(1 votes, average: 5 out of 5)
Loading ...Stores Rewarding Hybrid Drivers With Choice Parking Spaces
Posted on August 20, 2008
Filed Under Corporate Adoption, General News | Leave a Comment
Wheelchair users and others with limited mobility have long had access to prime parking spaces. Then expectant mothers got their own special spots. Now some stores are setting aside coveted parking close to the door for fuel-efficient hybrids.
Ikea has designated hybrid-only spaces across the U.S., including one at its Houston store on the Katy Freeway. Home Depot and Office Depot are trying out similar parking perks for fuel efficiency in Austin, Chicago and several other cities.
Weingarten Realty, which owns several close-in, high-traffic Houston retail developments — including a large chunk of the Rice Village and much of the West Gray strip — is looking into the concept.
“We have just begun evaluating potential programs but haven’t fully developed a model,” said Henry Lichtman, regional director of property management for Weingarten. He said adding any special program to recognize hybrid use will need strong buy-in from other businesses and possibly even local government to be meaningful.
Some cities are considering special parking for fuel efficient vehicles, or are experimenting with it.
For three years Los Angeles has let some hybrids and other vehicles that get more than 45 miles per gallon park for free.
Bruce Gillman, a spokesman for the Los Angeles Department of Transportation, said the city offers free parking to any vehicle with the California Clean Air Vehicle Decal.
California leads the nation in hybrid sales this year, by a wide margin. The parking program has been so popular that the state ran out of decals for a time.
“Now there are four hybrids that can park free without the sticker,” Gillman says. They are the Honda Insight, Toyota Prius, Ford Escape Hybrid and Honda Civic Hybrid.
The New York City Council has discussed a similar idea: letting hybrid drivers park free at city meters.
Houston has considered giving preferential parking to hybrids at the city’s airports, but Cris Eugster, chief sustainability officer for Mayor Bill White, says it’s not clear whether that actually provides incentive for motorists to purchase hybrids.
“We’d rather lead by example,” he says, noting that White drives a Prius.
Hybrid vehicles pair internal combustion and electric motors, using the electric motor at low speeds and in stop-and-start driving, and the internal combustion motor at cruising speeds.
Houston recently purchased its 500th hybrid vehicle for the city’s fleet, and the Metropolitan Transit Authority has committed to buying about 100 hybrid buses a year for a total of 450 in 2011.
Which cars should qualify?
Several states, including California and Colorado, allow some hybrids in high-occupancy vehicle lanes with just a single occupant, but so far Metro has rejected the idea.
The agency argues it is tough to discern which vehicles are hybrids as they speed by. For instance, Nissan Altima hybrids look essentially the same as regular Altimas.
Metro does allow super fuel-efficient motorcycles in HOV lanes.
At the Kicking Tires blog on cars.com, drivers are debating whether giving preferential treatment to hybrid vehicles is fair. Some argue over what cars should qualify.
For instance, E-85 fuel vehicles, such as the Chevy Avalanche parked in Ikea’s hybrid spot one day last week, do not get better mileage than other trucks. But the vehicles, which can run on regular gasoline or on fuel containing up to 85 percent ethanol, reduce some emissions. Should they get to park in hybrid spaces even though they aren’t hybrids?
Francine Palvolgyi, Ikea’s marketing specialist for Houston, said there’s no enforcement of the hybrid-only rule on the company’s designated spaces, but customers seem to appreciate the spirit of the suggestion.
“Nobody is going to get towed,” Palvolgyi said. “People really seem to honor it.”
For Ikea, hybrid spaces are about promoting environmental awareness.
“The company’s philosophy is to be green-conscious, and we’d like our customers to think that way, too,” Palvolgyi said.
If one downtown hybrid parking experiment is any indication, a lot of Houstonians aren’t too interested.
The First City Houston office tower offered up preferential parking right by the garage’s elevator banks to hybrid owners, said Standard Parking’s facility manager Randy Reynolds.
That was six months ago. So far one commuter has taken up the offer.
“It didn’t really go anywhere,” Reynolds said.
Source: Chron.com
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2009 Honda Civic Officially Unveiled
(1 votes, average: 3 out of 5) Loading ...2009 Honda Civic Officially Unveiled
Posted on August 20, 2008
Filed Under Announcements, Honda Civic, Industry News | Leave a Comment
The 2009 Honda Civic was unofficially revealed earlier this week when a brochure sent to dealerships made its way onto the web. Today, Honda has officially revealed photos and details of the new version of its best-selling car.
Kicking Tires reports, “Most of the changes are so subtle the average buyer won’t even notice. However, there are some substantial changes to the Civic lineup as a whole that add some new value choices and tech features.”
Jalopnik explains, “From the appearance side of things, the most dramatic difference is the lower bumper — it gets a set of flanking intakes which are probably just for visual interest.” A new selection of alloy wheels is offered on EX, EX-L and Si models, and a strip of chrome now surrounds the rear license plate holder. Otherwise, we can’t detect significant exterior changes.
Mechanically, the new car is virtually identical to the old. The only change: Stability control is now standard on EX, EX-L and Hybrid models.
Kicking Tires notes, “There are two new trim levels for the sedan. The DX-VP — standing for value package — will cost the same as the DX — $15,405 for the manual and $16,205 for the automatic — but come with A/C and an audio system.” The other new trim level is the LX-S, which adds alloy wheels, sport seats and a spoiler to last year’s LX trim.
Many buyers who would have purchased larger cars in previous years are now shopping for fuel-efficient compact models. Those buyers are accustomed to more luxury than what is usually found in the econocar segment, and Honda has responded with a few upscale features on its small car. Autoblog explains, “2009 Civics will also offer Bluetooth for the first time on models equipped with navigation systems.” Honda’s Bluetooth system allows drivers to control their mobile phone via steering-wheel mounted buttons. “The EX, EX-L, Hybrid and Si also get a new USB port to plug in digital audio players.”
Motor Trend reports that the Civic Hybrid “Can now be had with leather and heated seats, along with a leather-wrapped steering wheel and heated side mirrors.”
Source: US News and World Report
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(1 votes, average: 5 out of 5) Loading ...Tax Savings for 2008 and 2009 Model Hybrid Vehicles
Posted on August 20, 2008
Filed Under Chevrolet Tahoe, Ford Escape, GMC Yukon, Honda Civic, Lexus LS 600h, Lexus RX 400h, Mazda Tribute, Mercury Mariner, Nissan Altima, Saturn Aura, Saturn Vue, Tax Information, Toyota Camry, Toyota Highlander, Toyota Prius, Uncategorized | Leave a Comment
Thinking of buying a hybrid car? Doing so will save the environment and keep money in your wallet. You could be eligible for a tax credit of up to $3,000 depending on when the car is purchased and the model you buy.
The Alternative Motor Vehicle Credit applies to cars purchased after Jan. 1, 2006. Currently, there are more than 40 different models of hybrid vehicles eligible for the credit. You can see which cars qualify by visiting www.IRS.gov. Once 60,000 hybrid cars from a particular manufacturer are sold, the tax credit is reduced until it’s ultimately phased out.
Keep in mind, though, that the credit is only available to the original buyer of the car. So, if you purchase a used hybrid vehicle, you can’t claim the tax credit. And, if you lease a hybrid car, the credit goes to the company leasing the vehicle.
The Internal Revenue Service has certified several vehicles as eligible for the hybrid tax credit. According to the IRS, “The tax credit for hybrid vehicles applies to vehicles purchased on or after January 1, 2006, and may be as much as $3,400 for those who purchase the most fuel-efficient vehicles.” In cooperation with the automakers, the IRS has certified the maximum hybrid tax credit for the following vehicles:
2008 Hybrid Models Tax Breaks
- 2008 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid: $1,300
- 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid (2WD and 4WD): $2,200
- 2008 Ford Escape 2WD Hybrid: $3,000
- 2008 Ford Escape 4WD Hybrid: $2,200
- 2008 GMC Yukon Hybrid (2WD and 4WD): $2,200
- 2008 Honda Civic GX compressed natural gas vehicle: $4,000
- 2008 Honda Civic Hybrid CVT: $2,100
- 2008 Lexus LS 600h L Hybrid: $450
- 2008 Lexus RX 400h 2WD and 4WD: $550
- 2008 Mazda Tribute 2WD Hybrid: $3,000
- 2008 Mazda Tribute 4WD Hybrid: $2,200
- 2008 Mercury Mariner 2WD Hybrid: $3,000
- 2008 Mercury Mariner 4WD Hybrid: $2,200
- 2008 Nissan Altima Hybrid: $2,350
- 2008 Saturn Aura Hybrid: $1,300
- 2008 Saturn Vue Green Line: $1,550
- 2008 Toyota Camry Hybrid: $650
- 2008 Toyota Highlander Hybrid 4WD: $650
- 2008 Toyota Prius: $787.50
2009 Model Year Hybrid Vehicles (So Far)
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(1 votes, average: 5 out of 5) Loading ...Guide to Gasoline-Electric Hybrid Cars and Powertrains
Posted on August 19, 2008
Filed Under Chevrolet Malibu, Chevrolet Tahoe, Ford Escape, Honda Civic, Lexus RX 400h, Nissan Altima, Saturn Vue, Toyota Camry, Toyota Highlander, Toyota Prius | Leave a Comment
Most people know by now that hybrids use electricity to achieve good gas mileage, but how their advanced powertrains work and whether they help your pocketbook is a bit more complicated. Here we’ll take a look at the basic technology and its variations. In a future article we’ll discuss the cost, and potential savings, of owning a hybrid.
The theory behind hybrid cars
What sets hybrids apart from regular cars is that they essentially use two powertrains, an electric motor and a gasoline engine. The electric motor draws its power from a large battery pack that is recharged by the gas engine and by energy recouped from the brakes.
The electrically powered car has been a vision for the future for decades, but its development reached a virtual dead-end in the mid-1990s. That’s when hybrids emerged, promising a compromise between the benefits and limitations of both electric and gasoline powertrains.
Electric motors are very efficient at accelerating, and unlike their internal-combustion counterparts, produce their maximum power from a dead stop. But batteries with enough energy to drive long distances cost too much, are too heavy, and take up too much space in a car. Theoretically, a hybrid solution is the best of both worlds. By relying on electric power, at least some of the time, there is a clear benefit in reducing emissions.
By using electric motors for acceleration, automakers could use smaller, more-efficient gasoline engines to supplement the motors under heavy load (i.e., acceleration, hills) and to cover long distances. By combining the two systems, the battery packs can be relatively small. The downside of a hybrid is that the dual drivetrains can be significantly more expensive than a traditional gas engine alone, the battery pack takes up space, and the pack adds weight.
Full and mild hybrid cars
Hybrids today fall into one of two categories: full and mild. The main difference is whether or not the car can propel itself solely on electric power.
Full hybrids like the Chevrolet Tahoe, Ford Escape, Nissan Altima, and the Toyota Prius and Camry can start off silently, creep in stop-and-go traffic and putt around town at low speeds on just electricity. The gasoline engine kicks in as soon as the driver demands quicker acceleration to supplement the electric power. The engine can also turn off when the car is slowing down or coasting. Full hybrids are more expensive to produce, but they typically save more fuel and run cleaner, especially in city driving.
Mild hybrids like the Chevrolet Malibu and the Saturn Vue Green Line can shut the engine off when the car is stopped and restart it as soon as you take your foot off the brake pedal. They use electric power only to assist the gas engine on hills and when accelerating. Mild hybrids produce only a modest gain in fuel economy yet command a purchase-price premium.
Both types save gas by shutting down the gas engine at stops. The Prius uses a smaller gas engine than the similar-sized Toyota Corolla. Other vehicles typically use the smaller of the available gas engines in the equivalent nonhybrid models. All of them also use the electric motor to recoup some of the energy it takes to stop and use it to charge the batteries.
Driving these hybrids is really no different than driving other cars, except that the engine sometimes stops and starts by itself. At first it might seem a little strange but it’s easy to get used to, especially if the transition to gasoline-engine operation is smooth. In fact, some hybrids feel smoother than comparable four-cylinder economy models because the electric motor is quiet and the gas engine is less strained under low-speed acceleration.
None of the hybrids on the market today need to be plugged in, and none can be. The batteries are recharged only by the gas engine and by braking. Just fill the tank with gas and go.
The best hybrids offer significant gas savings. The Toyota Prius, for example, returns the highest gas mileage of any five-passenger car we have ever tested - 44 mpg overall. The midsized Toyota Camry hybrid returns 34 mpg, better than many small cars. And the Honda Civic Hybrid returns an excellent 37 mpg. The only nonhybrid car that gets close to such excellent fuel economy is the 2009 Toyota Corolla, at 32 mpg overall.
Other hybrids, however, offer moderate gas savings in larger vehicles while improving acceleration and maintaining utility. The Toyota Highlander Hybrid and Lexus RX400h, for example, get 24 and 23 mpg, respectively. Not stellar, but about 25 percent better than their gas siblings. Both use relatively large 3.3-liter V6 engines.
In terms of emissions, hybrids typically produce 29 percent less smog-forming nitrogen oxide than conventional cars, according to a study by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. And every gallon of gas saved reduces carbon dioxide emissions by 19 pounds, which reduces global warming.
Source: Consumer Reports
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(1 votes, average: 2 out of 5) Loading ...Chrysler’s 1st Hybrid SUV, The 2009 Aspen
Posted on August 19, 2008
Filed Under Chrysler Aspen, Dodge Durango, Hybrid SUV | Leave a Comment
You can have your cake and eat it too with the roomy, luxurious Chrysler Aspen SUV gasoline-electric all-wheel-drive hybrid.
Well, most of the cake, anyway. Forget 30 mpg highway fuel economy in this truck-based SUV. But, hey, an estimated 19 mpg in the city and 20 mpg on the highway on regular-grade fuel isn’t half bad — especially since the Aspen has a mighty 5.7-liter Hemi V-8. An Aspen non-hybrid all-wheel-drive model with the 5.7 Hemi delivers 13 city and 18 highway.
That Aspen hybrid system produces 385 horsepower and features the V-8’s seamless four-cylinder deactivation feature for better fuel economy while cruising. There are 380 pound-feet of torque for towing the boat to the lake.
A high point is the battery part of the Aspen hybrid system that lets you start it in dead silence and drive with the same ghostly quiet in congested city/suburban traffic at, say, 30 mph on battery power alone. The V-8 cuts in for added power when needed.
Many want a mid-size SUV such as the Aspen not because it’s a trendy fashion statement (those days are gone), but because they need lots of room and strong towing abilities. It seats up to eight with its fairly roomy third-row seat area.
Something like a Toyota Prius gas-electric hybrid sedan won’t cut it for such folks, despite increased gasoline prices.
The 2009 Aspen I tested is Chrysler’s first production hybrid SUV, along with the similar 2009 Dodge Durango, which is a less luxurious version of the Aspen. The Aspen costs $44,770, or about $3,600 more than the gas version.
“But Aspen hybrid buyers get an $1,800 tax credit. And it comes fully equipped with all-wheel drive and such things as power heated leather upholstered front seats and a power tailgate because Chrysler feels it shouldn’t stint on features with this innovative vehicle,” said Chrysler central region spokesperson Wendy Orthman.
Other Aspen items include automatic climate control with front/rear air conditioning, navigation system, cruise control, AM/FM/CD/MP3, power pedals, tilt wheel with radio controls, back-up camera, split/folding third seat — you name it.
In a way, the Aspen hybrid reminds me of the great old Chrysler luxury cars, which competed favorably with Cadillacs and Lincolns.
The few options include a sunroof, second-row DVD system, metallic paint and a trailer towing package.
Standard safety features include front- and curtain-side air bags, an electronic anti-skid system and anti-lock brakes.
The Aspen is very fast and generally drives like a big, fairly nimble car. The steering is nicely geared for quick moves, easy maneuvering in traffic and when getting into parking spots. Handling is good, and the well-controlled ride is comfortable, especially for a rugged truck-based vehicle. The brake pedal has a linear action for consistently smooth stops.
Door handles are large, as are door openings. But it calls for extra effort to get in and out of the Aspen’s quiet, upscale interior. Running boards help, especially for those with smaller shoe sizes.
The second-row seat flips forward to allow fairly easy entry to the third-seat area. That seat doesn’t allow much cargo area with its seatbacks in their normal position. But there’s plenty of cargo room with the second- and third-row seats flipped forward.
The large front seats are supportive, and controls are nicely placed — although sound system and climate controls should be larger. The nicely positioned front cupholders have a cover when not in use, but second-row cupholders are a stretch because they’re behind the front console at floor level.
The power tailgate is handy when your arms are full of groceries and such, but it moves up slowly and has no button for a power close. However, there are two deep indented areas to help manually yank it closed.
Yes, Chrysler is late to the SUV hybrid market, but the Aspen should make the wait worthwhile to those who need such a vehicle.
Source: Search Chicago
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