What Can Make People Buy A “Green” Car

Talk about being committed to the environment and the community, people all over the world are making sure that people are enticed to go “green” starting this year. Lawmakers are introducing legislation about it. Employers are asking their employees to follow their example and buy hybrid cars. Governments are offering incentives for people who are seeking “greener pastures” (and I’m not just goin’ for the metaphor!). Researchers are doing write-ups about the advantages of these eco-friendly cars. If you take time out of your busy day to read this post, in just a few minutes you may be tempted to go to the dealership to get one of these cars.

In Adelaide, the fifth most populous city in Australia, a proposal was put forth by Councilor Michael Henningsen to give drivers of hybrids a lower parking rate. In an interview, he defended his proposal by saying that:

"Because these cars are a bit more expensive and I think that, if you're taking the long-term view that you want to make a positive diminution in the greenhouse gases, that you should get some sort of acknowledgment and some kudos and some relief for doing that."

In the US, owner of Calibration Consultants in Sorrento Valley, CJ Langler exchanged his V8 engine truck for two hybrid vehicles, one for himself and another for his wife. And because of the savings that he immediately got he started enticing his employees to go green by offering them incentives. In an interview, he said:

"We decided to give a $2,000 employee bonus to each one that decides to turn in their big V-8," and that, "We have single mothers, we have military dependents that have people overseas right now, it's about food on the table for them.” Finally, he revealed that, "I would challenge some of the big guys -- locally and nationally -- to come up with similar programs and do the same.”

And he is right to do so. Companies should in a way feel responsible for what their employees drive. Why? It’s because by putting incentives they can influence their choices. But it does not mean they need to put their foot down. The choice will still be up to the employees. But it is a perfect example of how committed certain people are, and that if you are committed enough you can make other people make the same right choice.

But incentives and legislation are not the most effective way of enticing people to turn in their car for a hybrid. Studies show that if presented with a whole lot of advantages, people are willing to go green. Kay Murchie states that fact well by saying that “”Motorists would go green if the price was right” in an article in the Finance Markets. Here is an excerpt from her write-up:

Research by Tescocompare.com, the car insurance comparison site, has established that 2 million motorists claim to be driving an environmentally friendly car.

Low-emission vehicles are most popular in Wales and the South West, where 12% have chosen a car which is environmentally friendly compared to 4% in London.

However, Tescocompare.com discovered that more than 21 million are driven by financial incentives and would consider converting to a ‘green’ or low-emission car if the price was more competitive and the Government offered incentives for doing so.

If road tax was reduced, 62% would be persuaded to go green while 25% could be convinced if there was a steep rise in fuel prices. 36% would consider going green if the incentive was cheaper parking fees.

So there you go. Incentives. Legislation. Savings. Those three will make or break the popularity of green cars among car owners.

References: ABC News ; NBC San Diego; Finance Markets

Hybrids: What Are They Exactly?

Last night a friend and I were watchin’ this documentary about “green” cars, prior to that we were at the post office to pick up the catalytic converter that he ordered. And so began our discussion about “green” cars and “cats”. He (being a fan of old school cars) does not have any idea what these supposedly eco-friendly cars are. He asked me if these cars have catalytic converters. Well, I am not an expert on “green” cars ‘coz I haven’t had the chance to check one out yet but that much I know. I said hybrids do. And so he asked again, “what are hybrids?” I told him that these are still petrol-powered vehicles, however the least amount of petrol is used because the car battery assists the engine to make the car run. So basically, both petrol and electricity are making the car move, unlike before when petrol was the sole generator of power. That is why it is called a hybrid in the first place. So it got me thinking, all over the US people are questioning the feasibility of these cars in the years to come. A lot are commenting that they are here to stay because they are far more environment-friendly than most cars in production today. But, surprisingly, not that many people know about “green” cars and the entire working/s behind it, hence this blog post.

I was searching online for information about hybrids, but all I could find where data that were too technical for most people. There was this Frequently Asked Questions thing online about the Honda Civic Hybrid and I decided it would be a great example. The Honda Civic is one of the most lauded hybrids to ever come out this year, and here are a few information about the car.

What is a hybrid vehicle?
A hybrid car combines a petrol-powered engine with an electric motor to provide substantially better fuel economy with substantially lower emissions. Specifically, the Civic Hybrid utilizes Honda's Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) technology, which uses a 1.3-liter VTEC engine for primary power, with an ultra-thin electric motor providing additional power and torque.

Do I need to plug the Civic Hybrid in?
Never. The Civic Hybrid battery pack is recharged automatically when decelerating through regenerative braking, as well as when cruising. The driver never needs to worry about recharging the battery; the Civic Hybrid does this by itself in the usual course of driving.

What Petrol do I use in the Civic Hybrid?
The Civic Hybrid runs on the cheaper 91 octane unleaded.

What fuel economy can I expect from the Civic Hybrid?
The Civic Hybrid should achieve an average of approximately 18km/ltr on highway driving and 15km/ltr around town, but like any car it depends how you drive it. Better figures than this can be achieved, e.g. In the 2002 EnergyWise Rally the Civic Hybrid achieved an average fuel economy of 21.46km/ltr (4.66 litres per 100kms or 60.6 mpg).

How does the Civic Hybrid perform and handle compared to conventional vehicles?
The Civic Hybrid feels and drives like a normal automatic non-hybrid Civic with the exception that when stopped, the petrol engine cuts out automatically.

Can the Civic Hybrid run on electricity when it runs out of petrol?
No, the Civic Hybrid always drives using the petrol engine with the electric motor only assisting. Like any other car, drivers should be sure to keep petrol in the tank of their Civic Hybrid at all times.

How long does the battery last in the Civic Hybrid?
To quote from the Honda website: "The battery pack is designed to last 10 years under normal driving conditions."

If you want to read the entire write-up, you can just click here.

Source: The Clean Green Car Company

High Gas Mileage = A Sure Sale?

I wrote something about the Hummer being a “green” car in my previous post. I did so not only because I am a big Hummer fan, but because I am quite relieved that GM is taking steps to make this behemoth more environment-friendly. Yes! There is no way it can be as fuel-efficient as the super eco-friendly hybrid cars like the Toyota Prius, Honda Civic and the Ford Escape. But I found out recently that the Hummer in a way is more eco-friendly because of how it is manufactured. It may be a gas-guzzler, but at least in its production there are no damages made like the increase of acid rain, water poisoning and the likes. This should be a matter of concern for auto-makers because fuel-efficiency is not the only way to battle pollution. By making vehicles in a way that there is no damage done to the environment and making them fuel-efficient at the same time, auto-makers can make this world a better place to live in.

Sadly though, agencies like the EPA focus more on how many miles a car can travel on a gallon, than on how it is made. But for some people it works. Speaking for myself, the mpg rating of a vehicle can also be an important tool in determining which vehicle to buy. If we don’t have information about how a certain car was built, then at least we can make a contribution to the environment by getting a fuel-efficient car. That much we can do. I am not being a hypocrite here. It’s just that we have no choice but to do so. And with the soaring prices of fuel, we suddenly find ourselves in between a rock and a hard place. It is important that we know how a certain vehicle performed in a fuel-efficiency test. This is where the EPA shines through. I have found a list of vehicles that offer the best gas mileage by class. There are a couple surprises here and there, but you know which ones to expect on the list. Here it is:

(Class Leaders / City MPG / Highway MPG)

Compact Cars (Range: 11-37; Avg.: 21/28)
Toyota Yaris 29 35
Honda Fit 27 34

Midsize Cars (Range: 9-33; Avg.: 18/26)
Hyundai Elantra 25 33
Pontiac Vibe 25 31
Toyota Matrix 25 31

Full-Size Cars (Range: 10-31; Avg.: 15/23)
Hyundai Sonata 21 30
Toyota Avalon 19 28

Luxury Cars (Range: 9-32; Avg.: 15/23)
Mercedes-Benz E-Class (diesel) 23 32
Audi A4* 21 30

Sports Cars (Range: 9-31; Avg.: 16/23)
Audi TT* 22 29
Volkswagen GTI* 22 29

SUVs (Range: 12-28; Avg.: 15/21)
Jeep Compass (2WD) 23 27
Jeep Patriot (2WD) 23 27

Pickup Trucks (Range: 12-26; Avg.: 15/20)
Toyota Tacoma (2WD) 19 25
Ford Ranger (2WD) 19 24
Mazda B2300 (2WD) 19 24


Minivans (Range: 15-28; Avg.: 17/24)
Mazda Mazda5 21 27
Kia Rondo 19 26

Source: EPA's 2008 Fuel Economy Guide

I am longing for the day that a Hummer will be on that list. I’m kinda getting my hopes up because of the recent introduction of the Hummer H3T. It hasn’t yet come close to being on the abovementioned list, but at least you can see a little improvement. And if plans push through, GM may be able to increase the gas mileage of Hummers. All we can do is to wait for a redesign (and maybe a compact version?) But maybe that is already asking too much. We just have to be thankful that steps are taken into making this impressive vehicle more available to the public by making them more eco-friendly than their older counterparts.

“Green” Hummers

Hummers are notorious for being gas-guzzlers. It can travel a measly 15-16 miles on one gallon of gas. That is why it is labeled as one of the most inefficient vehicles when it comes to gas mileage. People are praising green cars for addressing issues related to the environment, and Hummers are farthest in the minds of people when it comes to this matter. But little do people know that Hummers, to a certain degree, can be considered green. Well, not technically speaking, of course.

Green cars are popular for being very fuel-efficient. That is what people notice firsthand. But little do they know the resources used in the production of this vehicles. Roger Marolt of the Aspen Times wrote:

A report by the organization Target of Opportunity notes that AM General has decided not employ the use of nickel batteries in their vehicles, which are found extensively in the Prius, and are, in fact, at the nucleus of Prius’ hybrid power plant. The nickel for these Prius batteries is mined and smelted in Sudbury, Ontario, causing a nightmare of environmental damage.

According to David Martin, Canadian Greenpeace energy-coordinator, “The acid rain around Sudbury was so bad it destroyed all the plants and the soil slid off the hillside.”

Hummers, on the other hand, may not be as fuel-efficient as other vehicles, but GM’s commitment to making its production as environmentally-safe as possible is definitely laudable. Several technologies and safeguards are used so that in the production of every Hummer, the damage done by the production of eco-friendly cars is not replicated. That’s what makes Hummers green. And GM finally has plans of making the Hummer as fuel-efficient as any car that you see on the streets. That would set the GM marquee a step above the rest.