Make Your Own Electric Car: How Hard Can It Be?

As a huge fan of Top Gear, (The UK version, which is the only version worth watching) I of course saw the episode where the hosts attempted to create a homemade electric car. Quite frankly it was one of the best Top Gear episodes ever! Seeing as I have a blog dedicated to green driving I thought it would be fitting to post this episode on the site for all to see. Who knows maybe some of you will become inspired and build one for yourselves!
This is taken from Season 14 Episode 2 of Top Gear

Enjoy the videos!

Short version:

Hyundai: The Laziest Car Company in the World

Hello Fellow Automotive Enthusiasts,

I readily admit that this post is completely off topic and has nothing to do with green driving whatsoever. What this is, is an expose on cheating and dishonesty in the automotive world.

Hyundai: The Laziest Car Company in the World.

Recently, Korean company Hyundai motors has been getting rave reviews on their entire lineup of cars from their sporty Genesis to the towering Tuscan SUV, but it seems that while everyone has been wowed by the performance and aesthetics they don’t seem to notice that these vehicles look strangely familiar. Hyundai has shamelessly copied class leading vehicles from dozens of manufacturers and then repackaged them as Hyundai products.

Let’s start with the most obvious, the four door Hyundai Genesis.

The four door Hyundai Genesis was released in 2008. According to Hyundai, the Genesis was meant to compete with BMW M5 in all areas except price. However, it seems that the individuals in the design department took that statement a bit too literally. The resulting car, while striking, represents one of the greatest affronts to automotive design.  The designers essentially lifted the nose and hood from an E Class Mercedes, attached the doors and side panels of a BMW 5 series, and then slapped on the trunk from a Bentley Continental. Oh, and while they were at it, they copied Bentley’s badge. I cannot begin to tell you the number of times I have been driving down the road and said, “Hey look there’s a Bent!…oh it’s just a Hyundai.”

 While creating this kind of confusion is probably great for marketing and makes the prospect of buying a Genesis more appealing, what does it say about Hyundai and the consumer in general? I liken the 2008 Genesis to a fake Rolex. It looks almost as good and probably works almost as well, but to buy a knockoff just tells the world “Look at me! I think I’m a big shot, although I did just get fired from my job at 7-11, due to incompetence, and I still live with my parents even though I’m 35.” The irony of all of this is that Hyundai originally created the new Genesis to try and attract younger buyers. Unfortunately, almost all of the four door Geneses’ that I have seen were driven by people forty or older. Seriously, if you are 40 years old, a Hyundai Genesis, no matter what it looks like, not even one that looks like a Ferrari, is going to make you look like a high roller. Buy yourself a used BMW, Mercedes, or Porsche instead. People will at least take you seriously.

As for Hyundai, I can’t believe that there hasn’t been an absolute uproar over their designs. The other design copies aren’t as blatant as they are with the Genesis, but are obvious nonetheless. Take the new Hyundai Sonata for instance. It’s a classic case of let’s make a car just like car X but change it just enough that no one will notice. In order to create the Sonata, it looks like Hyundai designers took an M series Infiniti and shoved it through a funnel. What pops out at the other end is a warped looking Infiniti that Hyundai simply rebadges and then puts on sale.  

How about SUVs?

 Here’s your recipe: One Toyota Rav4, Remove the trunk mounted spare tire, nip tail lights and tuck the D pillar a bit and you have the new Hyundai Santa Fe! You might be thinking, “Well SUVs are all large boxy things, so that’s not fair to Hyundai.” Well actually, that’s not exactly true. Take a look on Toyota, Infiniti, Mercedes, BMW, Porsche, Ford, and all the others.  Their cars, while similar in terms of function, look quite different from one another. I mean no one is going to confuse a Ford Flex with a Chevy Tahoe or a Suburban. By the same token no one has ever said “Hey, nice BMW X5” when pointing to a Land Rover Discovery or a Porsche Cayenne. While all of these companies compete fiercely with one another, they take care to make sure that their products are different enough because they understand that customers don’t all want to be driving the same looking vehicle.

Think about the last time you were at a car show or saw a beautiful new car drive by. Did you think to yourself, “Just because it looks different doesn’t make it any good.” Or did you say, “Wow that car is amazing I wonder what it’s like to drive!”  My guess is that 99.999% of you reading this picked the latter one. That is exactly the reaction car companies and designers, regardless of industry, want you to have.  It’s that WOW factor that shows what is really going on behind the doors of the company. Hyundai, in an effort to play with the big boys, has forgotten this rule. Granted, its vehicles are extremely well priced and are much better value for money then a lot of other makes out there; but it doesn’t change the fact that Hyundai is not breaking into uncharted territory technically or visually. My assumption is that in order to keep costs down they have forgone taking the visual route letting others do the work for them.  

In essence, Hyundai has simply decided to copy of its automotive peers in the hopes that we, the teachers, the people who grade them with our cash and checkbooks, are not paying attention. Well, Hyundai, this is me throwing an editorial eraser at you, you’ve been caught, so please put your head down and keep your eyes on your own damn paper.   

Hybrid Vehicle Tax Credits

Here is a small excerpt from this article:

"Both diesels and hybrids must meet certain emissions certification levels to qualify: Smaller vehicles must have a Federal emissions rating of Tier 2 bin 5 or better, and larger ones must achieve Tier 2 bin 8, a less stringent requirement. While most hybrid vehicles already meet the emissions requirement, no diesels are currently rated cleaner than bin 9. Diesels will probably reach the magic numbers with the introduction of ultra-low sulfur fuel that hit the pumps in late 2006. ACEEE expects the '08 Mercedes-Benz E320 BlueTec diesel to qualify for a $1,300 tax credit running on low sulfur fuel.
 
Legislators hope the tax credits will increase the variety and classes of hybrids available to consumers. If gas prices head for the rarified air over $3 a gallon, consumers will be dumping greater shares of their budgets down the tank. That scenario could fuel resurgence in hybrid sales. Toyota's President Katsuaki Watanabe announced plans to sell a million hybrids a year by the end of the next decade, or about 600,000 hybrids in the U.S. To reach that goal, about a quarter of the automaker's vehicles would have to be hybrids. The automaker added a hybrid Camry to its '07 lineup that began sales last year. The Camry sold quickly and the tax credit dropped from $2,600 to $1,300. Both 2wd and 4wd versions of the Highlander Hybrid also sold crisply and their tax credit fell from an initial $2,600 to $1,300. Selling hybrids as a mainstream vehicle still depends upon the price of gas and environmental concerns overcoming the $3,000 to $5,000 premium on these models."

Full article

How Car Companies Cheat the New Fuel Economy Rules

This article is a horror show of corporate greed and lies all in an attempt to circumvent government policies which are designed, rightly or wrongly to make our lives better.

Here is a small excerpt:  "Also, I discovered that the U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) fuel-mileage numbers found on car window stickers and quoted in new-car reviews may or may not be what’s used to calculate CAFE. A long phone conversation with a representative from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the group that sets CAFE standards, only muddied my understanding: If the government wants to keep something secret, it should try to explain it.
I found that manufacturers get credits for equipping their cars with air conditioners, making them capable of using multiple fuels and, likely, being built in the states of senators with the most seniority. If car factories or parts suppliers suddenly locate to West Virginia, Massachusetts, Vermont, Hawaii or Montana, be suspicious. And if they move from West Virginia, Massachusetts or Hawaii, it means Senators Robert Byrd, Ted Kennedy and Dan Inouye have left the Senate."

read more here

Hybrid Engine Myths

A common unfounded fear about hybrids is that they will endanger accident victims and rescue workers. The Associated Press even ran a poorly researched, inaccurate article describing danger that doesn't exist. While the original erroneous article can still be found on the Internet, AP's later retraction requires more digging. The truth is that there are no reports of an accident victim, first-responder or service technician being injured by a hybrid's high-voltage battery. Hybrids are no more—and no less—hazardous than are conventional cars. Proper training and the discipline to correctly follow safety procedures are required for both.

"Hybrid car fires present no more of a risk than conventional cars," says Todd Hoffman, founder of Scene of the Accident emergency personnel training group. "There is no potential for electric shock if the (hybrid) vehicle is partially or fully submersed in water."

Here's something about hybrids that should be of concern: There's a huge difference between something that is recyclable and stuff that actually gets recycled. Currently it's not profitable to recycle the nickel-metal-hydride (Ni-MH) batteries employed in almost all hybrids and many personal electronic devices. Proceeds from reclaimed metals roughly equal the cost of recycling Ni-MH batteries. If the market price of nickel, chromium and iron is depressed and shipping costs are high, it's a money loser. read more

Advice for Buying a Used Hybrid

Buying an used car can be tricky, but with the new hybrid technology that has come out the difficulties are even greater. The article and subsequent link I have provided below will hopefully ease the burdens of buying a used hybrid and show you some of the common pitfalls people find themselves facing. FYI this is an older article but much of the information still holds true.

Toyota Prius (2001-03): Along with Honda's Insight, the compact Prius sedan was one of the first hybrids in America. Sales were scant, but it got people used to the possibility of hybrids as regular transportation. Initially priced around $20,000, used first-generation Priuses can command as much as half that figure.
 
In June 2008, Norm Olson, national sales operations manager for Toyota Certified vehicles, saw previously owned Priuses going for $4,000 to $6,000 more than their new-car price. "Now they've gone to a realistic price," he said at the National Remarketing Conference, in October.

Toyota Prius (2004-09): Redesigned for 2004 in larger, midsize four-door liftback form, the second-generation Prius was the least-expensive hybrid. It also had the highest fuel-economy estimate: 60-mpg city and 51-mpg highway (reduced to 48/45 mpg during 2007). A 1.5-liter Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder gasoline engine works with an electric motor and continuously variable transmission (CVT). Though prices eased late in 2008, a year-old Prius can still command figures that approach its original new-car cost–above $20,000. Even a five-year-old has lost only about one-third of its initial value. For that purely economic reason, Priuses aren't the most sensible secondhand choice. A redesigned 2010 Prius will be unveiled at Detroit's auto show in January 2009.  read more

 

Building an Electric Car: How Hard Can it Be?

As a huge fan of Top Gear (the UK version, which is the version worth watching), I have of course seen the episode where the hosts tried to build their own electric cars for less than $8,000. Quite frankly it was one of the best Top Gear episodes ever! Seeing as I have a blog dedicated to green driving I thought it would be fitting to post this episode on the site for all to see. Who knows maybe some of you will become inspired and build one for yourselves!

I have included two versions, a long and short version.

Enjoy the Videos!

Short Version:

Long Version:

Top Gear Long Version

Super Hybrids: They Really Exist

Interestingly enough, tinkerers have become the primary inspiration for a new type of vehicle, the plug-in hybrid (PHEV). Like the hot rodders' obsession with high performance, these new-age tinkerers are pushing the limits of fuel efficiency. A California company, Energy CS, produced two Toyota Prius hybrids with lithium ion batteries, achieving an astounding 230mpg. As far back as 1972, Andy Frank, a University of California, Davis engineering professor, built a 250mpg plug-in hybrid from scratch and has since added seven more to his stable, including a converted, non-hybrid Ford Taurus and a Chevy Suburban.

More recently, Ron Gremban added 18 batteries to a Toyota Prius hybrid and now regularly gets 80mpg. Gremban's effort was to prove that the job could be done at a reasonable cost—a position maintained by CalCars Initiative, a San Francisco Bay area volunteer group. While most of the major auto manufacturers are just beginning to put aside old arguments against the safety and viability of plug-in hybrids, DaimlerChrysler is building 40 PHEV vans for commercial use. Toyota, meanwhile, has admitted that it could learn from the current crop of conversions. read more

How to Make Your Own Bio Diesel

 

To produce diesel, you first have to collect some waste vegetable oil (usually available free) and filter it of any debris. Then its quality has to be evaluated by “titration,” a simple chemical test that determines the amount of lye and methanol required to convert the vegetable oil to biodiesel. (The quantity of chemicals varies depending on the quality of the feedstock oil. If you add more than the required amount of lye, your mixing tank could end up filled with gel-type soap. If you use too little lye, only part of the cooking oil will convert into biodiesel, with a large layer of glycerin settling to the bottom of the mixing tank.)

Once that’s been determined, these two chemicals are carefully mixed together in a sealed container. (The resulting mixture, called sodium methoxide, is caustic, and requires safety precautions such as protective goggles and gloves.) read more

Top Fuel Efficient Cars

The previous post had to do with the government's choice for the best fuel efficient vehicles. This is my list for the best fuel efficient cars. My list is divided into three parts; the first consists of cars that are hyper efficient but may sacrifice some of the modern conveniences and technology. The second category consists of vehicles I consider status hybrids. The "Look at me! I care about the environment" cars. The third category is a list of the efficient cars that manage to do their job and look cool doing it.

(city/highway)

Part 1

Buying a modern hybrid car and thinking it will save you money is just plain wrong. It would take you 10 years or more to recoup the premium you had to pay for the hybrid. If you really are in the market for a vehicle that will start saving you money today, go with one of these. 

1) 1st generation Honda Insight (2000-2006): Arguably the best performing hybrid car ever to go into production. Two Seater bare-bones hyper efficient car. (61/70)

2) Chevy/Geo Metro (33/39)

3) Any pre-2000 domestic or Japanese lightweight car. ex. Honda Civic (27/34), Dodge Neon (25/37), Chevy Prism (27/34), Ford Escort (24/34)

4) pre-2000 Volkswagen Passat (32/45), Volkswagen Jetta (33/44)


Part 2

I would categorize these as the Holier Than Thou cars. Vehicles that are purchased almost exclusively by people as status symbols in an effort to show how much they care about the environment. As demonstrated above you aren't going to save yourself much, if any money by purchasing these vehicles. However, they do get great mileage and credit should be given to the engineers for coming up with these impressive systems.

1) Toyota Prius
2) Nissan Leaf*

*I include the Nissan Leaf in this category solely for the reason that I do not see it as a practical car. The time it takes to recharge and lack of charging stations makes it impractical for anything but short commutes. However, as prices drop and more charging stations become available I foresee this vehicle leaving this section.

Volvo's Radical Ideas for Cleaning the Air: The Versatility Concept

The need for improvement has spawned some pretty interesting innovations. Volvo, for instance, is taking the concept of personal environmental responsibility several steps further than the norm with the PremAir radiators installed on many of its current models. These "smog eating" radiators, which are coated with a catalyst that transforms ground level ozone into oxygen, represent yet another incremental step toward lessening the automobile's impact on the environment.
This passive catalytic system is limited in its ability to convert ozone to oxygen by the amount of polluted air that passes through the radiator during driving. But what if a more active approach was possible, one that would not only clean up pollution created by the car being driven but the emissions of nearby cars as well?

It sounds like the stuff of an environmentalist's dream but it's closer to reality than you might imagine. Such a system is provided in the Volvo Versatility Concept Car, this automaker's latest concept vehicle. Here, the Volvo Ambient Air Cleaner (VAAC) determines when surrounding pollution levels are high enough and then filters hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides from the air, neutralizing the equivalent of up to three other cars' worth of emissions in polluted urban areas. read more

The Truth About Modern Diesel Cars

VW Diesel Jetta

Americans may not hate diesels, but we're clearly wary of them. Diesel proponents thought widespread availability of "clean" (low-sulfur) fuel would spark renewed interest. Yet, only four automakers currently sell diesel-engine cars in the U.S. Half a dozen others had planned to make diesels available, including Honda, Nissan and Toyota (as well as the domestic companies). Most were aimed at light trucks, including Ford's F-150 and the Dodge Ram; but several were under consideration for passenger cars. By mid-2009, however, each manufacturer had second thoughts about diving even modestly into diesel power. 

Over the past decade, auto-industry executives and automotive journalists have sung the praises of diesel engines, attracted by their impressive fuel economy as well as their strong torque output, which can translate to energetic acceleration. As soon as "clean" fuel became readily available, they predicted, a new world of diesel power would be upon us. read more

How Oil Can Protect the Environment: Changing to Synthetic Oil

For most older cars in good condition with less than 60,000 miles, you can usually drain out the dinosaur oil and put in synthetic––and a new oil filter, of course––without any special precautions. Most oil manufacturers suggest changing the oil and filter again after a couple of thousand miles, because synthetic can loosen up some of the deposits left behind by petroleum oil. For high-mileage engines that were run on petroleum oil and have been poorly maintained, you’ll probably need to shorten the next two or three oil-change intervals.

For new engines, or rebuilt ones, it’s best to run petroleum oil for the first 1500 miles or so before switching to synthetic. This gives the rings and other engine parts time to bed in properly, something that’s harder to do with synthetic oil. After the 1500-mile mark a new engine will be as ready as it’ll ever be for synthetic. read more

Hypermiling 101: Part 2

Other Hints and Rules

Hills: There is no one good rule for hills. Hills can be tricky depending on where they are, your speed, and traffic conditions. On the highway, for instance, constant speed is usually the best option. You might burn a little bit more going up, but you’ll burn less coming down. On hills with heavy traffic or signals, try coasting to a stop. Keep in mind that your speed drops off very quickly as compared to flat ground when doing this, so try not to get stuck half way up then have to hit the gas again. It’s a lot easier to maintain momentum than it is to get going again, so it’s better to have a bit too much speed and have to brake at the top than to have too little.

Turns: This might sound like I’m trying to get you to treat the road like a racecourse, but I’m not. Next time you go to make a turn at speed, say on a green arrow, get a sense of how fast you’re going. Obviously you don’t want to crash, squeal the wheels, or make the ride uncomfortable, but the next time you take the same turn, try slowing down just a bit less. Even 1 or 2 miles per hour difference will, over time, save you money. Keep in mind that every turn is different, so what works for one turn might not work for the next. read more

Hypermiling 101

Hypermiling: Getting Started part 1
(The following is part one of a two part guide to hypermiling)

With today's gas prices approaching 4 or 5 dollars a gallon, most people assume there really isn’t much they can do, so they waste their money by selling their old car and buying a new, more efficient one. Trouble is, we are still in a recession and most people don’t have that kind of liquidity at the moment. The solution is very easy: Hypermile.

The idea behind hypermiling is simple: Go as far as possible on a single tank of gas while getting to your destinations in roughly the same time frame as before. Many folks think you have to have some new-age hybrid to successfully hypermile, but they’re wrong. Anyone can do it with any vehicle out there. The key is to not waste energy. read more

part 2

E85 Flex Fuel Vehicles: What are they, How they work, and Why they are great.

 E85 Flex Fuel Vehicles 101


Many of you might have seen vehicles, particularly SUVs, that say Flex-Fuel on the back but don't know what it means or how it works. Here is a great article explaining any questions that you might have.

"Ethanol advocates emphasize that using E85 results in decreased reliance on imported oil, reduced environmental pollution, and a lower negative impact on the public's health. Lampert adds that ethanol is 100-percent renewable and non-carcinogenic. At the same time, production is 100-percent domestic. "Absolutely without doubt," the use of ethanol enhances America's energy security, says DaimlerChrysler spokesperson Nick Cappa. "Also, it helps farmers. " more