Get Back in the Driver’s Seat With Eco-Friendlier Cars

BY CHAD CLARK

It is certainly clear that Angelenos love their cars; typically they spend an average of four days a year stuck in traffic. California has some 220 million registered automobiles, with L.A. having the largest concentration at more than 26 million. No wonder L.A. has some if not the worst traffic in the world!

So what can we do? Well let’s face it—pubic transportation in L.A. is a joke and isn’t a feasible choice for most Angelenos. Another often heard solution is to live near where you work, and given the current real-estate prices in the inner city, that isn’t an option for most of us either. Riding a bike on the freeway? Are you kidding? It looks like we Angelenos are left dependent on our cars whether we like it or not. So it is time to make smart decisions about what we drive.

I am sorry, but SUVs are not a viable option. The average light truck or SUV gets lower gas mileage and does not have the same emission standards as your basic car. They pollute more—period—even if it is a hybrid. There are, however, plenty of choices to stay behind the wheel while reducing the environmental impact of driving. Cars with greater fuel economy, cleaner fuels, and greener building standards made in plants with lower power emissions are good options for greening up the road. However, there are plenty of new, more environmentally friendly cars popping up all over the market. New vehicles like the Fiat Linea, which runs on gasohol and pure bioethanol, show promise of making green cars available for everyone.

The Smart Car (www.smartusa.com) offers a really simple solution: It just gets amazing gas mileage. $99 down is all it takes to reserve one of these fuel efficient (50 mpg) cuties. And at just under $12K the Smart Car is a smart choice for the budget commuter.

The most fuel efficient and low-emission cars currently are Hybrid-electric vehicles (HEV) according to the EPA, with the Toyota Prius ranking at the top with an average of 46 mpg followed by the Honda Civic Hybrid with 42 mpg. HEVs combine an internal combustion engine and an electric motor powered by a rechargeable energy source. Using battery power for a portion of the vehicle’s operation allows HEVs to achieve greater fuel economy, reduced emissions, and noise pollution. With Prius sales at 1 million, there are also plenty of new hybrids jumping on the wagon. BMW and Porsche have models coming out in the next year. Volvo is also releasing the C30, a plug-in Hybrid with a battery which can be recharged from an ordinary electrical outlet and comes with 66% reduced emissions.

BMW also plans to release a hydrogen-powered car, the Hydrogen 7 (www.bmwusa.com), which will be built in limited numbers and sold to select customers (mostly celebrities). It will be capable of running on gasoline or hydrogen, giving it a range of more than 400 miles. Honda has also released a hydrogen vehicle; the Clarity FCX (www.fcx.honda.com). It will be available to lease for $600 a month to Southern California customers who live in proximity to a hydrogen station (Santa Monica, Torrance, and Irvine). Honda is also actively working on a home hydrogen supply system that synthesizes hydrogen from natural gas right in your garage. Hydrogen powered vehicles burn hydrogen much in the same way as traditional gasoline autos. In a fuel-cell conversion the hydrogen is mixed with oxygen to produce electricity used to power an electric motor. One drawback of hydrogen is that is doesn’t come from a pre-existing source like fossil fuels. It must be made, which creates CO2 much like burning gasoline. Currently the production of hydrogen is not economically feasible but with some time and research it could become a viable option.

Despite Chris Paine’s documentary Who Killed the Electric Car?, EVs are still around. Actually they have been around for a long time with the earliest known models occurring sometime between 1832 and 1839 and even outsold other gasoline-powered vehicles during the early 20th Century. EVs run solely on the energy stored in onboard battery packs, which power an electric motor. They reduce noise pollution, produce no greenhouse gases, and can meet or exceed the acceleration from conventional vehicles. Since the late 1980s, EVs have been promoted in the U.S. via tax credits as EVs best fit the definition that is defined by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) as zero emission vehicles (ZEV). The CARB established a minimum quota for the use of ZEVs, but it was withdrawn due to complaints by the auto industry that it was economically infeasible due to a so-called lack of consumer demand. Tesla Motors (www.teslamotors.com) has a hot little number with a 0 to 60 mph in under four seconds. A slightly less flashy option would be Commuter Cars Corporation’s Tango (www.commutercars.com). At only 39 inches wide (6” narrower than a motorcycle) the Tango can go or park virtually anywhere with zero emissions. Chevrolet’s Volt (www.chevrolet.com) was designed on the premise that 78% of commuters drive 40 miles or less to and from work. The Volt is a vehicle capable of running on electricity, E85, biodiesel, and gasoline fuels and recharges from an ordinary outlet.

Most dealerships in L.A have a few models in the green category these days. One company specializing in green transportation is Environmental Motors (www.environmentalmotors.com) in Glendale. They are dedicated to selling sustainable transportation from electric cars to all-terrain vehicles.

If the choices seem overwhelming try researching them at www.greencars.org or The Green Car Company (www.thegreencarco.com).

Not All Automobile Makers Are Evil

Carbonfund.org offers a partnership with Volkswagen of America, Inc. to make a significant contribution toward ending global warming. The Volkswagen Carbon Neutral Project, is an ambitious carbon offsetting project where every car sold until Jan. 2, 2008 will have its carbon emissions offset for the first year of ownership.

Opting Out of Car Ownership

For those of you who had rather do with a car altogether there are some fantastic options. We have all seen the Segway (www.segway.com), but are they really stylish enough for the L.A. jetset? Well for those who prefer a bit of panache there is a Ferrari branded Segway with a large Cavallino Rampante badge for everyone to see. Yamaha is releasing the EC-Dii, a new fuel cell powered scooter with a neon illuminated motor. And somewhere between motorcycle and car is Venture Vehicles’ hybrid or electric vehicles (www.flytheroad.com), a fully enclosed 3-wheeled vehicle with airbags and side impact beams capable of 100 mpg.

Donate Your Gas-Guzzling Dinosaur

Car Angel can assist you in donating by partnering to charities that are changing lives daily. You can choose the charity or choose one of your own. By donating your old car (running or not) you are helping single mothers, orphans, the homeless, and teens and adults in rehab.

Other Cars Models to Check Out

Renault - Mégane Hatch E85

Saab 9-5 BioPower

Lexus GS-450h

Mitsubishi Eclipse Concept-E

Mitsubishi i-MiEV

Toyota FT-HS

Mazda RX8 Hydrogen RE-2

Lotus Exige 265E

Saturn Aura Green Line Hybrid

Fiat 500