Mexico to Phase Out Dirty "Vochos," or VW Beetles
by Eliza Barclay, Nomad on 08.29.08
The ubiquitous green and white Volkswagen bugs that serve as cheap taxis for millions of Mexico City residents while damaging their lungs by spewing ultra fine particulate matter and other pollutants will be phased out by 2012, according to the Spanish news agency Efe. The cars, known fondly as "vochos," proliferated in Mexico decades after Volkswagen began manufacturing them in the city of Puebla.
The municipal transport and road ministry, known as Setravi, issued a ruling Friday saying the Beetles are less safe and are responsible for more pollution than any modern vehicle. The ministry provided few details on how the phase out would occur, but the idea is to replace the vochos with modern, fuel-efficient and clean-vehicles.
"They pollute so much more. They only gets eight kilometers per liter (around 19 miles to the gallon), while a modern car gets 14 kilometers (roughly 34 mpg)," Victor Manuel Ramirez, the head of Setravi's taxi division, told the new agency.
The first Volkswagen Beetles arrived in Mexico in 1956 after a trio of banana magnates who were frustrated by bringing their ships back empty from Europe decided to fill them with cars. Mexico's love affair with the Beetle was launched soon thereafter. The car was cheap and strong, and could be repaired with a screwdriver and hammer. By 1973, one in three cars sold in Mexico was a vocho, according to Zona Latina.
Not long ago, we noted that car use has doubled in Mexico City in the last seven years. :: Via Efe.
More on Transport in Mexico:
Car Use Doubles in Mexico City in Last 7 Years
Bike Sharing Program Launched in Mexico City
Hybrids Arrive to Mexico
Mexico City Launches "Green Plan"
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it would be nice to see an electric vocho, or a biodiesel. i heard recently that algae produces as much as 2,000 gallons per square foot.
it would be nice to see an electric vocho, or a biodiesel. i heard recently that algae produces as much as 2,000 gallons per square foot.
Reduce, reuse , recycle...
I don't know the best way to deal with this, but it seems plausible you could fix the pollution problem by using an off the shelf motor adapter to install a modern fuel injected engine to the existing transmission, or an electric motor like many DIY EV owners do.
Or perhaps just remove the carbs and install fuel injection and a catalytic converter?
Seems like a waste to retire cars that have in the US proven themselves to last for decades under adverse conditions.
So remove the engine and upgrade them to something watercooled or better - electric. Plenty of EV examples out there.
The aircooled engine (as much as I love it) has pollution problems due to it's wide temperature fluctuations. They don't overheat easily but they do operate at 275-350 degrees on the cylinder heads. Modern watercooled engines operate at a tighter temperature band.
I wish more modern cars would (not could, because they already COULD) be built so they were easier to make last and last for decades and easily upgraded like the VW Beetle.
I look forward to someday a return of the simple automobile.
The only problem I see with that idea is the fickle nature of the modern consumer who after just a few short years decides the style of their automobile needs an upgrade and so they discard it for something newer. I often hear all sorts of excuses but frankly they are only excuses. I drive older cars (152K miles and 163K miles) and they are MUCH cheaper than operating a new car. They still look respectable, still comfortable, and still reliable. A $200 repair occasionally is STILL much cheaper than a car payment.
Yes older cars are not as clean as a new car but what if the automobile manufacturer's could offer a consumer a new upgraded engine installed with all the new pollution standards at a reasonable cost? They could od it but won't for reasons of profit.
FWIW I own three VWs. The first is a '65 Beetle patiently awaiting a restoration and a myriad of upgrades like brakes, the second is a '78 VW Westfalia camper in the garage now, and one of our daily drivers is a '97 VW Cabrio (convertible).