Green Cars At The LA Car Show
by Justin Thomas, Virginia on 11.20.07
The GM Volt concept car on display.
Last week I attended the LA Car Show, which some may find strange, given the fact I believe cities should be essentially car-free. However, I do recognize that cars and trucks have a place in rural communities. And I also acknowledge that people will bee driving for a least a few more years hence. So I thought I'd see if the major automakers had taken any green inroads. I have to say overall, I was surprised by the amount of attention being paid to green issues. Almost every automaker was featuring a fuel-cell, electric or hybrid car (only Ford seems to remain oblivious to green considerations). For me, the question is: will we see working models of green cars in car dealerships, or will they exist only as an intangible concept vehicles created for marketing purposes?
On display at LA: the Smart Fortwo car which gets 40 MPG.
I was impressed by General Motors' willingness to directly engage green theorists such as myself — I spoke with GM engineers about the details of their plans for electric cars and hydrogen-fueled cars. The electric-powered GM Volt will certainly be a ground-breaking car, if it does get built (production is scheduled for 2010). Commuters would be able to drive this car 40 miles on electric power alone, which means it would be an emission-free car for many people. Al Weverstad, GM's Executive Director, Environment and Safety Policy, said that the company had made "considerable progress in making the Volt a production reality" since unveiling it last January. Weverstat promised "triple-digit fuel economy beyond its 40-mile range."
Interior of the Volt concept car
GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz discusses the Volt.
However, the fact that their hybrid Tahoe SUV received the "Green Car Of The Year" indicates to me that we have a long way to go before a truly sustainable car gets that award. Ultimately, even SUVs can be made green. If somebody built a sustainable SUV, I might even drive one, if I still lived in the country. (Full disclosure: GM sponsored my trip to the car show).
But let me be clear about what I mean by a "sustainable" vehicle. It is a vehicle that is (1) powered by a renewable, non-polluting fuel (2) built primarily with renewable, non-toxic components that can be easily recycled or upcycled (3) durable enough to last 10 years or more. Renewable, non-polluting fuels are: electricity (when generated by a clean source), biodiesel and cellulosic ethanol (when these biofuels are generated using "waste" material or from crops grown in a sustainable manner).
The hybrid Tahoe is an improvement over a conventional SUV, but it is still a vehicle that gets 21 mpg in the city, while burning a polluting, non-renewable fuel. I'm sure it will also have that characteristic "new car" smell indicating you'll be inhaling numerous VOCs as you drive.
Overall, what I'm saying is that it's great to see automakers engaging green issues, but let's get serious about building a truly green car.
See also: LA Auto Show Highlights
Gasoline is technically renewable. All you have to do is smash up some dinosaurs and plants, wait a few million years, and you can gas up your 21 mpg hybrid SUVs for another century or so. All the global warming gases produced will make the earth more hospitable for the next generation of dinosaurs, thus helping to ensure that there will be plenty of fuel for Dr. Zaius and the other future gorilla rulers of the planet. Gasoline: sustainable AND animal friendly.
The only "green car" I am aware of is spelled BIKE. I do not see how "green car" can be anything but a misnomer - the two words simply do not belong in the same sentence. Now "greenish car" or "tries-to-be-green-car"perhaps?
Maybe I missed something, but Ford was the first -and still only- American car company to sell a true Hybrid vehicle, even if it is an SUV. I don't mean to sound like a ford advertisement, but the Escape Hybrid rocks.
GM crushed the EV1. And really what has Chrysler ever offered that was anything but a penis-compensating Muscle Car, gargantuan Truck (also penis compensating) or unnecessarily large Minivan?
Chrysler deserves more bad press than Ford does.
A truly sustainable transportation would not emphsize the individual automobile. Regardless of how it is powered. Mass Transit is the only truly sustainable transportation system.
Chrysler did offer reasonable sized vans and cars in the 80's. Over on Jalopnik.com they have a link to a Time article from 1980 and it mentions the K-car. Designed to carry five or six passengers in relative comfort, the K-cars are Government-rated to get 25 m.p.g. in city driving and 41 m.p.g. on the highway. What happened since then, cars have grown heavier from safety equipement and faster with more HP. The first minivans from Chrysler had 4cyl engines.
I follow the auto industry and Ford does have a bunch of green programs in the works including a hybrid version of the Fusion. I don't know why they chose not to make a big splash in LA but the industry insiders say they plan to launch at the Detroit show. Maybe they got wind of all the green from all the other automakers and thought rather than be a "me too" they would wait. I don't get the corprate logic as California seems to be a logical place to launch green vehicles.
Props to Justin Thomas for his high standards for transportation sustainability. I own the cleanest car on the road today-a fully electric Toyota RAV4 EV powered with electricity generated by the solar panels on our home roof. We drive on sunshine. Our bumper sticker: sunpwrd. Sounds rad, doesn't it? It is.
The car wasn't made with non-toxic components, but its nickel-metal hydride battery is highly recyclable and we're going on our sixth year of driving this beauty at freeway speeds with almost no battery degradation. Our range is about 110 miles per charge, at least double any American's average daily commute, and we charge at night when rates are cheapest and use is lowest. We pay equivalent to 70 cents per gallon gas. And we've got friends with up to 130,000 miles clocked on their RAV4 EVs. We believe that EVs and plug-in hybrids are the future, particularly when combined with solar power-recharging. Zero emission life cycle and no foreign-oil dependency. Many of the new plug-in models will be plugged into any wall outlet, too.
To spread the gospel of these cars, we've organized an eco fest in L.A. with test rides of RAV4 EVs and others (Ford Ranger EV, ZENN, Plug In Hybrid Conversion, eBox & Vectrix motorscooter). It's Dec. 8 and free. All details: www.renewablela.org.
GM will ONLY actually produce the Volt for sale IF FORCED to BY LAW.
GM has received Billions of dollars in "research money" and what do they have to show for it?
Meanwhile, Toyota has had a hybrid vehicle to the masses for the past 10 years.
Just the other day Toyota launched an SUV based on the Tundra pickup, 14 Mpg. Also Toyota is in bed with the domestics with fighting CAFE. I guess what I'm trying to say is don't drink too deep of the Toyota Kool-aid even some of their hybrids arn't really green, look at the Lexus ones.
I wouldn't be so sure about GM only doing the Volt if forced to my law, they seem quite committed to it now. As to billions in research money the Japanese car makers all benifit from Japans weak yen policy to the tune of billions. Now that they have better UAW contracts the domestics will have more R&D money to spend so again as someone who follows the whole of the auto industry I wouldn't count them out. Many Americans are looking for green choices and they are gearing up to deliver and from a business standpoint deliver they must or they will cease to major automakers.
Hi,
You mentioned Ford didn't have a green entry. Although I wasn't there, I would be suprised if they didn't have any of their Flexifuel cars there, perhaps one of the most 'green' engines available, if used correctly! However as far as I know the ethanol business in US is far from carbon neutral, so maybe that's why.
Anyone know for sure?
i think we should just stop buying gasoline see what happens