AutoblogGreen

Report: Engineers putting wasted engine heat to good use: improving fuel economy

Chris Tutor — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 15:58:00 EST

Filed under: Emerging Technologies, Chrysler, Ford

Gasoline-powered, internal combustion engines are notoriously inefficient. Some estimates say as much as 70 percent of the fuel's energy is lost to friction and heat. An Automotive News story has engineers saying that only three percent is due to friction. To engineers, that's a huge pot of low-hanging, fuel-efficiency fruit.

Chrysler and Dana Holding Corp. have developed a "thermal management system" (highlighted in blue in the photo above) for the 2013 Dodge Ram that takes advantage of some of that heat. The truck's engine coolant is re-routed to bring the 2013 Dodge Ram's transmission to optimum operating temperature more quickly. When cold, honey-like transmission fluid drags on the powertrain. The sooner it warms up, the less fuel is wasted. The company claims the system improves fuel economy by two percent.

The system may be adapted for other Chrysler vehicles in the future. Similar systems from Dana are also being used on the Ford Edge where it adds about one percent to fuel economy.

Since a vehicle's engine also needs heat to operate efficiently, catalytic converter supplier Tenneco is working on a system that uses exhaust heat to warm the gooey transmission fluid.

For the future, though, Tenneco hopes to use waste heat to eliminate power-sucking alternators. The company is experimenting with thermocouple technology to convert heat directly into electricity. Current thermocouple hardware can convert one to three percent of exhaust heat into electricity. Tenneco says if it can improve that to as much as five percent, enough current can be generated to charge your car's battery with no drain on the engine. Standing in the way of thermocouple tech use on cars is its super high cost. The company hopes within six years to bring the price down 90 percent.

Engineers putting wasted engine heat to good use: improving fuel economy originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Thu, 13 Sep 2012 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Tesla will start repaying loans by end of this year

Chris Tutor — Mon, 14 May 2012 13:58:00 EST

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Tesla Motors, North America

A week after Tesla Motors announced it would be able to deliver the first Model S in June, a month ahead of the original July release date, the startup automaker continued the good news by announcing it will start repaying the Energy Department loans it got in 2009.

The $465 million loan was part of the Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing program meant to encourage the creation jobs and cars using little or no fossil fuels. Fisker, Ford and Nissan were also participants receiving loans under the program.

As of March, 2012, Tesla reported having $104.5 million left of the loan, which is expected to be spent before the fourth quarter begins. Payments on the half-billion loan will begin in December.

"We are delivering on the milestones, what we've committed to," said Tesla Chief Financial Officer Deepak Ahuja in an interview with Bloomberg. "Once we are delivering customer cars, then that signifies completion of the project."

With the first Model S delivery taking place soon, Tesla is also focusing on its retail strategy. In charge of sales and ownership is former Apple executive George Blankenship. His plan for Tesla is to have only company-owned stores where well-trained company reps will interact with customers. Actual sales will take place online, not on the sales floor. Employees will not get a commission on sales, which should help tone down the usual hard-sale tactics of car salespeople.

"It takes the whole not-selling-the-car process to another level," Blankenship told Automotive News. "We're telling customers, 'I can't sell you a car today if I wanted to.'"

Tesla will start repaying loans by end of this year originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Mon, 14 May 2012 13:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: EPA waives gas pump vapor recovery rules

Chris Tutor — Thu, 10 May 2012 17:48:00 EST

Filed under: Legislation and Policy, USA

In a move sure to please urban-area gas station owners, the EPA has issued a waiver to its 1994 rule requiring gas pump vapor recovery systems. The devices were required in mostly urban areas to reduce smog-causing vapors from being released into the air during the refueling of vehicles.

With more than 70 percent of vehicles on the road already having a vapor recovery device, the EPA says the pump system is redundant. The agency says waiving the requirement will save the nation's gas station owners an estimated $91 million a year.

Since 2006, all new vehicles have been required to have onboard refueling vapor recovery (ORVR) capabilities. While a vehicle is being refueled, the ORVR captures hazardous fumes that can worsen smog and impact public health.

The EPA website doesn't say specifically when this waiver goes into effect, just that it's "later this year."

EPA waives gas pump vapor recovery rules originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Thu, 10 May 2012 17:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Where's our horsepower joke book? Dubai firm envisions horse-powered hybrid

Chris Tutor — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 18:38:00 EST

Filed under: Emerging Technologies, Etc.

All the talk of lithium batteries and biofuels as environmentally-friendly power sources always seems to leave out the environment. A Dubai firm, however, has nature at the center of its hybrid powetrain concept. Fleethorse is proposing that their horse-powered vehicle supplemented by electric motors is the greenest transportation system available.

Called Naturcar, it's not pulled by a horse like a modern-day apple cart, but powered by a horse. For now the concept is nothing but computer-generated video and renderings, but here's how it seems to work:

With the horse in back standing on a conveyor belt, driver and passengers sit up front. Instead of whips to motivate the horse, Naturcar uses electricity to power motors on the belt that gets the horse moving. If the horse stops walking, the belt nudges it back into action. The same belt moves the horse's "exhaust" into a holding area beneath the car.

Unlike its working ancestors, Naturcar's horse would be air conditioned, continually fed and watered and its temperature constantly monitored. The aforementioned electric motors could even be used to pull the car up hills instead of overexerting the horse.

Perhaps if the horse were merely being used as a means to keep the car's batteries charged this might make at least some sense. But horses take too much maintenance, upkeep and food to make much economic or ecological sense as mainstream automotive engines.

Check out our gallery of photos from Fleethorse or watch a CG video of the Naturcar.

[Source: Fleethorse]

Where's our horsepower joke book? Dubai firm envisions horse-powered hybrid originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Fri, 31 Aug 2007 18:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Orlando gas station testing hydrogen-making device

Chris Tutor — Sun, 29 Apr 2007 20:38:00 EST

Filed under: Hydrogen, Natural Gas

A Virginia company, H2Gen, makes a hydrogen-extraction device that basically (very basically) sucks the hydrogen right out of natural gas (see the graph for a (somewhat) more detailed explanation). An Orlando Chevron station has acquired one of their units and is currently testing the viability of using it for producing hydrogen right at the point of purchase. If the test works out, one more stumbling block, transportation of hydrogen, could be removed in some cases.

As you know, from an emissions standpoint, hydrogen is one of the cleanest fuels available. Unfortunately, our most abundant source is water, and with current technology, breaking those two H atoms away from that one O atom (electrolysis) uses more energy that it creates. H2Gen claims its process is as much as six times more efficient than conventional electrolysis.

Now let's hope automakers' hydrogen programs, like BMW's test of its Hydrogen 7, work out. Then stand back and watch gasoline-powered cars go the way of the dinosaurs.

[Source: H2Daily via EvWorld]

Orlando gas station testing hydrogen-making device originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Sun, 29 Apr 2007 20:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Salford goes green with pink Rangers

Chris Tutor — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 11:19:00 EST

Filed under: Biodiesel, Ford

Situated about 200 miles north of London, Salford prides itself on having an eco-friendly image, with 60 percent green space, 30 miles of rivers and canals and 112 ponds and lakes. That's why the city ordered six biodiesel-fueled 4x2 Ranger pickup trucks fitted with tipper beds for their street-cleaning department.

Why pink? Salford's Public Relations Officer Ian Andrew tells us, "Yes, magenta is our colour! We want our city to stand out and for people to recognise when the city council is providing them with services."

"The Rangers are superb," said Salford City Council's Transport Manager Terry Dixie. "Our concern is with paper bulk, rather than weight. This provides an opportunity to reduce vehicle size. The Ranger is less expensive than a conventional 3.5-tonne tipper vehicle, provides superior fuel economy and its robust design promises a long life."

Read Ford's press release after the jump.

[Source: Ford]

Continue reading Salford goes green with pink Rangers

Salford goes green with pink Rangers originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Fri, 27 Apr 2007 11:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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