Amy’s Garage

by Amy Mattinat

E85

My last post was to shout out the great news that Los Angeles County has approved a ground breaking facility that will revolutionize the Biofuel industry. They are going to be making their E85 out of Grass clippings, wood chips, paper products, and cardboard… and not corn.

Then I got a bunch of questions wondering what the heck was E85 anyways?

E85 is a special alternative fuel that is a blend of 15% gasoline and 85% ethanol. This special blend is used to power Flex Fuel Vehicles. You may have trouble finding a E85 fueling station at this time, because there are only about 1500 in the USA, and none in VT, NH, ME, CT RI or NJ. Seems the North East if lagging behind in the E85 arena.

Flex Fuel Vehicles? OK, so there is not a lot of difference in a Flex Fuel vehicle and a regular gasoline engine vehicle. Mechanically, the only difference is the addition of a fuel sensor that detects the ethanol/gasoline ration and the various parts that had to be upgraded to tolerate the ethanol, which is very corrosive.

Making fuel out of ethanol is not a new idea. Henry ford’s first cars were made to run on ethanol, but gasoline was so plentiful and cheap that it became the fuel of the day.

Flex Fueled vehicles running on E85 don’t really get any better gas mileage then their gasoline counter parts, but the advantages to using E85 versus gasoline are HUGE!

• Ethanol burns cleaner and tests have shown reduction in those nasty harmful hydrocarbon and benzene emissions.
• E85 can help reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) that harmful greenhouse gas that is a major contributor to global warming - and causing Vermont rain all summer - which only lasts 3 months if we are lucky.
• Ethanol is like totally renewable! It may be the hero of the day by helping to reduce our dependency on petroleum fuels.
• Manufacturing ethanol out of scraps will help clean up the environment while providing an alternative to straight gasoline powered engines!

I’ve got my eye on this one and will keep you informed when this becomes our new reality!

by Amy Mattinat

I have fabulous news!

I read today on gasmilage.wordpress.com, Los Angeles County has approved a ground breaking facility that will revolutionize the Biofuel industry. They are going to be making their E-85 out of Grass clippings, wood chips, paper products, and cardboard… and not corn.

I have been pained watching the “powers that be” push corn down our throats as the best source of making ethanol. Anyone who has ever grown corn can attest to the fact that corn requires lots of pesticides, herbicides and a ton of fertilizers to grow. AND you need to rotate the field every year because it leeches out all the minerals from the soil. I was picturing the next “dust bowl” if corn became the replacement for gasoline.

I am so glad to hear that we can manufacture ethanol out of scraps and help clean up the environment at the same time!

What Is Your Favorite Alternative to Gasoline Powered Vehicles?

One of the popular discussions of the day is “How to be Green.” When I say “Green”, I am not talking about eating broccoli and kale. I am talking about how you can personally help clean up the environment and help keep this world safe for future generations.

It is easy to contribute to the “green Cause.” You could simply recycle your trash and/or compost your garbage. You could use your consumer dollars to save trees by purchasing recycled paper products and help save electricity by using energy saving light bulbs for your home and office.

Being an AutoGirl, I am every interested in all the various alternative powered automobiles that are being worked on all over the world. It’s kind of like the race to the moon! Companies are scrambling to create the next new technological breakthrough that will reduce our oil addiction and consumption and that everyone will want to purchase.

The alternative vehicles that you may have heard about being researched toady are: Gasoline-Electric Hybrids, Electric Cars, Clean Diesel, Biodeisel, Grease Cars, Flex Fuel, E85 fuel, Natural Gas, Hydrogen Fuel Cells. Water Cars and the new one I keep hearing about - Compressed Air.

The Gasoline-Electric Hybrid is the most commonly purchased alternative vehicle on the road today. Environmentalists love them because they reduce emissions. 50% for carbon dioxide and 90% carbon monoxide. Drivers who care about fuel economy love them because they are fuel efficient.

What is a Hybrid and How does it Work?

Describing Hybrids is a daunting task, because not all hybrids are created equal. The one thing they all have in common is: Hybrids are motorized by combining the typical gasoline engine with an electric motor powered by batteries. This is where the similarities end.

To simplify the differences I will break them down into Mild Hybrids and Full Hybrids.

A Mild Hybrid is powered by the traditional gasoline engine and the electric motor is on standby alert to provide extra power to the engine when higher speeds are needed. Instead of the engine gulping down the extra gas needed when passing on the highway or accelerating quickly, it would instead use electricity provided by the special batteries to give the extra power needed. This is where the majority of gas savings come in.

Some Mild hybrids also save you gas by shutting off the gasoline engine at stoplights and in stop-and-go traffic. But the battery can only power the vehicle in very short bursts or up to a few miles per hour. The overall fuel savings are only 10-15% and it does not reduce emissions by much.

A Fuel Hybrid is probably what you are thinking of when you hear the word hybrid. In a full hybrid, the gasoline engine and the battery powered electric motor work as partners. They both can supply power to the transmission to move the vehicle. If stopped at a traffic light the gasoline engine will turn off, and when it is time to move forward, the electric motor provides the power for the car to drive around town up to 25 mph. Once over 25 mph the gas engine will automatically take over. This makes full hybrids great for bumper-bumper commuter traffic and stop-and-go city driving. These two driving scenarios are where a full hybrid shines.

Depending on the make and model of the hybrid, the batteries are recharged in a variety of ways. Some recharge when the gasoline engine takes over, others use the electric motor to act as a generator to charge the battery, and then there are some that have a “regenerative braking system.” Every time the brakes are used the electric motor functions as a generator which captures the “kinetic energy,” and converts it to electricity and recharges the battery pack. How cool is that?

One of the main concerns I hear about is: “How long will the expensive hybrid batteries last before they have to be replaced?” The good news is that the manufacturers are standing behind their products. The typical warranty is for 8 years / 100,000 miles and most of the batteries have gone way beyond the warranty period with out failure and are still running. If after driving a Full Hybrid for 8-9 years and the rest of the car was in great condition, it would be reasonable to invest the money in a new battery. A thousand dollars is cheaper then purchasing a new car. Plus, manufacturers are researching new and improved batteries that could be installed.

At my shop Auto Craftsmen, we have invested in Hybrid training, equipment and tools. We are observing that Hybrids maintenance service and repairs is about the same as that of a conventional car. But, they are different and I highly recommend that if you have a Hybrid, take it to a trained Hybrid Technician or back to the dealer for any kind of service or repair.

Hybrids are so popular that sales have tripled in the last four years in the United States alone, with production expected to double again this year.

Are hybrids worth the price? That is something you will have to answer yourself based on which model you choose, where you live, your driving habits and your desire to help the environment. You can visit www.hybridcars.com for a lot more information.

I feel strongly that the most important aspect of buying a Hybrid is that you will be supporting a new technology that is helping to create a cleaner mode of transportation.

What do you think about Hybrids?

According to Automotive News: After only six years of selling the Hummer brand, GM announced that they are “pulling the plug on Hummer and considering all options for the brand, including selling it”

What does this mean for the approx. 170 Hummer dealers across the country and especially for the 35 dealers that spent millions building specially distinctive quonset-hut style showrooms? It means that Hummer had a good ride for a couple of years, but now they’re running out of a rode to drive on. It also means that these 170 dealers invested in the wrong brand at the wrong time.

{According to Automoitve News Data Center & Company Sources} Hummer under GM sold:

• 20,000 units in 2002
• 35,000 units in 2003
• 30,000 units in 2004
• 55,000 units in 2005
• 72,000 units in 2006
• 55,000 units in 2007
• will be interesting to see if they even sell 10,000 units this year…

Some dealers are dreaming that a Hummer Hybrid System will magically appears to save the day. Other dealers are hoping that the price of gas will drop drastically and folks forget about fuel economy.

This AutoGirl predicts that Hummer will turn back into a Army type rescue vehicle that is was design for in the first place.

What do you think will happen to the mighty Hummer?

According to the Car Care Council:

• A family of four traveling 500 miles each way by air will spend $1,324 for tickets, based on 2007 fourth quarter statistics from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. {And we know that price is way higher now!}
  
• If gasoline prices were $5.00 a gallon, the cost for a family of four traveling by a SUV would be $314.00
• That is an Average Savings of more than $1000.00

Benefits of a Road Trip Vacation VS Flying to a destination:

1. You don’t have to get up at 4 am to start traveling
2. No airport parking
3. No waiting in line and no security lines
4. No weather delays
5. You can pack all the clothes and shoes you want
6. You can bring food and beverages for the trip
7. You can bring bikes and skateboards, golf clubs and your bocce ball set without paying extra money.
8. You can stop and stretch any time you want
9. No rental car or taxi expenses
10. More legroom and comfortable seats
11. No strangers sitting (on top of you) next to you
12. You can (escape from your family) cut your vacation short, or change your location without paying any penalties for changing your plans on short notice

What road trip vacations are you planning for this summer?

We are living in a time of total upheaval and most people don’t know it. With the rising price of gasoline the automotive industry if forever changed.

Hordes of consumers are trading in their big trucks and large SUVs (or at least trying to) for smaller, lighter vehicles that get the best fuel mileage possible in its class. Dealers who have been pushing these big, gas guzzling rigs are dumbstruck, unprepared and freaking out!

I read in the Automotive News (June 2, 2008 issue) that “one out of 10 dealers in the Automotive News survey says he or she no longer accepts big SUVs and pickups as trade-ins.” To show an example of this huge downfall of prices they site a 2008 ford F-250 Super Duty diesel that sold for $53,000 in Feb. 08. The owner didn’t like the fuel mileage and went shopping for something more efficient. When asked about the trade-in value of the truck, he was shocked when only offered $35,000. The price had dropped into the mud in only three months. OUCH!

The factories that were building these big trucks and large SUVs are stopping production. Dealers don’t want anymore of them, because they can’t get rid of what they have on the lot.

Everyone is “thinking small!” But a lot of manufactures are too late in their thinking. It will take them one to two years to ramp up production of little 4-cylinder fuel efficient cars that the masses want NOW!

What is planned for production and sales in 2009?

• Dodge or Chrysler hatchback
• Honda hybrid hatchback
• Kia Soul
• Kia Spectra
• Mazda 3 - redesign
• Mazda kabura
• Nissan Cube
• Pontiac G3
• Scion tC - redesign

What are you driving and are you thinking of downsizing anytime soon?

Jenny Ortiz from the Car Care Council Women’s Board turned me on to a very cool website: www.drivesmarterchallenge.org

This is an interactive website that computes the $ savings on your specific year, make and model vehicle if you take their 1-6 recommended fuel efficiency actions.

The website also gives money-saving gas tips, online resources and has a creative campaign at www.sixdegreechallenge.org

This campaign will help you lower winter energy use by explaining the interconnectedness of energy-related issues that affect you, your families, your communities, your state, your county and our world.

Check these websites out and tell me what you think!

I read in Road & Travel Magazine that the average American still prefers driving SUVs, Vans, Trucks and Luxury Sedans with relatively strong engine performance to smaller, more fuel-efficient cars.

OK, I admit I am one of them.

I feel safer driving a four-wheel-drive vehicle in the winter. I enjoy having a truck around to cart cumbersome, heavy loads. And when I am on a long road trip, I would rather drive a Camry than an Echo. Why is this? Do we think that driving gas-guzzling, pollution-spewing automobiles will not affect existence as we know it in our life time? Do we believe that peak oil is a myth and that driving an automobile has no connection to the war in the Middle East? Are we so selfish we don’t care that the status quo will affect future generations?

I don’t know about you, but I do not believe we need to give up size, comfort and performance in our automobiles. I truly believe that with American ingenuity we can create an alternatively-powered automobile that is affordable.

There are a number of different options out there: hybrid vehicles, Gasohol, bio-diesel, fuel cells, and electric. Now is the time to fully explore the pros and cons of each emerging alternative transportation technology and support the one you believe makes the most sense for you and for our future.

We also need to put the fear of re-election into our government official’s hearts and heads. We need to subsidize research so there can be some drastic changes to how our automobiles are propelled down the road.

My favorite alternative vehicle is the electric car. Wouldn’t it be beautiful if all the automobiles had zero emissions and were powered by water (hydroelectric), the wind (windmills), and the sun (solar energy)? Am I a crazy dreamer or could this become our new reality?

There is an interesting documentary film made, called Who Killed the Electric Car? It examines a theory that Big Oil and the U.S. government colluded to undermine electric car technology taking off in the 1990s. Whatever the reason they failed to thrive, with all the technological advances and $4- per-gallon gas looming in our not-so-distant future, electric cars merit a fresh look.

There are a surprising number of small independent automakers out there creating electric cars in all sizes, shapes, comfort levels, engine performance and price ranges, including: Feels Good Cars Inc., Meyers Motors, Phoenix Motorcars, UEV Corp., Wrightspeed Inc., Venturi, e-ride, B.I.G. Man, AC Propulsion, Commuter Cars, Tiger Truck, to name a few. You could purchase a Xebra Zap! For only $10,000. Or you could go for the Beauty Queen of them all; the Tesla Roadster which sell for $100,000 each. This vehicle is powered by an innovative lithium-ion battery that will hopefully offer some insights to the major automakers.

The electric car does not need a huge investment in developing an infrastructure to support it right off. You can charge it up anywhere there is an electric outlet. Just think, if there were thousands and thousands of quiet, emissions free electric cars driving around there would be great incentive to create clean, affordable electricity. What do you think; if we weren’t so dependent of oil, would our friends, siblings and spouses be in Iraq risking their lives in a war that otherwise makes no sense?

I know I work best with a deadline hanging over me. Are we going to have to wait until only the wealthy can afford gasoline before this country gets serious about investing in research and development of alternative automobiles? If we got things rolling before a catastrophe hits, it could be the dawning of new age. It would create new industry, new plants, and new jobs for the American people. We could once again take a leadership role and guide the rest of the world to a cleaner, healthier way of transportation.

To help motivate the future generation to reach for the stars, a nationwide program called the EV Challenge has been created. There is an innovative educational program for middle and high school students that centers on building electric powered cars. Middle school students build model solar-powered cars. High school students spend a year converting a full-sized gasoline powered vehicle into an electric vehicle, then come together for a two-day finale.

This nationwide program has had thousands of students participate. If you or your school would like more information go online and visit >www.evchallenge.org

What are you driving, and how is your gas mileage?

Join the conversation and send us your comments!