Filed under: Etc., Legislation and Policy, Green Daily

Right now, it seems impossible to imagine a day when bicycles and pedestrians can equally share the roads with automobiles and trucks in the U.S., but Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood aims to make that day a reality. Recently, LaHood announced a “major policy revision” that will treat cyclists and walkers with policies similar to vehicles. LaHood’s goal is to refocus efforts on non-motorized transportation by adopting policies that will encourage more people to consider these alternative transportation methods.

LaHood envisions future roadways built to accommodate not only automobiles, but also cyclists and walkers. As LaHood’s policy says, “Walking and biking should not be an afterthought in roadway design.” For example, snow should be cleared from bike pathways when streets are cleared, road maintenance should coincide with pathway maintenance, where roads and automobiles can go, so to should bikes and walkers.

By treating bicyclists and pedestrians as equals to the automobile, the new policy will encourage more people to travel via their own two feet. In addition, creating new pathways and maintaining those already in use will make traveling by bike significantly easier for those that already chose to.

Like any policy, LaHood’s plan isn’t without critiques. Objections have surfaced from business owners, politicians and numerous other groups. Objections to the policy focus on jobs and job creation. Objectors have said, “you can’t have jobs without the efficient movement of freight” and “what job is going to be created by having a bike lane” and even “the policy would undermine any effort the Obama administration has made towards jobs.” These might be valid counter-arguments against the policy, but biking and walking are two of the most efficient, cleanest sources of travel known and we support LaHood’s decision to back the cyclist for a greener future ahead. Plus, last time we checked, doing more work - like creating and maintaining bike lanes - requires more workers.

[Source: New York Times | Image: Herval - C.C. License 2.0]

Transportation Secretary embraces bicycling, walking for a greener future originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Mon, 29 Mar 2010 11:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Popularity: 10% [?]

Filed under: Hybrid, Hyundai, New York Auto Show

Next Wednesday at the New York Auto Show, Hyundai will unveil its first U.S. market hybrid model based on the just released Sonata sedan. Unlike the Fusion and Camry hybrids which are barely distinguishable from their conventional counterparts, the Sonata Hybrid gets a totally new front fascia. The new look adds a big lower grille inspired by the Blue-Will Concept that shown at the Detroit Auto Show in January.

We believe the Sonata hybrid will retain the same 2.4-liter direct injected inline-four found in the sedans that are on sale now. However, it may be re-tuned to operate on the more efficient Atkinson cycle like other hybrids. Unlike the gas-electrics from Ford and Toyota, Hyundai’s system is expected to use a conventional six-speed automatic gearbox in conjunction with a 30 kilowatt electric motor.

The Sonata hybrid and a range-topping gasoline 2.0-liter turbo model will both be revealed during a live video webcast on HyundaiMediaLive.com at 1:35pm on Wednesday, March 31. Following the presentation, CEO John Krafcik and sales VP Dave Zuchowski will be on the web to answer questions from the audience. You can submit your questions now at the site and tune in Wednesday for answers.

[Source: Hyundai]

Hyundai releases first teaser shot of the Sonata hybrid originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Fri, 26 Mar 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Popularity: 10% [?]

Filed under: Ethanol, Flex-Fuel, GM, Pacific Region, Holden

The wounded man lays with his back against the car. An arrow protrudes from his chest. A stranger approaches clad in scuffed black leather - black boots, black pants, a black leather jacket. The stranger is holding a sawed-off shotgun. He has to be here to help. The wounded man begins to speak to the stranger, his voice little more than a whisper. “Thank you, thank you,” the wounded man says. The stranger’s response is heartbreaking, “I’m just here for the ethanol.”

You’re right, The Road Warrior probably wouldn’t have been as cool if the citizens of a dystopian Australia were defending an ethanol plant instead of a gasoline refinery. But if GM’s Aussie division Holden has anything to do with it, Lord Humongous will be ruling the wasteland with an armada of flexfuel-burning green machines instead of smoke-belching 70s muscle vehicles and motorcycles.

Holden announced this day that it has joined a think-tank of sorts that “will investigate the viability of establishing Australia’s first ethanol plant capable of turning materials such as household rubbish and building waste into more than 200 million liters of ethanol a year.” The other members of the consortium are the Victorian State Government, Caltex (Chevron’s Australian division), Veolia (a waste management company) and of obvious importance, Coskata (a waste-into-biofuel company).

Holden Energy and Environment Director Richard Marshall is full of Aussie pride about the measure. “We’re committed to having locally built Holden automobiles capable of running on E85 in the market by 2010,” he stated. “It’s about designing and engineering vehicles for Australians, built by Australians, using Australian fuel alternatives.”

Click past the break for the complete press release.

[Source: Holden via MotoBullet]

Continue reading What’s Australian for ethanol? GM introduces E85 to Oz

What’s Australian for ethanol? GM introduces E85 to Oz originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Fri, 26 Mar 2010 09:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Popularity: 2% [?]

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, NEV (Neighborhood Electric Vehicle), Europe/EU

If you’ve ever tried to back a Prius (or any other automobile capable of running in EV mode) out of a blind parking spot or alley, you know the icy feeling of being audibly invisible to every living thing around you - pedestrians, paperboys, small animals. It can be frustrating at best, Michael-Douglas-in-Falling-Down-frustrating at worst. At least your silent motor will let you hear the crunch of bones as you back over their inattentive, silly corpses.

But seriously, the more our automobiles, buses and motorcycles go electric, the more we’ll have to come to terms with the fact that electric automobiles are virtually silent. You know what else is virtually silent? Ninja assassins. And king cobras. And carbon monoxide. Virtually silent things are freaking hazardous!

Well, the good folks at Philips are working on a potential warning system for future urban crosswalks that could help eliminate some of the danger of silent streets. What was a 66-acre property in The Netherlands that housed Philips’ research labs and factories is now being converted into an “inspiring creative urban neighborhood.” It appears that it will be a sort of eco-minded, mixed-use neighborhood and urban lighting experiment rolled into one.

The idea is simple: instead of paint and reflectors, Philips crosswalks are made up of rows of LEDs embedded into the pavement. The LEDs react to approaching vehicles the same way traffic lights do. When speeding Teslas, or in the case of the experimental neighborhood, lumbering electric buses (dubbed Phileases), approach a crosswalk, the embedded LEDs change from green to amber to red. Green means safe to cross, amber means take your chances and red means don’t take your chances.

The system even appears to have a standby mode to save energy when no pedestrians are nearby. No word on if and when we might see one of these outside The Netherlands.

[Source: newmonik.com]

Philips develops LED crosswalk that warns of silent traffic originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Thu, 25 Mar 2010 09:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Popularity: 2% [?]

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Aptera

News - well, hints of news - from Aptera is coming out at a steady pace now that the company is getting ready for its large press conference next month. Last week, the company held an on the web town hall and discussed in vague ways its plans for the future. Green Automobile Reports brings us the the highlights:

The company is still waiting to hear about its updated Department of Energy’s Advanced Car Technology Manufacturing Program loan request. If this request is denied, Aptera will turn to the private sector to get the three-wheeled 2e built in San Diego County where up to 500 workers will be able to make up to 88 automobiles a day. Within a year of the first production model being built, Aptera plans to have stores open in five states and somewhere in the D.C. area. The company hopes to sell 500 vehicles in the first nine months.

Until we get what we really hope will be the full scoop next month, this will have to suffice. Somehow, it doesn’t, but we’re glad there’s something to share.

[Source: Green Vehicle Reports]

Aptera lays out vague plan for 2e production, sales - more info coming next month originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Wed, 24 Mar 2010 13:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Popularity: 2% [?]

Filed under: Hybrid, Lightweight

McLaren seems to think it’s possible to have your cake and eat it too. Judging by the company’s past and present performances, we wouldn’t doubt them. Managing Director Anthony Sheriff sat down with Inside Line at the company’s official launch, and plenty of interesting information was gleaned. For instance, McLaren has committed itself to producing the lowest carbon emissions per horsepower of any automobile on sale.

In order to promote both efficiency and performance, McLaren has set its target on reduced weight. Says Mark Vinnels, McLaren Automotive’s program director, “Weight will always be the fundamental enemy of what we’re trying to reach. Our focus will be on achieving the ideal lightweight solutions at the given price point.” That likely means that future models from the sportscar manufacturer will use exotic materials, possibly including heavy doses of carbon fiber and composites in structural areas.

Powertrains won’t be neglected when it comes to efficiency either. Last summer, McLaren posted an ad looking for a hybrid powertrain engineer. Sheriff wouldn’t rule out hybrid drivetrains, but was coy about their future applications. “We’re about applying high technology to make our vehicles faster and more efficient. And we may make things in a different way to what you expect,” he said.

Pics by Vlad Savov / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.

McLaren focusing on efficient sportscars, hybrids in the pipeline originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Mon, 22 Mar 2010 19:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Popularity: 1% [?]

Filed under: Hybrid, Toyota

Last month, Toyota recalled 133,000 2010 Prius models due to a braking issue that could cause a momentary loss of stopping power. However, in many of the claims filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the vehicle’s cruise control was brought into question, with drivers stating that they had difficulty getting the system to turn off when the brake pedal was depressed. According to Ward’s Auto, 11 percent of all 2010 Prius complaints filed with NHTSA cite this issue.

Toyota is now starting to look deeper into these complaints, and believes that the majority of them are the result of driver confusion over the Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (DRCC), which is an option on the top-rung Prius V trim. In talking with Ward’s, Toyota spokesperson Dave Lee says that drivers are confusing the Prius’ adaptive cruise control for unintended acceleration. Lee says that when drivers use the cruise stalk to adjust automobile speed, the rate of acceleration is much higher than when the gas pedal is pressed - it takes about one second to increase the car’s speed by five miles per hour by just holding the stalk up.

What’s more, reports show that drivers tend to overestimate the adaptive cruise control’s effectiveness for preventing collisions, such as instances where a car is stopped in the lane ahead, and that the car’s owners manual typically states that both laser- and radar-based adaptive cruise systems have trouble detecting cars ahead of the vehicle on curves. Two NHTSA complaints reported colliding with stationary objects when the adaptive cruise system was enabled.

Ward’s says that it is unclear how many of 2010 Priuses are equipped with DRCC. Even so, the top-end V trim only makes up about eight percent of total Prius sales, so Toyota will continue to investigate these complaints before making a plan of action.

[Source: Ward’s Auto]

Report: Toyota begins investigating ‘10 Prius cruise control complaints originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Mon, 22 Mar 2010 14:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Popularity: 1% [?]

Filed under: Diesel, Etc., Hybrid, Transportation Alternatives

Cleaner emissions? Well, that depends on what exactly you are measuring and what you are comparing it to. In the case of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) bus seen here, the answer would probably surprise the 5,385 voters on Fail Blog that gave it a resounding thumbs down.

Sure, it looks dirty with all that hideous black smoke bellowing from the rear exhaust stack, but the hybrid people mover boasts the following statistics: 14% improved fuel consumption, a 56% decrease in nitrogen oxide, an ozone precursor, and a 96% decrease in particulate matter compared to a standard bus. All good things, no?

Still, we did indeed chuckle when we first glanced at the photo, especially with the arrow that points directly to the source of the smoke screen. Thanks for the tip, Wes!

[Source: Fail Blog]

It’s Friday: Cleaner emissions? Maybe, maybe not originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Fri, 19 Mar 2010 17:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Popularity: 1% [?]

Filed under: Manufacturing/Plants, MPG, Chevrolet, GM

General Motors has given the green light to produce a new small sedan at its Uzbekistan YoAJ joint-venture facility. The sedan, expected to be slightly longer than the Spark pictured above, will be engineered in Brazil and sold in smaller, emerging markets.

The upcoming sedan is part of a family of GM products in a class that the company refers to as global small automobiles for emerging markets. The initial launch will include a sedan-only body, with the possibility for a hatchback variant a couple years from now. Hatchback availability will be determined by individual market demand.

GM says that the small sedan will be priced to compete with other low-cost brands. According to Ward’s Auto, production should start by the end of 2012 with a release date by early 2013. Target markets include Mexico, South Africa, Middle Eastern nations, Uzbekistan, Russia, with more to follow.

[Source: Ward’s Auto]

GM to build new small sedan for emerging markets originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Fri, 19 Mar 2010 12:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Popularity: 2% [?]

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Nissan, Japan

Interest in, and “pre-orders” for, the Nissan Leaf remains high, but a report from the Japanese newspaper the Mainichi Shimbun might put a damper on things. Apparently, the price for the all-electric vehicle in Japan will be somewhere between 3.5 million and 4 million yen, which is about $38,667 to $44,191 U.S. at today’s exchange rates. Granted, even if these prices are accurate, they certainly don’t automatically equal the MSRP for the U.S. market, but they are higher than what we’ve been anticipating - i.e., under $30,000 after the $7,500 federal tax credit. We went and looked at the prices for a couple of other automobiles in Japan, to see how the Leaf’s 3.5 million compares. The Toyota Prius runs between 2.0 and 3.27 million yen ($22k-36k USD). The Honda Insight? From 1.89 to 2.2 million ($21k-24.4k USD).

We suspect that Nissan’s going to have to do better than this to beat the Chevrolet Volt. Yes, yes, we know the powertrains are quite different, but a lot of people are going to learn about these vehicles at the same time (late this year), and we believe that the pure electric will need to be quite a bit cheaper than the plug-in hybrid to hold its own.

Of course, all of these numbers should be taken with several grains of salt. We reached out to Nissan, and they reminded us that “the article out of Japan is speculative, and we have no comment. As you know, we have yet to disclose Nissan Leaf pricing in the U.S. or in any global market.” Thanks to Scott W. for the tip!

[Source: The Wall Street Journal]

Report: Nissan Leaf priced at U.S. $38,500+ in Japan originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Wed, 17 Mar 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Popularity: 2% [?]