One downfall of the new, cleaner diesel engines required to meet EPA clean air standards is that they use more fuel. With the skyrocketing cost of fuel, this is a big problem. The solution: hybrid big rigs.
Mack Trucks and the US Air Force developed this hybrid dump truck. Imagine a hybrid sanitation truck...Once there is a enough power stored in the batteries and the diesel motor shuts off, the garbage truck can move quietly from house to house emptying trash cans. If you have ever been woken up in the early hours by a noisy sanitation truck, you know what a blessing a quieter hybrid could be. Other hybrid big-rig trucks are under development and testing. Paul L. Vikner, president and CEO of Mack, explained:
Hybrid systems can have a major impact on reducing the more than 38 billion gallons of diesel fuel the U.S. trucking industry consumes every year. Mack's research indicates that hybrid electric systems in heavy-duty trucks could save as much as 35 percent of the fuel consumed by conventionally powered vehicles.
Yipee! Affordable Think City Electric Car is Coming to America
The Think City electric vehicle (EV) is coming to America in 2009. Priced under $25,000, this EV seats two adults and two children, has a top speed of 65 MPH, and will travel 124 miles before needing a recharge. Best of all, it is made from 95% recyclable materials!
Using $6000 from his part time job as a lifeguard, Andrew Angelloti converted his 1988 Mazda pickup to an electric vehicle (EV). Using 20 batteries and a 60 HP 9" electric motor, this truck tops out at 55 MPH and gets about 40 miles per charge. Andrew is working on converting his second car to an EV, as he hopes to achieve 80 MPH out of the 1992 Toyota Tercel.
I don't know if it is enough to save the US automaker's falling sales, but GM announced earlier this month at the Chicago Auto Show that the GMC Sierra will be available in hybrid model in late 2008. With 25% improved fuel economy, the hybrid Sierra will use a two-mode hybrid system. CNN Money explains,
Like single-mode hybrid systems now used by Toyota Motor Corp. (TM), Ford Motor Co. (F, Fortune 500) and others, the two-mode runs without the gas engine at low speeds. But at higher speeds, the electric motor in the two-mode hybrid contributes more power. The two-mode system also is better for towing.
At speeds under 30 mph, the Sierra will run solely on its electric motor. Essentially, the hybrid system helps the 6-liter, V-8 engine run longer in its four-cylinder mode. Even with all these changes, the hybrid Sierra will only get 20mpg.
Here it is...the amazing, plug-in, Extreme Hybrid SUV! At over 150 miles to the gallon, this machine puts the plug-in hybrid Toyota Prius to shame. The Extreme Hybrid XH by AFS Trinity Power will travel 40 miles on the electric motor, before it needs recharged electrically or the gasoline motor starts. The Toyota plug-in Prius will only travel seven miles on its stored electricity.
Typically, hybrids exploit the synergies of electricity and internal combustion by using only an electric motor at low speeds; the gas engine kicks in as speed increases, and both are used when maximum output is called for. AFS Trinity, on the other hand, took a purist position. In its system, the gasoline engine is not started until the batteries run down...In use, the capacitors function much like the water tank on a toilet. That reservoir lets the toilet get by with a small supply pipe, yet still delivers a large volume at once for flushing.
The Extreme Hybrid XH is expected to cost about $8,700 more than a gas-only SUV. AFS Trinity CEO Edward W. Furia explains, "If the price of gasoline is, say, $2.85 per gallon, XH™ gasoline cost savings could repay the purchase price premium in 3.5 years." Increased fuel economy does come at a cost though, as capacitors contain PCBs, in a closed system. However, the ultracapacitors in the Extreme Hybrid help keep the lithium batteries within safe heating limits, thus extending battery life and preventing fire caused by overheating. The earliest the Extreme Hybrids will be available is in three years.
Toyota has finally announced the long awaited arrival of the Prius Plug-In Hybrid will occur in 2010. The plug-in model will run on lithium-ion batteries, instead of the nickel-metal hydride batteries that currently power the Prius. Plug-in vehicles can be powered from an external power source, rather than always relying on the gas motor to recharge the batteries. If customers chose renewable energy sources for their power consumption, this is a good option for reducing one's carbon footprint. One cool feature of the new Plug-In Prius is an EV button inside the car. Drivers can press this button and run the car completely on the batteries as an electric car; however, the two batteries will only take you about seven miles. Still no date on when Toyota will release diesel versions of their trucks.
New Electric Car Factory Rolls Out First ZAP Xebra
Thanks to Jay, a big fan of electric cars, for sending this in on the new ZAP Xebra, which rolled out of factories in Shandong Province in China last week:
The new factory has the capacity to produce up to 4,000 vehicles per month, according to officials from ZAP and Shandong Jindalu Vehicle Company, Ltd. The modernized factory provides a more productive working environment with state-of-the-art automation as well as vehicle research, development and production capabilities.
Ever thought about owning an electric car? For anyone who's nixed the idea because of the 5-6 hours it takes to re-charge batteries on long trips, Texas-based company EEStor has some good news.
The company manufactures the EEStor ultra-capacitor (or EESU), a quicker-to-charge, lightweight battery that is faster to charge and easier to use than regular lithium-ion batteries. And unlike lithium-ion batteries, EESUs can be charged and recharged over and over without losing life.
Tim McGee posted a great article comparing the energy-efficiency of conventional and plug-in hybrids on Treehugger:
Plug-in hybrid-electric vehicles may get you 100 miles per gallon, but where did those extra miles come from? What about the larger batteries needed? How does the return on investment change? A new study released last week by ACEEE (American Council for Energy Efficient Economy) compares your typical hybrid to one you can recharge at home. The study indicates that 'plug-in' hybrids may not offer the benefits a buyer expects. We highlight what you should consider before jumping to the plug-in option.
If you're into helping out the environment by driving a car that looks like it's from the Jetson's garage, then the NmG electric car from Myers Motors may be for you. It gets 30 miles to the charge and goes over 70 mph. The bad news - it's going to set you back a cool $25,000.
Hybrid Diesel Dump Trucks and Big-Rigs
Thanks to Jay, a big fan of electric cars, for sending this in on the new 
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