Top 5 Green Cars that Envison the Road Ahead
Over the past three years, Green Car Journal has acknowledged the year’s most environmentally significant vehicle through the Green Car of the Year® program. By design, vehicles considered for this award are production models that can make a difference on our highways today. Criteria for this award includes availability to consumers and an announced on sale date by January 1 of the award year.
But what about highly advanced vehicles in their early commercialization or demonstration stages? Many of these have the potential to make an extraordinary difference in emissions and energy savings but are not yet for sale. They, too, deserve to be recognized … and now they will be with Green Car Journal’s new Green Car Vision Award™.
The Green Car Vision Award™ recognizes emerging technologies embodied in a limited production vehicle that makes truly significant and far-reaching advancements in environmental performance. This award is aimed at vehicles that are, at a minimum, in small volume production or in the early stages of commercialization with more than one functional prototype in existence. A nominee may also be a modification of an existing vehicle, involving a conversion to another type of power or other enhancement.
After all the research, the analysis, and the full attention of Green Car Journal editors, these five vehicles – the BMW Hydrogen 7, Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell, Honda FCX Clarity, Phoenix SUT, and Toyota Plug-In HV– were deemed the top five vehicles this year that best envision the road ahead. One of these exceptional vehicles will be honored with the 2008 Green Car Vision Award™ at the Washington Auto Show in Washington DC in just a few short weeks. Stay tuned.
BMW HYDROGEN 7
With the right fuel, the internal combustion engine as we know it will be around for a long time to come. BMW believes there is no need to reinvent the wheel, but rather by switching to a cleaner fuel the auto industry can capitalize on 130 plus years of internal combustion engine development and technology. With the Hydrogen 7, BMW has demonstrated that not only is hydrogen a viable ultra-clean fuel for a large luxury car, but also compatible in a dual fuel scheme when partnered with gasoline. Multiple fueling options add flexibility and extend driving range.
Green Car’s editorial staff drove the BMW Hydrogen 7 this past year in and around Berlin, Germany, and came away with a very favorable impression. Some 8 kg of liquid hydrogen is stored in a super insulated tank in the trunk, enough to provide 125 miles of hydrogen range. At the touch of a steering wheel mounted button, another 310 miles can be covered by switching over to gasoline. There are still many challenges to overcome with hydrogen, but the BMW is advancing the technology by committing to the production of 100 Hydrogen 7s in the Dingolfing, Germany plant, the same one that builds the standard gasoline and diesel versions of the 7-Series sedan.
This is a long-term commitment on the part of BMW. The company has steadily moved hydrogen technology forward since the early 1980s. Of the first 100 production Hydrogen 7s, 50 will be provided through cost-free, short term leases to high profile individuals in sports, entertainment, politics, and business to raise awareness. BMW is also conducting general public test drives to better communicate the hydrogen message.
CHEVY EQUINOX FUEL CELL
Featuring General Motor’s fourth-generation fuel cell propulsion system, the Chevy Equinox Fuel Cell offers the ability to start and operate in sub-freezing temperatures, overcoming one of the fuel cell’s major challenges.. It is also designed for a 50,000 mile service life. Cleanly integrated into the Equinox crossover platform, the fuel cell powertrain is engineered to be a real-world driver. To that end, the Equinox Fuel Cell is designed to meet U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards and offers StabiliTrac, front and roof rail side-impact air bags, and four wheel ABS as standard equipment.
Taking it to the streets, GM will produce over 100 Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell vehicles and place them in consumer hands as part of the world’s largest fuel cell vehicle test fleet. The ambitious program, dubbed “Project Driveway,” is part of GM’s ongoing fuel cell development that started more than 40 years ago with the hydrogen fuel cell powered Electrovan. Over the past four decades this development has featured such high profile fuel cell concepts as the Hy-wire, AUTOnomy, Sequel, and recently announced Cadillac Provoq.
Project Driveway will take place in metropolitan areas on both coasts including New York City, Washington DC, and in California. These locations will offer good access to hydrogen refueling facilities. The Equinox Fuel Cell has an estimated range of 200 miles between fill-ups. Keeping with traffic in Southern California shouldn’t be a problem thanks to a top speed of 100 mph. Observant motorists will notice something missing from the rear of the car: in place of usual exhaust pipe are four slots in the rear fascia that dispense this vehicle’s only emissions … water vapor.
HONDA FCX CLARITY
For a lease payment of $600 per month, 50 or so Southern California residents will be able to drive the stylish new Honda FCX Clarity fuel cell car. To sweeten the deal, the lease payment includes routine maintenance and collision insurance. The idea is to put the Clarity in the hands of real consumers as a next step toward commercializing advanced fuel cell technology.
The stylish, Accord-like five passenger sedan utilizes Honda’s new compact 100 kW V Flow fuel cell stack and an advanced lithium-ion battery pack. The V Flow platform is a major development offering a 400 pound weight reduction, 20 percent greater fuel economy, 30 percent increase in range, and 50 percent increase in output density by volume. Hydrogen is stored in a 5,000 psi tank and Honda estimates a range of 270 miles at a combined city/highway economy equivalent of 68 mpg.
To supplement the limited number of hydrogen fueling stations that exist, Honda is developing a Home Energy Station (HES) that will allow hydrogen refueling at home. Utilizing natural gas as the fuel source, the self contained Home Energy Station produces hydrogen that’s compressed to fuel the car or power the HES’ own fuel cell stack and create electricity to power the home. Excess heat is used for home heating and for hot water. While the HES is still years away from production, implementation will be a huge boost for the long-term viability of vehicles like the FCX Clarity.
PHOENIX SUT
Pure electric vehicles (EVs) are very appealing on many levels. Quiet and clean, rechargeable EVs completely eliminate those inconvenient trips to the gas station. Just plug-in and recharge at home overnight or at a dedicated recharging site at work. Based in Ontario, California, Phoenix Motorcars is about to introduce their electric sport utility truck (SUT) for fleet use this year, followed by a consumer version projected to hit the streets in late 2009.
The Phoenix SUT starts life as a four-door, five passenger pickup truck sourced as a “glider” – that is, without a drivetrain or fuel system – from Ssangyong, Korea’s fourth largest automaker. Phoenix then upfits the vehicle with an electric powertrain incorporating an electric traction motor, controller, and other electric subsystems. Electricity is stored in 900 pounds of Altair NanoSafe lithium batteries that supply enough juice for a range of 100 miles before recharge. Acceleration is quite respectable, sprinting from 0-60 mph in less than 10 seconds. As a workhorse, the SUT can transport 1,000 pounds of payload.
Phoenix is projecting 2008 fleet sales of 500 vehicles and hopes to ramp up to 6,000 units in 2009 as consumer sales come on line. Initial fleet targets include the State of California, municipalities, major utility companies, and universities. With major incentives available from the State of California, much of the vehicle’s high battery cost can be offset. However, the company aims to sell its electric vehicles nationwide and says its business plan is not predicated upon state subsidies. At a time when major automakers have pulled back from EV production while awaiting a battery breakthrough, Phoenix Motorcars sees a wide-open market.
TOYOTA PLUG-IN HV
Based on the iconic Prius hybrid, Toyota’s Plug-in HV is engineered to run in electric mode more often and at higher speeds than the standard car. A charge from 110-volt household current provides up to eight miles of electric operation from the grid before assist is needed from the 1.5-liter gasoline engine. By doubling battery capacity to 13-amp-hours through an oversized nickel-metal-hydride (NiMH) battery pack, the Plug-In HV is also capable of accelerating up to 62 mph on electric power alone.
Toyota is quick to point out there’s still considerable battery development work to be done and is actively working on in-house lithium-ion technology that can deliver greater performance and allow smaller packaging. In the prototype HV models the additional MiMH capacity is gained by installing a second battery pack in the trunk area, displacing the underfloor spare tire. Toyota is testing the Plug-in HV in Japan and is the first manufacturer to have a PHEV certified for use on public roads.
Closer to home, Toyota is delivering Plug-in HVs to the Institute of Transportation Studies at the University of California, Berkeley, and to the Advanced Power and Energy Program at the University of California, Irvine. The loans are part of Toyota’s ongoing sustainable mobility development program that studies a diverse range of plug-in issues. These range from the trade-offs drivers are willing to make between range, acceptable charge times, battery cost, and size to ways of accounting for the upstream emissions from electric power generation.
