Karl on Cars
Fuel Efficiency
July 28, 2009
All indications suggest quite a buzz around the government's just-launched Cash for Clunkers program. The program, also known as the Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS), is designed to increase new car sales while getting "gas guzzlers" off the road for cleaner air, reduced oil consumption and World Peace.
Okay, maybe I added that last item myself.
But the program, if you ask certain politicians, is certainly being hailed as the savior of all that's right in the automotive world. And one that's simultaneously reducing all that's wrong.
However, being the cynical/logical/critically analytical person that I am, I'm going to have to call P.C. Shenanigans on Cash for Clunkers, as I did in a CBS Evening News story from last Friday (shown above). I'm also going to describe how this program could/should have worked if the wise, well-grounded people ran the world.
That may sound like a back-handed insult directed at politicians, so let me be crystal clear on this point: most government representatives are so painfully out-of-touch with the real world their legislative efforts create more problems then they solve (and there goes any mystery on my stance regarding national health care...).
The latest example of this long tradition includes Cash for Clunkers. What follows is a list of the program's problems and (more importantly) how they could have been avoided:
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- Karl Brauer July 28, 2009, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Automotive News, Car Buying Advice, Fuel Efficiency, Talk Back Tuesday
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- Cash For Clunkers, New Car Sales
June 23, 2009
A flurry of questions streamed through my head as I drove our new Mini E home from Nick Alexander Imports:
- Do I have to drive it easy during the "break-in" period?
- Does plugging my iPhone into the 12v outlet reduce range?
- How are we going to track fuel efficiency in the Mini E's logbook?
- Would a solar panel strapped to the roof extend the driving range?
But I think the most important question I had after spending a weekend with the Mini E is this: How far have we come since the GM EV1 debacle of 10 years ago?
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- Karl Brauer June 23, 2009, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Fuel Efficiency, GM EV1, Hybrid Vehicles, MINI, Talk Back Tuesday
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- GM EV1 Mini E Electric Car
June 16, 2009
Mark your calendars kiddies, because this is the first (and very likely the last) time you'll ever hear me say this:
I'm supporting the idea of a new tax.
What could drive such blasphemy from the mouth of an avowed capitalist who thinks the government is best that governs least? Is it the ever-shrinking role of government in our present lives? The shrewd investment savvy of our government's spending habits (particulalry in my home state of California)? Did Obama call and say I was headed for "Rick Wagonerville" if I don't get with the program?
No...but if he did he'd probably make it a condition of my continued employment (and survival) that I not report such conversations...
Seriously, I think a properly executed gas tax could actually work. But because "properly executed" and "tax" rarely have anything in common I'm not optimistic. Just look at the "Cash for Clunkers" bill for yet another example of government intervention gone completey awry. However, I'll offer my description of a functional gas tax (let's call it "Karl's Gas Tax") and embrace the likelihood it will never be properly implemented.
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- Karl Brauer June 16, 2009, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Automotive News, Fuel Efficiency, Talk Back Tuesday
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- Gas Tax Fuel Efficiency CAFE
June 9, 2009
Do you qualify for the proposed "Cash for Clunkers" bill being considered in Washington? I guess technically none of us know, because the bill isn't finalized yet. However, there's enough similarity between the two versions (House and Senate) under discussion to be pretty confident about a few aspects of the bill:
- It will offer no more than $4,500 to new car buyers
- It will require the trade-in vehicle to be crushed
- It will require the new vehicle to get better fuel mileage than the trade-in vehicle
That last point, regarding fuel mileage, is the proposed bill's most nebulous aspect in terms of how the final version will work. In terms of how effective this bill will be it's also the least important, so let's ignore it for now. Instead, let's focus on how the first two points will essentially make this bill useless to almost every new car buyer.
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- Karl Brauer June 9, 2009, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Car Buying Advice, Fuel Efficiency, Talk Back Tuesday
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- Cash For Clunkers Bill
February 3, 2009
I'm watching an interesting conundrum brew in pop culture right now. In one corner you have the Green Movement rapidly gaining steam (wait! -- make that a non-GHG emission, like nitrogen) with a presidential administration fueling the hopes of tree huggers everywhere. In the other corner is the reality of our crumbling economic superstructure. The unemployment, GDP, 401K and consumer confidence numbers don't lie poeple -- this is serious.
If you were reading my blog last week you saw me ask a series of questions pitting environmental "Green" against economic "Green." Questions like "If you're unemployed and get a job offer from a 'non-green' company should you take it?" or "If a company could 'go green' but it would require a workforce reduction of 10 percent to pay for the initiative, should they do it?"
The point of these questions? It almost always takes Green to be Green, and right now we're precariously low on Green.
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- Karl Brauer February 3, 2009, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Fuel Efficiency, Talk Back Tuesday
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- Global Warming Climate Change Green Initiative Obama
January 27, 2009
I've been making fun of the theory of man-made global warming for over 15 years -- basically ever since I first heard the concept. I know it was dreamed up by various "scientists" as far back as the 1970s, but I didn't hear about it until around 1992. Ironically, I had just graduated college, where I'd taken a science class on the sun and its affects on the earth (magnetic fields, radiation, aurora borealis, etc.).
The class provided a solid understanding of just how puny the earth is when compared to the sun, and it explained with solid scientific evidence how even tiny shifts in solar activity can have a major impact on our planet. And, despite being the early 1990s, well after the creation of global warming theory, our instructor never once mentioned the concept of human activity impacting the global temparature. Maybe he wanted to avoid the mocking laughter that would have surely followed.
But times change, and it's clear man-made global warming is no longer a theory but a certified fait accompli. And the critical point of this blog entry is to finally explain the causes of man-made global warming.
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- Karl Brauer January 27, 2009, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Automotive News, Fuel Efficiency, Talk Back Tuesday
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- Global Warming Climate Change
January 13, 2009
Auto shows are supposed to be filled with fantasy cars. After all, for decades the glitzy show cars at these flashy gatherings were referred to as "dream cars," so expecting nothing but down-to-earth reality vehicles to appear on the show floor would be unrealistic (and, honestly, boring).
But at this year's Detroit Auto Show I found myself increasingly annoyed by the unending parade of pure fiction being shown off. This aggrevation came not as much from the show cars' embodiment as metallic vaporware as it did from the messages surrounding them. Basically, the automakers were claiming these vehicles would be available in the next 12-24 months when, of course, they probably won't represent viable transportation for upwards of 12-24 years.
By now you've probably identified which cars I'm referring to -- electric cars.
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- Karl Brauer January 13, 2009, 12:06 AM
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- Auto Shows, Dodge, Fuel Efficiency, Future Vehicles, MINI, Talk Back Tuesday, Tesla, Toyota
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- Detroit Auto Show Electric Vehicles Fantasy Reality
December 23, 2008
I'm ready to start driving this car today.
Seriously. Between the Honda FCX Clarity's power, handling, comfort, features, cargo space and, yes, even range on a full tank of fuel, this vehicle is 100% ready to meet the demands of today's car owner.
I personally drove the FCX Clarity over 110 miles between my commute and some errands (inlcuding Cold Stone Creamery with the kids). To say I was impressed would be inaccurate because the car isn't particularly quick or nimble or cutting edge in any way, except for the fact that it runs on hydrogen. Really, it's pretty much like any other Honda sedan on the road.
And that's what impressed me. If you like how Honda sedans drive (sales figures suggest many of you do), then you'll like the FCX Clarity. In fact you'll probably feel exactly how I did after driving one: "When and where can I buy it?"
Of course you can't buy it. Honda is only offering leases on the FCX Clarity, and so far only three are on the road, meaning they ain't exactly widely available. That's probably a good thing, as hydrogen (despite being the most common element in the universe) also isn't widely available as a vehicle fuel.
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- Karl Brauer December 23, 2008, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Fuel Efficiency, Future Vehicles, Talk Back Tuesday
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- Honda FCX Clarity Hydrogen Fuel Cell
November 18, 2008
If we were to predict the Chevrolet Volt's future success on it's ability to generate interest, the car would have to be judged an unmitigated success. The GM folks brought one by the Edmunds.com offices yesterday to let our editors (and the rest of the company) have a first-hand look at the car some have dubbed the savior of General Motors.
That's a mighty large burden to bear if you ask me. It would be akin to assuming one man is capable of solving all the mounting challenges facing this country...
But I digress. Let's assume, for a moment, that GM succeeds in delivering a Chevrolet Volt production vehicle to consumers before the end of calendar 2010 (a promise the company has fully committed to). If said vehicle is parked in dealer showrooms 24 months from now, will it truly mark a drastic change in GM's future success?
I foresee two distinct scenarios facing the Volt in the next two years. Let's take a look at both of them.
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- Karl Brauer November 18, 2008, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Chevrolet, Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, Fuel Efficiency, Future Vehicles, Talk Back Tuesday
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- Chevrolet Volt GM
October 28, 2008
I just drove the 2009 Audi Q7 3.0 TDI home and back. Like most diesels I've driven recently, this one performed exceptionally well. All the standard-issue complaints (smelly, loud, slow) were absent, but every diesel I've driven over the past few years has shed those pitfalls, so that wasn't much of a surprise.
Far more impressive are the mileage numbers two fellow editors attained as part of the Q7's recent mileage challenge. Even though it involved some creative driving techniques, a figure of 31.5 mpg out of a multi-ton, seven-passenger crossover is, quite simply, astonishing.
Which raises the key question for today: After decades of luke-warm acceptance is it finally time for diesel to shine?
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- Karl Brauer October 28, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Audi, Fuel Efficiency, Talk Back Tuesday
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- Audi Q7 3.0 TDI Diesel Mileage MPG
September 30, 2008
If you believe the recent reports from Chrysler and GM you might think we'll be free of our oil-powered economy in just a couple years.
GM just unveiled the Chevrolet Volt and says it will be selling them by "late 2010." Last week Chrysler made suspiciously similar claims, saying in effect it will be selling a purely electric vehicle in 2010. So far Ford hasn't joined the electric car parade, which may bode well or ill for the Blue Oval depending on your point-of-view.
So maybe that bothersome old "black gold" will be as valuable as VHS players in a couple years, and we'll be able to tell certain Middle East nations what they can do with it.
But I doubt it.
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- Karl Brauer September 30, 2008, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Automotive News, Fuel Efficiency, Future Vehicles, Hybrid Vehicles
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- Talk Back Tuesday Car of the Future
September 23, 2008
If I see or hear one more ad that only
lists highway milage I'm going to dump a barrel of oil in the offending automaker's lobby.
The fuel mileage claims being touted by every vehicle manufacturer have threatened to redefine the term "false advertising." It's frustrating because, technically, the claims aren't false, they just aren't true -- if you know what I mean.
For instance, when automaker ABC claims they have XX models that get over 30 mpg is that highway mileage or mixed mileage? And does every version of a model get over 30 mpg, or just one version (maybe even one version they rarely stock at dealerships)?
To inject some semblance of reality into this fantasy land I asked the crack Edmunds.com data department for a simple calculation: What percentage of each automaker's product line-up is rated at 30 mpg or better on the freeway?
Because some 2009 models aren't out yet we decided to use the 2008 model year as our starting point. And to qualify as a "model that gets 30 mpg or better on the freeway" only one version of the model had to attain that mpg. Here's what we found:
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- Karl Brauer September 23, 2008, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Fuel Efficiency, Talk Back Tuesday
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- Talk Back Tuesday Fuel Efficient
September 18, 2008
If I were the cynical type I could talk about two news stories dominating the headlines this week: GM Turns 100!
and GM Asks For Government Bailout!
Last January I asked the question: Is 100 Years the Shelf Life of an Automobile Company?" because, honestly, I can't think of many companies that have passed the 100 year mark and are still going strong. In reality there are very few automakers that have made it to the big 1-0-0.
But since I already asked how long car companies can last, lets discuss the General's most forward-looking product -- the Chevrolet Volt.
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- Karl Brauer September 18, 2008, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Chevrolet, Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, Fuel Efficiency, Future Vehicles, Hybrid Vehicles
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- Chevrolet Volt
September 17, 2008
Today I'm at a press event for the new 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI
. As a fan of both fuel efficiency and fun-to-drive cars I've been waiting too many years for a new California-legal VW diesel. We've had our certified long-term 2005 Jetta TDI
in the fleet for about nine months, and as much as I enjoy driving it I'm ready to experience the new car's 40 additional horsepower (now up to 140), 59 additional lb-ft of torque (now up to 236) and additional gas sipping powers.
The exact fuel mileage of the new Jetta TDI is in question, as most in-the-know folks feel current EPA testing standards undercut the real-world mileage of modern diesels. EPA ratings of 29/40 have been disputed by third-party testing that put the TDI's numbers at 38/44.
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- Karl Brauer September 17, 2008, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Fuel Efficiency, Volkswagen
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- Volkswagen Jetta TDI Diesel
September 15, 2008
The 2009 Honda Fit
is all new this year, though you have to look pretty close to see any differences. It's a little bigger, a little quicker and a little more expensive (about $600 to $800 more, depending on trim and tranny). Fuel mileage didn't go up at all, but horsepower and (more importantly) torque did.
The last version was basically a Japanese-market car with the steering wheel moved left. Yet even with this minimal amount of re-engineering it offered a solid combination of fuel efficiency, interior space and excellent design/function features.
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- Karl Brauer September 15, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Fuel Efficiency, Honda
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- Honda Fit
August 12, 2008
For most of you I don't have to explain this obvious pattern -- but I'll explain it anyway.
Whether we're talking 2008 or 1978, our car-buying patterns, as they relate to fuel prices, have about as much variation as a teen slasher flick.
It goes something like this: Prices shoot up, people freak out, large vehicles and V8 engines are deemed verboten while economy cars and (more recently) hybrids are hotter than unreleased Brangelina wedding photos. Then, prices eventually drop (rarely to their previous levels, but always from their short-term highs), and/or people get used to the new first digit on gas station signs, and car-buying habits return to "normal" (if you can ever call U.S. car-buying habits normal).
Of course, every time this happens people proclaim, "Yeah, well, I'm not getting burned again! I'm buying something with good mileage right now and never looking back!" But long-term market analysis of the past 35 years proves this declaration to be largely false. And the latest shopping data from Edmunds.com users suggests we're already cycling back to our "bad" car-buying habits.
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- Karl Brauer August 12, 2008, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Automotive News, Fuel Efficiency, Hybrid Vehicles, Talk Back Tuesday
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- Car Buying, Fuel Economy, Talk Back Tuesday
August 11, 2008
It's not that the car market is struggling that gets me, it's that the luxury
car market is in a tailspin.
Aren't these people supposed to be immune to economic downturn?
You can read more in this Dow Jones article, but according to the latest sales figures, which include both July and the first half of the year, many premium brands, from Lincoln to Lexus, are down by double-digit numbers.
The reason are many, and go beyond the turbulent stock market.
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- Karl Brauer August 11, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Automotive News, Fuel Efficiency
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- Economic Downturn, Luxury Car Market
August 8, 2008
I just saw an article
in USA Today about how Nissan is going to "help drivers become more fuel efficient behind the wheel."
No, we're not talking variable intake manifolds or cylinder deactivation or even extra transmission gears. This latest fuel-mileage breakthrough comes in the form of an argumentative throttle pedal.
Specifically, the throttle will "press upward when it senses motorists are speeding up to quickly." In other words, if you try to go "too fast" the pedal will resist your efforts by pushing back against your foot.
I'm not sure I can capture all the frightening aspects of this "technology breakthrough" in a single blog, but I'll try.
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- Karl Brauer August 8, 2008, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Driving, Fuel Efficiency, Nissan
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- Gas Mileage, Throttle Pedal
August 6, 2008
I remember a couple years ago when I had to put fuel in a near-empty Range Rover SC test car. Of course the thing needed premium fuel, and it was during one of the previous gas spikes that had high-octane fuel above $3 a gallon. The pump stopped at $75.16, and when I saw it I freaked out (and it wasn't even my money; Edmunds was paying).
Sadly, that fill-up cost isn't so rare these days. In fact, Edmunds just did a study that showed 18 percent of new cars cost over $100 to fill up based on a gas price of $4.06 a gallon (the national average on July 21st). Ouch!
I don't think I've ever seen the pump read over $100 after a fill up, but in the past month I had three separate occasions where it hit $75 and stopped because of the pre-set dollar cut-off many gas stations have in place. Two of those were in the Ford GT, and both times I had to complete the transaction and start a new one only to see the pump shut-off after less than a gallon of additional gas went in (though that was still another $2-$3).
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- Karl Brauer August 6, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Fuel Efficiency
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- Fill Up, Gas Prices, Tank
July 30, 2008
In case you haven't noticed, fuel prices have dropped recently. Some would call the latest price drops a drop in the bucket (why do I have trouble getting excited over gas costing "only" $4.33 a gallon in Los Angeles?), but a price reduction of 5 percent over the past two weeks is better than the constant gas price hikes we've seen since early spring.
However, as with most things, there are two sides to this reduction in coin. Specifically, as the price of fuel drops so does the advantage of hybrid powertrains over traditional gasoline versions.
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- Karl Brauer July 30, 2008, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Chevrolet, Fuel Efficiency, Honda, Hybrid Vehicles, Lexus, Toyota
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- Fuel Prices, Hybrid Vehicle
July 11, 2008
"The automotive and oil industries need to stop profiting from raping our planet!"
"Environmentalists won't be happy 'til we're all living in caves and eating leaves!"
I could go into a long-winded discussion of the opposing views between environmentalists and car guys, but in the spirit of efficiency I think the above statements capture the most extreme perspectives quite effectively.
This week's Talk Back Tuesday touched on the rising price of energy and how increased domestic drilling and/or the construction of domestic nuclear power plants could offset those costs. As expected, the environmental impact of these actions was debated, both in my original post and in the subsequent comments.
Also as expected, no clear resolution was found, though many of the standard claims about oil addiction and car guy anti-environmentalism were tossed about. I was personally told that "You're a car guy, and (judging from the Michelle Obama comment) evidently a Republican as well, so maybe you have a hard time seeing the value of preserving the environment..." Also "the population as a whole would like both affordable energy and keeping a few parts of the earth unsullied by our addictions."
Okay, so car guys and Republicans can't see the value of preserving the environment, and any interaction between humans and the environment invokes the term "sullied."
I'm not going to speak from an environmentalist's point of view, because I (happily) don't embrace that label for myself. But I can speak from a car guy's, conservationists and Republican's point of view, so here are some basic viewpoints I do hold:
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- Karl Brauer July 11, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Fuel Efficiency
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- Environmentalist, Nuclear Power, Oil Drilling
July 10, 2008
What the majority of crossover/SUV buyers say: "I need a functional, roomy vehicle that can carry me and my stuff wherever I may need to go."
What the majority of crossover/SUV buyers really mean: "I basically need a station wagon, but I want to look cool and sit up high to satisfy my 'king of the road' delusions, and if it can get decent gas mileage all the better."
I bring this up not to make fun of most crossover/SUV buyers, but to point out that a car-like ride and handling, combined with a roomy cabin, useable cargo space and 30-plus mpg, is really all these people want or need.
Ford knows this too, as they've clearly proven with the updated 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid. Everything from horsepower to electric-only motivation to structural integrity and in-car entertainment has been improved.
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- Karl Brauer July 10, 2008, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Ford, Fuel Efficiency, Hybrid Vehicles
- Technorati Tags:
- 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid, Crossover, Fuel Efficiency, SUV
July 7, 2008
Guess what? High fuel prices are forcing a change in people's lifestyles. I've broached the subject directly on this blog a couple times over the past few months, but an Edmunds survey, posted between June 20 and June 25 on our homepage, has confirmed it with real statistics from over 1,300 respondents. Among them:
Nearly 50 percent are driving fewer miles or combining errands to reduce fuel consumption, and another 14% are consciously driving the most fuel-efficient car in the household versus their "regular" car. Just over 10% have revised or cancelled their summer vacation plans, while another 5% were working from home and only 4.9% haven't made any lifestyle changes.
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- Karl Brauer July 7, 2008, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Driving, Fuel Efficiency
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- Fuel Prices
June 30, 2008
A couple weeks ago I wrote a post suggesting the mad dash from "gas guzzlers" to "fuel sippers" was maybe a bit too mad. I further suggested that people consider a more cerebral approach to the situation versus letting current gas prices force them into rash action. Ideally, every potential vehicle purchase is preceded by a careful and thoughtful process of weighing costs and benefits (yeah, right).
I'm happy to report a tool designed to aid in just such behavior. We've produced a brand new "Gas Guzzler for Gas Sipper" calculator that taps into Edmunds' vehicle pricing for folks considering a switch to a more fuel efficient vehicle. You can read the calculator's introductory story here, but the short version has already been stated -- switching from a "big, evil gas hog" to a "warm, fluffy gas sipper" could be a financial blunder.
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- Karl Brauer June 30, 2008, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Fuel Efficiency, Hybrid Vehicles
June 25, 2008
If you're running (likely screaming) from your gas guzzler, and if you have embraced the idea of giving up all manner of fun and luxury in the name of lower fuel costs, the Volkswagen Rabbit is not the economy car for you.
It's not for you because, at a combined EPA fuel rating of 24 mpg, it's simply not that fuel efficient. And at a starting price of $17,000, it's not particularly inexpensive. However, with Germanic steering feel, 170 horsepower from its base engine, and a zero-to-60 time in the 7-second range, it's also rather fun to drive. And with supportive and comfy seats, soft-touch plastics throughout the cabin and a pumpin' base sound sytem it feels more luxurious than most economy cars.
Basically, the Rabbit is a perfect example of moderation in action. If you're looking for super cheap to buy and/or super cheap to feed there are better choices. But if you're looking for relatively cheap to buy and relatively cheap to feed, all while maintaining some sense of luxury and driving entertainment, the Rabbit offers an excellent mix of the aforementioned.
I'm not sure about the name change, as Volkswagen Rabbit always makes me think of the convertible-cheerleader-mobiles from high school, and that's not a positive connotation IMHO. Yes, I know, technically those cars were called "Cabriolet" -- whatever.
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- Karl Brauer June 25, 2008, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Fuel Efficiency, Volkswagen
June 24, 2008
You may have already heard this, but Ford is delaying the launch of the all-new F-150 by two months.
There's really no way to spin this, it's simply bad news. It's bad because they've spent plenty of money redesigning this truck, so any delay in selling it ultimately costs them money. It's bad because the F-150 has represented a guaranteed, fundamental level of income for Ford for decades. Now it doesn't (a lack of 2008 F-150 sales is the official reason Ford is giving for the 2009 model delay).
Finally, it's really bad (for Ford, and all the domestics) because it clearly reflects the hostile market for big, old-school, V8-powered vehicles. This news comes on the heels of GM stating they have postponed the GMT900 (Silverado, Tahoe) platform redesign "indefinitely." So far (and I say that with some trepidation...) the all-new 2009 Dodge Ram launch is still on schedule.
While these news reports aren't exactly earth-shattering, or unexpected, I find them interesting on a level missed by most news reports -- Trucks have gotten pretty damn good!
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- Karl Brauer June 24, 2008, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Automotive News, Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, Fuel Efficiency, Talk Back Tuesday
June 18, 2008
The flight from large trucks and SUVs is undeniable, and we've got the figures to prove it.
If you check out this new AutoObserver story you can read all the gory details, but the upshot is pretty simple, people are fleeing from large trucks and SUVS at an unprecedented rate. The chart above shows what people are coming out of to buy a midsize car when trading in. Basically, people trading in a midsize sedan for another midsize sedan is down 19% compared to January and February of this year, but people trading in something larger than a midsize sedan to get a midsize sedan has skyrocketed. In other words, far more people are coming into this segment than were a few months ago, and most of the people coming in are coming from large and midsize SUVs.
There are plenty of other facts and figures in the article, including a clear uptick in used car purchases (people concerned about future economic issues and wanting to hang on to their money) and a sharp jump in people buying small cars with trade-ins less than four years old (people wanting a fuel-efficient car now versus waiting until their current car "wears out").
While this shift is expected in a world with fuel prices spiking, the sudden change -- and by such a large percentage of buyers -- is unprecedented. Remember, these figures aren't compared to April/May of last year, they are compared to January/February of this year.
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- Karl Brauer June 18, 2008, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Automotive News, Fuel Efficiency
June 13, 2008
A Toyota Prius on PCH is like a news headline about gas prices -- I've become numb from the frequency level of both, to the point of not noticing anymore.
Regardless, I did my part to further the status of "Prius Coast Highway" by driving a 2008 model home recently. The Prius is an interesting prospect. A thrill ride? Certainly not. But there's nothing wrong with this car.
Does that sound like faint praise? Well consider the Caliber, Smart or even Toyota's own Yaris. Can I use the "nothing wrong with this car" line on them? No! In fact there are plenty of economy cars with one or more issues to keep them off my consideration list.
The Prius, by contrast, is relatively fast, stable, confident, comfortable, roomy, luxurious (especially if you pop for the various options) and cargo capable. When I try to think of a reason not to buy it, I come up blank.
Then I look at the near 50 mpg I got on my commute, which equates to about one gallon of gas each way for me, and the Prius' proposition is hard to deny. Finally, with $4-a-gallon gas, it only takes a few years to pay for the car's higher price versus a comparable, non-hybrid compact car.
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- Karl Brauer June 13, 2008, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Fuel Efficiency, Hybrid Vehicles, Toyota
June 12, 2008
The automotive world as we know it has officially turned upside down. I've already mentioned a few May sales numbers in previous posts, but I've got the latest full download from our data guys and there's a solid Top 10 List of interesting points:
1. The Ford Focus outsold the F-150 in May, and is within10,000 units of F-150 year-to-date sales for 2008. Not sure how that reflects on the nine-year-old Focus, the four-year-old F-150 or the eight-month-old Sync technology, but probably mostly a reflection of The New Car Market we are living in.
2. The Honda Civic is within 2,000 year-to-date sales of the F-150, and it outsold Ford's perennial best seller by 20,000 units in May. The Civic will pass the F-150 in June and probably never look back in terms of the 2008 sales race. The bigger question: When (if ever) will the F-150 outsell the Civic again? Will the redesigned 2009 F-150 turn things around? Care to place your bets?
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- Karl Brauer June 12, 2008, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Automotive News, Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, Fuel Efficiency, Hybrid Vehicles
June 9, 2008
By now the domestics have been fully tarred and feathered in the mainstream press for basing their business plan around large trucks and SUVs. For two decades they drank in the heavy body-on-frame profits while putting minimal investment into high quality
small cars. I won't beat that dead horse any further.
Toyota, on the other hand, has maintained a pretty wide product portfolio for the past decade. I've said several times Toyota deserves credit for keeping a full arsenal at the ready. Gas selling for cheap? Step up to one of our many V8-powered large SUVs or luxury cars. Gas prices up? Headlines screaming about man's destruction of fragile Mother Earth? Try our Echo/Yaris or Corolla or mpg-leading Prius.
Yes, I'm aware of the irony that within a year of Toyota launching a truly full-size truck (complete with a brand new, over-budget assembly plant in Texas) gas has hit record highs and big trucks are officially "out" in the average consumer's mind. Something tells me the big "T" will survive this bit of bad timing.
But the most interesting case study of all comes not from the truck-dependent domestics or Tundra-and-Prius-peddling Toyota, but from steadfast Honda. Like the Tortoise and the Hare fable, Honda has plugged along for the last 50 years in this country with a consistent attitude. "We'll make fuel-efficient, value-priced, highly dependable vehicles with a strong emphasis on leading-edge engineering."
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- Karl Brauer June 9, 2008, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Acura, Automotive News, Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, Fuel Efficiency, Honda, Toyota
June 3, 2008
Credit the wife with today's topic. She read an article
this past weekend about "gas theft" in Oxnard, (near Ventura) and while the actual incidence of gas theft hasn't spiked - yet - various police officials fully expect it to as gas inches ever closer to $5 a gallon (it's well above that price for diesel around here). Gas, like gold, is becoming a more valuable commodity evey day.
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- Karl Brauer June 3, 2008, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Fuel Efficiency, Talk Back Tuesday
May 29, 2008
People calling for a $5-a-gallon gas tax to end America's Oil Addiction may get their way without one. As oil prices flirt with $140 a barrel and fuel prices creep past $4-a-gallon the sales of SUVs, minivans, trucks (full-size and
compact) have hit the wall.
Michelle Krebs just posted the latest sales analysis on Auto Observer, and it further confirms with hard evidence what most of us already knew -- Americans weren't buying SUVs because they needed them, and now they aren't buying them at all. If SUV-dependent automakers don't already have a "Plan B" in place and ready to go it may just be too late...
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- Karl Brauer May 29, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Automotive News, Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, Fuel Efficiency, Hybrid Vehicles
May 27, 2008
Sumer is here (yeah, technically not until June 21st, but we all know it starts with Memorial Day), and the question today is simple:
Have your summer vacation plans been impacted by the price of gas?
I'm one of those freaks who actually enjoys driving across the country, and I felt this way long before the body-cavity-search/pay-extra-for-luggage/no-food-provided/no-water-allowed days of air travel.
Now it takes a pretty unique situation for me to board an airplane (like, say, having an ocean in the way). The bummer is, fuel prices have made it nearly as costly to drive as it is to fly, depending on the distance you're traveling and how many folks you're jamming into the car/minivan/SUV.
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- Karl Brauer May 27, 2008, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Fuel Efficiency, Road Trips, Talk Back Tuesday
May 22, 2008
I told you it was coming last week, now it's live and the final results are in.
The most interesting aspect of this test is that it accurately captured the miles-per-gallon results for distinctly different driving conditions. Most tests just lump all mpg figures together and say, "We got XX mpg in mixed driving." What exactly does "mixed" mean? For our fuel test we broke the results up and recorded fuel costs and gas useage for each segment of the driving loop. This makes it easy to see which of the competitors did well in each driving condition.
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- Karl Brauer May 22, 2008, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Ford, Fuel Efficiency, Hybrid Vehicles, Smart Car, Toyota, Volkswagen
May 21, 2008
"Attention all you lumbering, gas-guzzling SUV drivers out there: It's time for you to do your duty as a good American and trade in that fuel hog for an efficient small car that simply meets your needs -- rather than blatantly exceeds them!"
The above sentiment is likely held by many Americans (and non-Americans, for that matter), but I'm not one of them. I agree it's foolish to own far more car than you really need, especially if it's your daily driver versus an occasional pleasure vehicle. But that just comes down to wasting gas money (especially these days) versus some imagined "moral imperative." If you've got the money to -- literally -- burn and simply must have an SUV, knock yourself out.
But the real point of this blog is to ask that dreaded question: How much safety are you giving up when you "go small" in your car choice? This is a question many SUV and large-car drivers are currently asking themselves, so it deserves a look.
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- Karl Brauer May 21, 2008, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Fuel Efficiency, Safety Systems, Smart Car, Traffic Safety
May 15, 2008
I spent most of yesterday at Willow Springs Raceway as part of our second Edmunds Consumer Comparison Test: Economy Cars.
If you saw my earlier post you already know that we wanted to pit the leading (by both sales and editorial opinion) economy sedans against each other, but beyond picking the entrants and organizing the test session we would offer no guidance on which car we like the best.
Six consumers performed each of the evaluations on the economy sedans. The excercises including a city driving loop, a highway loop, acceleration, braking and handling tests, plus a static evaluation where they could test cargo capacity, examine interior features and generally go over each car with a fine tooth comb.
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- Karl Brauer May 15, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Fuel Efficiency, Honda, Mazda, Toyota
May 8, 2008
If put to a real-world test, which of these cars would get the best fuel mileage? That's the question we intended to answer with our test of a 2008 Ford Focus, 2005 (certified used) Volkswagen Jetta TDI, 2008 Toyota Prius and 2008 Smart Fourtwo.
So we ran each of them through an identical test loop of close to 1,000 miles. The loop included everything from highway travel and constant speeds to stop-and-go driving in one of the most congested towns on the planet (not L.A.) to medium speeds on deserted two-lanes. When you put a diesel (Jetta) up against a hybrid (Prius) up against a traditional economy car (Focus) up against a...a -- well, whatever the Smart car is -- what do you get in terms of fuel mileage and fuel costs?
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- Karl Brauer May 8, 2008, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Ford, Fuel Efficiency, Hybrid Vehicles, Smart Car, Toyota, Volkswagen
May 2, 2008
With a 35 mpg standard by 2020 staring automakers in the face it seems unlikely SUVs will survive the coming CAFE spike, right?
Maybe not. First, as I noted in my blog post last December, that 35 mpg CAFE rating doesn't really equate to a 35 mpg EPA rating. You can read more about the topic in this article. Bottom line -- because of the different testing procedures between these two agencies a vehicle only needs to average about 26 mpg, by EPA testing standards, to meet the 2020 CAFE requirement.
And if you check our latest Top 10 Most Fuel Efficient SUVs for 2008 list, you'll see that every SUV on this list already has at least one number above 26 mpg, and the top five entries average 26 mpg or better. Yes, five of them are essentially the same car (props to Ford for being so far ahead of the game) but the Escape, and even the Escape Hybrid, have been out for years already.
And remember, these are 2008 vehicles on sale today. In 12 years how many more SUVs will be pulled up to this level? Well, I guess all the ones still on sale at that point...
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- Karl Brauer May 2, 2008, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Fuel Efficiency, Hybrid Vehicles
April 29, 2008
In case you haven't noticed, the price of gas is a bit higher than it used to be. Actually, its ranging from 50 to 80 cents more per gallon than it was this time last year, and over the past weekend I almost couldn't cover my fuel charge with a $20 bill -- for my motorcycle! That was a bit of a wake up call.
I remember a conversation between my parents where my dad was talking about all the people who said they'd use roller skates before paying a given price for a gallon of gas. Of course, this conversation took place in 1984, and the price people were agonizing over was $1.25-a-gallon. Now we're at $4-a-gallon, and I still haven't seen any rollerskates.
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- Karl Brauer April 29, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Fuel Efficiency, Talk Back Tuesday
April 1, 2008
Diesel powertrains make up over 50 percent of new-car sales in Europe. On a cost-benefit ratio, diesels are more efficient and environmentally responsible (especially when you take total vehicle production and lifecycle into account) than hybrids. Modern fuel-system and exhaust-system technologies have removed much of the noise, smell, soot and pollution associated with diesel engines while giving them near gasoline-like responsiveness and performance (just ask Audi).
Basically, diesels have nearly every advantage over hybrid drivetrains, and score pretty well against traditional gasoline engines, too. I've spent the last week in our long-term Volkswagen Jetta TDI, and today I'm driving a 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee CRD (look for my specific post on that vehicle tomorrow). Both vehicles continue to validate the effectiveness of modern diesels at reducing fuel consumption and exhuast emissions while cutting our dependence on imported oil.
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- Karl Brauer April 1, 2008, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Fuel Efficiency, Talk Back Tuesday
March 28, 2008
This isn't exactly a new warning call. In fact, we wrote an article on "miracle fuel additives" back in September of 2005, and our own Phil Reed did a blog on the topic last year. But no matter how often I try to shoo people away from these modern day snake-oil salesmen the spam emails and flashy Web sites, always filled with outrageous claims, keep popping up. Typically they reach full crescendo around this time of year -- as the weather warms, people start planning vacations and the summer blends crank up the price of gas even higher. I can only assume the resilience of these shady characters comes from consistently making money off duping people with false promises, despite my best efforts.
My email has been clogged with a flood of these fake product promotions in recent weeks, so maybe I'm a bit more sensitive to the flow of B.S. than most of you. I always chuckle at the wording these hucksters use. The following lines are direct quotes from such an email:
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- Karl Brauer March 28, 2008, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Fuel Efficiency
March 26, 2008
In the next 48 hours you're going to hear a lot of squawking about electric cars by various "green" groups. That's because the California Air Resources Board (CARB) is meeting on March 27th (Friday) to possibly reinstate the zero-emissions vehicle (ZEV) mandate they abandoned back in 2003.
I find this fascinating because the same justifications these groups will use to demand electric cars are the same reasons it should be clear why EVs aren't viable. People associated with Tesla Motors and the movie Who Killed the Electric Car will be on hand in Sacramento today to tow the EV line. Let's look at each group's claim.
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- Karl Brauer March 26, 2008, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Fuel Efficiency, Hybrid Vehicles
March 20, 2008
We just posted a fabulous story on gas saving tips. With prices inching ever higher it seemd like the perfect time to re-run the old "A/C versus non-A/C" test. Or how about the "tailgate up versus tailgate down" rumor we've all heard regarding fuel mileage?
Three of our staffers (one a former automotive engineer) ran a Lexus ES 350, Buick Enclave and Toyota Tundra along a 60-mile stretch of California's Interstate 5 in the Central Valley. This region bares a strong resemblance to Kansas -- flat and straight (with miminal scenery), meaning small changes to driving conditions can yield small (or big) changes in fuel economy -- without other factors playing a role.
Does having empty roof rails on an SUV effect mileage versus removing them completely? The answer is "yes" but leaving them up there only cost us 1 percent in fuel mileage. But strap a few pieces of luggage down on those rails and guess what happens? In our testing program gas mileage dropped 21 percent! And you thought traveling light was only smart at airports.
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- Karl Brauer March 20, 2008, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Driving, Fuel Efficiency
March 14, 2008
There's an undeniable trend that just keeps repeating this auto show season. It started in Tokyo last October, though at that show you expect to see a bizarre combination of performance (Nissan GT-R) and environmental responsibility (Honda Puyo). But the same themes have appeared at Los Angeles, Detroit, Chicago and Geneva.
You've got car companies committed to vehicles like the Dodge Challenger and and Corvette ZR-1 because they had their genesis back when fuel was $2 a gallon and the Prius was still a punchline in late night monologues. At the same time every automaker is scrambling to produce an earth-friendly, Al Gore-approved form of transportation as quickly as possible.
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- Karl Brauer March 14, 2008, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Auto Shows, Fuel Efficiency, Future Vehicles
March 6, 2008
Some of you may have already seen this, but an article in Tuesday's Wall Street Journal takes what seems like a very reasoned, rational look at the earth's oil supplies, recovery efficiencies and rate of consumption. Conclusion? We have enough oil to last until approximately the end of this century. And yes, that figure takes into account the rising demands for oil in developing countries.
Obviously such statements are funded by the oil companies and cleared with Dick Cheney before ever being printed, but if you can step outside your conspiracy theories for about five minutes and give this article a read you might discover some very sound evidence.
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- Karl Brauer March 6, 2008, 7:00 AM
- Categories:
- Fuel Efficiency
February 19, 2008
I touched on this subject about 10 months ago, but it deserves another visit in the wake of recent activity. First is the ratification of a new energy bill that will raise CAFE standards dramatically (though not as much as you my think...). Now comes a story about insurance companies waging a war on horsepower.
As I noted in early April of 2007, the storm clouds are gathering and it appears a long, bitter "anti-performance" winter is about to begin. As you might expect, a period of "performance-car hibernation" is sure to follow, setting the stage for current supercars like the Corvette ZR1 and Nissan GT-R to play the role of 21st Century Hemi 'Cudas and Super Duty Trans Ams.
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- Karl Brauer February 19, 2008, 7:00 AM
- Categories:
- Fuel Efficiency, Talk Back Tuesday
January 25, 2008
By now you've probably seen the news regarding Tesla's launch date for its all-electric roadster. The day that will live in infamy (or not) is March 17th.
I'm heartened by this news, as I (along with many others) had been moving from cautiously optimistic to downright skeptical regarding the Tesla's real-world chances. Does this date mean I'm no longer skeptical? Nope. Beyond the slipping launch date the car's technical specifications keep slipping, too. What started as a 250-mile range car with zero-to-60 in 4.0 seconds and an MSRP of $92,000 has shifted to 200 miles, zero-to-60 in 5.7 seconds and $98,000.
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- Karl Brauer January 25, 2008, 7:00 AM
- Categories:
- Fuel Efficiency, Future Vehicles, Hybrid Vehicles, Tesla
January 10, 2008
The good news regarding the Hummer H3 Alpha relates to the SUV's geneology. Starting with the same platform as the Chevrolet Colorado/GMC Canyon is reason enough to give me pause. Our long-term GMC Canyon was underpowered, unrefined and unappealing in almost every way. But this version of the GMT355 platform (called the GMT345 for Hummer use) is surprisingly adequate in terms of ride quality, handling and front-seat comfort (none of which could be said of the pickup trucks). And with the 5.3-liter V8 in the "Alpha" version, it's actually relatively quick, too (for a serious off-road machine anyway).
But that's about where the accolades end. The list of de-merits is pretty long, particularly for a $43,000 SUV. Most competitors (Toyota FJ Cruiser, Nissan Xterra, Jeep Wrangler) are considerably cheaper while being about as quick in a straight line and just as competent off road. And they don't swill pretrol like this beast, either (13/18 mpg vs. 16/20 for the FJ).
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- Karl Brauer January 10, 2008, 7:00 AM
- Categories:
- Fuel Efficiency, Hummer
January 4, 2008
I had an opportunity to drive a Volkswagen Jetta TDI last night. This isn't the first time I've driven a diesel VW. Back in 1998, when I first joined Edmunds.com, the "brand new" long-term car was a bright yellow 1998 New Beetle TDI. I only drove it a couple times, and I distinctly remember a frantic search for a diesel fuel pump in West L.A. as the gas gauge dropped to "E" and below. But I also remember liking the low-end torque and high fuel mileage. I've driven a few other TDI test cars in the years since, but it's been awhile.
Driving this Jetta diesel brought back memories of just how much sense these cars make. I know BMW will be showing a diesel X5 in Detroit in about a week. Mercedes is also preparing their 50-state legal system, and Honda should have diesel-powered models in showrooms in the next year. This Jetta reaffirmed my thinking that it's about time!
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- Karl Brauer January 4, 2008, 7:00 AM
- Categories:
- Fuel Efficiency, Hybrid Vehicles, Volkswagen
December 26, 2007
All hail Nancy Pelosi and "the energy bill" -- as it means we'll finally be driving 35 mpg cars in just 12 years, right?
WRONG! I'm not sure if any of you caught this recent Newsweek article, but it points out an interesting disconnect between CAFE and EPA mileage testing. Our own technical wizard, Dan Edmunds, is quoted in the article, and he notes that even today a car rated for 21 mpg by the EPA gets 27.5 mpg according to CAFE standards. This is because CAFE still uses the same testing standards it established in 1975, while the EPA has updated its procedures twice. First it lowerd its results by 10 percent city and 22 percent highway across the board in 1984 to address widespread complaints of inaccurate mileage numbers. And then the EPA altered its testing procudures for 2008 to further improve accuracy.
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- Karl Brauer December 26, 2007, 7:00 AM
- Categories:
- Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, Fuel Efficiency, Future Vehicles, Hybrid Vehicles
November 29, 2007
If you're thinking of buying a Smart Fortwo when it goes on sale in a few weeks I would caution you on a couple items.
No, it's not the safety aspect, though I'm sure most Smart doubters will use that as their primary reason for avoidiing it ("I ain't drivin' that thang! An SUV will squish it like a bug!"). The car's "safety cell" is quite impressive and the testing procedures I've seen suggest it can take quite a beating.
No, it's not a lack of space. Sure, it only seats two, but those two people have plenty of room. It's actually a bit surreal when you drive the Smart for a awhile and then get out and look at it. "Was I just driving that tiny car at 70 mph? No way!" The car doesn't feel small -- at all -- from behind the wheel.
It's not even a horsepower issue. It ain't no Veyron, but keeping up with traffic is not a problem. I was actually passing people on PCH without needing substantially more time/space than I normally require. The three-cylinder, 70 hp engine moves the 1,700-pound Fortwo with relative ease, all while attaining 33/44 mpg.
No, none of these items are issues. But the following items...
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- Karl Brauer November 29, 2007, 7:00 AM
- Categories:
- Fuel Efficiency, Smart Car
November 28, 2007
After re-setting the 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe HYBRID's fuel computer, and averaging 19.8 mpg over a 100-mile loop (from work to home, and back) I initially felt underwhelmed. But then I considered the 6.0-liter V8 under the hood, the 6,000-pound towing capacity, the nine-passenger people capacity, and the 5,600-pound curb weight. Okay, all things considered, a real-world mpg of 19.8 (without any effort to "drive it easy" for mileage) is impressive.
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- Karl Brauer November 28, 2007, 7:00 AM
- Categories:
- Chevrolet, Fuel Efficiency, Hybrid Vehicles
November 15, 2007
Well guys, I made it to both meals, despite the urge to simply kick it in the Lexus LS 600's massaging rear seat on the show floor instead. I must get more comfortable "fancy" shoes for these damn auto shows.
The Ed Peper/Chevrolet lunch was great. There were only about 12 journalists, so each writer had plenty of time to ask his questions. Here's what I learned:
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- Karl Brauer November 15, 2007, 7:00 AM
- Categories:
- Auto Shows, BMW, Chevrolet, Fuel Efficiency, Future Vehicles, Hybrid Vehicles
November 7, 2007
Despite the updated 2008 EPA tests for fuel mileage this new 2008 Mazda Tribute Hybrid gets 29 mpg in the city and 34 on the highway. That's a real-world average of over 30 mpg. It's not quick, with a 155 horsepower drivetrain using a 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine and an electric motor that can move the car up to 25 mph without burning any fuel (if you go easy on the throttle). The CVT tranny doesn't add to this SUV's sportiness, with a high-pitched whine at take-off that had me checking for cops until I got used to the distant siren song. Handling isn't superb by modern SUV/crossover standards, either. Not surprising considering the body-on-frame design circa 2001.
After driving it last night I can confirm it's not quick, nimble or even as stylish as any other current Mazda product (despite exterior upgrades for 2008). But it still offers nearly 30 cubic feet of storage space behind the second-row seat, and up to 66 cubic feet of storage when you fold that seat down. It has a comfortable ride, sufficient secod-row seating space, dual-zone climate control, a 110-volt power outlet and a kickin' audio system with auxiliary input. In other words, it's clearly not a penalty box and is hard to truly fault (though I'd like less Ford-esque hard plastic on the dash and door panels). And did I mention it gets over 30 mpg?
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- Karl Brauer November 7, 2007, 7:00 AM
- Categories:
- Fuel Efficiency, Hybrid Vehicles, Mazda
October 23, 2007
Last week Consumer Reports stated it would no longer place new or redesigned Toyota models on the publication's "recommended" list until it has at least a year's worth of reliability ratings on said models. Previously Toyota's all-new vehicles got a "pass" on earning the "recommended" rating because of the brand's formerly
stellar reliability reputation. You can read more of the details here
.
Then, yesterday, a group of "greenies" met outside Santa Monica Toyota to protest the company's stance on California's efforts to implement Assembly Bill (AB) 1493. This is the bill that would allow California to regulate vehicle fuel mileage by deeming carbon dioxide a "pollutant" (BTW, I'm hoping you didn't just gasp at that bit of news, because if you did you're also polluting our atmosphere). While I may not agree with these folks' stance on the top threat to our planet, I can't deny the fact that Toyota is making plenty of money off Tundra, Sequoia and V8 Lexus sales. Bottom line: the greenies and I appear to agree that Toyota's "green" reputation may be somewhat overblown.
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- Karl Brauer October 23, 2007, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Fuel Efficiency, Talk Back Tuesday, Toyota
September 5, 2007
I'd like to be able to say "There's a great article
in this Sunday's L.A. Times" but all I can honestly say is, "The L.A. Times is only about five years late on this one." Waaay back in March of 2002 I wrote an editorial titled "(Wasteful) Actions Speak Louder than (Environmental) Words."
I wrote this article after seeing scores of Hollywoodies in West L.A. driving highly fuel in
effecient vehicles like Lincoln Navigators (Jennifer Lopez), Land Rover Range Rovers (Dustin Hoffman) and gray market G-Wagons (Arnold Schwarzenegger, before he was governor and before the G-class was being imported by Mercedes-Benz).
Now the L.A. Times is uncovering the shocking fact that (gasp!) some Hollywoodies aren't really as environmentally conscious as they claim to be!!!! Actually, the article basically admits that these folks have never been truly concerned over their wasteful lifestyle, but now society at large is finally calling them on it. (Sigh) Once again, I'm five years ahead of society.
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- Karl Brauer September 5, 2007, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Driving, Fuel Efficiency, Hybrid Vehicles
August 24, 2007
I wrote about the concept of crushing older cars to reduce vehicle emissions waaaaay back in the summer of 2001. This subject comes up every few years when the latest batch of legislators is looking to put an environmental feather in their cap. As I stated in my original editorial column, crushing older vehicles not only doesn't reduce emissions, it often raises them. Beyond the editorial I linked to above, here's another interesting take on the subject.
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- Karl Brauer August 24, 2007, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Driving, Fuel Efficiency, Muscle Car
August 21, 2007
It's time I admit it publicly -- I'm worried about the Tesla Roadster. Just last week a story by Automotive News' Mark Rechtin covered the latest delay in the electric Roadster's on-sale date, now scrubbed from late summer 2007 to fourth-quarter 2007. This announcement comes only a week after an announcement that the company's co-founder, Martin Eberhard, had "stepped down" from the post of CEO. Our own investigations have suggested the move was meant to free up Eberhard from the rigors of running the company and allow him to get back to the business of producing the car. An awfully good explanation...almost too good.
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- Karl Brauer August 21, 2007, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Fuel Efficiency, Future Vehicles, Hybrid Vehicles, Talk Back Tuesday, Tesla
August 17, 2007
I already covered the 2008 Lincoln Navigator a few weeks ago, but I just drove the "L" version and realized this car is more than simply a Cadillac Escalade ESV competitor. It's really (along with the Ford Expedition EL) a replacement for the Excursion. That particular Ford vehicle was lambasted by everyone from environmentalists to safety advocates (not surprising considering the curb weight of more than 7,000 pounds and real-world mileage around 12 mpg).
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- Karl Brauer August 17, 2007, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Cadillac, Ford, Fuel Efficiency, Lincoln
August 14, 2007
The price of gas has been dropping, and all indications are that it will continue to drop -- at least in the near term. According to a recent Business Journal article
the price of gas in Long Beach is 7 cents cheaper than last week, 15 cents cheaper than last month, and 28 cents cheaper than this time last year. This trend follows nationwide, and the timing is great, as many folks are still enjoying the summer driving season.
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- Karl Brauer August 14, 2007, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Fuel Efficiency, Talk Back Tuesday
August 6, 2007
For all the concerns people spout regarding our supply of gas I find myself far more concerned about our supply of gas stations. I spent the last few days in Newport Beach attending the Ford GT Owner's Rally, and the single most disturbing aspect of the rally was the near absence of gas stations in that area. At one point, as I droned up and down Jamboree Road near the El Toro air base with the gas needle edging ever close to "E", I realized I'd covered at least five miles in my search for fuel without a single pump sighting.
And it wasn't like I was driving through rural Montana or the Mojave Desert -- I was in the middle of Orange County! It was truly surreal. I mean, there were cars driving all around me. And, unless I'd somehow slept through the extinction of the internal combustion engine and the birth of a fuel cell world, I knew these other cars were burning gasoline, and that gasoline had to come from somewhere.
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- Karl Brauer August 6, 2007, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Driving, Fuel Efficiency
July 17, 2007
We just posted a story on the next Toyota Prius at AutoObserver.com. It's an interesting look at what Toyota is planning for perhaps the most influential car in the company's recent history. You can read the full details in the story, but the main points are as follows:
1. Toyota will be launching the "first" next Prius in 2009; it will be slightly larger than the current model
2. The "second" new Prius will be much larger than the current car, similar in design to the Hybrid X concept, and launch in 2010
3. The "third" new Prius will be smaller than the current model, similar in size to the Corolla, and launch in 2011.
It's also worth noting that the new models are going to use nickel-metal hydride batteries, not lithium-ion.
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- Karl Brauer July 17, 2007, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Fuel Efficiency, Future Vehicles, Hybrid Vehicles, Talk Back Tuesday, Toyota
July 13, 2007
You know what the best part of the Honda Civic GX is? The "Honda Civic" part. Like a 3 Series for the economy car segment the Civic continues to be the target every other economy car maker aims for. I also like the Mazda 3, and for pure driving pleasure that car has a slight advantage. But as an overall package (i.e. interior materials, ergonomics, tactile feel to the controls) the Civic probably has a slight edge. It's close either way (does that make the Mazda 3 the G35 of this segment?).
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- Karl Brauer July 13, 2007, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Fuel Efficiency, Honda, Hybrid Vehicles
July 10, 2007
If you haven't already seen Michelle Kreb's write-up on the death of the Cadillac Sixteen and Buick Velite
you should. And while you're over at AutoObserver.com you can read her latest feature story
that explores GM's lowest monthly market share in nearly a decade -- 22.1. That's the lowest market share number since a summer strike in 1998. The upside is that GM's incentive spending is down, as are its fleet sales.
If GM's plan is to focus on profitability over market share it seems to be on the right track. But I question the wisdom of killing such halo products as the Sixteen and Velite. According to Mr. Lutz those products don't make sense in a world focused on fuel mileage and "green" responsibility. But over at Toyota they've just launched the largest (and most fuel hungry) full-size truck in the company's history, and a monstrous Sequoia is waiting in the wings.
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- Karl Brauer July 10, 2007, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, Fuel Efficiency, Future Vehicles, Hybrid Vehicles, Talk Back Tuesday
June 28, 2007
Since everyone seemed to love (or hate) the Saturn Aura Hybrid comments from yesterday here's more hybrid blog fodder. I just ran two identical driving loops in the 2007 Nissan Altima Hybrid and Toyota Camry Hybrid. These loops were about 66 percent through the Santa Monica Mountains and 33 percent along PCH. We use this area because it offers relatively traffic-free driving (at least during mid-day) and a good mix of driving situations. Truth be told it's not the best loop for hybrid vehicles because it offers almost no stop-and-go driving and the average speed on this loop was about 46 mph (well above the speeds where an internal combustion engine can really be "helped" by the electric motor). That said, the route is easily controlled by the driver because of the lack of traffic, meaning I could essentially pick my speed and driving style versus having it dictated to me by other drivers and/or "road conditions." I actually didn't change my driving style much, but I did tend to leave a larger gap in front of me so I could coast down hills to recapture energy and/or have momentum when the road went from downhill to uphill (which is quite often on this loop). So how did they do?
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- Karl Brauer June 28, 2007, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Fuel Efficiency, Hybrid Vehicles, Nissan, Toyota
June 27, 2007
I finally got some seat time in Saturn's Aura Hybrid (yes, our test car was the exact same color as our long-term Aura). This hybrid is defined as a "weak hybrid" because it can't motivate itself on pure electricity. The engine always has to be running whenever the car is moving. It's basically similar to GM's full-size truck "hybrid" system, meaning it can shut off when stopped and provide a bit of boost when accelerating.
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- Karl Brauer June 27, 2007, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Fuel Efficiency, Hybrid Vehicles, Nissan, Saturn, Toyota
June 19, 2007
You don't have to be a Le Mans fan to know that diesel engines are about to make an assault on the U.S. market. A respected source told us awhile back that Honda was investing heavily in diesel technology as a future staple of the company's drivetrain offerings, and not just for Europe. These Honda diesels will be for sale in normally diesel-retarded America, too. Speculation on Toyota's interest in diesel has been fueled (sorry) by the company's recent purchase of a stake in Isuzu and reports of talks between the two Japanese automakers
regarding Isuzu's ability to supply diesel engines for Toyota.
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- Karl Brauer June 19, 2007, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Fuel Efficiency, Future Vehicles, Hybrid Vehicles, Talk Back Tuesday
June 12, 2007
We've all heard about how much of a potential role E85/ethanol will play in America's energy independence. The theory is pretty straightforward: Instead of buying our vehicle fuel from the other side of the planet (where some folks don't like us very much...) why not grow the fuel in our vast and fertile heartland? After all, Brazil did it so why can't we?
The reality is a bit more complicated. There are numerous factors that have to be considered. What is the cost/energy required to turn corn into a combustible fuel?..
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- Karl Brauer June 12, 2007, 6:00 AM
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- Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, Fuel Efficiency, Hybrid Vehicles, Talk Back Tuesday
June 5, 2007
If you've been following automotive sales figures
for the past few months you already know two things: it's tough to be an automaker right now, and it's brutal to be an SUV-dependent company these days. While April sales figures were enough to frighten even the most optimistic auto execs, the May figures offer some hope -- if you've got cars and crossovers in the lineup. GM, Toyota, Chrysler and Nissan posted sales gains, while Ford and Honda slipped. However, the true picture comes not from total sales but from what is selling. For instance, here's an interesting piece of data I heard directly from Toyota's top executives yesterday -- the Prius was the ninth best-selling vehicle in May. Not ninth best selling car, but best selling vehicle
. That means even when placed against the large trucks (F150, Silverado, Ram, etc.) and the midsize sedans (Camry, Accord, Altima, etc.), not to mention all the less expensive economy cars (Civic, Corolla, Focus, etc.) it was still a top-ten seller
. First time it's ever done that, BTW. Anecdotally, I can attest to not being able to swing a Ford GT's rear end around PCH on my commute without hitting a Prius (not that I would ever do that, of course).
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- Karl Brauer June 5, 2007, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, Fuel Efficiency, Hybrid Vehicles, Talk Back Tuesday, Toyota
May 22, 2007
It's become increasingly apparent to me that the race for "greenest carmaker" has little to do with actually producing "green" vehicles. Two weeks ago
I lambasted car companies that try to claim the "green" title while doing little (or just not nearly as much as they could) to create real-world
reductions in their fleet's vehicle emissions and/or fuel consumption. This week I'm going to call out some noble efforts in this area -- even if the popular green movement has already moved on to, well, greener (at least in their eyes) pastures.
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- Karl Brauer May 22, 2007, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, Fuel Efficiency, Hybrid Vehicles, Talk Back Tuesday
May 17, 2007
After several false starts, the Smart Car
looks to finally (officially) be landing on American shores in 2008 (a company called "Zap"
has been importing Smarts and selling them in the U.S. for a couple years). For $99 you can reserve your own teensy-tiny city car that is supposed to get 40-plus mpg and cost between $12,000 and $17,000.
When it comes to U.S. buyers' interest in these vehicles, and the level of Smart's success in this country, I'm hearing everything from "it's going to bomb" to "da bomb" from various friends and co-workers. Penske's United Auto Group, the distributor of Smart's efforts here, is taking the cars on a road show in coming months to promote awareness of -- and interest in -- the little runabout. Here's my take:
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- Karl Brauer May 17, 2007, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Fuel Efficiency, Future Vehicles, Hybrid Vehicles, Safety Systems, Smart Car
May 16, 2007
I'm going to describe an automotive technology for you, and you try to guess what I'm talking about.
This technology started out with the best of intentions. It was supposed to increase vehicle performance and fuel efficiency, but it proved too costly, undependable and unrefined to deliver on that promise. Sure, it worked in laboratory tests and under very specific real-world conditions, but the technology's potential for benefitting real-world, consumer-oriented vehicles appeared slim. While repeated attempts to improve the technology's effectiveness occurred within the R&D departments of various automakers and suppliers, it's widespread adoption on mainstream models seemed unlikely.
So, am I talking about hybrid drivetrains or fuel injection? Of course by now you know I'm talking about both.
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- Karl Brauer May 16, 2007, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Chevrolet, Fuel Efficiency, Future Vehicles, Hybrid Vehicles
May 8, 2007
Yesterday's post about the Ford Escape Hybrid's seat covers being made from "post-industrial waste" got me thinking about a far more interesting topic: What can an automaker do to be truly earth conscious? By this I mean actions that provide more than press-release fodder. What can they do to have a genuine impact
on how humans use natural, non-renewable resources and/or a measurable reduction
in their own vehicle-fleet emissions. If you've read this blog for any length of time you already know I don't believe the "chicken little" scenarios that have every coastal community under water by 2010 and/or the global oil supply running out by 2012, but at the same time I fully support the need to end our dependence on Middle East-supplied oil. And if we can cut our vehicle emissions as well you won't see me complaining (heck, it might even end my Orange County headaches).
Like any effective change in the status quo, I'm convinced that addressing these issues will require a substantive change in corporate priorities, and maybe even (gasp) a willingness to moderately curb profits -- at least in the short run. Because Toyota has, aguably, made the most progress in this direction I'm going to use them as an example of how this should work.
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- Karl Brauer May 8, 2007, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Fuel Efficiency, Hybrid Vehicles, Talk Back Tuesday
May 7, 2007
Ford must have known I was going to San Fransisco this weekend. How else can one explain the arrival of a Ford Escape bag in my mail one day before I left. The bag itself, according to the tag attached to it, "...is made from 100 percent post-industrial waste." The release specifically notes that San Fancisco recently banned all plastic bags to save 450,000 gallons of oil a year and remove 1,400 tons of debris from landfills. Thus, with this bag, I can buy groceries in S.F...
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- Karl Brauer May 7, 2007, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Ford, Fuel Efficiency
May 3, 2007
Feeling a bit dated in your old-world, four-speed-automatic-equipped automobile? Well get ready for gear envy, as those German wunderman at ZF have just announced an 8-speed automatic
for passenger car applications. According to ZF press material
, the new automatic will provide a six percent increase in fuel economy compared to a 6-speed automatic, and it wallops a 5-speed automatic with 14 percent better fuel efficiency (the company didn't even bother with 4-speed comparisons). The transmission also transmits more power than the previous version while maintaining the same physical dimensions...
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- Karl Brauer May 3, 2007, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Fuel Efficiency, Hybrid Vehicles
May 2, 2007
Excellent write up on the latest CAFE talks
and how the government is ready to pounce on automakers...again. Holman W. Jenkins, Jr. of The Wall Street Journal
accurately describes the forces at play in the CAFE debate...
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- Karl Brauer May 2, 2007, 2:21 PM
- Categories:
- Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, Fuel Efficiency, Hybrid Vehicles
April 30, 2007
A couple weeks ago I commented on the potential shift from high performance to highly green vehicles. I referenced the shift in vehicle performance that occurred during the early 1970s (after emissions standards and fuel prices shot up) as an example of where things may be headed again. But, if that change is comng at all, it hasn't affected the Chevrolet Corvette...yet. Our first drive of the 2008 Corvette testifies to the car's new 6.2-liter, 436 horsepower engine...
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- Karl Brauer April 30, 2007, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Chevrolet, Fuel Efficiency, Hybrid Vehicles
April 16, 2007
Of course I'm excited by the prospect of a U.S.-bound Skyline, but
Nissan is also the latest automaker to jump on the electric-car/plug-in hybrid bandwagon. In an announcement
that sounds strangely like a GM or Toyota press release Nissan stated its goal to become "number one" in electric cars. The automaker is joining forces with NEC to produce lithium-ion batteries, and it promises to have a plug-in hybrid and a pure electric car by early next decade.
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- Karl Brauer April 16, 2007, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Fuel Efficiency, Future Vehicles, Hybrid Vehicles
April 10, 2007
If you've studied automotive history...well, congratulations! You're among a depressingly elite group of people in today's world. Regardless, if you know your history you know that big changes in the automotive marketplace tend to come in cycles. Two of the most dramatic occurred in the 1960s and the 1970s. In the '60s performance ratcheted up as domestic automakers got into a horsepower war; a war that resulted in the most powerful production vehicles of the era. Then, in the early 1970s, a combination of factors aligned to not only end the horsepower war but punish the combatants (both at the manufacturer and customer level). Between political, environmental and safety concerns it was suddenly much cooler (or at least more socially conscious) to drive a Vega than a 'Vette. In case you haven't already noticed, we're on the brink of a similar shift.
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- Karl Brauer April 10, 2007, 6:37 AM
- Categories:
- Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, Fuel Efficiency, Future Vehicles, Hybrid Vehicles, Safety Systems, Talk Back Tuesday
April 6, 2007
According to an ABC News story
, gas could hit $4 a gallon this summer. We've got a weather expert predicting a nasty hurricane season this year
(the same guy was wrong last year...) and we've got that everlasting gobstopper of a "Middle East Crisis" to contend with. The national average is already at $3.07, which is pretty high considering we're still weeks away from the start
of the summer driving season (when prices always go up). According to this story it's not the supply of oil that's causing the problem, it's the supply of refineries...
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- Karl Brauer April 6, 2007, 6:04 AM
- Categories:
- Fuel Efficiency, Hybrid Vehicles
April 3, 2007
Remember a few weeks ago when I suggested that "Global Warming" was on the precipice of transitioning from unsubstantiated theory to widely-accepted fact? Well, to quote Jeff Goldblum in Jurassic Park, "Man do I hate being right all the time." The Supreme Court today ruled
that the EPA has both the right, and the obligation, to regulate "greenhouse gasses" like carbon dioxide. This is because the Supreme Court believes "greenhouse gasses" fit into the Clean Air Act's definition of an "air pollutant." Yes, that means that everyone reading this post is officially emitting an "air pollutant" -- and not from the orafice you first thought about. This also means that plant food (remember, plants inhale carbon dioxide) is an "air pollutant." And when those same plants die and start to rot, they have the nerve to continue spewing deadly CO2 into the air. Since I'm quoting movie lines in today's blog, "Damn you plants! Damn you all to Hell!!!" For a great read on this perspective see Patrick Bedard's editorial
from last September.
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- Karl Brauer April 3, 2007, 6:07 AM
- Categories:
- Fuel Efficiency, Hybrid Vehicles, Talk Back Tuesday
March 29, 2007
As a follow up to Tuesday's suggestion that plug-in hybrids and solar (or wind) energy represent the realistic solution to our energy problems I'd like to introduce the Killacycle. This is a motorcycle that does zero-to-60 in 1.4 seconds -- without burning a drop of gasoline. It's powered by $12,000 worth of lithium-ion batteries that run hot enough to boil water while pulling 4000 watts/kg and offering at least 10,000 charge/discharge cycles. They come from A123 Systems and seem to be the "Spartan" of lithium-ion batteries in terms of strength and durability...
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- Karl Brauer March 29, 2007, 7:04 AM
- Categories:
- Fuel Efficiency, Future Vehicles, Hybrid Vehicles, Motorcycles
March 27, 2007
This has been a busy week in terms the energy problem and how to solve it. First, we just published a story about the Sustainable Mobility Summit recently held at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena. This was a meeting of the green energy movement, and like any good summit a variety of interesting ideas were floated (Volkswagen's army of microscopic car builders was certainly a new twist on the issue). Then there was the Joint Statement from Rick Wagoner, Tom LaSorda and Alan Mulally regarding their meeting with President Bush. To risk oversimplifying their statement, they essentially told the President that the energy solution relies on a more robust E85 and Biofuel infrastructure. Then you had Al Gore telling congress that global warming represents a Planetary Emergency.
While both the severity of the situation and the solutions to the problem could be argued until the next Sopranos' season starts (Oh, wait! That's actually pretty soon these days!), I've got a relatively cheap and highly realistic solution I'd love to see all these forces rally behind.
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- Karl Brauer March 27, 2007, 7:02 AM
- Categories:
- Fuel Efficiency, Hybrid Vehicles, Talk Back Tuesday
March 26, 2007
A recent AP story about oil change intervals
has again confirmed what many automotive experts have known for years: Too many people change their oil too often. That statement likely goes against the "common wisdom" of dedicated automotive enthusiasts. After all, the image of the average American car owner is one of a mindless dolt who has never even cracked the owner's manual. This person certainly doesn't know (let alone follow) his car's service schedule. And while there has always been the mindless dolt minority that is forever oblivious to proper car care the majority of American car owners do try to maintain their vehicle. And, at least when it comes to oil change intervals, most of them are actually trying too hard.
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- Karl Brauer March 26, 2007, 7:05 AM
- Categories:
- Fuel Efficiency
March 20, 2007
I see a storm brewing, and it could prove the knockout punch for automakers already on the ropes. A story in the Detroit Free Press
is reporting on the major drop in auto sales in sunbelt states like California and Florida. What's driving it? The creaking home mortgage market that appears ready to collapse -- and take a good portion of our economic health with it. Already it's causing consumers in these states to back-off on new vehicle purchases as they re-assess the true value of their homes. The result is a 17% drop in auto sales in California and an 11% drop in Florida for the first 10 weeks of 2007. The break-out for the domestic manufacturers in those states is even more dramatic. GM is down 6.6% in California (which isn't too terrible), but Ford is off 18.6% and Chrysler is down 19.4%. Much of this comes from a drop in new housing construction, which means a drop in the purchase of large trucks and SUVs by contractors -- which translates into a direct assault on Detroit.
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- Karl Brauer March 20, 2007, 7:08 AM
- Categories:
- Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, Fuel Efficiency, Talk Back Tuesday
March 19, 2007
What was the last Mercury model to represent more than a weak Ford rebadge? Was it the 1999-2002 Cougar? And before that the Capri? Before that... And no, the Villager and Tracer don't count (those were just rebadged Nissans and Mazdas).
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- Karl Brauer March 19, 2007, 7:04 AM
- Categories:
- Fuel Efficiency, Hybrid Vehicles, Mercury
March 8, 2007
Stories about plug-in hybrids have been circulating for a couple years, but things seem to be amping up recently (sorry). You can likely credit rising gas prices and Chevrolet's recent unveiling of the Volt concept car, but regardless of the cause the effect has been a rapid increase in both a knowledge of, and an interest in, plug-in hybrids. We published a story last week about them, and The San Francisco Chronicle did one on Sunday. The upshot of both reports boils down to this -- plenty of people are ready to try them, but no automaker or private company has the ability to supply them, at least not on a large scale...
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- Karl Brauer March 8, 2007, 7:06 AM
- Categories:
- Chevrolet, Fuel Efficiency, Future Vehicles, Hybrid Vehicles, Toyota
March 7, 2007
One of the more exciting cars to debut at the Geneva Auto Show is the Mazda2. Why? After all, it's only got about 100 horsepower and, officially, it's not coming to America. However it will be the basis for a new Ford subcompact vehicle, likely to be called the Fiesta, and that version will be coming to America...
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- Karl Brauer March 7, 2007, 7:07 AM
- Categories:
- Auto Shows, Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, Ford, Fuel Efficiency, Future Vehicles, Mazda
March 2, 2007
Most of you already know about the updated EPA testing process for all 2008 and newer models. We posted a story
a few weeks ago that provides the details of what is changing, but the bottom line is that EPA numbers will be dropping to more accurately reflect real-world driving behavior. That's all well and good for 2008 and later models, but how would your 2005 -- or 1995, or 1985 -- model do under the new testing procedures? Well, now you can find out...
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- Karl Brauer March 2, 2007, 7:03 AM
- Categories:
- Ford, Fuel Efficiency, Hybrid Vehicles, Toyota
February 13, 2007
Just had our monthly "Trends" meeting with our data and pricing gurus. These guys study the pricing and sales data every month and combine those hard figures with the remarks we've gotten directly (and indirectly) from industry executives. Add it all up and you get a strong sense of where things are and where things are likely headed. This month we uncovered the following nuggets of information:
1. Sales of all hybrids models are dropping. Beyond the Toyota Prius' incentives (as mentioned a couple days ago), the Camry Hybrid and Civic Hybrid are also selling below MSRP. Feedback from potential buyers indicates that the dropping tax credits (now at 50 percent on Prius), plus the lack of carpool lane stickers and (relatively) low gas prices are all contributing to the slowdown in sales.
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- Karl Brauer February 13, 2007, 7:01 AM
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- Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, Fuel Efficiency, Hybrid Vehicles, Talk Back Tuesday
February 9, 2007
Toyota just announced an incentive plan for the formerly-in-demand Prius. This comes a few days after reports of California offering no further HOV (carpool) lane stickers for hybrid vehicles, and a few months before new EPA testing procedures go into effect that will slash the mileage figures on all hybrids. The Prius' current rating of 60 mpg in city driving is expected to drop to the mid-40s under the new testing regimen. Toyota's James Farley, VP of North American marketing, just announced at the Chicago Auto Show that Prius capacity will be vastly increased for the 2008 model year -- but if gas prices keep dropping, and benefits like carpool lane access and tax incentives keep slipping away, will the Prius become Toyota's version of the Jeep Commander (i.e...
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- Karl Brauer February 9, 2007, 7:03 AM
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- Fuel Efficiency, Hybrid Vehicles, Toyota
February 7, 2007
We've all heard the "No Blood for Oil!" cry of recent years, but we may soon be hearing "No Food for Gas!" With everyone from President Bush to Texas energy companies jumping on the E85 bandwagon it seems we're trading one global concern for another. Corn-based fuel could be the route to energy independence for the U.S., but it might also be a recipe for food riots and starvation. This My San Antonio article
discusses the increased focus on E85 production, including an effort by farmers to grow more corn. Ironically, this Kansas City Star article
reports on the increased economic troubles of Mexico, not the least of which is a near doubling in tortilla prices because of higher international corn prices...
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- Karl Brauer February 7, 2007, 7:02 AM
- Categories:
- Fuel Efficiency, Hybrid Vehicles
February 6, 2007
Recently I had a very interesting discussion with an automotive industry veteran. Between his high-level background and his current position suffice to say he knows from which he speaks regarding where things are going. I won't provide any additional detail because it's respecting these people's anonymity that gets me this information in the first place. So instead of obsessing over exactly who it was just enjoy the type of information he provided:
1. Predictions of 17 million new cars sales in 2007 are optimistic to say the least. Think 16.5, or less, and with the domestics cutting fleet sales plan on massive market share drops for at least two of them.
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- Karl Brauer February 6, 2007, 7:06 AM
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- Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, Fuel Efficiency, Hybrid Vehicles, Internet vs. Print Publishing, Talk Back Tuesday
January 30, 2007
Well folks, we reached a critical milestone last week. No, I'm not talking about the season premier of 24 (though that comes in a close second), I'm talking about finally knowing when the world will end. According to scientists putting together the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
, we've got 10 years to end our evil, carbon spewing ways, or we're all gonna die!! Okay, the report isn't quite that dramatic. It just says we won't be able to live near the equator or the coast. Oh, and the Amazon and Great Barrier Reef will be destroyed.
I'm going to state for the record that I do not believe in any relationship between human activity and global temperatures. I could write a short novel on why I feel this way, but here is the easily-digested, blog-friendly version:
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- Karl Brauer January 30, 2007, 7:04 AM
- Categories:
- Fuel Efficiency, Hybrid Vehicles, Talk Back Tuesday
January 4, 2007
Our story on the new EPA fuel mileage tests and figures
went live today. You can read all about the changes, how these changes will be displayed, and how dealers and manufacturers will try to explain the changes on window stickers. We are planning to incorporate some changes to the Web site to improve comparisons across multiple years (for instance, if you compare a 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer to a 2007 Honda Civic the Lancer is going to look like a fuel pig, but our Web site updates will help avoid this misconception). As I stated before, it will be interesting to see how these changes affect consumer buying habits.
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- Karl Brauer January 4, 2007, 8:20 AM
- Categories:
- Fuel Efficiency, Hybrid Vehicles
January 2, 2007
With the New Year started it seems fitting to highlight where we were in 2006 and where we're going for 2007. This news release came out a couple of weeks ago, but in case you missed it here are some interesting facts from 2006 and the primary activities/trends we see occurring in the world of new cars and trucks over the next 12 months. Unlike the official news release that covered this topic, I'll include some personal thoughts on these issues in this post:
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- Karl Brauer January 2, 2007, 8:22 AM
- Categories:
- Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, Fuel Efficiency, Hybrid Vehicles, Talk Back Tuesday, Vehicle Awards
December 22, 2006
It appears the rise of the small car is a certified fact, with the market jumping 63 percent in 2006. Several factors have driven this growth, including higher fuel prices, increased product offerings and a creeping backlash against large SUVs. While some (myself included) have questioned the long-term effects of rising fuel prices and whether or not they'll create sustained
demand for small cars, the short-term results are in. "Small" is "the next big thing" in cars, with that segment's growth even surpassing crossovers this year...
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- Karl Brauer December 22, 2006, 10:01 AM
- Categories:
- Fuel Efficiency, Honda, Nissan
December 19, 2006
As you may have heard, the EPA will begin utilizing new fuel mileage test procedures for all 2008 and later models
. The new procedures are designed to provide a more accurate picture of what a vehicle actually
gets in terms of miles-per-gallon in the real world. In recent years the EPA had updated its simulated driving loop (with higher freeway speeds and more aggressive acceleration) to ensure an accurate measure of a vehicle's emissions level, but they continued using the 1984 fuel mileage loop (with freeway speeds held at 55, less aggressive low-speed driving, air conditioning turned off, etc.) for mileage ratings.
Now that they are incorporating the updated procedures you can expect those EPA mileage figures to take a substantial hit. Hybrids are expected to take the largest hit from the new procedures, with freeway mileage dropping by 20 percent and city driving losing 30 percent (largely because the new, more aggressive driving conditions will negate the "pure electric" mode that greatly improves their city ratings with the current system)...
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- Karl Brauer December 19, 2006, 9:50 AM
- Categories:
- Fuel Efficiency, Hybrid Vehicles, Talk Back Tuesday, Toyota
October 17, 2006
Maybe I'm wrong, but I could have sworn there was a gas price crisis going on in this country. Weren't we all supposed to be waiting in long lines at the local fuel station and/or paying $5 a gallon by now? But according to an AP story, gasoline is the cheapest it's been all year, with a national average of $2.22 a gallon. That's down more than 80 cents since the beginning of August. What happened?Continue reading...
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- Karl Brauer October 17, 2006, 8:14 AM
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- Fuel Efficiency, Hybrid Vehicles, Talk Back Tuesday
October 11, 2006
Looks like the Germans have decided (again) what we all want. Actually, I give them full credit for developing ultra clean diesel technology that should also provide strong performance. A story in The Diesel Forum
says Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen are about to join forces to promote Bluetec diesel technology. Each company will show a model featuring Bluetec at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November...
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- Karl Brauer October 11, 2006, 3:00 PM
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- Fuel Efficiency, Hybrid Vehicles
September 29, 2006
Drove the "all-new" Aveo last night. I use the quotes because it's not really "all-new" in that it has the same platform as before. However, the interior and exterior are all-new...on the sedan. The five door is not new at all this year...
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- Karl Brauer September 29, 2006, 8:29 AM
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- Chevrolet, Fuel Efficiency
September 28, 2006
I just took a short spin in Honda's fuel cell car, the FCX. We've had one for a week and we'll be putting up a full road test soon (including performance figures). I rode in GM's EV1back in 1997, and the FCX felt very similar. Not surprising when you consider they are both, essentially, electric cars...
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- Karl Brauer September 28, 2006, 8:47 AM
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- Fuel Efficiency, Hybrid Vehicles
September 25, 2006
I really don't know where to begin on this one, but I have to react to Bill Lockyer's (California Attorney General's) law suit against six automakers (Ford, GM, Toyota, Chrysler, Honda and Nissan).
Basically, he wants to sue these companies for all of the environmental damage they've caused to California (beach erosion, ozone pollution, etc.). Let's see if I can corral my many reactions into something that is both coherent and appropriate for publication (believe me, my initial reactions to this lunacy are NOT).
First, let's briefly hit my doubts regarding human activity and the environmental damage it's causing...
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- Karl Brauer September 25, 2006, 12:45 PM
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- Driving, Fuel Efficiency
September 22, 2006
If you're looking to buy a diesel-powered vehicle in 2007, your choices are pretty slim. I drove the 2006 Jeep Liberty CRD
home last night, and except for the slight turbo lag and the location of the window switches (center console) I really liked the vehicle. The 295 lb-ft of torque (at 1,800 rpm) gives it plenty of gumption, and like all modern diesels there's really no issue with sound, smell or soot. BUT...the common rail diesl engine won't be offered in the 2007 Jeep Liberty because increasing emissions standards make it too expensive to upgrade and certifty, at least in Chrysler's opinion...
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- Karl Brauer September 22, 2006, 9:20 AM
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- Fuel Efficiency, Jeep
September 14, 2006
Tired of treacherous gas prices? Looking to power your car with the most abundant (and theoretically cheapest) element in the universe? BMW just announced a full production car powered by hydrogen.
Based on the 7 Series luxury sedan, this one is called the Hydrogen 7 and it will feature both a hydrogen drivetrain and a conventional gasoline system...
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- Karl Brauer September 14, 2006, 8:05 AM
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- BMW, Fuel Efficiency, Hybrid Vehicles
September 1, 2006
This is old news, but 2006 is the last year for the Hummer H1
. The vehicle represented the ultimate Sierra Club atrocity, and in a world of $3-a-gallon gasoline I don't expect too many tears to fall -- GM only sold 374 last year. While I, like others, felt the H1 was a bit ridiculous as a civilian vehicle, I do find something troubling about the existence of the H2 and H3 (and rumored H4) without the H1 around. The H1 defined the brand for years, and only recently did "other" Hummer models exist. Now the basis for the entire Hummer image is going away (unless you're an enlisted man) but the "knock off's" are still available...
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- Karl Brauer September 1, 2006, 8:09 AM
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- Fuel Efficiency, Hummer
August 30, 2006
I give Toyota credit for creating the Lexus RX400h. This car cost $7,000 more than the equivalent RX330 (now RX350), but for the RX customer, this price increase is negligible, and Lexus knows it. Instead of trying to eke out any substantial fuel mileage gains, the company used hybrid technology to give the RX400h a real "kick" when you floor it. The car is relatively quick, even though acceleration is only a couple tenths better than the 330 (you car read more about it in our comparison test between the RX400h, Highlander Hybrid and Liberty Diesel
)...
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- Karl Brauer August 30, 2006, 8:15 AM
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- Fuel Efficiency, Honda, Hybrid Vehicles, Lexus
August 22, 2006
Here's a 21st Century term that few Americans saw coming in 1999 -- "Hybrid." Honda gets credit for selling the first hybrid in the U.S. (Insight in 2000), but Toyota gets credit for selling the first hybrid production vehicle (Prius -- in Japan -- in 1997). Now we have over 10 hybrid models (13 if you include the GM full-size trucks...which I don't
) and several more are on the way (LS600, Altima, Fusion, etc.). They've already passed diesels in terms of the variety of models offering hybrid powertrains, so they must be the way to go, right? Well, maybe not...
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- Karl Brauer August 22, 2006, 8:42 AM
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- Ford, Fuel Efficiency, Hybrid Vehicles, Toyota
August 15, 2006
This may come as a surprise to few industry followers, but Toyota will likely take the title of "World's Largest Automaker" away from GM in the next 12 months. While that fact alone isn't earth shattering, what is surprising is how Toyota continues to succeed in spite of a few interesting facts. These include:
1. A tremendous drop in the overall quality gap for new cars, at least according to J.D. Power...
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- Karl Brauer August 15, 2006, 8:00 AM
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- Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, Fuel Efficiency, Hybrid Vehicles, Talk Back Tuesday
August 2, 2006
I just drove our long-term Honda Accord Hybrid
, and I've decided that this is one of the better sedans on the market. It's also one of the worst hybrids currently available. How is that possible? Well, the Accord continues to be my overall favorite family car...
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- Karl Brauer August 2, 2006, 12:30 PM
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- Fuel Efficiency, Honda, Hybrid Vehicles
July 28, 2006
We all know that Americans love their SUVs, and we all know that SUVs aren't as popular in today's world as they were circa 1998 (when gas cost about $1.25 a gallon). For about six years I've been saying "The SUV genie is out of the bottle." By that I mean that mainstream Americans have discovered benefits of SUV ownership (elevated seat height, increased passenger/cargo flexibility, "cool" or "rugged" image). I've also been saying for years that minivans offer many of the same benefits that SUVs provide, but the lack of "cool" prevents minivans from being purchased by all but the most logical/self actualized consumers. So, if you love SUVs but hate $3-plus gasoline you're kind of stuck.
But last night I drove our long-term Ford Escape Hybrid and I was again reminded that you can almost have it all with this vehicle...
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- Karl Brauer July 28, 2006, 8:52 AM
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- Ford, Fuel Efficiency, Hybrid Vehicles
July 27, 2006
I just took a Zap-imported Smart car for a spin up PCH. It was the four-two model, meaning it's only eight feet long and it weighs a mere 1,500 pounds. Horsepower is rated at 60, and another staffer got 47 mpg driving across California, though that was mostly freeway driving. You can read our first drive
on the four-two, and we'll have a full test on this car up soon...
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- Karl Brauer July 27, 2006, 8:05 AM
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- Fuel Efficiency, Hybrid Vehicles, Smart Car
July 14, 2006
Everyone knows real estate is too pricey and taxes are too high in California (especially considering what you get in return...). And while I already knew gasoline cost more in California (both because of fuel taxes and refining costs) it is very telling to have a fist full of gas receipts from across the country. Put simply, fuel is stupid expensive along the Left Coast. In one 36-hour period I filled our long-term 2006 Jeep Commander
with fuel in San Antonio, Texas and Ventura, California...
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- Karl Brauer July 14, 2006, 5:14 PM
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- Driving, Fuel Efficiency
June 27, 2006
Rumor has it that Mercedes-Benz is finally ready to commit to a date for U.S. sale of the smart
brand. And yes, in yet another annoying "throw-proper-grammar-to-the-winds-in-the-name-of-marketing-to-those-rapscallion young-ins" move the smart
name is not officially capitalized. Regardless of how it's spelled, the smart brand has never made a profit for Mercedes-Benz, and its arrival in the U.S...
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- Karl Brauer June 27, 2006, 4:37 PM
- Categories:
- Fuel Efficiency
June 19, 2006
I just finished an interview with ABC News' Bill Blakemore. I was a guest on his show covering the new movie
Who Killed the Electric Car?
The other guests were the film's director, Chris Paine, and a former EV1 sales assistant, Chelsea Sexton. The film has some basic points it tries to make, all of them quite predictable in a world where most Americans feel they pay too much for gas and faith in the stability of the Middle East is at an all-time low. In terms of timing I give Mr. Paine credit -- the political and cultural atmosphere is ripe for a film like this to make money. Now let's hit the basic points in the film, along with my responses to them:
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- Karl Brauer June 19, 2006, 4:12 PM
- Categories:
- Driving, Fuel Efficiency, GM EV1, Hybrid Vehicles
