Archive for the ‘Hybrid & Alternative fuel’ Category
Saturday, November 27th, 2010 • Posted in Hybrid & Alternative fuel • No Comments »
Green expert Sophie Uliano of Gorgeously Green had a few questions recently about green driving so she came to me. She had some great questions that really reflect the same confusion many of our clients have about hybrid and alternative fuel vehicles, so in case you missed it here’s a recap. By the way, I highlighted the Chevy Volt right before MotorTrend named it Car of the Year. Enjoy!
SU: “There’s a lot of confusion about cars and driving right now. Technical car stuff is definitely not my forte! I just leap into my trusty little Prius and get going. Anyway, all my current car questions about how to drive green needed to be taken to an expert. Michael Mendelsohn of Premier Auto Lease or PAL was able to make sense of it all – so check out what he has to say.”
SU: So if money were no object, what would be the greenest car on the market now?
PAL:
“Money being no object” – and that’s the key phrase – I’ll give you the top three:
1. Nissan LEAF & the Tesla – the only two pure ZEV (Zero Emission Vehicles) available to consumers at this time.
2. Chevy Volt – ZEV vehicle for 40 miles, then an internal combustion gasoline engine kicks in. So after 40 miles it works basically the same as other hybrids.
3. Toyota Prius – the hybrid “green car” all others are measured against.
SU: What about traditional hybrids – I test drove a couple and the only one that really felt great was the Prius. That was 3 years ago – are there now new models that are comparative in performance and technology?
PAL:
The Lexus HS250H is loaded with technology and performs well, but it’s a much heavier car and less aerodynamic than the Prius, so the MPG is approximately 35 city/hwy.
The Honda Insight is a less expensive option, but as you might expect it’s lacking in technology and performance when compared to the Prius.
I really like the Ford Fusion. It holds up well in a lot of ways except it’s more expensive than a Prius. Again the Toyota Prius is the hybrid by which all others are measured, and no hybrid in its class quite measures up.
SU: If I wanted to buy/lease a Prius kind of vehicle, but am on a very tight budget, is there another you would recommend?
PAL:
I’ll give you some vehicles that are not hybrids but also PZEV, low emissions & high MPG. With very strict emission standards today you don’t necessarily have to drive a hybrid to be “green” anymore.
1. Mini Hatchback automatic is in the $21,500 and in the high $200’s/mo on a lease. Free maintenance including brakes and 29mpg city/37mpg hwy.
2. 2011 Toyota Yaris, Mazda 2 and Nissan Versa automatic with A/C are in the $17,000 or in the $200’s/mo range on a lease. They are 29mpg city/35mpg hwy.
3.There are actually some $15,000 options but you will have to forgo A/C, automatic & power doors.
SU: We’ve all heard that hybrids may not be green because of the battery situation – any thoughts on that?
PAL:
The reality is there will always be some environmental impact from any product we mine. Period. We need to find a balance that’s truly beneficial from mining, from usage to disposal. Some countries (Canada mostly) have tightened up regulations in recent years so Nickel mining, while not perfect, is much more environmentally friendly than it was just three years ago. Nickel is said to be 95% recyclable.
Right now all hybrids use either nickel metal hydride modules or battery packs. The Chevy Volt & Nissan LEAF will be the first hybrid to use Lithium ion batteries. These are important because they have a higher energy density, can charge on a standard 110V outlet and as of now will likely be the future of electric cars. It is illegal to dump Lithium Ion batteries so they will have to be recycled. PAL would LOVE to see a Lithium/Diesel hybrid someday soon which some manufacturers are working on.
SU: Tell us about electric cars – I’ve heard in 3 years time, we’re all going to want one?
PAL:
What PAL thinks about hydrogen and electric cars is that we don’t have the infrastructure to support them for the masses, and it’s slow moving technology. Electric is obviously much further along but we need a cost effective plug-in car 110V that will charge in a standard outlet with a range of at least 150 miles before the masses will be on board. Even then it won’t be easy. PAL thinks further developing current hybrid technology and embracing clean diesel fuel is the way to go for now, while continuing to work on an infrastructure for electric and hydrogen vehicles.
Want more detailed explanations?
Check out our 3-part Hybrid & Alternative Fuel Vehicle blog series.
Visit our online showroom to research a full range of hybrid models.
And as always please feel free to contact us anytime with questions.
Monday, November 8th, 2010 • Posted in Hybrid & Alternative fuel • No Comments »
As with all things, there are plusses and minuses to the available hybrid and alternative fuel options, but to me it’s all headed in a positive direction. That’s what we all have to keep in mind: “WE are headed” in the right direction and need to continue pushing forward. WE can’t let up and settle.
Due to the California Air Resources Board (CARB) strict standards, and yes some other factors, I’ve just seen the clearest year in my 45 years in the perpetually polluted San Fernando Valley. AS important as developing the technology is, we still need to develop the infrastructure to support it which seems to be lost in the discussion.
The reality is there will always be some environmental impact from any product we mine. Period. We need to find a balance that’s truly beneficial from mining-usage to disposal. Some countries (Canada mostly) have tightened up regulations in recent years on Nickel mining, so while not perfect it is much more environmentally friendly than it was. Right now all hybrids use either nickel metal hydride modules or battery packs. The Chevy Volt will be the first hybrid to use Lithium ion batteries. These are important because they have a higher energy density, can charge on a standard 110V outlet, and as of now will likely be the future of electric cars. PAL would LOVE to see a Lithium/Diesel hybrid someday soon which some manufacturers are working on.
PAL loves Clean Diesel because the infrastructure is in place. 70% of the commerce in California is run on diesel and that number is close in EVERY major city in the world. Trucks, most trains, ships and airplanes. Other planes run on Jet A fuel which is similar in composition to automotive diesel. Advanced diesel systems utilized today uses a solution called AdBlue, that is injected into the exhaust gas to turn oxides into nitrogen gas and water vapor. This works in conjunction with a particulate filter to further reduce emissions. The system works on virtually the same technology that Mercedes-Benz uses in its BlueTec diesels, BMW, Audi, VW and pretty much every other manufacturer taking advantage of Clean Diesel technology.
According to the California Air Resources Board (CARB), Chevrolet’s upcoming Volt is an ultra-low emissions vehicle, or ULEV – which is great, until you realize that tailpipe emissions from Volkswagen’s line of TDI diesels, Jetta, Golf, Toyota’s Prius, Yarid, Matrix, Honda Insight, Civic, Accord, Mini’s are (per CARB) significantly cleaner. I could go on and on but you get the message. The Volt did get an ULEV rating but it is a ZEV zero emission vehicle for 40 miles. In other words, you can have MANY options these days to drive green. (Please see our earlier Hybrid 101 posts about the differences between ULEV, ZEV, etc.)
Don’t get me wrong. I’m all for them they just aren’t practical or cost effective and it’s slow moving technology. The Nissan LEAF starts at $32,000 & the Chevy Volt starts at $40,000. Yes I know there’s a $7,500 tax credit but that doesn’t mean the government is sending you a $7,500 check if you buy one of those cars. There’s PLENTY of fine print and paperwork, and you have to have the liability to qualify at all.
” John Humphrey, an SVP at J.D. Power, said in a statement. “For example, among consumers in the U.S. who initially say they are interested in buying a hybrid vehicle, the number declines by some 50 percent when they learn of the extra $5,000, on average, it would cost to acquire the vehicle.”
After many years in the car business this statement is fact. So number one is education and getting more people on board while continuing to improve current hybrid technology & working on an infrastructure to support it.
Hopefully you’ve learned something from our Hybrid 101 series. We would love to here back from you with questions and comments.
Monday, October 18th, 2010 • Posted in Hybrid & Alternative fuel • No Comments »
By 2016, vehicle makers will be “required” to build cars with an average fuel economy rating of 35.5 miles per gallon. While national regulations on vehicle emissions do exist, some states have stricter standards, creating a patchwork of confusing abbreviations that are difficult to understand. Though some states use alphabet soup to describe the efficiency of vehicles, the federal government and EPA have opted to go with a different system. Here’s what the most popular of these abbreviations actually mean.
ULEV – Ultra Low Emission Vehicle
Ultra Low Emission Vehicle standards, in many states, are required to emit no more than half of the emissions of comparable model-year vehicles. At this point these are mostly Hybrid SUV’s like the Lexus RX450H and the all new Porsche Cayenne Hybrid.
SULEV – Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicle
Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicles, otherwise known as SULEV cars, are required to emit no more than 10 percent of the average emissions of comparable model-year vehicles. SULEV vehicles are most often ultra-efficient hybrids or alternative-fuel vehicles. This is a gray area classification which we hope will dissolve as this falls more under Federal standards instead of State. Some PZEVs fall into this category by default–buy a Toyota Prius in CA and fuel it up, it’s a PZEV. Drive east and fuel it up over the next 2,500 miles and it’s an SULEV, since CA’s low sulfur gas formulations are not available everywhere.
PZEV – Partial Zero Emission Vehicle
The standards for a PZEV — Partial Zero Emission Vehicle — are the same as for an SULEV vehicle. However, to qualify as a PZEV, a vehicle has to have extra controls on gas evaporation and must maintain low emission levels for 150,000 miles. This is the most prevalent, and we expect most passenger vehicles and smaller SUV’s to fall under this category over the next two years, in California. Right now PZEV’s you’ll find include: Toyota Prius, Yaris, Matrix, Honda Insight, 4cyl Civic, and Accord. Even the 2011 Odyssey mini van, all Mini’s, all the “Clean Diesel” vehicles including the BMW 335d, X5d, Audi Q7 TDI, A3 TDI, VW Jetta TDI, Touareg, Golf TDI and many more are PZEV vehicles.
Diesel isn’t a dirty word anymore! Don’t think of black smoke and lawn mower engine sounds…think clean intense high heat from high compression that allows the fuel to burn in an ultra clean efficient manner. Because of this you get more torque at lower RPM’s. In other words, they’re fast, fun and environmentally friendly! PAL loves Diesel!!!
ZEV – Zero Emissions Vehicle
Used mostly to refer to hydrogen-fueled or electric cars, Zero Emissions Vehicles are not always totally “zero emissions.” For example, a car that charges off of the power grid can still be considered ZEV – even though the grid does still put out some pollution. OK, I’ll hold back the anger as best I can! BMW spent three years and hundreds upon hundreds of millions of dollars, and they came up with a $100,000 Hydrogen 7 series that can’t be garaged. California has 20 Hydrogen filling stations open and eight more planned….don’t ask me??? No they aren’t going to produce the car but we could have ENDED homelessness in California at the very least with the money they spent. PAL likes the Hydrogen idea but it’s over 25 years away.
I could get into the failure and stats of the electric Mini but I’ll spare everyone that spent $800/mo on one. The immediate future of the electric car is riding on the Nissan LEAF. They are sold out BUT they don’t have firm pricing so we’ll see how many people actually take them. They’re advertised at $25,000 but that INCLUDES a $7,500 tax credit that NOT everyone qualifies for. Also they are backing off their 100 mile range per charge a little – word is it’s closer to 80 miles. It’s $2,000 to install a charger in your home and it’s a 3 phase 220V, the exact same as an air conditioner runs on. It’s an 8 hour charge time at 220V.
We are PRO Hybrid & Alternative fuel vehicles because frankly our planet won’t be here for long without it. Let’s face it, EVERY power source – fuel, battery, or gas – has its plusses and minuses. We would love to see a Diesel____hybrid…..stay tuned!
Check out our showroom for links to all the hottest hybrid & alternative fuel vehicles.
Friday, October 8th, 2010 • Posted in Hybrid & Alternative fuel • No Comments »
Welcome to Hybrid 101: Our 3-part series on hybrid and alternative fuel vehicles because there’s so much information to share. First I want to say that we’re HUGE proponents of hybrid and alternative fuel vehicles but we’re not willing to say: great you drive a Prius, you’re green! We will do our best to turn over every rock and bring you information so you can make your own educated decision. When the series is completed you’ll be an expert!
Please check out our showroom for a complete list of hybrid and alternative fuel vehicles, and if you’re in a hurry check out our simple hybrid FAQ page.
Now back to Hybrid 101!
Simply put a hybrid car is nothing more than adding an electric motor with rechargeable batteries to a gas engine vehicle. Hybrid vehicles are equipped with sophisticated computer systems that switch between gas and electric mode. They’re generally running on, and charging the batteries, at lower speeds. That’s why you see a higher city MPG than non-hybrids, especially in hybrid SUV’s.
There are three major types of batteries use in hybrid cars: lead-acid, nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) and lithium-ion (Li-ion). By far, lead-acid is considered the most toxic of the three, and on top of that it’s also extremely heavy, reducing some of the fuel efficiency gains from the electric motor. Lead-acid is becoming less of a contender in the hybrid car battery market and is being replaced by nickel-metal hydride. Nickel is less toxic than lead, but it’s not without its own problems — it’s potentially carcinogenic and the mining process is considered hazardous. Since they’re the least toxic, many consider lithium-ion batteries to be the way to go, ala the Tesla. The downside is they are expensive AND you need A LOT of them to move a vehicle.
Vehicle emissions are broken up into abbreviations with PZEV being the most popular. That’s Partial Zero Emission Vehicles autos falling under this acronym – they’re everything from a Prius to most 4cyl Hondas, Toyotas, Mazdas, Minis & even the Mercedes C & E Class in California.
I told you this isn’t black and white. It isn’t: ok you drive a Prius, you’re green. The mining of the materials and the disposal/recycling of the materials are maybe the most integral part of the equation. Obviously driving a Prius over five years is better for the environment than a Mini but taking mining and disposing/recycling of the hundreds of batteries in a Prius, is the Mini actually the more environmentally friendly car?
Bookmark us or follow us on Twitter @premierlease so you’ll know when we post the next installment of Hybrid 101. We’re very PRO Hybrid & Alternative fueled vehicles. And spoiler alert — we’ll have our two cents answers/opinions on what we believe the future holds in the last post so stay tuned!
