rebates and fees would be based on how much better or worse fuel economy a particular model gets compared with the average required for its class.

For example, small conventional cars with good fuel economy such as the Ford Focus or Honda Civic would receive a $1,000 rebate, while the Ford Escape hybrid would receive $2,500. The Toyota Prius, which gets the best fuel economy of any production car currently sold in the United States, would get a $4,000 rebate. On the other hand, the Hummer H2 would be subject to a fee of $2,500.

The rebates would begin in 2011 and the fees would be phased in starting in 2013, under the bill.

—Eric Evarts

Obama unveils 35 mpg requirement at GM factory

During a visit to a General Motors factory in Ohio today, President Obama formally unveiled new fuel economy regulations governing cars produced through 2016.
 
The new rules include the first federal limits on carbon dioxide for cars. Limiting carbon dioxide directly limits how much fuel a car can burn. The standards will set different fuel economy targets for different sizes of vehicles and will set individual mpg targets for each automaker based on the mix of vehicles of different sizes that it produces.
 
Overall, the targets will require that passenger vehicles average 35.5 mpg by 2016, broken down to 39 mpg for cars and 30 mpg for pickups, minivans, and SUVs. By 2012 new cars and trucks have to average 29.2 mpg. This will require a 40 percent improvement over current cars.
 
Automakers had a part in drafting the standards, which constitute a compromise between older federal standards and those proposed by California, which 14 other states signed onto. General Motors issued a statement saying in part: “Greater consistency and certainty among a variety of regulations will help a new GM execute its current product plan centered on new technologies and more highly fuel efficient and quality cars and trucks.”
 
Automakers including GM, Ford, Chrysler, have said they cannot meet the new regulations without selling electric cars, and are rushing forward with plans for electric cars and plug-in hybrids.
 
Some analysts, however, are still suspicious of the automakers’ involvement in the rulemaking. Dan Becker, Director of the Safe Climate Campaign at the Center for Auto Safety, says, “The devil is in the details. Detroit’s lobbyists have done their best to riddle this decision with credits and other loopholes. We urge the Administration to close these loopholes or implement an automatic backstop to ensure that the president’s promise of 35.5 mpg average vehicles in 2016 will be kept.”
 
In a recent survey by the Consumer Reports National Research Center, more than 80 percent of Americans said fuel economy was the most important factor in choosing a new car. And used car buyers ranked it second behind price. (Read: "Survey: Car buyers look to buy American, sound off on concerns.")
 
At Consumer Reports, we place a high value on fuel economy and conduct our own independent, real-world fuel economy tests. Check out our fuel economy hub here.
 
We’ll keep you up to date on how the latest crop of fuel-efficient—and, when available, even electric cars—perform. 

—Eric Evarts

Learn about driving green in the Consumer Reports special fuel economy section.

Tested: Speed vs fuel economy

We all seem to be in a rush these days. Life’s time demands seem to only increase, with the delicate balance of work, family, and recreation pressuring us to maximize every minute. As a result, there is real temptation to edge beyond the speed limit to shave seconds off each mile. But while driving fast may get you there sooner, there are some real downsides, such as diminished safety for yourself and fellow motorists; risk of a speeding ticket; and decreased fuel economy.

To quantify the impact a heavy right foot can have on your wallet, Consumer Reports recently conducted a seven-vehicle test comparing the fuel economy of each at speeds of 55, 65, and 75 mph. The results show the faster you drive, the more fuel you burn—no surprise there. But the most significant change in fuel economy comes from the most fuel-efficient vehicles we tested.

The Honda Insight hybrid showed the largest drop in fuel economy—over 15 mpg going from 55 to 75 mph. The Toyota Camry returned 40.3 mpg at 55 mph, but that reduces to almost 35 mpg when the speed moves up to 65 mph and drops to almost 30 mpg when speeds reach 75 mph. That’s a drop of about 5 mpg for every 10 miles over 55. Vehicles with lower fuel efficiency had the smallest drop. The V8-powered Mercury Mountaineer has a fuel economy of 23.8 mpg at 55 mph and that drops to 21.2 mpg at 65 and 17.8 at 75 mph. See the chart below for more details on all the vehicles tested.

Make & model	55 mph	65 mph	75 mph
Acura TSX 2.4-liter 4-cyl.	39.9 mpg	35.5 mpg	30.7 mpg
Honda Insight 1.3-liter 4-cyl.	51.9	44.8	36.5
Lexus RX350 3.5-liter V6	30.9	27.4	23.0
Mercury Mountaineer 4.6-liter V8	23.8	21.2	17.8
Toyota Camry 2.5-liter 4-cyl.	40.3	34.9	29.8
Toyota RAV4 2.5 liter 4-cyl.	34.6	29.3	25.9
Toyota Yaris 1.5-liter 4-cyl.	42.5	37.9	34.0

In this economy, saving money is important. But it’s not that simple. As the adage goes, time is money and it can sometimes be worth spending more to get somewhere faster. Another consideration is traffic. There is debate as to whether driving slightly over the speed limit is more dangerous than going slower. Some say it is the difference in speed of vehicles that contributes to accidents—not speeding—and that it’s best to move with the flow traffic.

What do you think? Are speeders or slow drivers the cause of accidents? Would you be willing to drive slower to save a few bucks and reduce national fuel consumption? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

See our guide to fuel economy for more on saving gas and alternative fuels.

—Liza Barth