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Smart cars are looking better all the time.....

Post in 'The Green Room' started by hemlock, Mar 11, 2011.

Page 4 of 4

  1. SPhill New Member

    joined: Jan 24, 2011
    63 posts
    Rolling Hills of Penn's Woods
    I would really like to see Subaru expand the clean diesel options. It is mature, immediately available technology.

    With that, the market could settle into High efficiency gasoline, Clean diesel and Gasoline/electric hybrid as primary options. Plug-in electric (with range and charge time issues) will probably occupy a niche for at least another decade as the infrastructure is built and public acceptance grows.
    SPhill, Mar 26, 2011
    #76

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  2. joecool85 Minister of Fire

    joined: Jan 24, 2010
    834 posts
    Central Maine
    I would love to see what you are describing. I bet we cut easily cut fuel consumption by 1/3 to 1/2 in the US doing that alone.
    joecool85, Mar 26, 2011
    #77

  3. begreen Super Moderator

    joined: Nov 18, 2005
    36,118 posts
    South Puget Sound, WA
    Loved my Subaru and wouldn't mind owning another one with much better mileage. For future options, don't forget hydrogen. It would be fun to try out the Honda FCX for a bit.

    http://automobiles.honda.com/fcx-clarity/
    begreen, Mar 26, 2011
    #78

  4. Billy123 Member

    joined: Mar 5, 2011
    74 posts
    PA
    I drive a mini-van and I get around 19 mpg tops/ Hwy. I would the diesel version they sell in Europe. It gets around 10 more mpg than I do.
    Billy123, Mar 26, 2011
    #79

  5. Seasoned Oak Minister of Fire

    joined: Oct 17, 2008
    2,028 posts
    Eastern Central PA
    Minivans may not be"cool" but they are everywhere and they are practical. Id like to see a hybrid or a plug-in Minivan as well as a light duty pickup plug-in. Would save a load of gas.
    Seasoned Oak, Mar 27, 2011
    #80

  6. Highbeam Minister of Fire

    joined: Dec 28, 2006
    6,897 posts
    base of Mt. Rainier on the wet side, WA
    May be ONLY 10 mpg but that's a 50% improvement. Huge deal! The EPA should be ashamed for not allowing these machines in the country. You have to wonder why, it's not emissions really since there have been diesel pickups since the early 90s.
    Highbeam, Mar 28, 2011
    #81

  7. Jags Super Moderator

    joined: Aug 2, 2006
    11,309 posts
    Northern Illinois
    I think it has to do with the way we test for emissions. We test emissions per gallon consumed and I believe that most of the rest of the world tests for emissions per mile.

    So if your SUV can pass the per gallon test and use 3 times the fuel it still passes, while a small diesel may emit slightly more per gallon, but use 1/3 the fuel....hmmmm....makes a person wonder doesn't it.
    Jags, Mar 28, 2011
    #82

  8. SPhill New Member

    joined: Jan 24, 2011
    63 posts
    Rolling Hills of Penn's Woods
    Allowing for the different measuring systems, it appears all countries use grams/distance for personal vehicles and grams/power/hour for commercial trucks.

    Europe, Asia and most of South America tests light/medium duty vehicles for grams of pollutants per kilometer:



    The United States EPA tests light/medium duty vehicles for grams of pollutants per mile:



    For heavy duty trucks Europe tests grams per kiloWatt hour:



    For heavy duty trucks the EPA tests grams per brake horsepower per hour:



    The California Air Resources Board appears to test grams per mile in the light/medium categories they test. Quite a few states adopt sections of the CARB.

    China would appear to be the hold-out, with a mish-mash of adopted and modified European regs.

    Source: Summary of Worldwide Emissions Standards (I just scanned it, I may have missed something.)
    SPhill, Mar 29, 2011
    #83
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