Blade Your Ride: cut emissions and save gas
While much of the green car field is devoted to developing technology of new vehicles, what about the 800 million vehicles already on the road today? What if the technology existed to green your existing vehicle at a low cost and minimal effort to you? I recently had the opportunity to learn about Blade, a small attachment that fits to your tailpipe to increase gas mileage and trap dirty particulates. It fits most cars, but works best on 4-cylinder vehicles. It is reported that Blade can increase gas mileage on these types of vehicles by up to 34 percent. The promoters also say the Blade reduces emissions of carbon dioxide (6 percent), nitrous oxide (34 percent), methane (33 percent), hydrocarbons (57 percent), and carbon monoxide (14 percent). At $199, it has an average payback period of less than six months. You can install it yourself with the help of their how-to videos online, or take your car to an authorized installer near you.
"The worst thing that you do to the environment everyday is turn the key of your car...This is something that individuals can do to really make a difference," Bill O'Brien (CEO) told AutoblogGreen in an interview. The Crystal Method DJs agreed. Before their performance at a recent demonstration event about the Blade in Venice, CA, they added that they liked the filter because it made their car look like a "James Bond mobile."
UPDATE:
To better explain Blade, CEO Bill O'Brien sent the following to AutoblogGreen:
1st, it is common for bloggers to beat up Blade as there have been many other products that claim fuel economy benefit and they had no proof that their product worked. Most or all of these products have been tested at independent labs or by the EPA following the EPA 511 protocol and showed no benefit at all. That is precisely why we have spent so much time and money on testing at the premier independent lab in the US, Automotive Testing and Development (ATDS) Inc. in Ontario, California (www.automotivetesting.com)
On our website there is the test data from our test of a 2004 Honda Civic at the lab and it shows the significant fuel economy benefits as well as the emission reductions. It is impossible to say that the Blade does not work after viewing the test data, but the complaint here is that it is only one car. To correct this we sent several cars and a van to the Lab and performed both the EPA 511 and the Society of Automotive engineers (SAE) J 1321 road test and have proven beyond any doubt that the Blade effect is real and repeatable across all of the test vehicles that include foreign and domestic 4cylinder, 6 cylinder , 8 cylinder and Hybrid vehicles.
This information has not yet been posted as we are doing a major media blitz on this. I would be comfortable having you mention that you have been made aware of this information prior to writing this article.
Regarding the references to thermal dynamics on the part of the bloggers, they seem to be under the impression that the product produces backpressure which would have a negative effect on the engine. Blade has built in pressure release (V-Cut) that allows the product to have the positive effect of exhaust scavenging without the negative effects of backpressure. In fact, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) made us do a backpressure test to ensure that we are not doing that as they equate backpressure to NOx increase. Our backpressure tests show no significant backpressure increases whatsoever and have been cleared by CARB to sell the product.
You can comfortably stand behind your article and the information we are close to release on testing with end the discussion.
Oh yeah, regarding the 34% fuel efficiency number. That number was obtained through on road tests and not by the lab. This number is without a doubt an up to number and not an average but I don't know of a car company that doesn't mention their up to numbers. This is common but that blogger has a point about it not being the average.
Lots of information. After reading, let me know what other information I can provide.
One more thing. Since Blade captures gasoline particulates (soot) from the exhaust and you can see it physically should be enough in and of itself for an environmentally minded person to want this product on their car. Particulate material is the most toxic emission your car puts out from both an environmental and human health standpoint.
Editor's note: First, when O'Brien writes "bloggers," he means readers who leave comments. Second, AutoblogGreen is not making any claims that we have seen Blade work as advertised, despite the tone of the original post.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
JL 3:09PM (8/16/2008)
Wow-- combine this with my as seen on TV Tornado Fuel Saver and my Suburban will be more fuel efficient than a Prius. Seriously, as a reasonably reputable green blog, you should be promoting sound and viable science, not unproven gimmicks.
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Benjamin Jones 3:17PM (8/16/2008)
Is this a joke? Has ABG become a spam blog?
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Sean 3:25PM (8/16/2008)
I checked out their site and the "how it works" section makes sense, but I'm not an auto engineer/technician. I did ask why the OEMs don't already do this if it's effective, so we'll see what they say.
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Shawn 3:35PM (8/16/2008)
I too am apalled...where is the testing from the Autoblog garage? Where is the well-deserved grain of salt? This author writes like he's on the payroll and has damaged the credibility of this site with this thoughtless regurgitation.
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rj 3:40PM (8/16/2008)
so it filters particulates and holds in some heat to warm up the exhaust system faster and thus allows the engine to run leaner more quickly. I doubt if it helps much.
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iHero 3:47PM (8/16/2008)
Does it work as well as sticking a banana in your tailpipe ?
Next you'll be endorsing crazy ideas like the "Hybrid Adapter"
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Thomas 4:15PM (8/16/2008)
I too can't understand why this appliance is being promoted here completely unbacked by any scientific source. JL makes a good point, it too reminds me of "as seen on TV" gimmicks. As far as I know about the topic, the installed particle filters coming from BMW and the likes are increasing the fuel consumption in the first place because they hinder the free flow of the exhaust gases.
Besides, if there was a way to increase the mpg by up to one third with a device in the sub-200 $ category, is it imaginable that the car manufacturers with billions in R&D have not already introduced this by themselves?
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Mike Z 4:55PM (8/16/2008)
I ask the autoblog editors to remove Shannon Arvizu as a writer. This post was plainly unprofessional.
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jake 5:12PM (8/16/2008)
I agree with the others, there should be a degree of skepticism when a device like this claims to improve fuel economy by 34%. Automakers would kill to improve their fuel economy by 34%.
Seems even the hollywood crowd is buying into this.
http://healthyhollywood.com/2008/08/11/hollywood-stars-blade-their-rides-for-the-environment/
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Advent 5:29PM (8/16/2008)
I recently had the opportunity to learn about hydrogen injection. By using leftover electricity from your car's alternator, you can split water into hydrogen and use it to improve your fuel economy! As a bonus, it also cuts your hydrocarbon emissions by 36%! The only potential downside is an increase in bullshit emissions.
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Jason 6:33PM (8/16/2008)
this is total crap. The EPA has NEVER approved any aftermarket device that claims to reduce emissions or improve fuel economy like this.
Report this to http://www.weblogsinc.com/report/ to keep ABG honest.
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axiom 6:55PM (8/16/2008)
LOOK AT ALL THE SHEEPLE MA-A-A-A-A-A-AW! (thats the sound a sheep makes).
Seriously, you all need some blog to tell you whats real and whats not? Get a life and grow up. Add in some common sense while your at it.
They're merely relaying a green-related product, and to comment on it without having an actual product to study, or actual studies to cite, would itself be biased and unprofessional. I know its hard for some you to think an independent thought that did not originate from some authority figure (actually a symptom of brain damage related to over-fluoridation, look it up) but sit back, breathe real hard, and try!
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EVan 9:01PM (8/17/2008)
Lol.... I bet you bought one didn't you.
Nick 7:09PM (8/16/2008)
Another snap-on miracle device that reduces consumption by 34% ....... if it was THAT easy why would car makers not install those to meet CAFE rules?
ABG don't become a spam blog please
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gorr 7:15PM (8/16/2008)
The only way i see it for cutting fuel consumption is maybe this thing cut horsepower so it consume less, it's like engine downsizing. Maybe the engine is less loaded on the rpm curve and the throtle body is more open then usual so less drag effect. Maybe there is a big placebo effect too where these guys go slower after the install.
If i install one of these gadjet i will save 200$ by putting some pink fiberglass isolation instead at the exhaust tip and look if it change something, LOL.
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Hans Wurst 7:18PM (8/16/2008)
>as a reasonably reputable green blog
Those days are gone, it seems. Just noticed the "Look Younger Than You Did in '98" ad to the right. Yep, very reputable all around.
>I ask the autoblog editors to remove Shannon Arvizu as a writer
If you remove all the writers that post nonsense on this blog, are there going to be any left?
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John Hollenberg 8:46PM (8/16/2008)
> They're merely relaying a green-related product, and to comment on it without having an actual product to study, or actual studies to cite, would itself be biased and unprofessional.
What a crock! There is no reason to relay any information at all on a "product" such as this--unless you also want to include perpetual motion machines.
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axiom 11:15PM (8/16/2008)
"There is no reason to relay any information at all"
Why not? So now the only stuff that should be posted is what the writers would personally buy or support? Its a discussion blog, not a lets-only-post-what-that-idiot-john-hollenberg-might-want blog.
P,S, Even a skeptical mind would think comparing this to a perpetual motion machine is a major stretch, so one must assume you are troll or an idiot.
stevefazek 11:42PM (8/16/2008)
Sad really sad.
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Chris M 11:51PM (8/16/2008)
This device doesn't do anything to improve fuel economy, in fact, it might reduce fuel economy by restricting exhaust flow and increasing backpressure.
As for reducing pollutants - Since they lied about improving fuel economy, why wouldn't they lie about pollution reduction?
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