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Ed’s Green Friend: Phoenix Motorcars
Electric vehicles are giving drivers across America hope that their days of dealing with soaring gas prices are coming to a close. Many consumers question electric vehicles, simply because they aren’t informed as to what exactly a battery-run vehicle is and how it can positively affect their lives.
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Electric vehicles (EVs) produce no exhaust fumes and, if they’re charged using most forms of renewable energy, minimal pollution. Many are capable of acceleration that is equivalent to—or, in some cases, exceeds that of—conventional gasoline-powered vehicles.
Simply put, EVs reduce dependence on petroleum. They help to reduce global warming by alleviating the greenhouse effect. They are significantly quieter than internal-combustion vehicles, and they do not produce noxious fumes.
So how does an all-electric vehicle work? Electric vehicles are powered by an electric motor that uses rechargeable batteries rather than a gasoline engine. Electric motors have the ability to convert energy back into electricity through regenerative braking, so when the driver of an electric vehicle steps on the brake pedal, it can actually recharge the car’s batteries. Regenerative braking can be used to reduce the total energy requirement of a trip, as well as reduce the wear on the vehicle’s brake system.
Since Ed purchased his first electric vehicle more than thirty years ago, he has experienced firsthand the progression of battery technology—and that progression has been dramatic. Our vehicles are powered by UQM Technologies’ propulsion system, using Boshart Engineering’s certification process, and they are equipped with a nontoxic, revolutionary Altairnano Nanosafe battery pack. These three factors make it possible for Phoenix Motorcars’ all-electric, zero-emission vehicles to reach speeds of more than 95 mph with a range of 100-plus miles per charge. They also produce a serious 480 lb-ft of torque as much torque—as the 500-horsepower internal-combustion engine that powers the new Ford Shelby GT500 muscle car! Our vehicles also have a battery pack life of more than 12 years.
Phoenix Motorcars are not only all-electric and environmentally friendly, they also have the creature comforts people have come to expect in a vehicle that they drive every day—things like air-conditioning and heat, power windows, and power door locks.
In the last two years, the world-wide media coverage of global warming and the high cost of our dependence on fossil fuels has intensified. For those of us in the electric-powered transportation industry, it would be easy to say, “It’s about time.” But that viewpoint is too simple. It is, however, the right time for meaningful action. As a matter of fact, Phoenix Motorcars is poised to meet the growing demand of consumers who want a cleaner, more responsible alternative to gasoline-powered vehicles, and we consider our company an early leader in the mass production of full-function, zero-emission, green electric trucks and SUVs.
As Ed has said, “With a car like this Phoenix Motorcars SUT, you don’t have to compromise on performance or space you get it all!” And if you do like Ed does and plug it into your solar power system at home to charge, you literally create a zero carbon footprint!
—Dan Elliott
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INFRASTRUCTURE ISSUES
So, given their many advantages, why doesn’t everyone own an electric vehicle? Well, for one thing, municipalities are making it harder, not easier, to operate one. In the mid-’90s, California instituted special parking spots where EV owners could recharge their cars midtrip. Today, these have al-most vanished. Why? To understand this, you need to know a bit about battery technology. Until recently, when you bought an electric car, you also got a charging station, which most people mounted in their garage. I had the charging station for my Toyota RAV4 EV mounted in my garage, and I charged it at home almost exclusively. It was rare that I could do my charging elsewhere—very rare. That was partly because my life had become very busy, but it also was because L.A. had become less friendly for electric vehicles. Precious few of those electric vehicle charging stations were still in existence by 2007.
That’s because the major car companies—GM, Toyota, Honda, Chrysler—that were making electric cars during the ’90s and right up until recently didn’t come to a consensus in terms of what type of charging system to use. Instead, they came up with two—well, really three—different charging disciplines. Think of it as VHS vs. Betamax vs. DVDs. Some of their electric cars used large-paddle chargers—these big flat plastic pieces that had to be plugged into the right-size hole in the right type of charging station. Other companies used small-paddle chargers. Both of these setups used what’s called an inductive charging system. The third type of charging system was a conductive style.
None of these formats were interchangeable at all, so you could only use a charging station designed specifically for your vehicle’s system. This made it really hard for people to charge their electric cars anywhere but at home, and it upset people who didn’t own electric cars. They’d see a parking space reserved for electric vehicles—with a charging station—and they’d wonder, “Why don’t I see any electric vehicles charging there?”
The good news is that most new electric cars—including my new Phoenix Motorcars SUT—have the charger built right in. You no longer need a separate charging station at home or anywhere else. You plug your car into a standard 220-volt electrical outlet, just like the one for your clothes dryer at home. Because these cars are designed to charge on 220 current, they charge a lot faster than older models. It takes just four or five hours to fully charge the battery pack.
In a pinch, you also can plug into a standard 120-volt outlet, the standard wall outlets you have in your home. That makes charging on the road easy, if you find yourself running low on range. Instead of having to look for a special charging station, you look for any 120-volt outlet. You can find them in parking garages. You can find them at restaurants. Those 120-volt outlets are in a lot of places.
True, it will take about twice as long to charge on 120-volt power as it will on 220-volt power, but it’s nice to have that option. It just makes these new electric cars even easier to live with.
Rachelle’s Hybrid
Today’s electric cars are great, but I wasn’t willing to be limited by the range of an electric car. In 2001, when I was ready to get a new car, I decided I wanted a Volvo because of its safety features, until Ed made me this deal: “If you get a Volvo, you pay for it. And if you get this newfangled Toyota hybrid thing, even though we don’t know how well it works, I’ll buy it.” So I said, “Okay, I’ll try the new technology.”
Actress Donna Mills and Ed were the first people in L.A. to get a Prius. We were the guinea pigs. And I love it. I’m so happy with it. It’s a fabulous car.
I hate pumping gas. I just loathe it. Now I hardly ever have to. The hybrid is so dependable, too. It’s quiet, it’s fun, and it’s easy to steer. It’s very roomy inside, but small enough that it’s very easy to maneuver.
Ed doesn’t preach to people about being green. He doesn’t walk into anyone’s house and say, “You know, you could be a little bit better about recycling.”
He doesn’t. I do that. It’s a flaw, a character defect. If I have to make sacrifices, you all have to make them, too. Misery loves company. But I don’t consider driving a hybrid a sacrifice at all, so I have no problem telling someone, “You gotta get rid of that car.” We must have sold a hundred Priuses that way! By now a majority of our friends have some kind of eco-friendly car, or they’re thinking about getting one.
The Prius really is a great car. It burns superclean and it works very well. So when I have to go beyond the range of the electric, I just take the hybrid. It can go 500 miles on a fill-up, easy, and I can fill it up like anyone in America, anywhere, with gasoline.
Hybrid Technology
There are several different ways to make a hybrid, but they all, whether a car or a truck, have some things in common. At least for now, they all have both a gasoline-powered internal-com
bustion engine, like most vehicles on the road, and an electric motor.
While most cars waste 25 percent of their gasoline when they’re just idling, the gasoline engine in a hybrid shuts off when the car’s stopped. This not only reduces fuel consumption dramatically, both around town and in highway traffic, but also reduces emissions dramatically.
Some hybrids can also run on the electric motor exclusively when coasting and when traveling at slow speeds, like in stop-and-go traffic or coming down a steep hill. The Prius falls into this category, as does the hybrid version of the Ford Escape, the Toyota Highlander, and the Lexus RX 400h (h is for hybrid). Under these conditions, the hybrid is just as clean as an electric car—and you don’t have to worry about charging it.
That’s because hybrid cars make their own electricity. Today’s hybrids don’t ever have to be plugged in to recharge. For one thing, hybrid cars—like those electric cars we talked about earlier—use regenerative braking to recharge the batteries that power the electric motor. Basically, when you hit the brakes, the electric motor applies resistance to the car’s drivetrain, which makes the wheels spin more slowly. The energy from the wheels then turns the electric motor, which acts like a generator, converting energy that is normally wasted in a car—when you’re coasting, when you’re braking—into electricity. That electricity gets stored in the car’s battery until it’s needed by the electric motor. The gasoline engine also charges the battery while you’re driving (much as it does in a gasoline-only car).
Some hybrids engage both the electric motor and the gasoline engine at the same time. They use the electric motor to provide more power—when you’re accelerating, when you’re passing, and when you’re climbing a hill—so then they can put a smaller, more efficient gasoline engine into the car. That helps to reduce emissions and improve gas mileage even further.
For instance:
• The 2007 Nissan Altima hybrid has Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ratings of 42 mpg in the city and 36 mpg on the highway.
• The 2007 Toyota Prius is rated at 60 mpg city, 51 mpg highway.
• The 2007 Toyota Camry hybrid is rated at 40 city, 38 highway.
• The front-wheel-drive version of the 2007 Ford Escape hybrid is rated at 39 mpg city, 31 highway.
• And the 2007 Lexus RX 400h is rated at 32 mpg city (31 for the four-wheel-drive version), 27 mpg highway.
Now, as you probably noticed, not every hybrid was designed to get in-credible gas mileage. Some are larger, like the sport utility vehicles, and they were designed to provide a sort of “best of both worlds” alternative: the ability to haul stuff and still have a more environmentally sound vehicle.
If they don’t get phenomenal gas mileage, how can people say they’re more environmentally sound? Because what comes out of the tailpipe is cleaner. In many cases, these vehicles have far lower emissions than an internal-combustion-engine vehicle that gets the same mileage numbers.
According to the EPA, the expected greenhouse gas emissions from a front-wheel-drive Ford Escape hybrid are just 5.4 tons per year—compared with 14.9 tons for the highest polluters on the market right now. And that figure for the Prius is just 3.4 tons. That’s a dramatic difference.
I’ve also found that the maintenance costs—and needs—are largely reduced on hybrids. I’ll only speak to Toyota, because those are the hybrids I’ve been driving for seven years. In those seven years, after racking up 130,000 miles, all the car has needed is a lube and oil change, and the routine scheduled maintenance at 50,000 miles and at 75,000. I’ve never had any other car that made it to 130,000 miles with my only investment being the lube and oil changes plus a $700 bill at 50,000 miles and maybe an $800 bill at 75,000 miles.
So these hybrids are multifaceted beauties. It’s not just the emissions. It’s the mileage, and it’s the carefree maintenance. And then compared with electric vehicles, there’s also the advantage of unlimited range.
Alternative Fuels
Beyond electric cars and hybrids, you’ve got other choices that are generally considered greener than regular gasoline-powered internal-combustion-engine vehicles. Alternative-fuel vehicles are squarely in this camp.
What exactly are alternative fuels? They’re as follows:
• natural gas, in the form of compressed natural gas (CNG) or liquefied natural gas (LNG)
• propane, also called liquefied petroleum gas (LPG)
• biodiesel
• ethanol blends
Someday, hydrogen also might be a viable alternative fuel. It burns extremely clean. And it’s the fuel that will be used in fuel cell cars, a type of technology that the government and automakers are investing in heavily, though its use in vehicles you and I can drive is probably several years away. A fuel cell is an electrochemical energy conversion device that mixes hydrogen and oxygen to make water, creating electricity in the process. The big drawback with hydrogen—and the reason I’m not a huge supporter of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles at this time—is that hydrogen is made by burning fossil fuels, so the benefits aren’t enough to outweigh the drawbacks right now. We need to find a clean way to “make” hydrogen for it to be a fully green solution.
In the meantime, you can get a car today that burns one of these other alternative fuels. And if you can get around and do the tasks you need to do while you’re burning one of these other fuels—while you’re burning natural gas or propane or biodiesel or ethanol—it’s often better for the environment than burning gasoline in a regular internal-combustion-engine car.
You may also qualify for some tax benefits, or be able to drive alone and still use the carpool lane. In California, you have to get a special sticker for your vehicle that will allow you to use the high-occupancy vehicle, or HOV, lane. Anyone who has dealt with L.A. traffic knows this can be a very big benefit indeed.
So let’s take a quick look at each of these other alternative fuels and see what your options are today.
Natural Gas
Natural gas is a fossil fuel, but it’s one of the cleanest-burning alternative fuels. Also, it’s made primarily from methane. Furthermore, almost 87 percent of the natural gas used in the United States is produced right here in the U.S., so switching from a gasoline-powered car to a natural gas car helps reduce our dependence on foreign oil.
Consumers don’t have many choices when it comes to shopping for a natural gas-powered car. In 2007 only one vehicle that ran exclusively on natural gas was available to consumers in the United States (as opposed to governments or big companies for their fleets). Actually, it was being sold only in California and New York. That vehicle is the Honda Civic GX NGV (for natural gas vehicle). It comes with a device called Phill, a refueling appliance that you connect to your home’s gas line, the same type of gas line that fuels your stove or your clothes dryer. That way, you can fuel the car at home overnight, which makes it just as convenient as an electric car. A full tank gives you a range of 220 to 240 miles, so you can go pretty far with it, and if you use it around town, you will never have to go to a filling station.
Another option, when it comes to natural gas, is a flex-fuel vehicle, one that can run on natural gas and that can also run on either gasoline or diesel fuel. As the name suggests, a flex-fuel vehicle gives you more flexibility, since you can run on readily available gasoline or diesel when you can’t find a natural gas filling station—and they’re not easy to find as of yet.
We had some, um, adventures with a flex-fuel car that Ed used to own, which ran on natural gas and gasoline. We traveled cross-country in that car one time, and Ed had this old map of all the natural-gas filling stations. Now, they don’t have an infrastructure for this stuff. It doesn’t exist. We’d go to these places where there’s supposed to be a tank of natural gas, and they’d be like, “Oh, no, three years ago they got rid of that.”
But Ed was determined that he would find natural gas. So he would drive around for an hour in a city—burning natural gas while looking for natural gas—instead of just
going to a gas station and filling up with gasoline until we could get to the next natural gas station.
On more than one occasion, we would go to a place and it would living like just be a stump. And then we’d be in the boondocks with not enough gas. And I would always be on pins and needles, wondering if we were going to make it across the country. It was never dull. But I did it once. One time. That was it.
Oh, and remember how I wouldn’t take the electric car to the hospital when I was in labor with Hayden? Well, that meant we had to take the other car, which was this same natural gas flex-fuel car. So we get in, and we go out of the driveway toward the street, and Ed takes a left, and that’s a funny way to go, because the hospital is in the other direction. Then he gets on the freeway and heads completely in the opposite direction. I asked, “Where are we going?” And Ed says, “We’re out of natural gas, so we have to go to Glendale.” Now, we live in Studio City, and Glendale is a good 10 miles away by freeway, so I was like “No way! Pull the car over! Get off the freeway! Get to a gas station immediately!”
I think he thought I was going to deliver right then and there, so he pulled off and went to a gas station, but even then he would not get out of the car and pump the gasoline. So I had to get out of the car—in labor—and pump gasoline. And I said, “I hope some-one’s taking your picture right now.”
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