Kermit the Frog was right: It's not easy being green.
Ever wonder what ever happened to the fun, funky alternative fuel vehicles that were promised in large numbers decades ago?
The problem often comes down to a different kind of green.
"It's a cost issue," says Bill Moore, publisher of EVWorld.com, a site devoted to electric vehicles and clean transportation. "In terms of technology, we've got it."
One company in India is trying to engineer a car that would run on compressed air, says Moore. It would have a fairly small range -- "about 60 to 100 miles" at a time, he says. "But it's one of the more interesting things out there."
NEVs or "neighborhood electric vehicles" (kind of like bigger, more passenger-friendly golf carts) can get you to the corner store and back. But since they have top speeds of 25 to 40 miles per hour, typically, they aren't allowed on some roads. And the range between charges is usually pretty limited, too.
But there are 70,000 NEVs on the roads, and the number has been growing since 1999, says Brian Wynne, president of the Electric Drive Transportation Association, an industry group focusing on electric car technology. Still, he says, "it's not a big segment."
For a price, specialized companies will retrofit certain factory-made cars or trucks with a battery power source. And a few independent (and mechanically minded) folks have actually attempted the project themselves.
"Anybody can drive an electric car," says Moore. "You take the gasoline motor out and put in a battery."
But for the folks who like to buy cars in a more plug-and-play format, there isn't a lot to choose from when it comes to fossil-fuel alternatives. Still, a number of vehicles are grabbing some attention -- and ink -- lately. A few to consider:
Chevrolet Equinox: Chevrolet will begin leasing a small number -- abut 100 -- of these four-seat crossovers with a hydrogen fuel cell power system in September. Expected range on a tank of hydrogen? About 200 miles, says Rob Peterson, spokesman for General Motors Corp. The lease will be available in Washington D.C., Los Angeles and New York, says Peterson. "From a performance standpoint, expect it to be equal to" similar gasoline vehicles, he says. Another unexpected plus: no oil changes.
BMW Hydrogen 7: BMW has developed a hydrogen cell version of its luxury 760li model. The dual-fuel sedan gets 125 miles on a tank of liquid hydrogen, and another 300 miles on an auxiliary tank of gasoline. And the performance is "very similar to a BMW 7 Series," says Andreas Klugescheid, corporate communications manager for BMW of North America, who adds it can reach speeds of up to 143 mph.
By the end of the summer, the company plans to give 100 of the cars to high-profile people in the U.S. and Europe to generate a buzz around the idea of hydrogen fuel cars, says Klugescheid. But don't expect to see them in the dealer showroom anytime soon. The company is still working out the details that would allow them to mass-produce the cars at a more affordable price, says Klugescheid. And there is only one compatible fuel station in the U.S. -- in Oxnard, Calif.
Venturi Fetish: Got a few hundred thousand burning a hole in your pocket? Forget the golf-carts. This Monaco-based company is scheduled to make about 25 of these road-worthy, high-performance electric sports cars this year. Venturi claims the Fetish will rocket to 60 miles an hour in less than five seconds. The range: about 100 to 200 miles on a charge, Moore says. Cost? Estimates run as high as $400,000.
Venturi Eclectic: This electric/solar/wind powered two-seater comes in any color you want, as long as it's white. The distinctive open-air design resembles a cross between a go-cart and an antique car. Venturi is promising to make 200 this year, according to the company's Web site. Anticipated price is about $32,000, according to Auto Week. It runs on battery power, with solar panels on the roof. A turbine package allows drivers to harness wind energy, too. The Eclectic has a top speed of 31 mph and a range of about 31 miles on a charge, according the car's specs. It takes about five hours to charge.
Tesla Roadster: Do your green sensibilities mask a need for speed? This two-seater goes from 0 to 60 mph in just about 4 seconds and can reach speeds up to 130 mph. It gets about 200-plus miles to the charge, says Joe Powers, a sales associate with Tesla Motors. The company is making about 800 of these electric roadsters for the 2008 model year, he says. The $98,000 base price includes installation of a home-charging system in the garage. And it goes from "empty" to fully charged in about 3½ hours, he says.
Phoenix Electric SUT (sport utility truck): This double-cab short-bed pickup by California-based Phoenix Motor Cars seats five and will sell for $45,000. It gets about 130 miles on a charge and can reach speeds of up to 95 mph, according to the company. Phoenix is first targeting the California fleet market, but also has a waiting list for consumers, says Corey Franks, a program manager with the automaker. "We hope to be in dealerships nationwide by 2009," she says. There are two ways to recharge the lithium titanate battery: with your 220-volt wall outlet (think clothes dryer), a complete recharge takes five to six hours; or just 10 minutes with the off-board charger used in fleet/commercial locations. Cost to refuel: about $3, says Franks.
Miles Electric Vehicles' High-Speed Sedan: California-based Miles Electric Vehicles is developing a battery-powered four-door family sedan slated to sell for less than $30,000. Formerly known as the "Javlon" earlier in its inception, it has a Chinese-made chassis and is powered by a lithium ion battery. The range on a full charge is in the vicinity of 125-plus miles, says Betsy Isroelit, a spokeswoman for the company. It can reach top speeds of about 85 mph. Time for a full charge: about six hours, according to the company. Miles Electric will start taking orders this fall and also plans to have the sedan in dealerships by the last half of 2008, says Isroelit.
Honda FCX: For two years, Honda has been leasing its compact-size FCX hydrogen fuel cell cars to two individuals in California. In 2008 it plans to start leasing its "next generation," a newly designed luxury sedan, says Todd Mittleman, a spokesman for American Honda Motor Co. Inc. The model runs on gaseous hydrogen and gets about 270 miles to the tank, he says. With top speeds of 100 mph, Mittleman says, "it's a wonderful drive."
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Source:
Yahoo! News
Dana Dratch
Photos
Honda CFX
Venturi Eclectic
Phoenix SUT
BMW Hydrogen 7 engine
