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Filed under: Legislation and Policy

Most executives in the auto industry speak with one voice when it comes to California’s efforts to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from cars and trucks and it’s not a positive tone. Carmakers don’t like having a patchwork of regulations to meet because that can result in rules that are at cross purposes.

Some people in the car business are in favor of the new rules and spoke to a hearing held by the EPA in Arlington Virginia. A Maine car dealer told the hearing the carmakers needed to be pushed to improve mileage and reduce emissions. Similarly Joseph Kubsh of the Manufacturers of Emission Controls Association was in favor of the waiver for California at least in part because it would benefit the members of his group. The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers and National Automobile Dealers Association are the main lobbying groups for the carmakers and dealers and, as expected, they oppose the waiver that would allow California to implement their new rules.

The fundamental difference between the latest California rules and previous emission standards is that any limit on greenhouse gases is a de facto fuel economy standard. Since CO2 emissions are directly related to the amount of fuel burned this rule would allow California to control fuel consumption which until now has been the responsibility of the EPA. While the official stance of the carmakers is generally opposed to new rules, internally not everyone agrees with that stance.

As Jeremy said in his article, if more people make their voices heard maybe the carmakers will listen. However, the one surefire way to make them listen to speak with your car payments. The only reason carmakers don’t like the rules is because people keep buying big low mileage vehicles more frequently than the other way around. The car companies don’t care what they build as long as people buy. If people buy smaller vehicles in larger numbers they will get built regardless of the regulations.

[Source: Automotive News – Sub. req’d]

 

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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.

Just as ecological crises can divide people and incite regional unrest, they can also unify hostile populations by necessitating collaborative action to address a problem which impacts all sides. In places like Rwanda and Darfur, climate change and environmental decline have been driving conflict for years, exacerbating tension by depleting common resources and rendering people hungry, thirsty and homeless. Increasingly, environmental peacekeeping initiatives appear to be an effective way to promote peace by addressing environmental problems. Such is the case near the Dead Sea, where degradation of the water and the surrounding ecosystems has brought Israeli, Palestinian and Jordanian groups into cooperation towards restoration. The Middle Eastern branch of Friends of the Earth (FoEME) has been engaging the three groups to address issues of drought and development around the Dead Sea, carrying out extensive research on the biodiversity and natural resources there, and proposing alternatives to existing plans for bolstering tourism and adding more infrastructure as the area becomes a vacation destination. In response to massive and uncoordinated development proposed for the Dead Sea basin, FoEME has now launched a project to create a comprehensive integrated regional development plan for the entire Dead Sea region. The plan will be a… (more)

(Posted by Sarah Rich in Biodiversity and Ecosystems at 10:47 AM)

Many people are working on inventions that push the efficiency envelope in lighting, heating, computers, and more. But control technologies may actually be more important–by only using what we need, we can save huge amounts of energy with existing systems, and control technologies help us take only what we need.

(more)

(Posted by Jeremy Faludi in Sustainable Design at 3:27 AM)

Filed under: Etc., Chrysler

As we mentioned yesterday, the small car deal between Chery and Chrysler has been thrown up in the air a bit by Daimler’s dumping of Chrysler.

Today, Automotive News (subs req’d) says that talks between the two companies have resumed now that everyone knows a majority share of the Chrysler group will be sold to Cerberus Capital Management. Details, unsurprisingly, remain vague at this point. Wang Wei, a spokesman for Chery, told AN that “We are still talking about producing a car together. can’t give you any details, though.”

The Chery/Chrysler deal will include the Hornet concept, first seen at the 2006 Geneva Motor Show. We still don’t know all the details for sure, but the small car model that Chery builds in China for Chrysler will be sold in the U.S. as a Chrysler. Production might start in about three years, AN says.

[Source: Alysha Webb / Automotive News (subs req’d)]

 

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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.

Filed under: Etc., MPG, Legislation and Policy

As consumers, most of us have formed an opinion of the domestic automakers as well as the foreign automakers and their stance on fuel economy. Some of us see a difference between the domestics and Japanese companies when it comes to their commitment to the environment through fuel economy, and some of us don’t. Feel free to vent in the comments if you’d like to. In my opinion, the more people speak out and let the automakers know what they think and what they would like to buy, the better chance we have of actually making a difference. And, be sure to check out this article, which describes how one dealer, Adam Lee, president of Lee Automalls in Maine, attempted to vent while making a real impact of his own on the topic. He did so at the EPA‘s meeting that considered the State of California’s desire to raise fuel economy requirements for new cars. Of course, he also notes that he might have no impact at all, “I’m just a car dealer from Maine and I doubt anyone will listen to me.”

I would like to see his statements have some impact, how about you? After all, Lee’s business is dependent on the business of the auto industry. And, you should know that Lee has dealerships which sell both foreign and domestic cars, so he should both know what he is talking about, and should seemingly have no motive to bash one but praise another.

Here is the website for Lee Automalls. Do you want to back him up in sending “a not-so-gentle nudge in the right direction”, as he put it?

[Source: Detroit News]

 

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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.

Filed under: Diesel, Hybrid

It may look like something you might have pulled out of a Kenner G.I. Joe package during your salad days in the ’80s, but the “Aggressor” off-road Alternative Mobility Vehicle is no toy. In fact it’s very real, and the first prototypes are ready for testing by the men in green.

The tough-looking buggy uses a diesel-electric hybrid powertrain developed by Quantum Technologies. Green and mean, the setup provides strong performance credentials (0-40 mph in 4 secs) and affords the vehicle a level of stealthiness not found in conventional machinery. How so? It can run in a battery-only mode that allows the AMV to run silently and with a reduced heat signature, making it much more difficult to detect when it’s operating covertly. Seems like a no-brainer for the military, as quieter will always be better when working in hostile environments.

The vehicle and its powertrain, according to Popular Mechanics, have also been talked about for potential use domestically in roles such as border patrol and park service duty. The quieter operations of hybrid vehicles is often touted as a nice side benefit when discussing passenger cars and commercial vehicles. For the military, however, it’s clearly a big selling point. In a bit of a role reversal, the rest of the drivetrain’s advantages are the gravy.

[Source: Popular Mechanics]

 

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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.

Filed under: Ethanol, Flex-Fuel, Toyota

I’ll admit that I was mildly surprised to read that Toyota was going to start offering flexible fuel vehicles for sale in Brazil soon. Well, let me clarify that: I was surprised to hear the Toyota was not already offering flexible fuel vehicles for sale in Brazil. There, that’s better. As the article mentions, ethanol is much cheaper in Brazil than petroleum, and most consumers would not want to purchase a car that they would be forced to use gasoline in. As you are probably aware, Brazil has been pushing forward for a while now to do away with gasoline in general, replacing it with ethanol derived from locally grown sugar cane. Most vehicle manufacturers have been selling vehicles which are capable of running on the alcohol fuel, again as the article mentions, including Honda – arguably Toyota’s chief rival from Japan. With 80 percent of all vehicles sold in Brazil flex-fuel compatible, this news should not be surprising to anyone, unless, like me, they assumed that Toyota had already been offering them!

Note the flag above. It says “Order and Progress” (translated into English). Any thoughts on whether the conversion to ethanol from petroleum is progress? I’ll say “Yes”, but qualify that by saying that it could progress even further if they were able to use a cellulosic process to get the alcohol. At least they’re not using corn!

[Source: Detroit News]

 

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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.

Filed under: Hydrogen, Ford

Ford has just delivered the first four of a fleet of eight E-450 shuttle buses powered by hydrogen in Orlando Florida. The shuttles will be used to move passengers around the Orlando Airport and the Orlando Convention Center. The buses use Ford’s 6.8L V-10 with an added supercharger and fuel system modified to use hydrogen gas.

Since the buses are being used in a limited area, a single Chevron hydrogen station will be able to fuel all the vehicles. Four more buses will be delivered to customers in Florida in the coming months. The first five hydrogen fueled shuttles were delivered in Ottawa and Vancouver Canada late last year and by the end of 2007 they expect to have thirty of these buses on the road around North America. Orlando is already home to five of the Focus FCVs that are part of a test fleet that has accumulated over 500,000 miles in the last two years. The Ford press release is after the jump.

[Source: Ford]

FORD DELIVERS FIRST ULTRA CLEAN HYDROGEN POWERED BUSES TO U.S. CUSTOMERS

* Ford is the world’s first automaker to deliver commercial vehicles, powered by internal combustion engines that are fueled exclusively with hydrogen.
* The buses will be used as passenger shuttles at the Greater Orlando Airport Authority in Florida, as well as at the Orlando Convention Central District.
* Ford is the only automaker with gasoline hybrid-electric vehicles, hydrogen internal combustion engine vehicles, clean diesel, ethanol and hydrogen fuel cell-powered vehicles on the road today.

ORLANDO, Fla. May 23, 2007 – Ford Motor Company and the State of Florida today announced that they are putting a fleet of hydrogen-fueled Ford E-450 buses on the road in Orlando, the first U.S. city to take delivery of these ultra clean vehicles.

Florida Gov. Charlie Crist marked the occasion at a Chevron Hydrogen station that will provide fuel for eight buses, powered by internal combustion engines that are fueled exclusively with hydrogen.

“These buses represent part of Ford Motor Company’s strategy to deliver transportation solutions that emit less CO2 and reduce our dependence on oil,” said Sue Cischke, Ford senior vice president. Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering. “We are pleased to partner with the State of Florida, Progress Energy and Chevron Hydrogen to place these buses into service so that Central Florida residents will be able to experience this unique form of clean transportation.”

“Today’s event demonstrates the incredible level of support hydrogen technology is receiving from our nation’s distinguished business leaders,” said Governor Charlie Crist. ” Florida is excited to be a part of these revolutionary advancements and we are embracing the challenges that lie ahead. We are committed as state to be a leader in both the policies and projects that protect our economy and our environment.”

Power for the Ford E-450 shuttle buses is provided by a 6.8-liter V-10 engine that has been supercharged and modified to run exclusively on hydrogen fuel. Of these eight vehicles – the first to be operated in the United States – two will be used by the Greater Orlando Airport Authority (GOAA), and two by the Orlando Convention Central District. The remaining four will be delivered to customers in Florida at a later date. Ford delivered five buses to Canada, three in Ottawa and two in Vancouver in late 2006. In all, Ford will deliver 30 buses to customers across North America by year’s end.

The Ford E-450 shuttle buses in Florida are part of the state’s broader plan to move toward a greater use of alternative fuels. Last year, Ford delivered five hybrid hydrogen Ford Focus Fuel Cell vehicles as part of separate effort with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and Progress Energy to gain feedback on hydrogen fuel cell technology.

Hydrogen Internal Combustion Engine Technology

Ford Motor Company believes hydrogen internal combustion engine technology can serve as a bridge to enabling hydrogen to become a viable alternative fuel. Hydrogen fueled internal combustion engines have many advantages, including high efficiency, all-weather capability, and near zero emissions of regulated pollutants and greenhouse gases (CO 2). They also can be hybridized for further gains in fuel efficiency.

While these hydrogen internal combustion engine shuttle buses will provide valuable real-world experience, Ford also is conducting research into next generation hydrogen internal combustion engines, including features such as direct injection to enhance power and fuel economy.

Hydrogen Part of a Broader Effort

Ford’s strategy for alternative fuels is built around multiple technologies, including hydrogen internal combustion engines. This flexible approach allows the company to meet goals for customer needs, environmental impact and shareholder interests. The strategy does not focus on one catch-all solution, but offers a flexible array of options, including hybrids, E85 ethanol, clean diesels, bio-diesels, advanced engine and transmission technologies and hydrogen fuel cells.

The company already has a fleet of 30 hydrogen powered Focus fuel cell vehicles on the road as part of a worldwide, seven-city program to conduct real world testing of fuel cell technology. The 30-car fleet has accumulated more than 500,000 miles since its inception in 2005, more than 90,000 of which have been logged in Florida.

Ford also is conducting tests with the world’s first plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, the Ford Edge with HySeries Drive. The Ford Edge with HySeries Drive uses a series electric drivetrain with an onboard hydrogen fuel cell generator to give the vehicle a range of 225 miles with zero emissions.

Currently, Ford offers gasoline-electric hybrids including the Escape Hybrid and Mercury Mariner Hybrid. The company will also offer hybrid versions of the Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan in 2008.

 

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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.

Whether you're wrapping up a sandwich, covering leftovers or using it on the grill, aluminum foil can be reused over and over again. And when you're finished, it can be recycled along side those soda cans.

As a household item, aluminum foil has a multitude of uses, especially in the kitchen. When storing or cooking food, foil keeps the good stuff in and keeps out light, unwanted moisture and bacteria. Just make sure to not wrap acidic foods, such as oranges, lemons or tomatoes as they'll react with the aluminum. And keep it out of the microwave.

Although foil is not made from petroleum, the mining and processing of aluminum is extremely resource intensive. The good news is aluminum foil is 100% recycleable, and recycled aluminum foil uses 95% less energy to produce than foil made from virgin aluminum.

Recycled aluminum foil is available at many major supermarkets these days, but if you can't find it at a store near you it is available online. And before you throw the foil in your recycling bin, make sure to get as much food off of it as possible. Check out the website of your local department of sanitation or recycling service for more information on aluminum recycling in your area.

Amy says: I don't have a microwave and often reheat things in the oven. I'll store my leftovers in the fridge on an oven safe plate/dish covered with foil that way I can just pop it right into the oven when I'm ready, which saves a lot of prep time. To store the foil, I flatten it out, wash it off (as best as I can) and fold it up. I find I don't go through as much foil by reusing it, which makes the $3.99 roll of recycled aluminum foil well worth the price tag.

More info at Grist.org

Filed under: Etc., Legislation and Policy

Last week, as part of New York City’s work on a congestion charges for parts of Manhattan, the Deputy Mayor of London, Nicky Gavron, spoke at a forum sponsored by the Drum Major Institute (DMI) in New York. Also present at the forum were New York City Councilmember Eric Gioia of Long Island City and Sunnyside, Central Labor Council executive director Ed Ott and John Liu, chair of the New York City Council Transportation Committee representing Flushing. According to blogger-on-the-scene Lindsay Beyerstein, Gavron said that the London congestion charge brings in about $122 million for London while reducing the number of cars in the restricted area by a third. And people like the charge more now than they did before it went into effect.

There’s a blow-by-blow account of the forum here.

[Source: This Modern World, DMI]

 

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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.