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:

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.

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

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