Where will the car of the future come from? Detroit, which fumbled the electric automobile and let Japan grab the lead in hybrids?
Not likely. Instead, try NASA, MIT’s Media Lab or Silicon Valley, where the sizzling, battery-powered Tesla Roadster debuted last summer. New technology that promises to revolutionize the automobile as we know it is emerging from research institutions and startups — and these innovations won’t set you back $100,000 like a Tesla will …
… Others are looking to revolutionize the automobile’s engine, not replace it.
The radical new design of the Scuderi power plant splits the cylinders of an internal-combustion engine in two, compressing air in one chamber, then shooting it into a combustion chamber where it’s mixed with gas and ignited. The Massachusetts startup’s design allows recovered braking energy to be stored as compressed air. It also creates a highly efficient combustion environment, promising to double gas mileage while drastically reducing tailpipe emissions …
Copyright © 2007 San Francisco Sentinel
Flanked by several hybrid taxicabs, Mayor Newsom today urged the City’s Taxi Commission to approve a resolution that gradually reduces, offsets, and eliminates greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) in taxis by 2020.
In his 2006 State of the City Address, Mayor Newsom pledged to convert 100% of San Francisco taxis to hybrid or alternative fuel vehicles by 2011. This resolution would provide the mandate to help achieve that goal and take it even further.
The resolution specifically requires the San Francisco taxi industry to reduce its total greenhouse gas emissions by 50% from current levels and 20% from 1990 levels by 2011. Recent estimates show that converting the City’s taxi fleet to hybrid or compressed natural gas vehicles is expected to reduce taxi emissions between 30-60%.
Even with a 20% reduction of greenhouse gases from 1990 levels, the San Francisco taxi fleet will still produce over 30,000 tons of GHG per year. Therefore, the resolution calls for investments in renewable energy or efficiency as well, which provide a mechanism for the taxi industry to significantly offset its GHG emissions.
Financial Times, June 12, 2007
World oil demand is rising faster than previously expected while non-Opec supply is growing more slowly, the International Energy Agency has said in its latest monthly assessment of the market.
The rich countries’ energy watchdog warned on Tuesday of growing tightness in oil supplies in the second half of the year, and urged the Organisation of the Petrolem Exporting Countries to raise its output.
David Fyfe, an analyst at the IEA, said: “We would very much hope that Opec production is at its seasonal low at the moment… We definitely do need more crude oil.”
The IEA now expects demand for oil to rise by 1.7m barrels a day this year compared to last year – an increase of about 2 per cent – and non-Opec oil supply to rise by just 900,000 b/d. That rise in demand is 167,000 b/d more than the IEA had previously estimated, while the rise in non-Opec supply is 97,000 b/d less.
TRANSPORTATION OFFICIAL CITES DAMAGE TO AUTO INDUSTRY
By Frank Davies
MediaNews Washington Bureau
Article Launched: 06/13/2007
WASHINGTON - In a move denounced by state officials and others as improper lobbying on behalf of the auto industry, transportation officials in the Bush administration are making a pro-auto industry pitch to members of Congress, urging them to oppose California’s efforts to enforce tough emissions standards on vehicles.
One official, Heideh Shahmoradi, a special assistant to Transportation Secretary Mary Peters, left a voicemail recently with a House staffer warning that if California gets the authority from the Environmental Protection Agency to enact those controls, “this would greatly impact the auto facilities in your district.”
Shahmoradi asked if the staffer’s House member would ask his state’s governor to weigh in with the EPA to oppose California’s request. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has said the state will sue the EPA by October if it does not grant a waiver California has requested allowing the state to set its own standards - which 11 other states also have promised to enact.
Jim Mateja, Chicago Tribune, June 12, 2007
While consumers look for relief from high gas prices, and Congress debates raising fuel-economy standards, comes word that this fall there will be one less gas/electric car to put on your shopping list.
Honda will bring out a redesigned Accord sedan minus the hybrid version.
Some insist Honda is waving a white flag to the much-better-selling Toyota Prius hybrid.
Baloney!
Honda will continue to offer its compact Civic hybrid and plans to add another hybrid smaller than Civic in 2009, a vehicle about the size of a Fit that just might be built at Honda’s new Indiana assembly plant. Honda isn’t saying whether it will be a version of Fit.
The Accord hybrid is disappearing because Honda misread the market.
“We wanted excellent performance and pretty good mileage but found consumers wanted excellent mileage and pretty good performance from a hybrid,” said Honda spokesman Chris Martin.
