Is This the Most Eco-Friendly Car Innovation Since the Hybrid?

"...will cost you only $20 per month to replace the filters after that." Video says $20/year after year two. I think there is a typo in your blog.

OK, I am flabbergasted. How can something which, by nature, restricts exhaust more than the stock system, cause the engine to burn more efficiently and increase mileage? Better yet, as this device is 4+ feet behind the CAT, how does it somehow "improves the efficiency of your catalytic converter to lower emissions".

These claims are so out there in Kookoocrazee land that I really hope they are too blatant not to be true.

But even if they are, notice the monthly filter changing? Either the author of this post got stuff wrong, or something does not add up. If the filters last a given number of miles, why is there a time limit of months placed on these filters? At least get that straight and update the post.

I think tree hugger has started to sound like an evil website. Pls, don't lose your credibility.

When could a little lame gadget be able to solve the rendering of the planet obsolete? Kind of make me cringe.

Another big industry for the evil corporations our there?
Pls, the issue of global warming should be tackled from the roots. Stop blowing away the smoke thinking that you are putting out the fire.

The use of fossil should be stop with immidiate effect.
Thanks

i pretty much agree w/ everything Willy Bio says... those claims seem a liitle too good to be true (other than just being an addditional filter that is).

so are the filters $20/month (which is probably more than the net savings produced by supposed increased gas mileage), or are they $20 a piece and you have to replace them every 3 or 10K miles, depending on model year? Cause i can do $20/year for a 10% increase in fuel efficiency...

Snake oil

A restriction in your exhaust pipe is not going to increase the efficiency of your engine.

Okay, I have to point out that you guys are all wrong about promoting this device.

First, by eliminating all that particulate exhaust the air will be cleaner and we will lose the protective "blanket" that shields us from inestimable amounts of radiation and heat from the sun. This will obviously lead to more global warming.
Second, with all that clean air people will live longer healthier lives. The problem with that is clearly overpopulation which will overburden our medical system and outpace our ability to produce more food and ultimately lead to global financial collapse and an ecosystem armageddon.

Instead of heralding this product you should be warning of the obvious dangers.
;)

Oh well, I usually don't believe this stuff simply because, if those silver bullets were so easy and cheap, car manufacturer already did this in the factory.

They are so eager nowadays to claim lower emission .. you know

Assuming this works, how would you properly dispose of the old filters to replace each month ? Interesting questions indeed.

Please be advised that the website for this product has removed the actual test results pdf page link so you can not see the lab test report, only the company summary which is not supported by the lab report. I tracked down the lab report and it shows an INCREASE in CO and NoX emissions, not a decrease. And the part I saw had no report on the gas mileage. I think this is just another snake oil device. The EPA does not list this as a tested device on their website. The EPA has tested similar devices, none of which worked as promised. Where is the warranty page on their site, wait, there is no warranty! Where is the recommendation from third party tests like the EPA or California Air Resources Board, wait, they do not have any. The testing lab was certified, that is all, and the test report which they do not link to does NOT support their claims. They have a slick presentation that, like a magician, does a good job of distraction. Use your money for synthetic oil, which the EPA says does improve both emissions and mileage, and drive less and drive gently.

The first thing I thought was that this would lower your fuel economy because you basically have to push the air through the filter. But then when I read that it actually increases fuel economy, I was puzzled. I still am.

Per Willy Bio's comment about the catalytic converter... That claim makes absolute sense. It doesn't necessarily improve the efficiency of the cat, it just works with the cat to improve the end result.

My biggest concern with one of these would be theft. A 200 dollar item hanging off the end of your tailpipe held on with bolts? Seems really easy to steal.

This thing reeks of snake oil. A tailpipe restriction improving the efficiency of your cat and your engine? No freakin' way.

This is absolute BS. It's a scam. TH shouldn't be posting this junk.

The Blade website explains a little further about how it works. From what I can gather it smooths out the 'pulses' in the exhaust, and lower the thermal loss at the tailpipe (but I don't know how really). I think independent gas mileage testing would be extremely useful.
Fuel Economy aside, FINALLY someone is paying attention to PM and non-greenhouse air pollution. As important as climate change is, we have been ignoring the old-school air pollution worries that directly make us sick. If this or similar devices are eventually required, maybe we can get cities with breathable air again!

I've read the website and it still seems backwards.
Ok, heat up the Cat and it will go to work sooner but restrict the exhaust to increase you efficiency? Show me because it doesn't jive with common practice (Race engines are ported to improve air flow and reduce pumping losses resulting in more peak power and better fuel economy) and basic functionality(you need to get exhaust gases out before new air and fuel can come in).
As for the 'pulse' theory of the exhaust, I think they are refering to the fact that as sound waves fly up and down your exhaust system they create areas of higher and lower pressure. Something that can theoretically be exploited to reduce pumping losses by turning the size of the exhaust system. It is insanely hard to achieve because my engines are 4-6 cylinder and are running between 1k-4k rpm so the odds of finding that sweet spot are not worth the effort.
and what happens to this filter when it is spent? (Landfill or recycle)

two word for ya...

Snake Oil

I still don't believe the claims. Show me. Show me data, measurements, not just claims. Measurements by an independent entity. The claims are so remarkable that they have to be verified, especially the part about CO2 reductions

Sounds way too good to be true. Celebrity endorsements don't count. DB

$20 per month?! I hope that's a typo, that will help offset any fuel savings pretty quickly. For $200 you get one that lasts for 2 years, after that it's $20 a month, i.e. will only last 10 months before you've spent double? Best to just buy a new one and skip buying a new filter.

My apologies, there was a typo in my copy. After the second year, the replacement filters cost $20, which should last you a year if you're driving a new car (10,000 miles), rather than the month that was originally posted. I've changed the copy to reflect.

Rachel

what is the end life of these filters? Are they stored somewhere? Are they cleaned out and put back into the market? Are we creating bags of particulate matter? Just curious.

Unless of course this thing works by killing your performance. If you can't go faster than 35 mph, you'll save gas.

Car makers spend billions of dollars a year on research. If reducing emissions was as simple as putting a fancy metal filter cap on the end of the tailpipe, they would have done it years ago. Unfortunately, this looks like the technical equivalent of stuffing cotton wool up the tailpipe.

This looks a bit scammy to me. I could be wrong, but if installing a filter on the exhaust or otherwise restricting the flow helped, wouldn't it have been obvious when car makers and car modders started adding tubochargers, or those whistles in the Bubb Rubb youtube clips?

Any links to independent tests? Also, those CARB and EPA licensing/approvals sound more like they are allowing it be legally sold than an actual endorsement. Am I getting the right feeling about this?

I have to call BS on this article despite celebrity endorsements because celebrities are known for their in-depth scientific research. *rolls eyes*

There is no mention of Sabertec on the EPA website or the California Air Resources Board. Perhaps if the Sabertec company could actually link to the test results, which the websites make available they'd have a better case.

On the Blade website they use the argument that fuel efficiency is increased by adding more oxygen to the fuel mix. That was the same argument made by Tornado Fuel Saver which was a lot of bunk as well. Auto manufacturers are already aware of the concept of combustion and oxygen entering from your tailpipe doesn't do anything to add to the process.

Catalytic converters warm up rather quickly and do not play a major role in increasing fuel efficiency. If you feel the need to insulate your converter then get some insulation tape to make yourself feel better.

Putting a carbon filter on your tailpipe is not an invention worthy of shelling out $200 for. The air filter in your car does the same thing, the only difference is it is being attached to your tailpipe.

This article is merely a rehash of a press release and takes the company at it's word without doing any actual research. Adding to the poor journalism is the backing of celebrity endorsement which means nothing unless these celebrities are in the engineering field. You can get better results from a tune up but if you are inclined to put something at the end of your tailpipe the traditional potato can produce similar results.

I checked out their claims with a physicist/engine enthusiast I know and his comments were in line with the other comments above -- this device appears to make it harder for the engine to vent exhaust and therefore will reduce the performance of the engine. I'm waiting until I see independent confirmation.

How can I say this politely?

This product is a blatant rip-off. Spending money on it promotes more fraud, and your car will suffer for it.

First off...let me say that I would love to believe this, but I don't.

There are a couple of comments this guy makes in his video interview that kind of disappoint me...especially considering they consider themselves as an "Environmental company".

First quote: "This is the most environmentally friendly thing you can do with your car"...actually it's not...that's a pretty bold statement...what about not driving your car? Or keeping it tuned up, tires enflated, responsible driving habits, car pooling, etc...

Second quote comes along while he's talking about the packaging for this product. "This is the most environmentally friendly packaging you can get."

Dude...seriously...if you're using plastic, recycled or not...it's not very environmentally friendly. First off, your assuming that everyone recycles...and I happen to know that most people don't...some cities still don't have recycling facilities and when you boil it down most people are too lazy to recycle or just don't care.

So knowing that, the most environmentally friendly packaging would be none at all, or packaged in something that would bio-degrade or compost over a short period of time after the typical do-it-yourselfer throws the packaging in to the back alley behind their house when their done installing it.

Like I said, I would love for this product to be real, I'll wait for valid tests and proof though.

$200 for a bit of cloth in a tube? I'd need two of them for my car. Assuming their dubious claim of 5 MPG extra, that means driving my current 10,000 miles a year, starting at 25 MPG I would burn 400 gallons, and with this device giving me 30 MPG I'd burn only 333 gallons. Overall savings: 67 gallons. At $3.50 a gallon that's an amazing $233 savings, for an initial outlay of $400 plus additional filter costs. Remind me again, why would someone want to waste their money on this?

Here's a thought - someone wanna buy one of these, take it apart, and figure out how to build one yourself for $5 and post the results on www.instructables.com?

Awesome...after reading this i just punched some holes in a coke can and stuffed a sock in one end as the filter. I attached it to the back of my veedub...my car looks totally rad now and I'm getting like 70 MPG!!!!!! Not only that my exhaust smells like meadow fresh Downy...the kids next door come running when I pull into the driveway and always ask if they play next to my tailpipe.

HEADLINE FAIL. The first hybrid was made in 1901. http://www.ecogeek.org/content/view/1131/

This is such a blatant scam.

Why would something on your tailpipe improve the engine efficiency ??
It might clean up particles, but the rest is just nonsense.

Snake oil.

SNAKE OIL SNAKE OIL SNAKE OIL.

I think this thing has actually been on here before - how can you fall for it AGAIN?

I don’t buy it. If it really improved fuel economy at the levels claimed, or functioned as claimed, it would set off a sensor on your motor causing the check engine light to come on. I would also be concerned that it would cause the catalytic converter to run hot and burn up pre maturely.

I'll let you in on a little secret I've learned from working in the automotive industry: If you want to know if a product is total garbage and not worth the money all you have to do is look to see if there are any cars sold with the device attached!

The volume in the industry comes from selling to a carmaker, without volume you're not going to make any real money.

Chances are one of two things happened,
a) these guys tried to sell this thing to a carmaker, but no one would sign up. Carmakers have VERY sophisticated senses of what will and will not sell cars, so this indicates its not worth it.
b) They already new it was crap, so they skipped that step and tried to sell it directly to the gullable public (indicating its REALLY not worth it)

While I agree, this reeks of snake oil, and I can't think of a single physical reason why filtering tailpipe emissions could improve engine efficiency, there is anther even more glaring reason to doubt they're claims.

They say it will reduce GHG emissions 34%- this necessarily implies you'll be using 34% less gas (50% higher fuel economy). They also say these devices will save $42 billion annually. But 2/3 of US oil is used for vehicles; 2/3 of our oil is imported at a cost of $700 billion/year. You reduce fuel use 34%, and even if you're paying $20/month for filters you'd save a LOT more than $42 billion/year.

Case closed. If they can't get their numbers right when doing so would be in THEIR favor, then something is clearly wrong.

Let me get this straight...each model yr the auto industry spends billions per yr in order to increase mpg by 1% each year, but this after-market gadget will increase my Camry's MPG by 20%+?
Don't you think the US auto companies who will be backrupt within the next two yrs would strick a deal to license the stupid gadget and the company wouldn't be relegated to youtube promos.
Where's Ron Popeil?

Rachel,

Take ownership of your mistake. Please respond to all the points above. Its ok to have been snookered, as long as you are adult enough to admit it when that embarrassing fact bludgeons you over the head. Respond with an update/edit to the post itself, not down here. Otherwise, by leaving the post as is, you give it false credibility and therefore are complicit in others being snookered.

Waiting with baited breath.

If this isn't snake oil, it should be developed for all the gas lawnmowers and leafblowers.

@Shaun

Your claims sound crazy garbage.

TH, don't ever post this BS

I had no idea eco-nuts were this stupid. I think I'll create some mpg adding fuel line magnets or something and make myself some $$$$

One major problem with this...a simple concept called back pressure. Why do you think performance exhaust systems increase fuel economy....they reduce back pressure on the engine. Same for high flow catalytic converters, much less engine pressure. This device would greatly increase back pressure on the engine, thus substantially dropping fuel economy and most likely wrecking chaos on you oxygen sensor. So add this to the list of rip offs taking advantage of stupid Americans.

This is a very good reason why NOT to get engineering news from a hippie website. Jesus you people are stupid. Please don't tell me you ACTUALLY think this will increase the efficiency of the vehicle.

-You're oxygen sensor and computer work together to choose the most efficient fuel/air mixture.

-Adding any filter to a tailpipe will not cause the exhaust gas to "want" to all of a sudden leave the car.

-All you need to know: the best retrofit to any car to improve fuel economy is to get a new driver who doesn't romp on the gas and slam on the brakes. Here's where your 30% is.

Is it possible this REPLACED the Catalytic Converter and thats where the savings come in from ?

I suspect this has already been pointed out, but there's no way to improve volumetric efficiency of an internal combustion engine by further restricting exhaust flow. This device will cause additional back-pressure in the system and REDUCE volumetric efficiency. This article is committing an egregious basic thermodynamics error. Please publish a correction.

I'm skeptical too, but I'm not convinced by all of you who say it can't work. Lots of conventional wisdom on cars is based on maximizing power, not maximizing efficiency. For example, race engine experts will tell you that cold air in the intake is best. But in fact warmer air in the intake is better for efficiency (at typical operating points); colder for maximizing power. This could be a similar effect. No auto manufacturer would be interested, because if you are building a car and you want to sacrifice power for efficiency, it's trivial--just put a smaller engine in.

Linked from my name is a blog that looks pretty independent that reports a 2-3 mpg improvement for city driving, more hwy.

All:

I’m the CEO of Sabertec, the manufacturer of the Blade. I’ve been reading your comments, and I understand your skepticism. We see it often for two reasons. First, we’ve all been conditioned to believe anything that seems too good to be true probably is. Not much we can do about this one.

Second, many of the comments and therefore disbelief come from common misunderstandings of how an internal combustion engine works, and thus, confusion on how Blade works. I’ll try to address them shorthand here, first by summarizing some of the issues, then providing a short answer to them.

This said, I don’t expect we’ll turn you all into believers today. But it’s worth providing more information to get the conversation going in way that’s productive and open:

In fact, if you like, we can arrange a webcast to turn this forum into a real time discussion on the blade, the technology, independent tests results and input from experts on the subject. If it’s okay with Treehugger, we can use this space to specify the details of when this can happen.

For now let me address some points:

#1: The Blade Blocks the Tailpipe: It’s a common perception, but not true. In fact, it’s fundamental to the design and abilities of Blade. What we are talking about is backpressure. In short, Blade does not create backpressure. Blade has built in pressure release (V-Cut) that allows the product to have the positive effect of exhaust scavenging without the negative effects of backpressure. In fact, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) requested that Sabertec do a backpressure test as they equate backpressure to NOx increase. The backpressure tests show no significant backpressure increases whatsoever and have been cleared by CARB to sell the product.

# 2: How Can a Filter Work on My Tailpipe?: This gets a little tricky, and if you like, you can delve into it more on our website. For now, it’s important to understand that Blade is more than a filter, it is a device that changes how exhaust moves from the engine through the system. Though I must admit that I got a laugh from JF’s comments, Jeremiah and JayDubWye are closer to the point: it’s about changing the physics of the process. In short, by changing the amplitude of the sound waves produced by the opening and closing of the valves, Blade reduces the amount of spent air (exhaust) that gets slides back into the chamber (backsliding). This also increases positive exhaust scavenging. Positive exhaust scavenging allows for more clean charge (air/fuel mixture) to enter the combustion chamber. More clean charge by definition increases volumetric efficiency and reduces pumping loss. There is a direct correlation between reduced pumping loss and increased engine efficiency. So when Doug says that adding more oxygen to the fuel mix doesn’t work, he’s right. It’s not about adding more, per se, but reducing the amount of already spent exhaust, thus allowing a more efficient, cleaner burn.

#3: Show Me the Proof: All the technical talk aside, what you all want to see is proof in the form of independent testing. There have been many other products that claim fuel economy benefit, and they had no proof that their product worked. All of the products (over 100) that have been tested at independent labs or by the EPA following the EPA 511 protocol have shown no benefit at all. That is precisely why Sabertec spent so much time and money on testing at the premier independent lab in the US, Automotive Testing and Development (ATDS) Inc., in Ontario, California (www.automotivetesting.com).

On the Sabertec website, there is the test data from our test of a 2004 Honda Civic at the lab and it shows the significant fuel economy benefits as well as the emission reductions. It is impossible to say that the Blade does not work after viewing the test data, but the complaint here is that it is only one car. To correct this, we sent several cars and a van to the lab and performed both the EPA 511 and the Society of Automotive engineers (SAE) J 1321 type II road test. The results will be officially announced shortly, and have proven beyond any doubt that the Blade effect is real and repeatable across all of the test vehicles that include foreign and domestic 4-cylinder, 6-cylinder, 8-cylinder and Hybrid vehicles.

At this point, I’d ask for a willing suspension of disbelief. In the next couple weeks, we will release the data mentioned above, and invite you all to look at it with an electron microscope. Patience. It will be here soon. And please know this: we want the same thing you do. Cleaner air. A cleaner planet. A sustainable lifestyle. We, too, walk, ride bikes, and conserve. But the truth is that at some point most of us have to drive somewhere. Bringing this technology to market is the best way we know how to help.

Please, don’t walk away from something that can have a dramatic impact on our world until all the facts are in. Stay tuned, I think you'll be glad you did.

- Bill O'Brien, CEO, Sabertec

I read one hilarious article on gadgets that supposedly improve fuel efficiency. They tested and rated them, most results were:
PROS: relatively cheap, easy to install, does not harm the engine...
CONS: has no (positive) effect on fuel consumption

Like Tyler Durden said: "sticking a potato in your tailpipe, does not make you green!"

It doesn't matter what this thing does or how it works. The facts are simple. Since it is at the tip of the exhaust, behind the engine and behind the cat, it can do nothing to make either more efficient. Snake oil is the only appropriate way to describe this device. And it appears that CARB has bought it. They got fooled. Please, Treehugger, don't perpetuate this garbage.

http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/aftermkt/devices/amquery.php

Can't find it anywhere on CARB search of approved devices.

Did you read the Blade web site? The LAB that tested it is EPA approved and CARB licensed, NOT the product itself.

Scott Johnson, ask a performance enthusiast if it is impossible to change engine performance at the exhaust. The term exhaust tuning is real. Magnaflow mufflers and other performance exhaust companies maintain a billion dollar business from a similar principle.

If you can tune an exhaust to increase horsepower which is the opposit of fuel economy, why not vice versa?

Hmm, in my comment above (just before Bill's) I explained how iit might, just might, be possible that this works. But then Bill shot that down. So now I think there are only two possibilities:

1) It really doesn't work, or
2) It does work (at least a little), but the company doesn't understand why.

2) Seems plausible--it was originally developed as a particulate filter, and then they notices better mpg, and now they are pretending that it's based on some sophisticated idea, when it's really just dumb luck that it helps a little.

Question for Bill: Do your tests show an increase or decrease in peak power?

Bill,

You are full of Horse Shite. You are simply trying to buy a little more time since you know well that nobody ever went broke underestimating the stupidity of the American public. Anything you can do to buy a few more seconds means you rope in a few more suckers.

Go to hell you scam piece of shite. FTC and BBB are now, officially, on your ass. Your kind makes most of the rest of us sick.

Whoops, I meant "nobody ever went broke OVERESTIMATING the stupidity of the American public". Silly dyslexic me.

And just in case any of you are still considering this blatant scam, consider this:

If he indeed created this device and it did what he says, he would have immediately licensed or sold the rights to one of the large automakers. Instead, he is assembling them in some warehouse and selling them direct. A big automaker would have paid millions for this device if it worked.

Further, were someone to create a magical device like this, they literally would be up for the Nobel Prize.

But hey, I could just be a cynic and say Caveat Emptor suckers!

You have to be kidding me!!

if i put this on, along with a fuel catalyst, then a HICLONE ( australian swirling induction air device ) along with pellets in my fuel, my 4.0L chrysler gas guzzler will cost as little to run as my honda FIT!!

HORSE EXCRIMENT

someone at the air pollution whatzit is on the payroll.

but i guess, anyone silly enough to fall for it, deserves to get ripped!!

LMAO!!!!

Do the celebrity endorsements make this seem more or less believable?

It doesn't see very likely that the MPG gain is happening, or maybe it is happening due to some random reason.

It's just very hard to picture something placed on your tail will help your MPGs

Hmm, reminds me of the ATMOS (Atmospheric Omission System)

Less CO2? This sucks fresh air into the tailpipe, 'improving' output? Don't think so. $398 is too much for exhaust tips.

This thing is so obviously a scam.

Dans Data calls a spade a spade.

http://dansdata.blogsome.com/2008/10/24/even-better-than-a-banana-in-the-tailpipe/trackback/

Shame on Treehugger for posting such an obvious piece of snake oil. A retraction and an apology to your readers is in order.

More specifically shame on you Rachel Lincoln Sarnoff for not researching your story more throughly. It took me only minutes to find reputable information directly contradicting the claims made in this article.

Bill,
Please don't pull my academic musing into the defence of your product. If you want to convince me of this products effectiveness, pull engines from at least 5 different cars from different manufactures with different engine configurations (V6, inline 4, hemi, hybrid, whatever you like) and mount time on test stands and get the brake specific fuel consumption of these engines before and after installing your product to the exhaust.
Cut out the variables and prove that you are effecting a change in the engine.

Anybody out there with no connection to the company who can say "Hey, it worked on my car"? That would be a start. Real 3rd party testing would be the next step. I'll stay tuned for more info, but the skeptics seem to be wining this one. I put my $200 into my "future hybrid fund" and keep drying 2000 vintage minivan until it dies.

It warms my heart to see so much skepticism over these absurd claims. There may yet be hope...

Evil_Genius,

Rachel has been noticeably silent. This has now taken her into the realm of being a green-sham rather than someone who accidentally got snookered. This is what her bio says:

"Rachel Lincoln Sarnoff is a writer, producer and marketing consultant who focuses on sustainable fashion, beauty, lifestyle and parenting. "

Which means, she knows jack shite about anything REAL. She's in LA making bucks off rich retards who need "consulting" about their green lifestyle and how to raise their rats. Absolutely shameful and sickening.

Evil_Genius,

Rachel has been noticeably silent. This has taken her from being someone who was accidentally snookered, to a shameful green-sham-artist. Take a look at the first few sentences of her bio:

"Rachel Lincoln Sarnoff is a writer, producer and marketing consultant who focuses on sustainable fashion, beauty, lifestyle and parenting. She co-founded GreenGirlGuide.com in May 2007 and launched EcoStiletto.com, an online magazine devoted to eco-friendly fashion, beauty, lifestyle and parenting, in June 2008. As a small-screen environista, Rachel has guested on eco-lifestyle “Extra,” “Hollywood Green,” “Good Day L.A.” and “The Fashion Team” segments"

What this all means is she knows jack-shite about anything REAL. She, instead, lives in LA and "consults" for rich morons on how to live "green lifestyles" and raise their neglected rats. Astonishing, but such is life in SoCal.

Ugh. Typkey and this site just don't seem to get along. Or some slacker IT idiot just doesn't know how to do his/her job. First post resulted in a freeze up and it didn't make it through. So I tried again. I like my second one better. :)

Editor's note:

Hi readers,

1) Please keep your comments civil.

2) The burden of proof here is on Sabortec to show whether or not the Blade works.

Thanks,
Meaghan
editor

So what's up Rachel? You obviously commented on a typo before, is the substance of the post too much to defend?

Hello?

ok, so I checked Rachel's website where on October 28th (5 days after she posted this here) she's happy to mention that she "got slammed for writing about Blade on Treehugger." But yet she still hasn't responded to any of these comments.

see for yourself?
http://www.ecostiletto.com/index.php?/GoodLife/Comments/

Is there any accountability on this site?

Note to editor.

The credibility of your site is closely linke to the credibility of the products you geature on your site. The "burden of proof" may be on Sabortec [sic]. But featuring thier product here, whether you choose to admit it or not, amounts to nothing less than an endorsement of said product.

Should we expect more of this kind of nonsense in the future? I come to treehugger for new and links to REAL products. Should I now just assume the staff has done no vetting of any kind to any producted featured here? I should hope not.

What's next a full front page ad for the tornado fuel saver?

-5 cool points for treehugger.com.

Sorry Meaghan, I guess even snake oil salesman and their reporter shills gotta eat, right?

Maybe I'm so angry about this because Bub Rub is not getting his cut:

http://www.whoomp.com/articles/40/1/The-Whistles-Go-WOOOO!-Bubb-Rubb-Video

:D

Many of you, and specifically Billy, sound rather threatened by this positive possibility to clean up the air. I have to wonder what your real motives are for even reading this site. Clearly there is no motivation for harmony and working together for a world we and our children can all live in peacefully. Your use of aggressive nasty name calling brings to mind a bully on the playground who is deep down fearful and who is also being bullied-probably at home.
If you really didn't buy the idea you'd shrug it off as a scam and move along. But getting personal like this makes me wonder what it is that's eating you. It makes all of us feel repulsed and sorry for you drowning in your misery. You're either a sad old cynic who has nothing better to do or have a vested interest (MONEY) in trying to malign any possibilities of real change in the world.

Please correct that - it's Willy Bio that sounds so sadly apathetic. Thank God there are truly inspired and positively oriented individuals in this huge amazing world that aren't held back by small mindedness and a lack of vision. And they are out there MAKING A DIFFERENCE. YAY!

Ladies and gentleman, I present L Fan, newest member of the Blade fan club and master debater, employing the tried and true "I know you are, but what am I" gambit.

This is my attempt to address an accusation by a poster, something the author has clearly chosen not to do. Hopefully this post will be allowed to show, though I'm not holding my breath based on a private email exchange I have had with Meaghan.

Oh lookie here. On EcoStiletto, here is what is printed at the bottom of the article

http://www.ecostiletto.com/index.php?/GoodLife/Comments/

"Get 10% off and Blade will donate $30 to the National Lung Association when you type in “EcoStiletto” at check out. "

Hey Meaghan, I thought you said in your email that you would disclose if there was a conflict of interest. EPIC FAIL and SOOO BUSTED.

For friggin shame. :-/

Wow. I have to apologize. I never meant to create such a firestorm. I'm not an automotive journalist, but I did think that the possibility of Blade warranted coverage.

I never expected such vehemence to my post, and honestly, such rage. I've now been attacked for being stupid, ignorant and living in Los Angeles--and those are just the comments that made it through the filter. Oh and today for getting kick-backs, which, technically, would mean that I'm getting money from the companies that I write about, which, much to the dismay of my bank account, I'm not.

In writing about Blade, I was simply trying to report on a technology that seemed interesting to me, and interesting enough for readers to want to explore more for themselves.

I have been assured by Sabertec that the study they plan to release before the end of the year will answer all this skepticism. Perhaps I'll be proven right in daring to hope that there's something out there that might make me feel better about the times that I do actually have to drive. Perhaps the truth will come out that I was, in fact, misled by their claims.

But I never, ever, would intentionally mislead anyone.

Rachel

Dear Rachel,

Thank you for finally chiming in. I hope you also understand that your biggest mistake was taking so long to respond.

Being taken in by these snake oil salesman is kind of excusable, though in the age of Google, not really so much. You could have easily done a little Google and found that different takes on the same scam have been attempted over the years. But truely, it never once occurred to you that

A If this were true, they would have licensed the tech to a large company and made millions, rather than selling them one by one.

B If this were true, the inventor would seriously, I mean seriously, be up for the Nobel Prize.

C Extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof. They have nothing close, nor have made even a token attempt at gathering such. Claiming that the study is "pending" while taking people's money NOW is the surest sign of a scam. How difficult would it have been to hire a third party accounting firm to oversee a basic Dyno test on several different vehicles? It would cost them a few hundred dollars, literally, and that basic test would have certainly peaked my interest. It would have also peaked the interest of every auto magazine and site in the world. Heck, a real auto buff celeb like Leno would probably be happy to setup the test himself.

Look, we all want there to be magic in the world. And, there surly is. It just has to remain within the confines of the laws of physics and be proven using strict scientific method + peer review. If it looks too good to be true, it very much IS too good to be true. Looking at things as such will never prevent you from discovering true magic, it'll keep you from being distracted by scams.

P.S. One thing you did not explain, why does your EcoStilleto site have the 10% off and donation deal with Blade? You might not personally pocket that money specifically, but it is a GLARING conflict of interest.

Greetings All,

This is a heated discussion and this post has obviously hit a nerve, but instead of beating up on Rachel...let me just point out that TreeHugger and even Rachel isn't endorsing the product. In addition, what seems to be missed is that the relationship we have with the community lets you the readers comment, without censorship, on the validity of the product and the company. If we were endorsing or supporting this instead of somply presenting it, we'd likely not be publishing the comments.

There have been over 30 comments posted here that are fiercely in the "snake oil" column. All published and out there for any reader to take into consideration when reading about this product. The system works and the balance between TH and the community helps to ensure that when any search comes up and this post is read, the comments will be there as well. That's a powerful statement to future readers and helps to keep all parties honest.

In addition to that we have an open forum at http://forums.treehugger.com where you can sound off on this topic all day long. Those comments are also indexed and returned on both TH and google search. Ultimately you are our partner in this and we value your input. The commenting and the forums is an ecosystem of trust through conversation and we not only value it we encourage it.

Best

Alan Graham
Community Liaison

Alan, that's all well and good. But the problem is that this is so obviously snake oil. Are you saying that if someone claims to have an alchemy kit which will turn lead into gold, you'll still post it? Or someone creates a perpetual motion machine, you'll still post it?

I'm going out on a limb and assuming your answer to that is no. Just like perpetual motion machine claims and alchemy kits, MPG enhancing gizmos are all, that's every single one of them, scams and fantasy.

So TH needs to at least be mildly diligent about doing at least a tiny bit of verification on things that fall into the "too good to be true" category. Otherwise you lose all credibility on everything. See what I mean?

Willy Bio. What makes you such an expert on this product. You mention the slightest due diligence above but have you done any at all. Have you?

Researched the test protocol?
Seen the product?
Touched the product?
Talked to anyone in the company?
Attempted to disprove any of the operating principles?
Talked to any of the customers?
Talked to the manufacturer?
Talked to the EPA?
Talked to California Air Resource Board?
Talked to SAE?
Read up on the research?
Interviewed the Test facility?
Looked at any of the test data?

Attempted in anyway to do anything other than take out some type of personal attack on the company or anyone who writes about the product.

You are so sure of your facts but the problem is that you don't have ANY FACTS to back up your blatantly personally biased OPINIONS.

I could care less if you liked, disliked or obviously hated the idea that a product could be invented that actually could do some good.

Apparently you don't care that the product might just might take some of the toxic particulate pollution out of the air which is a health hazard and an environmental hazard. You don't care if CO2 emissions can be reduced. The only thing you want to point out is that it couldn't possibly work. Why? Because a small company invented it and not the auto manufacturers?

Interesting!

Oh dear. Promoting this rubbish (and especially failing to repudiate it when it's debunked) destroys what credibility you have.

"Blade" is nonsense. This is glaringly obvious to anyone with a basic knowledge of physics and/or engineering. It doesn't work. It *can't* work. It's a scam. Even the test results showed this. Yet you promote this junk.........

Welcome "T", how's business going, selling those BS tailpipe ends? I'm betting you and your scam friends will be closed down shortly. Remember this, those scam asswipes who pushed that Enzyte big smiling Ed crap finally got locked up too, FOR 25 YEARS.

"Reduces C02"... I love it. Never mind that the laws of physics make that impossible with a device like this, and any intelligent 5th grader can tell you that.

Locked up...gonna get locked up...

I represent Sabertec, developers of Blade. Yesterday, we announced results from testing using EPA protocols at the most prestigious independent lab in the U.S., ATDS. Results prove Blade is the first and only product to meet or exceed the EPA guidelines. Results will be posted www.bladeyourride.com.

Frankly, particulates don't concern people much anymore, because with many modern cars, even diesels, the air is often cleaner leaving the exhaust pipe than it was going into the intake. And its been that way for a long time. Carbon mitigation is the thing, and that comes from fuel efficiency, and Blade doesn't seem to do anything about that.

Tanya,

You are correct. See here and see the commenters soundly discredit this "test"

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/12/the-blade-makes-more-fuel-economy-carbon-emissions-claims.php

You are a criminal, Tanya, and you and your scam swine cohorts will be locked up very soon. Have a happy holiday, it will be your last for a very long time. :D

Oh my, what an interesting product.

There's daring to dream, and then there's delusion.

Furthermore, I object to the tone of the writing, even if the author isn't responsible for facts, sources or research, as this discussion seems to imply:

"If you don’t bike to work or at least drive a hybrid, chances are you feel a little guilty about your contribution to global warming when you log up the fossil-fueled miles you travel each day."
As a journalist I don't even know where to begin on what's wrong with that paragraph. Is it any wonder that people often dismiss ecologists as patronising?

Ecostiletto strikes me as a marketing website, btw. Is it meant to be such???

I'm not going to "Forget hydrogen" just yet...

I don't know why all the fuss about this thing. If it filters particulate matter it does the job. If the venture capitalists who are promoting it - and boy they have a good PR machine - are having a lend of the American public - and that's not hard, because it's a particulalrly stupid public (think President incumbent) - they will be exposed in due course. Some of you need to get a life. I'm outta here.