By CNET.com, with contributions from Michael Tan
05/09/2007
URL: http://asia.cnet.com/cartech/0,3800004381,62031847-5,00.htm
Hybrids save gas by capturing energy, from braking and coasting, which would otherwise be wasted.
New cars with internal combustion engines are being mated to new technologies to increase their efficiency further, like BMW's Brake Energy Regeneration, Engine Start Stop technology, Direct Gasoline Injection, Variable Compression Ratios, biofuel support, turbocharging, and a myriad other technologies.
For car companies to weather increasingly restrictive new legislations on vehicle emissions and consumption, for the first time in 100 years, all major automobile manufacturers are now entertaining the possibility that it may not be possible to sustain the internal combustion engine in its current form, and that radical change is required. The time to flirt with alternate technologies is with us again.
Several new vehicle engine types seem technically possible at this time.
New engine types which require chemical-based fuels include the hydrogen-burning engine and the fuel cell-based vehicles. The hydrogen-burning engine takes compressed hydrogen, while fuel cell-based vehicles can use either compressed hydrogen or alternate chemicals like methanol. Because of an immature distribution infrastructure for compressed hydrogen and other alternates, these vehicles should be viewed only as concept cars not available on the market in the short to mid term.
The other major alternative category is vehicles incorporating an electric battery to drive their power delivery systems. There are several types:
BEV or CEV: Battery Electric Vehicles or City Electric Vehicles are the classic electric cars of pulp science fiction. These are purely electric cars using a battery to drive an electric motor. They need to be plugged into the electric grid to be charged, and have modest performance and low speed.
FPBEV: Full Performance Battery Electric Vehicles have greater performance than BEVs/CEVs. Their engineering optimizes power over range, better suited for freeways and cross-town travel. Tesla Motors makes the Tesla Roadster, a vehicle which epitomizes this segment.
Among the options, Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs) are the most commercially viable and accessible.
HEV: Hybrid Electric Vehicles use both an electric motor and an internal combustion engine to drive the car's wheels. The batteries can be charged en route as they deplete, and the internal combustion engine will do double duty--to drive the wheels and the recharging generator.
PHEV: One example of the Plug-in Hybrid Vehicle concept, a variant of the General Motors Volt E-Flex concept, would operate as an electric car for perhaps 75km. Once the batteries deplete, a small gasoline engine fires up that runs a charging generator to sustain the charge, but not drive the wheels. Once the destination is reached, the PHEV can be plugged into an electric grid to get a full charge.
Of all these alternatives to the internal combustion engine, Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs) are the first alternate drive technology to have been made commercially viable; the first commercially mass-produced and marketed hybrid automobile being the 1997 Toyota Prius. Hybrid technology adds efficiency by combining a gasoline engine with a high-torque electric motor and a battery, yielding better fuel efficiency and lower emissions.
Rigging up two under-the-hood power plants may sound wasteful, complicated and prone to failure, but the practice can actually provide up to 50 percent more miles per gallon while cutting pollution by a third in urban traffic.
Hybrid cars use different systems to capture wasted energy, from full hybrids such as the Toyota Prius to mild hybrids which may only use the electric motor to add power during acceleration. In a full hybrid, both power plants shut off during traffic stops for an eerily quiet experience. Hit the accelerator and the electric motor pushes the vehicle to about 15mph or 20mph for fuel-free driving that doesn't burn an ounce of gas or cost a penny. After the car reaches a certain speed, the gas engine takes over to propel the vehicle to cruising speed, and if you need a little extra power to pass a truck, both power plants kick in.
Most hybrids are based on existing gasoline-only models, but the hybrid system changes the original car's technical specifications, adding horsepower while increasing gas mileage, and making it difficult to compare prices. In Singapore, despite tax rebates, there is still a premium attached to the latest in hybrid technology. For example, the top trim-level Honda Civic 2.0-liter Si Automatic shares many interior attributes with the Honda Civic Hybrid 1.3-liter i-VTEC CVT, but costs the same. However, the Honda Civic 2.0-liter gets almost 40 horsepower more than the hybrid due to its hybrid system, but the hybrid gives better fuel efficiency in city driving, at 21km/liter vs. 9.4km/liter for the Honda Civic 2.0 SI.
Some countries like Singapore offer tax breaks for hybrids. But is it enough?
Green vehicles attract an ARF of 70 percent of the Open Market Value of the car, compared with the usual 110 percent for normal cars. This translates to a lower base price and thus overall a lower list price as well after the dealer markups. However, when it comes to selling the vehicle, one gets a lower price. Singapore's vehicle residual value is greatly influenced by the "scrap value" of the car--the amount of money the Government rebates to the owner of a car if it were deregistered and scrapped. Therefore, if one sells a hybrid vehicle 10 years after owning it, 50 percent of the 70 percent ARF is only 35 percent of the original OMV.
This lower value, termed PARF value, will result in a higher depreciation for Green vehicles in the complex Singapore vehicle tax environment. The Government simply gives you less money when you scrap a hybrid or green car in Singapore, because you paid less in the first place.
Take the Honda Civic Hybrid 1.3-liter i-VTEC CVT:
The Open Market Value is approximately S$26,000. The dealer's cost with freight and duties would be = OMV + ARF + EXCISE DUTY + GST + COE = S$26,000 + (S$26,000*0.7) + (S$26,000*0.2) + (S$26,000*0.07) + S$13,000 = S$64,220
The Civic Hybrid is retailing at S$79,200 and the Honda Civic 2.0-litre Si MT is retailing for exactly the same price. Due to the Green rebates given by the Government at the time of purchase of the car, on scrapping the vehicle after 10 years, the linear depreciation of the car is different from the 2-liter Honda Civic due to its lower PARF.
Hence, the following depreciation calculation:
Depreciation = (Retail price - PARF)/10 years
Honda Civic 2.0-litre Si MT = (S$79,200-S$10,904)/10 = S$6,829.60 per year
Hybrid Civic Hybrid = (S$79,200-S$8,745.80)/10 = S$7,045.42 per year
In addition, the lifespan of the battery pack of a Hybrid vehicle is rated at 250,000km or 10 years, but the local dealer for the Toyota Prius, for example, warrants the battery for only three years or 100,000km. The replacement cost is about S$8,000 based on US dealer quotes. Maintenance-wise, one would probably have to go back to the authorized dealer even after the warranty period as few, if any, third-party workshops would be able to service hybrids and their unique drivetrain. With this lack of competition, the service charges would most probably be on the high side.
The hybrid paradox: Better fuel economy in the city than on the highway.
Another thing to note is that hybrids perform best in the start-stop traffic of an urban environment. In gridlocked Singapore, that's great. But when traveling on fast highways in neighboring countries, Hybrids will mainly work in gasoline mode as the battery packs will not be able to benefit greatly from regenerative braking, and using the gasoline engine to charge the batteries may be more inefficient than merely letting it drive the wheels without the additional load of charging.
How will you know what kind of mileage a hybrid might turn out? The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) gives you a hint. Every car sold in the US goes through a complicated driving test mandated by the EPA to estimate how much fuel it uses in urban and highway driving. Unfortunately, the procedure is antiquated, resulting in optimistic ratings that understate fuel use by as much as 50 percent. For example, the Toyota Prius goes through about one-quarter of the route with only its electric motor running for exceptional fuel economy on the EPA test. Currently, the EPA is revising its fuel economy tests to provide more realistic numbers for all cars. The new testing will be implemented for all 2008 model cars.
Honda Civic Hybrid 1.3-litre i-VTEC CVT
2007 Lexus RX 400h
2007 Lexus LS600H
2007 Toyota Prius
Most aspects of driving a hybrid are similar to any other car. There's a steering wheel, gas and brake pedals, and a gear selector. Stopping at a light or in traffic may surprise drivers as the engine shuts down and the car goes quiet, only to restart once the gas pedal is pushed. And since most hybrids use continuously variable transmissions, acceleration is a lot smoother due to the fact that the transmission isn't traveling through a succession of gears. Full hybrids, such as the Ford Escape, give an almost futuristic feeling as they move at slow speeds because up to about 20mph of electric power alone drives them, making for very quiet operation.
The instrument panels of hybrids tend to look a little different from your average car. Most have a gauge that displays the hybrid system's electrical power. Many also have gauges that display the hybrid system's running state. For example, the Honda Civic Hybrid shows battery charge and whether power is going into the battery or out of it. Similarly, the Toyota Prius has a display, common among all Toyota hybrids, which graphically shows the car's battery, engine, motor, and wheels. While the vehicle is running, animated lines show where power is moving around the system. These types of displays change constantly while driving and are fascinating to watch, but drivers need to remember to keep their eyes on the road.
Just about all hybrids use regenerative braking, a system that uses generators placed on each wheel to send electricity to the battery pack when the brake pedal is pushed. This system means less wear-and-tear on brake pads as the generator takes most of the energy from braking. The power flow displays mentioned above will also show energy moving from the wheels to the battery pack, which helps drivers realize that hitting the brakes is actually good for the car, as opposed to the generally wasted energy from braking in a gasoline-only car.
A monitor screen of a hybrid car could show the driver where power is coming from at any given time.
Because of the complexity of hybrid systems, these cars generally can't be taken to independent mechanics. The dealer is the best bet for maintenance or repairs. Most carmakers run schools for their mechanics, requiring them to keep updated on all the latest models and technology. Unless independent mechanics get certified by these schools, they will have a hard time diagnosing problems on a Hybrid.
There is also a lot of debate about the battery packs on hybrids requiring costly replacement. Toyota has tested its hybrid system at over 100,000 miles and found no problems with the battery pack. Michael Taylor interviewed Nathan Dwiri, president of San Francisco's Yellow Cab Cooperative, for the San Francisco Chronicle about the reliability of the Ford Escape Hybrid. Yellow Cab has been using 25 Escape Hybrid's as part of its fleet. Dwiri pointed out that the battery packs tended to fail at 150,000 miles, and Ford replaced them for free. Taxi cabs get very harsh treatment and are on the road 24/7.
At the time of writing, the author Michael Tan has no knowledge of any green car incentives in Malaysia. The Honda Civic Hybrid has been available in Malaysia since 2004, but in the absence of tax breaks, sales of the hybrid have been poor to say the least. Malaysia's tax system penalizes Completely Built Up (CBU) imported vehicles, and for the 1.3L Honda Civic Hybrid, it will encounter a 50 percent import duty, 90 percent Excise Duty, and a 10 percent Sales Tax on the total taxed value of the car--10 percent of Car Value + Import Duty + Excise Duty.
The Civic Hybrid would cost RM137,280 to the dealer and lists for RM162,800. For that amount, one could buy a bigger Malaysia-assembled Honda Accord 2.4, with change to spare. A lack of public awareness of the environmental issue and hybrids in general may be stemming sales, and the situation is not helped by the confusing use of the term hybrid by local manufacturers like Naza in Malaysia which refers to dual-fuel systems as "hybrids".
Hybrids like the Honda Civic Hybrid have been around in Malaysia, but demand isn't catching up.
There may be another regrouping of effort by Honda Malaysia to revive interest in the Hybrid, ironically riding on the coat-tails of the Honda Civic Type R. In August, the company put up full-page advertisements in the newspapers and relaunched the car on August 3, 2007. The sales target for the Honda Civic Hybrid is set at 60 units a year by Honda's top brass, which is a very small number compared with the total quantity of cars sold. The world's largest Hybrid vehicle manufacturer Toyota has not announced any plans in Malaysia, presumably until a coherent green car incentive scheme launches in Malaysia. However, there is at least one Toyota Prius in Malaysia, brought in by a British couple at the princely cost of RM251,105.832, and dubbed the most expensive Prius in the world.
On the manufacturing front, the largest locally owned car manufacturer Proton has teamed up with its subsidiary Lotus Engineering to create a Hybrid Concept, the Gen2 EVE Hybrid. With Proton's lagging sales in international markets, its success lies chiefly in its local captive market and it would do well to lobby for green car tax breaks if this concept has any chance to get off the ground.
The Malaysian Government has also given grants to local institutions to develop hybrid technology together with local car manufacturers such as Proton and Perodua.
Mercedes-Benz BlueTec Hybrid
Mazda Tribute HEV
Subaru B5-TPH
Chevrolet Tahoe two-mode hybrid
Yamaha Gen Ryu concept
Yamaha HV-01 concept
For those of you who watch The Simpsons, one of their episodes Lard of the Dance shows us the way! Homer and company finds out about grease being worth some cash and enters the business of collecting the stuff to sell for cash. Groundskeeper Willie holds the most formidable stash of grease in Springfield, in the basement of Springfield Elementary. That's the first time biodiesel entered this author's consciousness--the first time yours truly thought a lot of kids would have to eat a LOT of fries to supply sufficient quantities of grease to make biodiesel.
"Used grease is worth money? *gasp* Then my arteries are clogged with yellow gold! I'm rich Apu! Rich, I... arrrgh! *clenches heart, sighs* Money in the bank!"--Homer Simpson, Lard of the Dance
(Picture credit: Gracie Films)
Biodiesel usually refers to a diesel-equivalent fuel derived from processing biological sources like vegetable oils, which can be used in unmodified diesel engine vehicles. The key here is UNMODIFIED. One can simply drive up to a biodiesel station and fill 'er up! Because biodiesel is usually derived from biological sources like plants, it has 60 percent less "net lifecycle" CO2 emissions, since plants absorb CO2 in photosynthesis and this volume of CO2 is subtracted from the total CO2 emitted in the processing and burning of the fuel.
Because biodiesel does not inherently contain sulphur, the processing of biological sources into biodiesel does not require any desulphurization processes, thus having a greener process signature and also maintaining the natural lubricity which desulphurization will eliminate.
Biodiesel is not merely a Simpsons fantasy, there is an established network of biodiesel pump stations in Germany, for example. Biodiesel boasts 3 percent market share in the country, making it the top alternative fuel there. Other European countries also feature millions of users, though not to the extent of Germany.
Some plants like jatropha, which survive in marginal conditions, could be cultivated in land not suitable for food production anyway. Theoretical research in the US has given promising signs that, with special oil-yielding species of algae, merely 0.3 percent of the land area of the US will yield sufficient quantities of biodiesel to replace all its fuel requirements, and subsequent development could enable this algae to be grown in desertified land.
Some Singapore companies are also investing in raw material production intended for biodiesel. Singapore firm Plantation Resources has acquired 100,000 acres of land in Myanmar to produce jatropha as a feedstock for biodiesel production. Jatropha is optimal for Myanmar's agricultural environment, survives in barely arable and marginal land, and is among the highest-yielding feedstock available today which converts to biodiesel at the lowest processing cost.
Malaysia and Indonesia are already supplying palm oil as biodiesel feedstock to European processing facilities, but the oil palm grows in arable land and thus sacrifices land suited for food production instead. Indonesia, in particular, has been criticized for allowing forest burning to make way for cash crop plantations, and the forest burning generates copious amounts of CO2 and soot which pollute the entire Southeast Asian region, particularly Malaysia and Singapore. Forest burning makes biodiesel based on palm oil stock more carbon positive than petrol diesel, thus negating one of the main advantages of biodiesel.
Although both the Malaysian and Singaporean tax structures penalize diesel users, high-mileage users like taxicabs, buses and logistics companies already use fleets of diesel vehicles as the fuel-efficiency savings outweigh the penalties.
Thailand already has 400 pumping stations for biodiesel-petrol diesel mixes, and has biodiesel refineries of its own, refining feedstock available locally like palm oil and jatropha.
Even though almost 100 percent of the diesel cars on the road are compatible with biodiesel, official manufacturer support for the use of biodiesel varies. Volkswagen and its subsidiaries Audi, Seat and Skoda are notably the strongest proponents, allowing most of their engines to run on 100 percent biodiesel, whereas other manufacturers vary their permissible mixes from 5 to 30 percent. If the manufacturer's position is not followed strictly, it may void the engine warranty.
As public awareness of the benefits of biodiesel grows, both for environmentalists and auto enthusiasts, more automotive companies may follow VW AG's lead.
05/09/2007
URL: http://asia.cnet.com/cartech/0,3800004381,62031847-5,00.htm
After an initial period of flirting around with steam engines, electric engines and the internal combustion engine, the world's automotive companies settled on the internal combustion engine and here we are 100 years later, with huge efficiency gains and emission reductions, but still on the good old internal combustion engine.
The internal combustion engine is showing its age. With increasingly aggressive legislation in all major countries, including the EU and the US, the technology behind the internal combustion engine is being pushed to its limits to attain the high fuel economy and low emissions levels necessary to adhere to legislative requirements. Most environmentalist groups pursue the path of blaming global warming, city-choking pollution and energy issues on the internal combustion engine. Typically, most cars today capture about one-third of the fuel's chemical energy content; the rest is lost in the form of heat and noise.
Mike Tan is a car fanatic who dreams of a hybrid car that looks just like the Toyota FT-HS Hybrid Sports Concept. Since it's only a bunch of 2D graphics right now, Mike's taken a reality check by lusting after a Porsche Cayman instead. Preferably in virgin white.
Other hybrid alternatives
Several new vehicle engine types seem technically possible at this time.
New engine types which require chemical-based fuels include the hydrogen-burning engine and the fuel cell-based vehicles. The hydrogen-burning engine takes compressed hydrogen, while fuel cell-based vehicles can use either compressed hydrogen or alternate chemicals like methanol. Because of an immature distribution infrastructure for compressed hydrogen and other alternates, these vehicles should be viewed only as concept cars not available on the market in the short to mid term.
The other major alternative category is vehicles incorporating an electric battery to drive their power delivery systems. There are several types:
BEV or CEV: Battery Electric Vehicles or City Electric Vehicles are the classic electric cars of pulp science fiction. These are purely electric cars using a battery to drive an electric motor. They need to be plugged into the electric grid to be charged, and have modest performance and low speed.
FPBEV: Full Performance Battery Electric Vehicles have greater performance than BEVs/CEVs. Their engineering optimizes power over range, better suited for freeways and cross-town travel. Tesla Motors makes the Tesla Roadster, a vehicle which epitomizes this segment.
PHEV: One example of the Plug-in Hybrid Vehicle concept, a variant of the General Motors Volt E-Flex concept, would operate as an electric car for perhaps 75km. Once the batteries deplete, a small gasoline engine fires up that runs a charging generator to sustain the charge, but not drive the wheels. Once the destination is reached, the PHEV can be plugged into an electric grid to get a full charge.
Of all these alternatives to the internal combustion engine, Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs) are the first alternate drive technology to have been made commercially viable; the first commercially mass-produced and marketed hybrid automobile being the 1997 Toyota Prius. Hybrid technology adds efficiency by combining a gasoline engine with a high-torque electric motor and a battery, yielding better fuel efficiency and lower emissions.
Rigging up two under-the-hood power plants may sound wasteful, complicated and prone to failure, but the practice can actually provide up to 50 percent more miles per gallon while cutting pollution by a third in urban traffic.
How hybrids work
Hybrid cars use different systems to capture wasted energy, from full hybrids such as the Toyota Prius to mild hybrids which may only use the electric motor to add power during acceleration. In a full hybrid, both power plants shut off during traffic stops for an eerily quiet experience. Hit the accelerator and the electric motor pushes the vehicle to about 15mph or 20mph for fuel-free driving that doesn't burn an ounce of gas or cost a penny. After the car reaches a certain speed, the gas engine takes over to propel the vehicle to cruising speed, and if you need a little extra power to pass a truck, both power plants kick in.
Continuously variable transmissions
Many hybrids also run on advanced continuously variable transmissions with an infinite variety of gear ratios to choose from rather than the traditional gearbox's four or five. For hybrids, CVT has the great advantage of being able to allow both the electric motor and gasoline engine to run at its optimal speed regardless of vehicle speed. Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive, a CVT system used in all Toyota Hybrid vehicles, actually combines the power from both the internal combustion engine and the electric motor to a single turning force to the drivetrain of the vehicle. One very important piece of the puzzle is the power control module, a computer which makes decisions about where to send power in the car. This module monitors throttle, battery charge and other running parameters, then channels energy to the wheels or battery, from the engine or the motor, as needed. It also shuts down and restarts the engine during traffic stops and starts.From mild to full hybrids
Mild hybrids are less robust. The mildest replace the car's generator with a strong motor/generator, so the engine can be turned off during traffic stops and the motor can quickly and seamlessly start it up again when it's time to accelerate. But, in this case, the motor doesn't actually move the car. There are other points on the scale from mild to full hybrid as well. For example, the full hybrid system of the Toyota Prius uses a motor connected to the power train through a special gear set, allowing for more flexibility in power use. On the other hand, the Honda Civic Hybrid has a motor integrated between the engine and the transmission, taking the place of the flywheel. This less robust system uses the motor to assist the gas engine and only runs the car under electric power for very short bursts. The full hybrid system made by Toyota, and used in the Toyota Prius, can drive the car under electric power during low-speed cruising and heavy traffic.
Cost of owning a hybrid
Most hybrids are based on existing gasoline-only models, but the hybrid system changes the original car's technical specifications, adding horsepower while increasing gas mileage, and making it difficult to compare prices. In Singapore, despite tax rebates, there is still a premium attached to the latest in hybrid technology. For example, the top trim-level Honda Civic 2.0-liter Si Automatic shares many interior attributes with the Honda Civic Hybrid 1.3-liter i-VTEC CVT, but costs the same. However, the Honda Civic 2.0-liter gets almost 40 horsepower more than the hybrid due to its hybrid system, but the hybrid gives better fuel efficiency in city driving, at 21km/liter vs. 9.4km/liter for the Honda Civic 2.0 SI.
Tax breaks for hybrids
Sure, you'll spend less on fuel, but hybrids in Singapore qualify for a tax break, too. The Singapore Government offers a tax rebate of 40 percent of the Open Market Value of the car, to be used to offset the Additional Registration Fee (ARF), on the purchase of a hybrid.A Singapore example
As an example for Singapore (for an overview of Singapore vehicle tax structure, click here):Green vehicles attract an ARF of 70 percent of the Open Market Value of the car, compared with the usual 110 percent for normal cars. This translates to a lower base price and thus overall a lower list price as well after the dealer markups. However, when it comes to selling the vehicle, one gets a lower price. Singapore's vehicle residual value is greatly influenced by the "scrap value" of the car--the amount of money the Government rebates to the owner of a car if it were deregistered and scrapped. Therefore, if one sells a hybrid vehicle 10 years after owning it, 50 percent of the 70 percent ARF is only 35 percent of the original OMV.
This lower value, termed PARF value, will result in a higher depreciation for Green vehicles in the complex Singapore vehicle tax environment. The Government simply gives you less money when you scrap a hybrid or green car in Singapore, because you paid less in the first place.
Take the Honda Civic Hybrid 1.3-liter i-VTEC CVT:
The Open Market Value is approximately S$26,000. The dealer's cost with freight and duties would be = OMV + ARF + EXCISE DUTY + GST + COE = S$26,000 + (S$26,000*0.7) + (S$26,000*0.2) + (S$26,000*0.07) + S$13,000 = S$64,220
The Civic Hybrid is retailing at S$79,200 and the Honda Civic 2.0-litre Si MT is retailing for exactly the same price. Due to the Green rebates given by the Government at the time of purchase of the car, on scrapping the vehicle after 10 years, the linear depreciation of the car is different from the 2-liter Honda Civic due to its lower PARF.
Hence, the following depreciation calculation:
Depreciation = (Retail price - PARF)/10 years
Honda Civic 2.0-litre Si MT = (S$79,200-S$10,904)/10 = S$6,829.60 per year
Hybrid Civic Hybrid = (S$79,200-S$8,745.80)/10 = S$7,045.42 per year
In addition, the lifespan of the battery pack of a Hybrid vehicle is rated at 250,000km or 10 years, but the local dealer for the Toyota Prius, for example, warrants the battery for only three years or 100,000km. The replacement cost is about S$8,000 based on US dealer quotes. Maintenance-wise, one would probably have to go back to the authorized dealer even after the warranty period as few, if any, third-party workshops would be able to service hybrids and their unique drivetrain. With this lack of competition, the service charges would most probably be on the high side.
City vs. highway driving
Although government incentives may or may not figure into covering the additional cost of a hybrid, fuel savings will definitely play a part. Of course, how long it takes to cover the premium depends on the car model and how it is driven. City driving generally uses less gas with a hybrid than with a gasoline-only car because start-and-stop driving is the most wasteful. Hybrids capture and reuse energy that would be wasted in a gasoline-only car. People that spend the majority of their drive time on the freeway at high speeds will take longer to cover their hybrid's premium from fuel savings.How will you know what kind of mileage a hybrid might turn out? The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) gives you a hint. Every car sold in the US goes through a complicated driving test mandated by the EPA to estimate how much fuel it uses in urban and highway driving. Unfortunately, the procedure is antiquated, resulting in optimistic ratings that understate fuel use by as much as 50 percent. For example, the Toyota Prius goes through about one-quarter of the route with only its electric motor running for exceptional fuel economy on the EPA test. Currently, the EPA is revising its fuel economy tests to provide more realistic numbers for all cars. The new testing will be implemented for all 2008 model cars.
On brake maintenance
One benefit of hybrids that hasn't been well-documented yet is savings on brake maintenance. The regenerative braking systems in hybrids decrease wear-and-tear on brake pads and discs, with the potential to greatly reduce the need for brake maintenance. Hybrid technology goes a long way toward improving mileage and lowering emissions, but it's not the silver bullet. Whether or not a vehicle carries batteries, its weight is always an issue, but Hybrids carry a lot of batteries and are usually significantly heavier than the petrol-only version. While the Escape Hybrid weighs nearly 2,500kg, the poky ol' Civic probably weighs a mere 1,100kg or so, and that missing 1,400 kg makes it a lot easier to achieve good mileage.On the hybrid technology
Also, consider the reason behind the hybrid technology in the car of your choice. Toyota obviously intends the Prius, for example, to be a thrifty, eco-conscious car that boasts one of the best mileage ratings in the industry. The Lexus RX400H, on the other hand, gets only 8.1 liters/100km in EPA tests. That is, however, 3.1 liters/100km better than the gasoline-only RX350, representing a 38 percent gain in efficiency. That 38 percent will make a difference at the pump.On the threat of diesel
In Singapore, diesel cars are taxed seven times higher year-on-year compared with gasoline cars. Future legislative changes to make diesel cars more competitively taxed will make the diesel option a significantly competitive threat to hybrids if only on fuel economy and running costs.Finding a hybrid car
With Toyota implementing plans for hybrid versions of all of its Toyota and Lexus models for the US, and other automakers planning new hybrid models, US buyers are being presented with more and more choices. From subcompacts to SUVs to luxury cruisers, there's a model for every need and budget.
In Singapore, however, because of low sales volumes and an insufficiently attractive tax structures, there are few hybrids available, but those available are the best of breed. Here are a few of the currently available models in Singapore. Note that the EPA economy listed here is under current testing procedures. The EPA is working on new testing procedures for the 2008 model year, which is likely to lower these figures.
In Singapore, however, because of low sales volumes and an insufficiently attractive tax structures, there are few hybrids available, but those available are the best of breed. Here are a few of the currently available models in Singapore. Note that the EPA economy listed here is under current testing procedures. The EPA is working on new testing procedures for the 2008 model year, which is likely to lower these figures.
Honda Civic Hybrid 1.3-litre i-VTEC CVTEPA fuel economy: 49mpg city/51mpg highway
The 2006 Honda Civic Hybrid gets an update to Honda's Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) hybrid system from the previous model year. This newest IMA is closer to a full hybrid, letting the car run for very brief periods on electric power only. It also shuts down the engine at stoplights and in traffic, restarting seamlessly. |
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2007 Lexus RX 400h EPA fuel economy: 31mpg city/27mpg highway
One of the first luxury hybrids, the Lexus RX 400h uses a similar all-wheel-drive configuration as the Toyota Highlander. The RX 400h has Toyota's Synergy hybrid system, which in this application gets two motors, powering each set of wheels. The RX 400h is also marked by a luxurious interior.
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2007 Lexus LS600HEPA fuel economy: 20mpg city/22mpg highway
Lexus' ambitious super luxury hybrid. With hybrid technology, the LS600H competes with similar non-hybrid gasoline-only V12s from BMW and Mercedes. Using an upgraded Hybrid Synergy Drive, it offers unparalleled refinement further enhanced by hybrid technology's trademark quietness when running on batteries alone.
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2007 Toyota Prius EPA fuel economy: 45.8mpg combined
The first hybrid to be mass produced and marketed has been refreshed. A totally bespoke platform made specifically to be a hybrid, it finds the best balance between eco-friendliness and practicality.
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Living with a hybrid car
Most aspects of driving a hybrid are similar to any other car. There's a steering wheel, gas and brake pedals, and a gear selector. Stopping at a light or in traffic may surprise drivers as the engine shuts down and the car goes quiet, only to restart once the gas pedal is pushed. And since most hybrids use continuously variable transmissions, acceleration is a lot smoother due to the fact that the transmission isn't traveling through a succession of gears. Full hybrids, such as the Ford Escape, give an almost futuristic feeling as they move at slow speeds because up to about 20mph of electric power alone drives them, making for very quiet operation.
Ford bills its Escape Hybrid as the first hybrid SUV
Just about all hybrids use regenerative braking, a system that uses generators placed on each wheel to send electricity to the battery pack when the brake pedal is pushed. This system means less wear-and-tear on brake pads as the generator takes most of the energy from braking. The power flow displays mentioned above will also show energy moving from the wheels to the battery pack, which helps drivers realize that hitting the brakes is actually good for the car, as opposed to the generally wasted energy from braking in a gasoline-only car.
There is also a lot of debate about the battery packs on hybrids requiring costly replacement. Toyota has tested its hybrid system at over 100,000 miles and found no problems with the battery pack. Michael Taylor interviewed Nathan Dwiri, president of San Francisco's Yellow Cab Cooperative, for the San Francisco Chronicle about the reliability of the Ford Escape Hybrid. Yellow Cab has been using 25 Escape Hybrid's as part of its fleet. Dwiri pointed out that the battery packs tended to fail at 150,000 miles, and Ford replaced them for free. Taxi cabs get very harsh treatment and are on the road 24/7.
Hybrids in Malaysia
At the time of writing, the author Michael Tan has no knowledge of any green car incentives in Malaysia. The Honda Civic Hybrid has been available in Malaysia since 2004, but in the absence of tax breaks, sales of the hybrid have been poor to say the least. Malaysia's tax system penalizes Completely Built Up (CBU) imported vehicles, and for the 1.3L Honda Civic Hybrid, it will encounter a 50 percent import duty, 90 percent Excise Duty, and a 10 percent Sales Tax on the total taxed value of the car--10 percent of Car Value + Import Duty + Excise Duty.
The Civic Hybrid would cost RM137,280 to the dealer and lists for RM162,800. For that amount, one could buy a bigger Malaysia-assembled Honda Accord 2.4, with change to spare. A lack of public awareness of the environmental issue and hybrids in general may be stemming sales, and the situation is not helped by the confusing use of the term hybrid by local manufacturers like Naza in Malaysia which refers to dual-fuel systems as "hybrids".
On the manufacturing front, the largest locally owned car manufacturer Proton has teamed up with its subsidiary Lotus Engineering to create a Hybrid Concept, the Gen2 EVE Hybrid. With Proton's lagging sales in international markets, its success lies chiefly in its local captive market and it would do well to lobby for green car tax breaks if this concept has any chance to get off the ground.
The Malaysian Government has also given grants to local institutions to develop hybrid technology together with local car manufacturers such as Proton and Perodua.
Future hybrids
Hybrid technology is constantly evolving. One area of development which will improve matters greatly is battery technology.
While today's Hybrids use nickel-metal hydride chemistry for the battery, Lithium-ion technology now commonly used in consumer electronics and notebook computers has a higher energy density of 200 watt hours/kg compared with 70 Wh/kg for NiMH chemistry. The dramatically higher energy density will reduce the extra battery weight which a Hybrid has to lug around. Still, the exploding Lithium battery scares of the past years are real fears, so safety issues have to be worked out first.
In addition, aggressive development efforts like the General Motors-DaimlerChrysler Global Hybrid Cooperation Alliance and continued efforts to create diesel engine Hybrids will ensure that hybrid development will be rapid these coming years.
If you're interested in hybrids, buckle up--the best is yet to come. Look for each carmaker to carve out its own niche in this market with sedans, SUVs, and even motorcycles on the drawing board. Take a gander at these upcoming hybrids. And hope that the dealers and manufacturers bring them into Asia!
While today's Hybrids use nickel-metal hydride chemistry for the battery, Lithium-ion technology now commonly used in consumer electronics and notebook computers has a higher energy density of 200 watt hours/kg compared with 70 Wh/kg for NiMH chemistry. The dramatically higher energy density will reduce the extra battery weight which a Hybrid has to lug around. Still, the exploding Lithium battery scares of the past years are real fears, so safety issues have to be worked out first.
In addition, aggressive development efforts like the General Motors-DaimlerChrysler Global Hybrid Cooperation Alliance and continued efforts to create diesel engine Hybrids will ensure that hybrid development will be rapid these coming years.
If you're interested in hybrids, buckle up--the best is yet to come. Look for each carmaker to carve out its own niche in this market with sedans, SUVs, and even motorcycles on the drawing board. Take a gander at these upcoming hybrids. And hope that the dealers and manufacturers bring them into Asia!
Mercedes-Benz BlueTec HybridThe BlueTec's hybrid system combines an extremely clean-burning diesel engine with an electric motor, producing a combined 243 horsepower. The car, based on the S-Class, has a governed top speed of 155mph and gets about 31mpg. |
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Mazda Tribute HEV Mazda's hybrid system in its Tribute concept uses an electric motor to run the car at speeds up to 25mph. As in other hybrids, the engine charges the batteries and powers the car at moderate to high speeds. The Tribute Hybrid has a range of 400 miles.
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Subaru B5-TPH The power plant for the three-door hatchback B5 is what Subaru calls a Turbo Parallel Hybrid. Hence, the TPH in the name. Subaru has integrated an electric motor into a turbocharged boxer-style engine powering its all-wheel-drive system.
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Chevrolet Tahoe two-mode hybrid The hybrid version of the Chevrolet Tahoe will see production as a 2008 model. It's a full-size SUV built on a truck body. Its hybrid system, coupled with a cylinder deactivation system, is expected to give it a 25 percent gain in fuel economy over the standard Tahoe.
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Yamaha Gen Ryu concept Although incredibly cool-looking, the Gen Ryu is about much more than aesthetics. Its 600cc engine is supplemented by a high-output electric motor, while the aluminum body decreases weight. For electronics, it has vehicle distance-warning sensors, cornering lighting, voice navigation, and a rearview camera. Noise-canceling speakers in the helmet make route guidance, music, and the handsfree cell phone system all audible over wind noise.
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Yamaha HV-01 concept Another hybrid concept from Yamaha, the HV-01 is a scooter that combines a gasoline engine with an electric motor. With the hybrid system, it can run in full electric mode, making it very quiet. A special mode makes it easy to push by delivering low-power assistance from the motor.
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Biodiesel as a green alternative
For those of you who watch The Simpsons, one of their episodes Lard of the Dance shows us the way! Homer and company finds out about grease being worth some cash and enters the business of collecting the stuff to sell for cash. Groundskeeper Willie holds the most formidable stash of grease in Springfield, in the basement of Springfield Elementary. That's the first time biodiesel entered this author's consciousness--the first time yours truly thought a lot of kids would have to eat a LOT of fries to supply sufficient quantities of grease to make biodiesel.
(Picture credit: Gracie Films)
Because biodiesel does not inherently contain sulphur, the processing of biological sources into biodiesel does not require any desulphurization processes, thus having a greener process signature and also maintaining the natural lubricity which desulphurization will eliminate.
Biodiesel is not merely a Simpsons fantasy, there is an established network of biodiesel pump stations in Germany, for example. Biodiesel boasts 3 percent market share in the country, making it the top alternative fuel there. Other European countries also feature millions of users, though not to the extent of Germany.
Engine-related benefits
The natural lubricity of biodiesel results in lower engine wear, and this has been verified in labs. Biodiesel is a better solvent than standard diesel as it "cleans" the engine, removing deposits from fuel supply lines. The naturally high cetane/octane levels of biodiesel enable more efficient combustion and ensure cleaner engine combustin chambers and valves.Efficiency of biodiesel production
When plant material is used to create fuel for vehicles because of the huge consumption and high selling price of fuel biostock, the chief concern is always the issue of sacrificing arable land to create fuel instead of food. Ongoing rapid development in biofuel research has improved yields from biodiesel feedstock, and in the near future, cost reductions in biofuel processing could reach a quantum leap of 6x in terms of yield per acre of land, thus addressing this concern.Some plants like jatropha, which survive in marginal conditions, could be cultivated in land not suitable for food production anyway. Theoretical research in the US has given promising signs that, with special oil-yielding species of algae, merely 0.3 percent of the land area of the US will yield sufficient quantities of biodiesel to replace all its fuel requirements, and subsequent development could enable this algae to be grown in desertified land.
Biodiesel costs
A biodiesel plant built in 2006 can create a gallon of biodiesel for US$1.04 in 2006 dollars. This may be a higher cost of production than petrol diesel, but the business structure and incentives may allow a lower retail price. Taking into consideration increased efficiencies in biodiesel production and feedstock yield, and current high petrol-diesel costs, the viability of petrol diesel becomes greater and greater. At this time, the premium of biodiesel over petrol diesel has narrowed greatly, a premium where many with a respect for the environment may easily pay.Biodiesel in the region
Being in a tropical climate, the main issue of gelling under low temperatures does not arise in Singapore and Malaysia, making the fuel extremely attractive. There is at least one biodiesel manufacturing firm in Singapore, Biofuel Research Pte Ltd. But it has yet to make its mark. Global players like Australian firm Natural Fuel, Peter Cremer and Wilmar-Archer are also building refineries in Singapore's petrolchemical hub. It is the excellent infrastructure and connectivity of this petrolchemical hub which make the Republic an excellent choice in Asia for biodiesel production. In addition, the island-state's proximity to biodiesel feedstock-producing nations like Indonesia, Malaysia and Myanmar, and its excellent seaport facilities optimized for the petrolchemical industry, make it hard to beat by any standards.Some Singapore companies are also investing in raw material production intended for biodiesel. Singapore firm Plantation Resources has acquired 100,000 acres of land in Myanmar to produce jatropha as a feedstock for biodiesel production. Jatropha is optimal for Myanmar's agricultural environment, survives in barely arable and marginal land, and is among the highest-yielding feedstock available today which converts to biodiesel at the lowest processing cost.
Malaysia and Indonesia are already supplying palm oil as biodiesel feedstock to European processing facilities, but the oil palm grows in arable land and thus sacrifices land suited for food production instead. Indonesia, in particular, has been criticized for allowing forest burning to make way for cash crop plantations, and the forest burning generates copious amounts of CO2 and soot which pollute the entire Southeast Asian region, particularly Malaysia and Singapore. Forest burning makes biodiesel based on palm oil stock more carbon positive than petrol diesel, thus negating one of the main advantages of biodiesel.
Although both the Malaysian and Singaporean tax structures penalize diesel users, high-mileage users like taxicabs, buses and logistics companies already use fleets of diesel vehicles as the fuel-efficiency savings outweigh the penalties.
Thailand already has 400 pumping stations for biodiesel-petrol diesel mixes, and has biodiesel refineries of its own, refining feedstock available locally like palm oil and jatropha.
Why not a diesel hybrid?
The technology for production of a diesel hybrid prototype is with us, but there's the business case to consider. Diesel engines cost more to make compared with gasoline ones, and the addition of a hybrid drivetrain would increase costs beyond the fuel cost savings of hybrid technology. Even then, as fuel costs continue to rise, several companies, notably diesel specialists Peugeot and Mercedes, have committed to making a diesel hybrid commercially available soon.Cars compatible with biodiesel
In theory, all diesel engines can easily use biodiesel. The issue are parts supporting the diesel engines, like some grades of rubber have issues with biodiesel. And since biodiesel actually cleans up the contamination in the fuel pipes left over by petrol diesel, it is highly recommended to change the fuel filter a few months after converting into biodiesel to get rid of these contaminants.Even though almost 100 percent of the diesel cars on the road are compatible with biodiesel, official manufacturer support for the use of biodiesel varies. Volkswagen and its subsidiaries Audi, Seat and Skoda are notably the strongest proponents, allowing most of their engines to run on 100 percent biodiesel, whereas other manufacturers vary their permissible mixes from 5 to 30 percent. If the manufacturer's position is not followed strictly, it may void the engine warranty.
As public awareness of the benefits of biodiesel grows, both for environmentalists and auto enthusiasts, more automotive companies may follow VW AG's lead.