The top 10 fuel-efficient cars, according to the EPA
Nine of the top 10 vehicles in the government’s fuel economy rankings for the 2010 model year are hybrids.
By Eartheasy
Nov 4, 2009 Link to full article below
Overall, the top 10 fuel-efficient cars among the 2010 models are as follows:
1. Toyota Prius Hybrid (51 mpg city, 48 mpg highway)
The most popular hybrid car on the road today, this sedan is roomy and comfortable, and average on performance.
2. Ford Fusion Hybrid/Mercury Milan Hybrid (41/36)
The new Fusion Hybrid is a practical, mid-size sedan with an upscale interior of high-quality materials and unique technology features. It’s favorable driving characteristics have been noted in reviews.
3. Honda Civic Hybrid (40/45)
The Civic has Honda’s sporty performance and handling, but is a bit lacking on acceleration. A very efficient car, but a bit small for families.
4. Honda Insight Hybrid (40/43)
A small, sporty sedan which offers fewer features than the Civic, and priced to be an economy hybrid. The Insight is smaller than the Civic but larger than the Fit.
To read the full article: http://www.eartheasy.com/blog/2009/11/the-top-10-fuel-efficient-cars-according-to-the-epa/
Showing posts with label technology: hybrid cars. Show all posts
Showing posts with label technology: hybrid cars. Show all posts
Monday, November 9, 2009
Thursday, August 20, 2009
FedEx Expands Hybrid-Electric Fleet by 50%
FedEx Expands Hybrid-Electric Fleet by 50%
July 23, 2009 Link to full article below
FedEx Corp. has expanded its hybrid-electric delivery fleet from 172 to 264 with the addition of 92 retrofitted trucks. These hybrids are touted as the first standard FedEx delivery trucks converted to hybrid-electric systems. The retrofitted hybrid vehicles will be placed into service in California, primarily in the Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco metropolitan areas.
The retrofit hybrid trucks are projected to improve fuel economy by 44 percent, decrease particulate matter by 96 percent and reduce smog-causing (NOx) emissions by 75 percent compared to the standard FedEx Express delivery truck.
The hybrid conversions were produced in Charlotte, N.C., over the past six months and created 50 new, temporary green jobs in the area. The converted hybrids were developed with Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation (FCCC) and Eaton Corporation, which provided the hybrid-electric systems.
To read the full article: http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/07/23/fedex-expands-hybrid-electric-fleet-by-50/
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July 23, 2009 Link to full article below
FedEx Corp. has expanded its hybrid-electric delivery fleet from 172 to 264 with the addition of 92 retrofitted trucks. These hybrids are touted as the first standard FedEx delivery trucks converted to hybrid-electric systems. The retrofitted hybrid vehicles will be placed into service in California, primarily in the Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco metropolitan areas.
The retrofit hybrid trucks are projected to improve fuel economy by 44 percent, decrease particulate matter by 96 percent and reduce smog-causing (NOx) emissions by 75 percent compared to the standard FedEx Express delivery truck.
The hybrid conversions were produced in Charlotte, N.C., over the past six months and created 50 new, temporary green jobs in the area. The converted hybrids were developed with Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation (FCCC) and Eaton Corporation, which provided the hybrid-electric systems.
To read the full article: http://www.
If you enjoyed this, would you please make a donation?
Even $1 or $5 helps us to serve you.
Monday, July 6, 2009
Green Dreamboats - A Rising Tide of Hybrid and Solar-Powered Boats
Green Dreamboats: A Rising Tide of Hybrid and Solar-Powered Boats
By Don Wallace Link to full article below
Until recently, boating was one of the least green things one could do. Powerboats guzzle fuel at a rate that makes a HUMMER look like a teetotaler. (We’re talking gallons per minute, not per mile.) As for sailboats, call them yachting’s dirty little secret: They all need smoky, leaky engines and generators to power their increasing amenities: lighting, refrigerators, stoves, air-conditioning, TVs, hot tubs.
And so began the Great Tinkering. All through the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s, boats sprouted windmills, solar panels, solar-heated showers and underwater electricity-generating propellers.
In the late 1990s a French company, Lagoon, outfitted a sailing catamaran with electric motors to give vacation renters a noiseless option for inshore cruising.
To read the full article: http://www.emagazine.com/view/?4740
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If you enjoyed this, would you please make a donation?
Even $1 or $5 helps us to serve you.
By Don Wallace Link to full article below
Until recently, boating was one of the least green things one could do. Powerboats guzzle fuel at a rate that makes a HUMMER look like a teetotaler. (We’re talking gallons per minute, not per mile.) As for sailboats, call them yachting’s dirty little secret: They all need smoky, leaky engines and generators to power their increasing amenities: lighting, refrigerators, stoves, air-conditioning, TVs, hot tubs.
And so began the Great Tinkering. All through the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s, boats sprouted windmills, solar panels, solar-heated showers and underwater electricity-generating propellers.
In the late 1990s a French company, Lagoon, outfitted a sailing catamaran with electric motors to give vacation renters a noiseless option for inshore cruising.
To read the full article: http://www.emagazine.com/view/?4740
If you enjoyed this, would you please make a donation?
Even $1 or $5 helps us to serve you.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
VERY IMPORTANT: The Hybrid Car That Runs on Air
The Hybrid Car That Runs on Air
A car that runs on air is being developed by engineers at a top British university.
By Ray Massey
dailymail.co.uk
May 15, 2009
A car that runs on air is being developed by engineers at a top British university.
The team have achieved what could be a major breakthrough in the battle to create greener and cheaper motoring.
They have found a way to adapt a normal petrol (gas) combustion engine to run on compressed air - generated within the vehicle - to give an extra boost to power the motor and considerably reduce the cost of running a car.
The result is a new low-cost ‘air hybrid’ engine which significantly cuts emissions of carbon dioxide - the so-called greenhouse gas blamed for global warming - cuts fuel consumption by around 30 per cent and offers the driver of a family car fuel economy of around 65mpg.
Existing ‘green’ hybrid cars - such as the Toyota Prius and the Honda Insight - use a petrol engine and braking energy to generate on-board electricity to give supplementary power to the vehicle.
The new Brunel engine uses the same principle. But in this case, the engine and the braking generates its own compressed air to provide the added boost to the car.
The work by Brunel University’s School of Engineering and Design in west London could lead to an engine which would be considerably cheaper and cleaner to run.
A spokeswoman for the Brunel team said:
‘The idea is that using the engine’s compression to brake the vehicle not only could slow the vehicle down, but also the pistons could compress air and drive it into a compressed air tank.’
‘It could then be used later to briefly power the piston and to provide compressed air for turbo charging during a period of turbo lag - normally at low revolutions.’
She added: ‘Hybrid vehicles use engine management to save fuel. This includes switching off the engine when not in use, restarting the engine when needed and recovering the braking energy for other use.
‘The means of achieving this type of energy management could be electric - such as with the Toyota Prius. But it is equally feasible to use mechanical means such as pneumatic - an air hybrid.
‘The new air hybrid engine will be considerably cheaper to run and deliver significantly less carbon emissions.’
It also has advantages over petrol-electric hybrids like the Prius, say the engineers: ‘Transforming an existing combustion engine in an electric hybrid is very expensive. It requires a complete redesign of the transmission system.
‘It is heavier because it uses extra batteries, more space is required to house these batteries and they have a limited life-cycle.’
By contrast, they say of their air-hybrid: ‘It requires only small alterations to adapt a normal combustion engine. The simple and cost-effective solution needs no transmission alteration or engine redesign.’
To read the full article: http://www.eartheasy.com/blog/2009/05/the-hybrid-car-that-runs-on-air/
A car that runs on air is being developed by engineers at a top British university.
By Ray Massey
dailymail.co.uk
May 15, 2009
A car that runs on air is being developed by engineers at a top British university.
The team have achieved what could be a major breakthrough in the battle to create greener and cheaper motoring.
They have found a way to adapt a normal petrol (gas) combustion engine to run on compressed air - generated within the vehicle - to give an extra boost to power the motor and considerably reduce the cost of running a car.
The result is a new low-cost ‘air hybrid’ engine which significantly cuts emissions of carbon dioxide - the so-called greenhouse gas blamed for global warming - cuts fuel consumption by around 30 per cent and offers the driver of a family car fuel economy of around 65mpg.
Existing ‘green’ hybrid cars - such as the Toyota Prius and the Honda Insight - use a petrol engine and braking energy to generate on-board electricity to give supplementary power to the vehicle.
The new Brunel engine uses the same principle. But in this case, the engine and the braking generates its own compressed air to provide the added boost to the car.
The work by Brunel University’s School of Engineering and Design in west London could lead to an engine which would be considerably cheaper and cleaner to run.
A spokeswoman for the Brunel team said:
‘The idea is that using the engine’s compression to brake the vehicle not only could slow the vehicle down, but also the pistons could compress air and drive it into a compressed air tank.’
‘It could then be used later to briefly power the piston and to provide compressed air for turbo charging during a period of turbo lag - normally at low revolutions.’
She added: ‘Hybrid vehicles use engine management to save fuel. This includes switching off the engine when not in use, restarting the engine when needed and recovering the braking energy for other use.
‘The means of achieving this type of energy management could be electric - such as with the Toyota Prius. But it is equally feasible to use mechanical means such as pneumatic - an air hybrid.
‘The new air hybrid engine will be considerably cheaper to run and deliver significantly less carbon emissions.’
It also has advantages over petrol-electric hybrids like the Prius, say the engineers: ‘Transforming an existing combustion engine in an electric hybrid is very expensive. It requires a complete redesign of the transmission system.
‘It is heavier because it uses extra batteries, more space is required to house these batteries and they have a limited life-cycle.’
By contrast, they say of their air-hybrid: ‘It requires only small alterations to adapt a normal combustion engine. The simple and cost-effective solution needs no transmission alteration or engine redesign.’
To read the full article: http://www.eartheasy.com/blog/2009/05/the-hybrid-car-that-runs-on-air/
Friday, October 10, 2008
Plug-In Cars
Plug-in Cars
http://eartheasy.com/live_plug-in_cars.html
Plug-in Cars offer drivers the fuel-efficiency benefits of hybrid cars with the added feature of being able to plug-in to household electricity when the car is not in use. This leads to increased mileage and fuel savings.
A plug-in hybrid-electric vehicle offers extended electric-only propulsion. Drivers can use the electric mode for short trips, and switch to 'blended' mode (combined gas/electric) once the battery runs low, or if higher engine performance is needed.
Plug-ins require larger batteries than normal hybrids, which drives up their cost. Rechargeable nickel metal hydride (NiMh), used in hybrid vehicles, are bulky but less-expensive, while advanced lithium-ion batteries are smaller and have a higher output of energy, but are very costly. Improvements in battery storage capacity are key to the success of plug-ins.
Plug-in technology is currently in active development by the major auto manufacturers, with working prototypes of both plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) and plug-in electric vehicles which have small backup gas generators.
The following plug-in cars are currently in development:
Chevrolet Volt
- battery pack: lithium-ion
- range (battery mode): 40 miles (64km)
- extended range: 360 miles (579km)
- max. speed (battery mode): n/a
- recharge time: 6.5 hours at 110v
- available: late 2010
- cost: $30,000 - $40.000
The Volt runs entirely on electricity, with a small on-board gasoline engine 'range extender' which acts as a generator to charge the batteries once the electric power has been expended. This is referred to as a plug-in 'series' hybrid. It is not referred to as a 'hybrid' car because the hybrids run with combined gas-electric technology acting in parallel.
The Volt's electric-only range of 40 miles exceeds the average per trip range of most drivers, and so for most trips the car will use no gas. When the car is parked at home, it is designed to use a common household plug for recharging.
Toyota Prius Plug-in
- battery pack: nickel metal hydride
- range (battery mode): 7 miles
- max. speed (battery mode): 62 mph
- recharge time: 4 hours at 110v
- available: 2010
- cost: n/a
The new Toyota plug-in will be similar to the current version of the Prius hybrid. Prototypes of the Prius plug-in are running on NiMh batteries, and the production version may run on the same until problems wih the Lithium-ion batteries are worked out.
The Prius plug-in can run in electric-only (EV) mode for maximum fuel efficiency, or "blended" mode (combined electric/gas) for enhanced performance and longer trips when recharging is not an option.
The Prius plug-in is powered by the current Prius’s 1.5-liter inline four. The electric motor generates 50kW, which combined with the battery pack, lets the car reach over 60mph in EV mode alone.
Ford Escape Plug-in
- battery pack: lithium-ion
- range (battery mode): 30 miles
- max. speed (battery mode): 40mph
- recharge time: n/a
- available: 2013
- cost: n/a
A plug-in version is currently in development for the popular Ford Escape compact SUV gas-electric hybrid. The Escape plug-in has five times as much battery capacity and hardware as the current Escape hybrid to recharge the battery from a standard household outlet.
The Escape plug-in can achieve fuel economy of up to 120 miles per gallon, Ford claims, during the first 30 miles of driving at moderate speeds after a full charge. Ford's Greg Frenette, chief engineer for plug-in and fuel-cell vehicles, forecasts 70 to 80 mpg on the highway, where the gas engine works more, and 30 miles of light driving up to 40 mph on a charged battery alone.
Ford Edge, HySeries Drive
- battery pack: lithium-ion
- range (battery mode): 25 miles
- extended range: 225 miles
- max. speed (battery mode): 85mph
- recharge time: n/a
- available: n/a
The Edge is the world's first drivable hydrogen fuel cell vehicle with plug-in capability. Ford's HySeries propulsion system is similar to that used in GM's Chevrolet Volt, but with one big difference: the HySeries uses a hydrogen fuel cell, not a gasoline engine, as the on-board back-up generator. The fuel cell starts re-charging the battery when the charge level drops to around 40 percent.
Ford claims a plug-in-power-only range of 25 miles before the hydrogen is needed. After that, the Edge with HySeries can go another 200 miles on a tank of compressed hydrogen. Ford estimates the gasoline equivalent mileage of the HySeries Edge at 41 mpg city/highway combined if you drive the full range.
Saturn Vue Plug-in
- battery pack: lithium-ion
- range (battery mode): 10 miles
- max speed (battery mode): n/a
- recharge time: 4 - 5 hours at 110v
- available: late 2010
- cost: under $40,000
The Saturn Vue Green Line plug-in will be a modified version of the Vue two-mode hybrid (due out in 2009). After electric-only propulsion depletes the lithium-ion energy storage system to a specified level, the battery is replenished by utilizing the two-mode hybrid system's electric motors and regenerative brake systems.
The Vue has two driving modes – city and highway – and four fixed mechanical gears to maximize efficiency while maintaining performance. In addition, special controls will be utilized to enable higher speeds during electric-only propulsion and maintain electric-only propulsion for longer periods of time. Saturn projects that combined performance for the plug-in Vue could be a near-50-mpg automobile.
Dodge Sprinter Plug-in
- battery pack: lithium-ion
- range (battery mode): 20 miles
- max. speed (battery mode): n/a
- recharge time: 6 - 8 hours at 220v
- available: n/a
The Dodge Sprinter Plug-in operates, like other hybrid vehicles, on its electric motor and internal combustion engine combined. However, the Sprinter uses a diesel engine instead of gas. The diesel engine offers added fuel efficiency and more power at low speeds which suits the utility of a van/cargo vehicle.
The Sprinter plug-in is currently being road tested as a delivery vehicle for the NY Times. This is the first fleet test of a diesel plug-in hybrid system. The Sprinter is designed to benefit commercial uses where trips are short and the vehicle returns to its base for recharging.
Jeep Renegade (concept)
- battery pack: lithium-ion
- range (battery mode): 40 miles
- extended range: 400 miles
- max. speed (combined): 90 mph (144km/h)
- recharge time: n/a
- available: n/a
Chrysler has unveiled concept designs for a sporty two-seater all-wheel drive - the Jeep Renegade plug-in. The concept model features two electric motors, one for each axle, and a 1.5 liter, 115hp diesel engine. The frame and body features lightweight aluminum architecture and recyclable materials. Designed for open-air utility, the wireless interior can be hosed down, with interior water channels and drain.
The Renegade plug-in has a low gear mode, locking differentials, and a Bluetec diesel "range-extender" engine that gives it the equivalent of 110 mpg when combined with the electric motors. According to Chrysler, the Renegade is capable of achieving an equivalent petroleum fuel economy of 110 mpg.
Toyota 1/X (concept)
- battery pack: lithium-ion
- range (extended): 150 miles
- max. speed (battery mode): n/a
- recharge time: n/a
- available: n/a
The Toyota 1/X concept car has the same interior space as the Prius, but weighs two-thirds less, coming in under 1,000 pounds. This ultra-light weight lets the 1/X offer twice the fuel efficiency. The car is designed with highly rigid carbon fiber, which is reinforced by a plastic frame to ensure superior collision safety.
The 1/X also features a flex fuel 500cc engine and plug-in hybrid drive system. Toyota quotes fuel efficiency that is double of the Prius in a package that's roughly the same size and seats four. The Toyota 1/X concept car is capable of traveling 150 miles on a four-gallon tank of gasoline.
http://eartheasy.com/live_plug-in_cars.html
Plug-in Cars offer drivers the fuel-efficiency benefits of hybrid cars with the added feature of being able to plug-in to household electricity when the car is not in use. This leads to increased mileage and fuel savings.
A plug-in hybrid-electric vehicle offers extended electric-only propulsion. Drivers can use the electric mode for short trips, and switch to 'blended' mode (combined gas/electric) once the battery runs low, or if higher engine performance is needed.
Plug-ins require larger batteries than normal hybrids, which drives up their cost. Rechargeable nickel metal hydride (NiMh), used in hybrid vehicles, are bulky but less-expensive, while advanced lithium-ion batteries are smaller and have a higher output of energy, but are very costly. Improvements in battery storage capacity are key to the success of plug-ins.
Plug-in technology is currently in active development by the major auto manufacturers, with working prototypes of both plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) and plug-in electric vehicles which have small backup gas generators.
The following plug-in cars are currently in development:
Chevrolet Volt
- battery pack: lithium-ion
- range (battery mode): 40 miles (64km)
- extended range: 360 miles (579km)
- max. speed (battery mode): n/a
- recharge time: 6.5 hours at 110v
- available: late 2010
- cost: $30,000 - $40.000
The Volt runs entirely on electricity, with a small on-board gasoline engine 'range extender' which acts as a generator to charge the batteries once the electric power has been expended. This is referred to as a plug-in 'series' hybrid. It is not referred to as a 'hybrid' car because the hybrids run with combined gas-electric technology acting in parallel.
The Volt's electric-only range of 40 miles exceeds the average per trip range of most drivers, and so for most trips the car will use no gas. When the car is parked at home, it is designed to use a common household plug for recharging.
Toyota Prius Plug-in
- battery pack: nickel metal hydride
- range (battery mode): 7 miles
- max. speed (battery mode): 62 mph
- recharge time: 4 hours at 110v
- available: 2010
- cost: n/a
The new Toyota plug-in will be similar to the current version of the Prius hybrid. Prototypes of the Prius plug-in are running on NiMh batteries, and the production version may run on the same until problems wih the Lithium-ion batteries are worked out.
The Prius plug-in can run in electric-only (EV) mode for maximum fuel efficiency, or "blended" mode (combined electric/gas) for enhanced performance and longer trips when recharging is not an option.
The Prius plug-in is powered by the current Prius’s 1.5-liter inline four. The electric motor generates 50kW, which combined with the battery pack, lets the car reach over 60mph in EV mode alone.
Ford Escape Plug-in
- battery pack: lithium-ion
- range (battery mode): 30 miles
- max. speed (battery mode): 40mph
- recharge time: n/a
- available: 2013
- cost: n/a
A plug-in version is currently in development for the popular Ford Escape compact SUV gas-electric hybrid. The Escape plug-in has five times as much battery capacity and hardware as the current Escape hybrid to recharge the battery from a standard household outlet.
The Escape plug-in can achieve fuel economy of up to 120 miles per gallon, Ford claims, during the first 30 miles of driving at moderate speeds after a full charge. Ford's Greg Frenette, chief engineer for plug-in and fuel-cell vehicles, forecasts 70 to 80 mpg on the highway, where the gas engine works more, and 30 miles of light driving up to 40 mph on a charged battery alone.
Ford Edge, HySeries Drive
- battery pack: lithium-ion
- range (battery mode): 25 miles
- extended range: 225 miles
- max. speed (battery mode): 85mph
- recharge time: n/a
- available: n/a
The Edge is the world's first drivable hydrogen fuel cell vehicle with plug-in capability. Ford's HySeries propulsion system is similar to that used in GM's Chevrolet Volt, but with one big difference: the HySeries uses a hydrogen fuel cell, not a gasoline engine, as the on-board back-up generator. The fuel cell starts re-charging the battery when the charge level drops to around 40 percent.
Ford claims a plug-in-power-only range of 25 miles before the hydrogen is needed. After that, the Edge with HySeries can go another 200 miles on a tank of compressed hydrogen. Ford estimates the gasoline equivalent mileage of the HySeries Edge at 41 mpg city/highway combined if you drive the full range.
Saturn Vue Plug-in
- battery pack: lithium-ion
- range (battery mode): 10 miles
- max speed (battery mode): n/a
- recharge time: 4 - 5 hours at 110v
- available: late 2010
- cost: under $40,000
The Saturn Vue Green Line plug-in will be a modified version of the Vue two-mode hybrid (due out in 2009). After electric-only propulsion depletes the lithium-ion energy storage system to a specified level, the battery is replenished by utilizing the two-mode hybrid system's electric motors and regenerative brake systems.
The Vue has two driving modes – city and highway – and four fixed mechanical gears to maximize efficiency while maintaining performance. In addition, special controls will be utilized to enable higher speeds during electric-only propulsion and maintain electric-only propulsion for longer periods of time. Saturn projects that combined performance for the plug-in Vue could be a near-50-mpg automobile.
Dodge Sprinter Plug-in
- battery pack: lithium-ion
- range (battery mode): 20 miles
- max. speed (battery mode): n/a
- recharge time: 6 - 8 hours at 220v
- available: n/a
The Dodge Sprinter Plug-in operates, like other hybrid vehicles, on its electric motor and internal combustion engine combined. However, the Sprinter uses a diesel engine instead of gas. The diesel engine offers added fuel efficiency and more power at low speeds which suits the utility of a van/cargo vehicle.
The Sprinter plug-in is currently being road tested as a delivery vehicle for the NY Times. This is the first fleet test of a diesel plug-in hybrid system. The Sprinter is designed to benefit commercial uses where trips are short and the vehicle returns to its base for recharging.
Jeep Renegade (concept)
- battery pack: lithium-ion
- range (battery mode): 40 miles
- extended range: 400 miles
- max. speed (combined): 90 mph (144km/h)
- recharge time: n/a
- available: n/a
Chrysler has unveiled concept designs for a sporty two-seater all-wheel drive - the Jeep Renegade plug-in. The concept model features two electric motors, one for each axle, and a 1.5 liter, 115hp diesel engine. The frame and body features lightweight aluminum architecture and recyclable materials. Designed for open-air utility, the wireless interior can be hosed down, with interior water channels and drain.
The Renegade plug-in has a low gear mode, locking differentials, and a Bluetec diesel "range-extender" engine that gives it the equivalent of 110 mpg when combined with the electric motors. According to Chrysler, the Renegade is capable of achieving an equivalent petroleum fuel economy of 110 mpg.
Toyota 1/X (concept)
- battery pack: lithium-ion
- range (extended): 150 miles
- max. speed (battery mode): n/a
- recharge time: n/a
- available: n/a
The Toyota 1/X concept car has the same interior space as the Prius, but weighs two-thirds less, coming in under 1,000 pounds. This ultra-light weight lets the 1/X offer twice the fuel efficiency. The car is designed with highly rigid carbon fiber, which is reinforced by a plastic frame to ensure superior collision safety.
The 1/X also features a flex fuel 500cc engine and plug-in hybrid drive system. Toyota quotes fuel efficiency that is double of the Prius in a package that's roughly the same size and seats four. The Toyota 1/X concept car is capable of traveling 150 miles on a four-gallon tank of gasoline.
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