Fart Car

I've written many times on this blog about alternative energies like electricity, wind, and solar.  I'm a big proponent of 100% electric cars like the Nissan Leaf which use no fossil fuels and emit no pollution.

But I just became aware of a new car that is powered by a 'natural' gas that is renewable.  Check this out:

I can't wait to order my new Flatula Backfire!

A new Leaf

I've written several times about my interest in and support of alternative fuel vehicles.

First came the gasoline-electric hybrids like the Toyota Prius and Honda Insight. They utilize both an electric battery powered engine and a gasoline powered engine at the same time. The battery is never exhausted because it is constantly being recharged, however it is constantly using the gasoline engine as well.

Then came the gasoline-electric hybrids like the Chevrolet Volt. It begins by using just the battery powered electric engine until the battery runs down (about 40 miles per charge), then the gasoline engine kicks in to recharge the battery. In theory, a family could run most if not all of its daily errands (up to 40 miles) each day without using any gasoline or creating any pollution.

But what really excited me is what came next: the 100% electric Nissan Leaf.

The Leaf does not have a gasoline engine so it emits zero pollution and requires zero fossil fuels. Who knew zero could mean so much? Each battery charge should allow the Leaf to go 75-100 miles, depending on who you believe. (Nissan says 100 miles; the EPA says about 75.) Here's their latest commercial illustrating the 'value of zero'. Obviously there are pros and cons to all 3 vehicle types.

The Prius could be a person/family's sole vehicle because it does not depend on the battery life. Therefore it can be used to commute to work, run errands, and be driven on a cross-country trip.

But how many families have just 1 car?

I love the fact that the Leaf never uses any gasoline (the price of which fluctuates for seemingly no reason at all) and produces absolutely no pollution! While you can't take it on a cross-country trip, you certainly can commute back and forth to work every day, and probably run a few errands on the way. Just plug it in at night and let it charge back up.

Just think of all the money you'll save by NOT filling up a gas tank, paying for oil and filter changes and tune-ups! And while it does cost money to recharge the Leaf's electric battery, the cost of electricity is cheaper than the cost of filling up a gas tank. And, one could install a solar panel to utilize the sun to charge the battery for free.

Most couples and families have 2 cars, so I think we should all consider keeping a 'regular' car for long range driving, but purchase a Nissan Leaf for daily commuting and errand running.

Its good for the economy and good for the earth.

Turning over a new Leaf

As you may recall, I have written about alternative energy vehicles before (here, here, and here), most enthusiastically about vehicles that do not use any fossil fuel. I feel that electric-gasoline hybrids like Prius were a fine step toward reducing fossil fuel demand, but that real clean energy independence must come from alternative energy vehicles.

Its time we turn over a new Leaf. The fully electric, zero emission Nissan Leaf, that is. 
Its similar in size and appearance to the Versa, but its of-so-different in that the Leaf does not contain an internal combustion engine so it does not use any gasoline. None. There's no exhaust pipe because there's no exhaust. None.

Leaf is a plug-in electric car that will run up to 100 miles on a full battery. Weather conditions, terrain, and use of the a/c may reduce the range a bit. But most people travel less than 100 miles a day so there should be quite a market for this vehicle. A charging dock can be plugged into your garage or home so you charge up the battery overnight, just like you do with your cell phone.

It likely won't replace a family's only car. But most family's have more than 1 car so it could very likely replace 1 of them. Keep your traditional gasoline car for road trips and drive the Leaf for everything else: picking the kids up from school, dropping the kids off at practice, picking up groceries and drycleaning, and a whole host of other driving chores.

How is the Nissan Leaf different from other alternative fuel vehicles?

Parallel hybrids, like those offered by Toyota, Honda, Ford, and Lexxus, require both the gasoline engine and electric motor to be engaged for every trip. You will always use some gasoline and some electricity.

Series hybrids, like the Chevy Volt, use only the electric motor to power the vehicle, but use a gasoline engine to recharge the electric motor batteries. If you drive less than 40 miles you will not use any gasoline, but if you go more than 40 miles you'll use some gasoline.

The advantage of hybrids is that they can go an unlimited distance. A hybrid could replace a family's only car. But since most family's have more than 1 car, my choice would be the Leaf. With no gasoline engine there is no exhaust/pollution, no need for oil and filter changes or tune-ups, and no dependence on foreign oil sources.

Alternative fuel vehicles are not 'cheap'. Most hybrids are at least $30K or more. Leaf is expected to list for about $32,780. Fortunately all of these vehicles qualify for some kind of federal tax rebate. But in my mind, selecting a gasoline-electric hybrid or a 100% electric Leaf is about much more than the sticker price. 

Its about reducing or eliminating pollution.

Its about harnessing a renewal energy source rather than an exhaustible one.

Its about reducing our need for importing fossil fuel from foreign countries.

Its about forward thinking.

Its about turning over a new leaf. Interested in reserving a Nissan Leaf? Click here. 

Crush du Jour: Pete Kuzak

Friday fragments

Welcome to Friday fragments, my weekly recap of topics too big to forget, yet too small to be their own post.

I saw this on a blog but can't remember which one. I thought it was too funny not to post, even though I can't give credit to the blog where I saw it. There's so much going on in this sign! First the part about "for lady; man piss outside" cracked me up, but then the diagram above "don't choking" had me wondering where this sign might have been posted. If you look closely, the kneeling figure is female. See the breasts? The standing figure must be male since it has no breasts, and since the female is "choking" on... him. Too funny!

Our friends Ron & James are coming this evening for a weekend visit, so we will not be having Fri Night Dinner with 'the usual suspects'. We haven't seen Ron & James since their visit last summer, I believe. We've tried to connect during our weekends back in VA, but they weren't available. Of course we warned them about visiting during the construction, but they said they would put up with the dirt and dust to spend the weekend with us. How could we say no? This means we don't have to clean!

My friend Jared sent me this. (Click on it to enlarge.)

Jared sends me the best stuff!

Well, we've finally done it. We decided to visit our dear friends The Newlyweds in Portland, OR next month. We bought our tickets on Tuesday. Neither of The Newlyweds is able to take off work the entire week, which is perfectly fine with us, but both will likely be able to take off a few days. Spouse & I love to just walk around and explore so we will be totally fine. We are also planning to meet fellow blogger Stephen and his husband for the first time while in Portland. We're also considering a day trip or over-nighter in Seattle, WA. Any other Portlanders, Seattlers, or nearby folks with whom we should try to connect? What are the "can't miss" places?

Jared also sent me this: Rest assured our cat Pouncer will NOT be drinking any of this!

I recently read that GM has announced a new Buick plug-in hybrid. It was originally scheduled to be the 2010 Saturn Vue, but since GM sold Saturn, they are moving the technology into a new, yet unnamed Buick crossover-style vehicle.

My friend Steven sent me this:

This made me ROAR with laughter!!! Sexy indeed, Jane. God, I LOVE camp.

Wishing you all a terrific weekend.

Crush du Jour: Danny Teeson

Smart

Its no secret that I am an advocate for reducing, reusing, recycling, and reclaiming. I've shared articles and written about alternative fuel vehicles as well as household recycling. To me its fun and exciting.

One effort to reduce the amount of fuel we consume is to drive less. This doesn't mean you don't go where you need/want to go, but rather, it means thinking ahead and consolidating your trips. Just make one trip to the post office, grocery store, dry cleaners, and gas station, rather than a separate trip to each.

Another effort to reduce the amount of fuel we consume is to drive smaller, more fuel-efficient cars. Here's an example of one, the Smart Car.
Yes, that's Spouse standing next to the Smart Car, putting its size into perspective. Here's a Smart Car next to a Suburban.

But some have complained that Smart Cars are 'ugly'. Others would like Smart Cars that have a more 'sporty' look.

So, the makers of Smart Car are teaming up with some of the other auto manufacturers to introduce some alternative Smart models. Here's a look at some of them.

Here is the new Smartvette.

Here is the new Smardie A3 (AWD).

Here is the new Smartborghini.

Here is the new Smorche.

Here is the new Smerrari.

And likely the most fuel-efficient of all the new models is the new Smustang.

Which one will YOU choose?

Crush du Jour: Mark Lawson

Chevy Volt update

There is some exciting news regarding the Chevy Volt:

Currently GM has about 30 prototypes running around the proving grounds and in various test facilities. These cars have been performing flawlessly. The next critical stage in Volt development process will be the building of true to form and function Chevrolet Volt prototypes.

Andrew Farah, the Volt’s lead engineer actually has a countdown clock in his office revealing that 63 days from today, assembly of the first true Volt will start. All the parts will be lined up at the low volume assembly facility and will begin to come together that day. Andrew notes the first one will take longer to produce, but for all intents and purposes will come to life on June 1st. They will then be built at a rate of roughly 10 per week until a total fleet of over 80 is completed.

Those cars “will look, taste, smell, and feel like the Volt. They are the Volt,” said Farah “my goal is by Forth of July to be out driving several of them.”

According to Greg Ceisel, GM’s Voltec manager, 2010 will bring several more build stages. “We’ve got several phases leading up to the production launch where we build larger and larger batches,” says Ciesel “in each phase as we perfect the production process, make sure we’ve got all the fit finish and other details exactly correct and that the quality of the vehicle meets our standards before we go into the first vehicles that will ultimately be saleable vehicles that will be shipped to the dealerships.”

He said there will be “a hundred or so” of these final pre-production Volts that will also act as a test fleet for mostly GM employees.

By November of 2010 the first saleable Volts will begin being built and shipped to dealerships.
Why all this fuss is about the Chevy Volt? Because the Volt is an extended-range electric car being developed by General Motors. The Volt is a plug-in electric vehicle with an on-board gasoline generator. It will have a large battery that stores power from your home electric outlet and which is connected to an electric motor. The electric motor directly propels the car.

How is the Volt different than today’s hybrids? Today’s hybrids are called parallel hybrids. They use a small electric motor for low speed driving, but switch to a regular gas engine for acceleration and faster speed driving, hence both engines work side by side or in parallel. There is no way to drive parallel hybrids without using some gasoline. The Volt is a series vehicle meaning only the electric motor powers the car at all times; the gas engine is just a generator, making electricity to keep the batteries in a steady state of charge.

The Volt will be able to drive at least 40 miles on pure electricity stored in the battery from overnight home charging. Many people whose daily commute is less than 40 miles will be able to drive to and from work and never use any gasoline! Think about running your errands (drycleaner, grocery store, Target) on a Saturday, picking up kids from school and sports practice, or going out to dinner and a movie without using an ounce of gasoline!

What happens if you need to drive more than 40 miles? The gas engine will kick in and allow the car to be driven up to 400 miles on a full tank (6-7 gallons) of gas. For the first 40 miles it will get infinite mpg, because no gas will be used. When the generator starts, the car will get an equivalent of 50 mpg thereafter.

To me, this is very exciting! We're that much closer to having a fully electric car as an option (not to replace all gasoline powered cars). Electric cars produce virtually no pollution and reduce our dependence on oil. I will be in line to buy one in November 2010.

Crush du Jour: Matt Aymar

Air car

My comments follow this short article.

Super Fuel-Efficient Car to Run on Air

A New York-based company plans to produce a car that runs on compressed air and gets up to 106 miles per gallon.

The car's engine would work like a locomotive, but instead of steam, compressed air would move the pistons. When the car hits 35 mph a fuel-powered external combustion system kicks in and heats the air, further increasing its volume.

While experts agree that it's possible to run a small vehicle on compressed air, many are skeptical about whether this system would work for a full-size car. Nevertheless, Zero Pollution Motors is pledging to build the first models in 2010, and sell them for around $18,000.

At first the air would be free, and pumped into the tanks using an on-board compressor. But we're sure someone will eventually figure out how to charge for the air. If you doubt this, take a look at that bottle of water you're drinking.

***********

I think this is exactly the kind of forward thinking we need to reduce our dependence on oil and our negative impact on the environment.

Sure, this won't replace the occasional need for a larger vehicle that can go for long range. But just imagine if most people drove air cars to and from work, the grocery store, soccer practice, music lessons, and the movie theatre instead of a gasoline powered car that pollutes.

They could rent a van or truck to bring home large purchases from Best Buy or Home Depot. They could rent a large SUV or minivan for that family road trip vacation. Or they could keep the one they have, but they wouldn't need to drive those inefficient polluters around every day.

I'm also not saying anyone should be forced into this type of behavior. This is America; the land of the free (at least for the moment), and we should be allowed to drive whatever we want. But it would certainly be a step in the right direction to have alternatives like this available to those who want to use them.

Think about it: 106 mpg, non-polluting, $18K. Personally, I would buy one of these in a heartbeat.

Crush du Jour: Steven Strait

Ford's decision

Ford has decided NOT to sell its 65-mpg Fiesta in the US because it feels Americans don't like diesel fueled vehicles.

They say only 3% of cars sold in the US are diesels. But did it occur to them that more people would likely buy a diesel if more models were offered? Currently only VW and Mercedes Benz offer a few diesel models.

My guess is that US car buyers wouldn't care if the Fiesta were diesel if they knew they could get 65 miles per gallon.

Americans are slowly adjusting to the reality that we can't rely solely on gasoline powered vehicles if we want to be competitive in the world marketplace and protect the environment. Unfortunately our government seems to feel the answer is simply to drill for more oil. We need a variety of fuel choices, which will make them competitive with each other and reduce unit cost, as well as reduce environmental damage.

Ford Won't Sell 65-MPG Fiesta in US
By DAVID KILEY, BusinessWeek.com

If ever there was a car made for the times, this would seem to be it: a sporty subcompact that seats five, offers a navigation system, and gets a whopping 65 miles to the gallon. Oh yes, and the car is made by Ford Motor, known widely for lumbering gas hogs.

Ford's 2009 Fiesta ECOnetic goes on sale in November. But here's the catch: Despite the car's potential to transform Ford's image and help it compete with Toyota Motor and Honda Motor in its home market, the company will sell the little fuel sipper only in Europe.

"We know it's an awesome vehicle," says Ford America President Mark Fields. "But there are business reasons why we can't sell it in the U.S." The main one: The Fiesta ECOnetic runs on diesel.

Automakers such as Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz have predicted for years that a technology called "clean diesel" would overcome many Americans' antipathy to a fuel still often thought of as the smelly stuff that powers tractor trailers. Diesel vehicles now hitting the market with pollution-fighting technology are as clean or cleaner than gasoline and at least 30 percent more fuel-efficient.

Yet while half of all cars sold in Europe last year ran on diesel, the U.S. market remains relatively unfriendly to the fuel. Taxes aimed at commercial trucks mean diesel costs anywhere from 40 cents to $1 more per gallon than gasoline.

Add to this the success of the Toyota Prius, and you can see why only 3 percent of cars in the U.S. use diesel. "Americans see hybrids as the darling," says Global Insight auto analyst Philip Gott, "and diesel as old-tech."

None of this is stopping European and Japanese automakers, which are betting they can jump-start the U.S. market with new diesel models. Mercedes-Benz by next year will have three cars it markets as "BlueTec." Even Nissan and Honda, which long opposed building diesel cars in Europe, plan to introduce them in the U.S. in 2010. But Ford, whose Fiesta ECOnetic compares favorably with European diesels, can't make a business case for bringing the car to the U.S.

TOO PRICEY TO IMPORT

First of all, the engines are built in Britain, so labor costs are high. Plus the pound remains stronger than the greenback. At prevailing exchange rates, the Fiesta ECOnetic would sell for about $25,700 in the U.S. By contrast, the Prius typically goes for about $24,000. A $1,300 tax deduction available to buyers of new diesel cars could bring the price of the Fiesta to around $24,400. But Ford doesn't believe it could charge enough to make money on an imported ECOnetic.

Ford plans to make a gas-powered version of the Fiesta in Mexico for the U.S. So why not manufacture diesel engines there, too? Building a plant would cost at least $350 million at a time when Ford has been burning through more than $1 billion a month in cash reserves. Besides, the automaker would have to produce at least 350,000 engines a year to make such a venture profitable. "We just don't think North and South America would buy that many diesel cars," says Fields.

The question, of course, is whether the U.S. ever will embrace diesel fuel and allow automakers to achieve sufficient scale to make money on such vehicles. California certified VW and Mercedes diesel cars earlier this year, after a four-year ban. James N. Hall, of auto researcher 293 Analysts, says that bellwether state and the Northeast remain "hostile to diesel." But the risk to Ford is that the fuel takes off, and the carmaker finds itself playing catch-up -- despite having a serious diesel contender in its arsenal.

Crush du Jour: David Beckham

No offshore drilling

I've written many times in this space about my strong desire to reduce America's dependence on foreign and domestic oil. The technology already exists to build fully electric vehicles that require no oil and create no pollution!
But, this technology has been successfully squelched by the big oil companies and the auto manufacturers. You see, reducing our need for oil will simultaneously reduce their vulgar profits. As long as they continue getting rich they have little to no regard for our environment.

But instead of supporting cleaner, non-polluting, renewable sources of energy like solar, wind, and electricity, some would have us believe we need to open up oil drilling on our coastlines and wildlife refuges.

We all know this is not the answer.

Even if you take away the fact that these new wells won't produce oil for 15 or more years, having more oil will not reduce the cost of gasoline. A lack of oil supply is NOT causing gasoline prices to be sky high; corporate greed is.

With President Bush promising lower gas prices if we sacrifice our coasts to Big Oil, members of both parties are clamoring to lift the ban on offshore drilling. Congress could cave under the enormous and growing pressure.

If that happens, thousands of miles of our most spectacular coasts, including California's Big Sur, Maine's Acadia National Park, North Carolina's Outer Banks, Florida's Everglades and coral reefs, and eventually the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge will all be at risk of catastrophic oil spills.

The raping of our beautiful coastlines is unacceptable and completely unnecessary.

Its high time we all take some responsibility for what happens to our coastlines and educate ourselves. That's why I'm telling you about the Natural Resources Defense Council, or NRDC. Check out how this non-profit organization is trying to defend our natural resources and how you can support such efforts. Also, take a look at this NRDC ad that recently ran in the Washington Post.

Alternative energy sources are out there! We don't need to destroy our coastlines and wildlife refuges for oil.

I urge everyone: Educate yourself, and then speak out. Tell them "No offshore drilling."

Crush du Jour: William Levy