Yahoo! Autos

Yahoo! Autos
Yahoo! Autos
Yahoo! has this helpful article about alternative fuels on their Earth Day page to let us know all about them. Unfortunately, they need to update their knowledge base. First of all, methanol has been dropped almost completely by the federal government (there are still some vehicles out there and a couple, no exageration, fueling spots) and reformulated gasoline gets the alternative tag because it's not 100% petroleum. Think MBTE here for reformulations that reduce emissions but also pollute the air and water. Ethanol is used to reformulate often and its use is growing throughout the nation, actually causing a squeeze in the supply of ethanol. Well, Yahoo! isn't in the alt.fuel business after all, let's give them an E for effort.

Forthcoming actions

I'm a recent graduate of the LBJ School of Public Affairs and I wrote my Masters Report on alternative transportation fuels (and, by the way, I'm still looking for a job ;-)). I going to post my report chapter by chapter over the coming weeks, one chapter a Monday. If I remember correctly, there are nine chapters focusing on petroleum, emissions, national security, costs/benefits, and the individual fuels I chose discuss. I have previously posted some of my work on my other blog but have decided to separate my personal blog from my interests in alternatives. Hope you enjoy the show and feel free to comment.

"How Electric Cars Work"

Howstuffworks "How Electric Cars Work"
I usually tend to focus on the actual fuels in physical form that are considered alternatives. Here's a quick post about electric cars from How Stuff Works. I think living in a cool city, like Austin, TX say, and having an electric vehicle to cruise around in would be near perfect.

Austin has a Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) initiative that could make this more of a reality. Electric for the first 40-60 miles, and gas-electric afterward. Kind of the best of both worlds. The average commuter travels 20 miles or less to work everyday so this would cover the commute with electric power and when it's time to visit grandma, you have the gas option. Not so short a post after all but think of the possibilities.

Gas Costs Expected to Be High This Summer - Yahoo! News

Gas Costs Expected to Be High This Summer
Prices are going back up again and this time I don't think it will quit at $3 a gallon. Of course, oil companies will reap massive profits once again. How many Presidents can you buy at $10 billion a quarter? Anyway, like a cover article in Wired Magazine a few months ago states, high prices at the pump are great for alternatives. As the price of petroleum increases, alternatives become cheaper in relative terms. If you can fill your diesel with regular for 3.20 or biodiesel for the same amount, why not try biodiesel? The same goes for ethanol, which has seen a big push from GM and Ford, who are now actually telling people they produce vehicles that use the fuel. I think the trends in expensive gasoline will prove alternatives a more viable choice in the future and it will be sooner than expected.

Green Car Congress: LTC Delivers Battery System for Diesel Plug-in Hybrid Prototype

Green Car Congress: LTC Delivers Battery System for Diesel Plug-in Hybrid Prototype
Zytec has picked up the ForFour from Smart which Daimler-Chrysler has decommissioned for profit reasons. In this article, we see they are matching Lith-Ion battery technology with diesel engines in an efficient combo. We'll wait and see where the results come out.

Daimler-Chrysler Makes a Deal

According to the Alternative Fuels Index, Daimler-Chrysler has started shipping its new Jeep Liberty CRDs (made in Ohio) with a 5% solution of biodiesel. For those not in the know, CRD stands for common-rail diesel and, according to D-C, provides "the torque of a V8, the acceleration of a V6, and the fuel economy of a four-cylinder engine." Currently, most manufacturers have given the OK to 5% biodiesel (B5) use in their engines. Some companies have OKed or are working on OKing higher solutions of up to B20. Imagine all diesels shipped with B20 in the tank.

Beginning Post

This is the initial post of what I hope to be a resource for information about alternative fuels and vehicles, market activities, economics, and future activities. I'm thinking I'll go with a group effort with this blog to bring a wider variety of posts and a greater frequency. :) I hope you like the efforts. Enjoy the show.