Are We There Yet?

In a just-released report that’s now in the hands of in-going President-elect Barack Obama, analysts say we’ve still got a couple decades to go before new, clean energy technologies are commercially viable and widespread.

But automakers large and small are forging ahead, working to replace fossil-fuel with everything from longer range batteries to air to carbon dioxide. We’ve even heard of one independent inventor who’s working on a vehicle that would be powered by water.

For their part, the Big Three CEOs have promised to devote more resources to new hybrid and electric car technology in exchange for the multi-billion dollar federal rescue package…

Cities, states, and countries are forging ahead too. The northern California-based company, Better Place, has promised to invest billions of dollars in vast electric car networks in northern California’s Bay Area, in Hawaii, and in Denmark, Israel, and Australia. The networks will include charging stations and battery swaps for plug-in vehicles. The company hopes to have its grids in place by 2012, when it estimates electric cars will hit the market en masse.

In this issue, we take a look at current trends in the green auto market and at technology being developed around the globe. And for those who don’t have the capital to invest in a new clean car, we offer tips for getting hybrid-like mileage out of your older model car.

Green Car of the Year

• Who’d ever think a diesel would be named “Green Car of the Year” by Greencar.com? It’s true. Volkswagen’s 2009 Jetta TDI took the coveted top spot this year, winning accolades for its low tailpipe emissions and high fuel economy. The Jetta TDI rivals some hybrids for fuel economy, geting an EPA-estimated 30 mpg in the city and 41 on the highway. And for the first time, a diesel engine is compliant with clean air laws in all 50 states, meaning anyone who can afford the suggested $21,000 price tag can drive one home.

New Trends in Car Construction

• Changing how much a car weighs is the preoccupation of modern car designers, and aluminum is literally taking a load off their minds. It’s lightweight and relatively strong, making it the perfect material from which to mint cars; in fact, the aluminum Audi A8 earned a five star safety rating from federal safety regulators. Fact of the matter is, no matter how much gas you save with a hybrid, what’s going to matter most is how much weight the engine has to push around. Read more on aluminum cars here.

Hot New Concept Cars

• At the Los Angeles Auto Show this year, car-makers from around the world unveiled new concept and mass market green cars. Ranging from the Knightrider-esque hydrogen fuel cell Honda F.C. Sport to the more practical, mid-size Ford Fusion that gets 39 mpg, green cars were all the rage. The zippy, plug-in Mini-E was also unveiled; it goes from 0-60 in just over eight seconds and runs 150 miles on a single charge. What ever was all that nonsense about electric car battery technology not being up to snuff? Read more about the L.A. Auto show here.

Some Forthcoming Technology

• Take a deep breath because the next big thing to power cars powers us, too: air. For years, compressed air has been used by mechanics to run their power tools, and now it may power our cars. Air technology was first used in transportation over a century ago, but fell out of popularity…until now. A line of air-powered cars is already being manufactured in India and may hit the American market as early as next year.

• Is solar the next, next big thing? Louis Palmer thinks it might be. He just wrapped up a world tour in a solar-powered car. His prototype cost quite a bundle, but Palmer says that if the car were mass-produced, it could retail for as little as $20,000.

• Scientists around the globe are working on getting the “C” out of CO2 to use as fuel. Check out what they’re working on.

Read more:
Could Carbon Dioxide Power Our Cars?
Five Simple Ways to Get Hybrid-like Mileage Out of Your Clunker
Where do all the Used Cars Go?