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Compressed air cars less efficient than electric cars

Megan Treacy — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 09:23:05 PST

It has been assumed that compressed air cars are cleaner than battery electric cars, but the reality is they are quite inefficient. A new study published in the journal Environmental Research Letters reveals that while in theory compressed air cars seem like a potential competitor to EVs, when it comes to lifecycle efficiency, they just don't make the grade.

The problem lies in the electricity needed to compress the air - a lot of it is lost as heat. The study concludes that even under ideal circumstances, the compressed air car is far less efficient than a battery-powered electric one and results in more GHG emissions than a conventional gas-powered car with our current coal-heavy energy mix. Lifecycle analysis showed compressed air lagged far behind electric vehicles in energy required, emissions and costs.

Lastly, battery technology is advancing everyday and is already well-tested and reliable. Compressed air technology is not likely to advance as quickly or as assuredly, meaning compressed air may still find a home in small urban vehicles, but its reach will be limited.

via Environmental Research Letters

Test-driving the Nissan Leaf electric car in Los Angeles

Jim Motavalli — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 12:15:00 PST

(Photo: Jim Motavalli)

LOS ANGELES--Driving Nissan's new Leaf electric car around Dodgers' Stadium in Los Angeles last week was not as glamorous as it sounds. There were a lot of journalists in line under a hot sun. But there were compensations, including a touch of Hollywood -- actress Alexandra Paul, ex-Baywatch and a former General Motors EV-1 driver, was there.

This was the kickoff of a 22-city national tour for the Leaf, and it may be coming soon to a metro area near you. Go to this site, enter your ZIP code, and it will point you to the nearest stop. Or check the full list here. The tour ends in New York City, February 14.

Nissan is the only automaker (through the Renault-Nissan Alliance) to actually build charging stations. In LA, it announced its 33rd alliance, this time with Reliant, a subsidiary of giant Texas-based utility NRG Energy. Like most utility executives these days, NRG CEO David Crane talked about the virtues of the smart grid and charging electric cars off-peak during evening hours. He said the current U.S. grid could easily handle up to 10 million additional EVs. "We don't get into trouble until we're talking about 50 to 100 million cars," he said.

The Leaf, which has a 100-mile range on lithium-ion batteries and will be out next year, was revealed in sky blue. It was a little bigger than I thought it would be, with excellent seat layout and some of the same eco-verities as the Toyota Prius. Not to confuse you, but the Leaf we saw was actually a styling model and not drivable. The "Leaf" we drove was in the body of the Nissan Versa, with the Leaf's drivetrain. This is what they call a "mule," and it gives a very good indication of what the production car will be like. Here's what it was like from the back seat:

Since there were so many people waiting, we were allowed a short drive around a cone course in the parking lot, with an anxious Nissan guy riding shotgun (there are only two of these "mules" in the world). I wasn't trying to make a spectacle of myself, but I'm a notorious doofus around cone courses and that led me to a serious braking test -- they worked great, and I left such dramatic rubber that everybody rushed over to see if I'd crashed the car. No, just reduced the lifespan of its low-rolling-resistance tires.

The car is much improved since I drove it last in Bear Mountain, New York. At that time, it was in the body of the then-new Nissan Cube. Previous flat spots on the Leaf's acceleration at around 50 mph appear to have been straightened out and the car now accelerates dramatically well up to at least 60 mph (people were diving out of the way) and handles well, with only minor body lean. The actual Leaf may differ, of course, but probably not all that much.

Just after the Leaf event in Los Angeles, Nissan's executives, including CEO Carlos Ghosn (who's impressive in person) flew to Washington, where they announced the company's participation in the Electrification Coalition. It's a big tent of mostly CEOs (from automakers, including Bright Automotive and Coda Automotive, to utilities, including NRG Energy, and charging companies, including Coulomb). Their plan is to fast-track EVs, so that there would be 50,000 to 100,000 of them in each of six to eight U.S. cities/metro areas by 2013 (a total of 700,000 vehicles). And that would ramp up with 20 to 25 more cities by 2018. That would put seven million green cars on the road. The plan projects that by 2040, as much as 75% of the miles traveled on U.S. roads would be in either plug-in hybrids or battery electrics.

To help get this off the ground, the coalition calls for rapidly expanding the range of tax breaks and subsidies available to consumers who buy cars and businesses that build electric infrastructure. Great.

I note the following response, however, to a related story I did about this at the New York Times: "Lots of things need ‘jump starting,'" wrote a reader. "But the hard truth is we just don't have the money anymore. Groups like this that want something jump-started will just have to figure out how to be entrepreneurial and do it themselves -- sort of like Henry Ford and William Durant did back in the 1910s and 20s."

See how Better Place's robotic battery swap stations work.

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Europe testing "road trains" to cut fuel use

Megan Treacy — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:28:00 PST

Have you ever been driving in rush hour and wished you could just zone out and read a book during your trip instead of stressing about the traffic? Well, the EU is testing a way to make that possible while cutting fuel consumption at the same time. The idea is that eight vehicles would travel as one "train," linked by wireless sensors. It's believed that the system, called Safe Road Trains for the Environment (SARTRE), could cut fuel use by 20 percent for cars traveling in the trains.

Each road train would be controlled by a lead vehicle driven by a professional driver. All other drivers in the train would be passengers able to take their hands off the wheel and enjoy the ride. Sensors would collect and send information to the lead vehicle about what was happening around each of the cars. Cars, buses and trucks would all be able to join a train and could leave at any time.

The SARTRE project will be conducted for three years on test tracks in the UK, Spain and Sweden and eventually on public roads in Spain. Some specifics will have to be sorted out like how exactly vehicles will join and leave the trains, how the trains will signal to other cars that they're traveling as one and how to ensure a safe organization of vehicles (e.g. not allowing cars to be sandwiched by large trucks).

Ultimately researchers see the road trains being a paid service for drivers.

via BBC

Garmin offering "eco" cable to go with systems

Megan Treacy — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:40:00 PST

Garmin has revealed screen shots of its new Eco-Route add-on for the Nuvi 1xxx GPS systems with Bluetooth. The Eco-Route is a cable that plugs into your car's diagnostic communications port and feeds data to your GPS.

Eco-Route reads air, fuel, throttle position and combustion mixture information and then uses that to display performance information for the driver. Fuel economy data includes not just the gallons used, but the cost of fuel used and the total carbon footprint for the trip. The add-on includes a driving challenge that scores drivers on braking, speed and acceleration, aiming to make users more efficient drivers.

Drivers can also choose the most fuel efficient route instead of just the usual shortest or fastest options.

All of this sounds great, but there is a big drawback -- the price. The cable will cost $149 for new and old users alike. If it still sounds appealing, Eco-Route should be available by early next year.

via Autoblog Green

KLM testing biofuels on passenger flight

Megan Treacy — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:39:00 PST

As many of us in the U.S. are planning our Thanksgiving menus, Dutch airline company KLM is planning the first biofuel flight with passengers on board. On November 23, a Boeing 747 will take off running on a 50/50 combination of biofuel and jet fuel.

The biofuel being used in this test flight will be made from camelina, a feedstock that produces 84 percent less emissions than regular jet fuel and has proven to be a low-impact crop, requiring less water and fertilizer and can grow in areas where food crops won't be displaced.

Other test flights have been done using other feedstocks like jatropha and without passengers with positive results, but this will be the first using a purely camelina biofuel and with people (other than the pilot) onboard.

via KLM

Catch green planes, trains, and automobiles

Editors of E / The Environmental Magazine — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 07:38:00 PST

EarthTalk is a Q&A column from E / The Environmental Magazine

Dear EarthTalk: I’m a travel agent and our firm has several clients wanting to go with green vendors, including for travel (airline or rental car) and lodging. Our company is supportive so would like to know which airlines, hotels and car rental agencies are going affordably green? -- Carol Biggar, via email

Just like every other industry, going green has become a mantra among airlines, car rental companies and even hotel chains. The fuel crunch of a few years ago forced all the airlines into belt-tightening mode and the results -- lower fuel consumption and fewer emissions -- are good news for the environment.

Boeing, one of the world’s leading aircraft makers, is doing its part: Its new 787 is some 20% more fuel efficient than other big passenger planes. Beyond saving fuel -- which also reduces emissions -- airlines are instituting in-flight recycling initiatives, incorporating carbon-neutral biofuels, and going paperless to reduce waste. Continental, British Airways, Singapore Air, American Airlines, JetBlue, Southwest, and Virgin are among the leaders in the industry-wide effort to go green, but most airlines have made huge strides in recent years to lower their carbon footprints overall.

With regard to lodging, going green isn’t just for youth hostels and campgrounds anymore. In a recent survey, upwards of two-thirds of U.S. hotels said they had energy-efficient lights and had implemented towel- and linen-reuse programs -- up from just over half five years ago. According to Budget Travel magazine, Accor/Motel6, Intercontinental, Marriott, Starwood, Hilton, Hyatt, Best Western, and Wyndham/Super8 have all made huge strides in energy and water conservation, recycling and green design over the last few years. Beyond the chains, many independent hotels have taken up the green baton; you’ll likely find one or more at your destination via the website of the Green Hotels Association.

As for rental car companies, just about all of them offer large selections of fuel-efficient cars these days, if for no other reason than to meet the demands of both business and vacationing customers not interested in spending lots of money on gas. Hertz, Avis, Budget, and Enterprise each have large fleets of hybrid and/or flex-fuel (ethanol) cars for rent at hundreds of airport and in-town locations around the U.S. Advantage Rent-a-Car has pledged to turn 100% of its rental fleet “green” by 2010.

For now, renting a hybrid still typically costs $5-15 more per day than an equivalent conventional car, but as rental car companies bring more of the vehicles online, prices should start to reach parity. And if you’re driving a long way in the car, you may just make up the difference in fuel savings. Travelers to the Bay Area should keep in mind that San Francisco International Airport offers a $15 credit for renting a hybrid from any of the rental car companies operating there.

Traveling by any means other than foot, bicycle or paddle always takes some toll on the environment, but those who watch their carbon footprints -- and stay abreast of which vendors offer the greenest courses of action -- can keep their impacts to a minimum. Stay tuned to websites like Go Green Travel Green for the latest info on what airlines, hotels, car rental companies and other travel-related businesses are doing to green up their industry.

GOT AN ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTION? Send it to: EarthTalk, c/o E/The Environmental Magazine, P.O. Box 5098, Westport, CT 06881; submit it here or via email. Read past columns here and check out the recent book Earthtalk: Expert Answers to Everyday Questions about the Environment

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Reprinted with permission of Hearst Communications, Inc

Wall Street is bullish on electric cars

Jim Motavalli — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 14:10:00 PST

The Tesla Roadster: Who could argue with its sex appeal?
(Photo: Tesla Motors)

The financial establishment is getting bullish about electric cars. I just talked to a Bank of America/Merrill Lynch analyst who told me that EVs will need "sizzle," or maybe the right phrase is sex appeal, to triumph in the marketplace.

"Cost is not the only factor driving the purchasing decision," says analyst Steven Milunovich. "EVs need to appeal to consumers on a psychological level, such as prestige and driving enjoyment." I totally agree. The good thing is that many EVs already have sizzle to burn. Or is sizzle already burning?

The car magazines are stuck in the past with high-performance dinosaurs, but most of the cars that attract buzz in the financial media today are green. The Fisker Karma, for instance, is a visual outrage -- it makes Megan Fox look like a nun. And it's bristling with cool eco-features, including interior wood sourced from river bottoms and a rooftop solar panel to run the heating and cooling systems. And it's not surprising that Fisker is working on some kind of proprietary noise -- a Formula One car crossed with a spaceship -- so that pedestrians will know it's there when in battery mode.

The Tesla Roadster is, of course, off the charts in sizzle factor, and the forthcoming Model S is the Maserati of electric sedans. General Motors would love to pay for the positive publicity Tesla gets for free.

Another reason Wall Street likes EVs is that it can make money on them. When the battery company A123 (a supplier to Chrysler) went public, its stock -- one of the few "pure plays" an investor could buy (most battery makers are either not public or part of large conglomerates) doubled in price on the first day.

Other financial analysts like the switch to cleaner cars, too. A very positive report from Citigroup Global Markets says that the automakers should actually applaud the stricter fuel economy/greenhouse gas standards they once fought (but now endorse). Why? Because the 35.5 mpg fuel economy goal (by 2016) will increase their profits.

The report says that under the national program announced by President Obama last May, "Detroit's gross profits are likely to increase by roughly $3 billion a year, compared to an $800 million increase for the Japanese Three," the report said. "And sales are likely to increase by the equivalent of two large assembly plants for the Detroit Three."

Further, the report gets into the reason people buy cars. "Complying with the national program renders the vehicles in the majority of segments more cost effective for consumers," it said. And that's because the extra cost will be less than the fuel saved.

Carol Lee Rawn of the Investor Network on Climate Risk, representing over $8 trillion in combined assets, testified at a recent EPA hearing that the national standards are a key enabling strategy for the U.S. automakers to produce cars that consumers will actually want to buy, and that will be fuel efficient and competitive. "It is critical that American auto companies significantly change their business models to ensure that they are able to compete successfully in the 21st century," she said.

Finally, a University of Michigan survey that just crossed my desk shows strong consumer interest in buying plug-in hybrid electric cars. Some 42% of those surveyed said they might buy one -- the acceptance rose as the cost came down, obviously.

A New York Times editor joked to me recently that, given some of the bizarre EVs we've seen recently, it seems anybody can slap up a webpage and call themselves an automaker. Yes, it was that way in 1910, too, but the bad ones fell by the wayside and the cream rose to the top. The good thing is that good plug-in cars are already on the horizon, and people will want to buy them.

Test-driving the sexy Fisker Karma (and talking to Henrik Fisker):

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Fuel-efficient cars for the rest of us

Editors of E / The Environmental Magazine — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 08:50:00 PST

(Photo: Toyota)

EarthTalk is a Q&A column from E/The Environmental Magazine

Dear EarthTalk: Celebrities and billionaires are shelling out big bucks for cutting edge green-friendly cars like the Tesla Roadster. But what are the rest of us -- who live in the budget-constrained real world -- to do about buying a new car that does right by the environment? -- M.G., Stroudsburg, PA

With so many new energy efficient cars in showrooms today, there's never been a better time to go green with your next car purchase. A few years ago the Toyota Prius was the go-to model for those with an environmental conscience and up to $30,000 to pay for the privilege of getting 35-40 miles per gallon (mpg) in the city and 45-55 on the highway. But today there is such a wide selection of fuel efficient and low-emissions vehicles that even those on a budget can afford to go green.

To wit, Honda's new Insight is the first hybrid gasoline-electric car available new for less than $20,000 (starting at $19,800). With fuel efficiency ratings of 40 miles per gallon (mpg) in the city and 43 on the highway, the Insight surely won't cost much to operate either.

There are plenty of other hybrids to choose from today, too, though most cost at least a few thousand dollars more than equivalent non-hybrid models. Toyota's Prius, which is only available as a hybrid, still leads the pack as the world's top selling and most fuel efficient hybrid. Its cost has dropped some, now starting at $22,400, and the "3rd generation" Prius 10 now claims an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) combined city/highway rating of 50 mpg. This most recent edition even features a whimsical solar panel on the roof to power a ventilation system that keeps the interior of the car cool even on scorching hot days. Hybrid versions of Honda's Civic ($23,800), Nissan's Altima ($26,780), Ford's Fusion ($27,625) and Escape SUV ($31,500), Mercury's Milan ($31,590) and Mariner SUV ($29,995), Toyota's Camry ($26,150) and Highlander SUV ($34,700) are also in showrooms in dealerships across the U.S.

Many smaller cars with regular gasoline engines also get great mileage with low emissions for even less money. Some examples include the Corolla ($15,350), Matrix ($16,550) and Yaris ($12,355) from Toyota, Honda's Fit ($14,900), the Mazda 3 ($16,045), Chevy's Aveo ($11,965) and Cobalt ($14,990), Hyundai's Accent ($9,970) and Elantra ($14,145), Pontiac's G3 ($14,335), the Kia Rio ($11,495), the MINI Cooper ($19,500), Ford's Focus ($15,995), and the Smart Car ForTwo ($11,990).

Diesel fuel is now cleaner than ever, and a few automakers are going down that road. Volkswagen's Jetta TDI ($22,660), Audi's A3 TDI ($29,950) and BMW's 335d ($43,900) are three examples of high performance vehicles with solid green credentials regarding fuel efficiency and emissions. An added bonus is that such cars can run on carbon-neutral biodiesel as well as petroleum-based diesel fuel.

Consumers just starting their search for a new ride should check out GreenCar.com, which provides detailed information on the many greener vehicles available today as well as those on the horizon. Also, the federal government's Website FuelEconomy.gov provides detailed mileage and emissions information on dozens of new cars every year, and provides users with an easy and free way to compare different vehicles along the lines of environmental impact.

GOT AN ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTION? Send it to: EarthTalk, c/o E/The Environmental Magazine, P.O. Box 5098, Westport, CT 06881; submit it here or via e-mail. Read past columns here.

Check out the recent book Earthtalk: Expert Answers to Everyday Questions about the Environment

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New world record for electric car that went 313 Miles on a charge?

Jim Motavalli — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:36:00 PDT

Simon Hackett's Tesla Roadster on the Global Green Challenge in Australia. (Photo via Simon Hackett)

Simon Hackett is the managing director of Australia's national broadband company Internode, but he doesn't spend all his time behind a computer. He is the proud owner of a Tesla Roadster, which he just drove 313 miles on a single charge -- at least a tentative world record.

The record was set on the Global Green Challenge, an Australian solar car race (from the Northern Territories to southernmost Adelaide) that goes back to 1987, when it was won by a General Motors/AeroVironment entry called Sunraycer. The solar car race, open to electric vehicles charged by photovoltaics, was won by a team from Tokai University in Japan. American teams from the University of Michigan and MIT did well, too, but that's another story.

The Challenge also includes a division for production cars, and that's where the Tesla was competing. Hackett points out that his drive smashes a record set last April by another Tesla Roadster, which completed the 241-mile Rallye Monte Carlo d'Energies Alternatives on just one charge (with more than 38 miles left, apparently).

From the road, Hackett and co-driver Elilis Prelgauskas sent Tesla an email: "Emilis and I have decades of experience flying gliders competitively, and we applied the same energy conservation techniques to our driving, with significant results! The car had about three miles of range left when the drive was completed. We traveled 501 kilometers [313 miles] on a single charge. Let that sink in for a minute."

On his blog, Hackett said, "We wanted to prove a point about the ability of EVs to drive truly large distances--and we have done so! This ends any contention that EVs aren't practical cars. They're more than that--they are the future of motoring."

Sealing the charge port door. (Photo courtesy Tesla Motors)

The team's secret was slow and steady--they seldom traveled more than 35 mph, though we all know the Tesla Roadster can reach 125. Don't gliders go faster than that? I'm sure this will start a run on Teslas down under.

The security of the charge was established with a seal affixed to the charge port door when the team took off from Alice Springs. It was still there when they arrived in Coober Pedy (they have crazy town names in Australia). A film crew was on hand to document everything.

Hackett emailed me at press time, to praise what Tesla has been able to do on the market--sell 900 cars so far. "Tesla have taken the 'Silicon Valley' approach with electric vehicles," he said. "They have started at the high end with a sports car, and are working 'down the stack' toward progressively more affordable and mainstream cars. For decades EV manufacturers have tried to do it the other way around and failed to get their business model to work; I believe Tesla are doing it the right way around and their success is already obvious, with external investment now flowing toward them..."

Hackett said he has already ordered a Model S sedan, and will enter it in the next Global Green Challenge two years from now. "The Tesla Model S Sedan will equal or exceed the performance of my current family 'people mover'--a Subaru Tribeca--in every axis (city driving range, space, capacity to carry people and luggage)," he said. "And it will do it at a comparable price."

The Tesla runs on lithium-ion batteries, more than 6,000 of them, and it is the first production EV to have more than 200 miles of range. The company's battery guru, JB Straubel, is amazingly confident about the future range of battery cars. In an interview I did with him for the New York Times, he said that battery tech is improving roughly eight percent a year, and energy density has doubled in the last 10 years. He predicted that a "rich improvement trend" is on the horizon in the coming decades, By 2015, he said, the cutting edge for automotive battery packs will be ranges of 350 to 370 miles.

Ask Umbra on bike helmets

Umbra Fisk, Grist.org — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 21:39:41 PDT

Q. Dear Umbra,

As a frequent cyclist, I’ve inevitably been in my share of collisions and accidents. Most bike experts recommend replacing your helmet after any crash, even if the damage isn’t visible. Obviously the two most important qualities of a bike helmet are lightweight-ness and strength. That is best achieved by petroleum-based, non-biodegradable substances. Can you recommend how to avoid hurting the environment with these disposable Styrofoam helmets (other than being a more careful cyclist)?

Julia A.
Washington, D.C.

A. Dearest Julia,

Please continue to wear your helmet and replace it after each crash. Cut the straps of your old helmet and write “crashed” on it with a permanent marker, then throw it in the garbage. Biking safely is an ecologically correct practice, even if it occasionally results in a small amount of waste. Two, three, four helmets a year is a small ecological price to pay when we consider the benefits of cycling (though for your body’s sake I hope you don’t go through this many).

Let us remember that biking is emissions-free transportation. Whether you are commuting by bike or simply taking a brief trip to the store every week, you are ecologically ahead of almost every form of transport save walking. If your bike is simply an exercise device, you are keeping yourself fit and providing inspiration for other would-be cyclists.

Secondly, a lightweight helmet made out of plastic is a fairly innocuous object on the environmental scale. As we have learned over the years, plastic is evil due to the raw materials (petroleum) from which it is made and the eons that will pass ere it degrades. On the bright side, helmets are light, and hence do not require overly much fuel on their trip to the bike store or the landfill — which would be a concern were they made of gold. Some companies are tinkering with eco-friendly helmets, but I think you should not lose your head over this issue. You could always save your used helmets for some kind of trash sculpture.

Julia, a hospital visit has the potential for much more ecological impact than does your discarded helmet. Your fitness level keeps you (hopefully) from general ill health, and hence reduces the need for greenhouse-gas emitting trips to the doctor. More important, of course, the helmet protects you from serious head injury and/or death, both of which are far more environmentally costly than a piddling nine-ounce helmet.

Let’s say you were not wearing a helmet and bonked your head in a crash. First the ambulance or a friend’s car has to transport you to (and from) the hospital, emitting Earth-damaging gases en route. Then perhaps you have to get a CAT scan or MRI, neither of which would be solar powered. What if you have a bleeding abrasion that requires multiple washings and several sets of bloody sheets and piles of gauze? Maybe they bring you a hospital meal which certainly includes terrible not-shade-grown coffee and some kind of mystery meat from a confined animal feeding operation. In a worst-case scenario, you could scrape off your nose and require years of plastic surgery — certainly not ecologically OK, and sadly a real-life example.

Wear a bike helmet without worrying too much about the environmental consequences. Umbra, also known as Safety Pup, has spoken.

Cautionarily,
Umbra

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