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Special Advertising Section SMART CARS 2000 ENVIRONMENT |
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Just about everybody likes cars and trucks that run cleaner and use less fuel. But coaxing people to pay more for such vehicles, and perhaps accept less performance from them in the bargain, is another story. Today's cars and trucks--including big sport utility vehicles--already are about 95% cleaner and two-and-a-half times as fuel-efficient as the land yachts Americans drove in the 1960s. And overall emissions of major pollutants are down significantly from 1970 levels. But many environmentalists believe far more efficient vehicles are needed to help stop excessive global warming. One of their worries is carbon dioxide, a gas released through fermentation and when animals exhale. Carbon dioxide also forms as a natural and unavoidable byproduct when carbon-based fuels burn. In the atmosphere, carbon dioxide helps hold in the Earth's surface heat and make the planet inhabitable. But even a few degrees too much of this greenhouse effect would melt the polar ice caps and trigger destructive climatic changes. Many scientists think just such a warming trend is underway now. The world's leading nations responded by meeting in Kyoto, Japan, in 1997 and pledging to reduce emissions of several greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide, over the next several years. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the United States generates more than 5 billion tons of energy-related carbon dioxide annually, making it the world's largest single emitter of the gas. About one-third the nation's total output comes from the transportation sector, and its share has been growing faster than all others since 1990. Blame it on America's urge to drive big, powerful vehicles that inherently consume more fuel--and thus release more carbon dioxide--than smaller vehicles do. Reversing the trend means driving less, improving fuel economy, switching to battery power, trying new fuel blends, or some combination of those choices. How much fuel economy can be squeezed from a piston engine? Volkswagen's little Lupo TDI may hold the record for a production car. The four-seater gets about 83 miles per gallon with a turbocharged aluminum engine that propels the 1,700-pound car to 60 miles per hour in a little over 13 seconds.
Nissan plans in February to start building a SULEV version of its Sentra sedan that emits only 25% as much unburned hydrocarbons and 10% as much oxides of nitrogen as the cleanest gasoline-fueled cars currently sold in California. Nissan says the car's fuel system will emit zero gasoline vapors, an industry first. It says the car will release less pollution into the atmosphere during a 20-mile drive than a typical new car would if parked all day with the engine switched off. Ford, meanwhile, says its pickup trucks, vans, and sport utility vehicles will meet California's LEV standards this fall. Ford also is phasing in dual fuel capability in many of its trucks so they can burn any blend of gasoline and methanol up to 85% methanol.
Still, electrics could become a sudden hit if concerns about air quality puts conventional vehicles on the sideline. That's why every major automaker has at least a handful of electrics on the road today. GM is the most visible with its three-year old EV1 electric coupe. For 2000, GM is introducing a more powerful standard battery pack that boosts real-world driving range about 30% and a new optional battery system that extends it another 37%. Not to be outdone, Ford has acquired control of a Norwegian company that builds a pint-sized electric car called TH!NK. The vehicle may reach North America next year. The European version can travel about 55 miles per charge and has a top speed of 60 miles per hour. |
First up is Honda's little two-seater Insight, due in December. Built with swoopy aluminum and plastic body panels that cut weight, the coupe is powered primarily by a one-liter (61-cu.-in.) three-cylinder gasoline engine. An electric motor contributes in extra power as needed. When cruising, the gasoline engine recharges the electric motor's onboard batteries. Honda says the Insight will average between 61 and 70 miles per gallon.
Toyota's four-door Prius (pronounced PREE-us) arrives next spring. Launched in Japan in late 1997, it uses an electric motor to get underway. A 1.5-liter, four-cylinder gasoline engine kicks in at higher speeds. Toyota says the combination drive delivers twice the fuel economy with half the carbon dioxide emissions of a comparably-sized gasoline-powered car.
Nissan has been testing its own Tino hybrid car in Japan this year and hopes to put it on the market in early 2000. Many other automakers have similar technology under development, but most want to see stronger signs of consumer interest before putting these high-tech systems into production. The industry's biggest suppliers, meanwhile, are positioning themselves to handle whatever direction the automakers decide to take. Dana Corp.--a $12.5 billion maker of brakes, axles, and driveshafts--recently set up an Advanced Technologies and Systems Engineering Group to look for new ways to leverage the company's core capabilities with outside technologies. One idea: create drivetrain modules that automakers can easily "plug in" to their production processes.
Pollution control wouldn't be such a thorny issue if automakers could find a magic fuel that doesn't create harmful emissions in the first place. Hydrogen fits the bill, and it explains why automakers are so interested in fuel cell technology today. Fuel cells produce electricity directly by combining hydrogen and oxygen. Their only significant byproduct is water. Similar to a battery in construction, fuel cells are inherently about 50% more efficient than internal combustion engines. They are often the power source of choice in space vehicles, but cost and operating issues remain significant hurdles for automotive use. Still, major carmakers say they could be ready to produce market-ready fuel cell vehicles about five years from now. DaimlerChrysler has declared its intention to be first to market with an economically viable fuel cell vehicle, although it hasn't said exactly when that will be.
This fall's selection is the greatest ever, but it's only the beginning. The next few years will bring an explosion of new smart-car capabilities. If some seem fanciful and unnecessary, just remember car buyers once thought the same thing about automatic transmissions, power steering, air conditioning, and FM radio. Bill Hampton has covered technology and the automobile industry for national publications since 1971.
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