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Hi friends, the summer is really heating up, and so are gas prices! Lots to talk about, so let’s just get to it.
All the best,
Scott Nathanson
UCS National Field Organizer &
HybridCenter.org Administrator
In this issue:
 As you have heard me and everyone else here at UCS say about a million times—the most effective near-term way automakers can help America reduce its dependence on oil is by using existing technologies to increase the fuel economy of today’s vehicles. Despite this fact, the Ford Motor Company recently announced that it will abandon its commitment to produce 250,000 hybrid vehicles a year by 2010. This is the second time Ford has failed to follow through on a major fuel economy commitment. Ford’s shift away from hybrids is a shift away from a genuine attempt to address America’s oil use.
DCN members need to speak out on this issue, as you are the target market for Ford’s “greening of the blue oval” efforts—the very people that Ford was trying to entice with their hybrid commitment.
We need to let Ford know that there is a price to be paid for ignoring the wishes, concerns, and needs of the American consumer. Please take action and send a personalized letter to Bill Ford letting him know the ramifications of his company’s dubious decision. While everyone’s action is important, I’d like to make a special request to all Ford Escape Hybrid/Mercury Mariner owners to take action—your voices on this will be particularly resonant.
We had a lot of people participate in this fun little contest, but the first one who got me the correct information was Helene Maraghy of Burnswick, Maine. Congrats to you, Helene, you’ll be getting your car map light/battery charger in the mail soon. You’ll note by the answers that she had a bit of a “head start” but there were no rules against it.
For anyone who missed it, the question was:
Which “Who’s Got Hybrids?” owners gave us the following tips and notes? And what acronym that we all obsess about here at the Driving Change Network can you get by putting the answers to these quotes together? Hint, it’s all a “state” of mind.
Here’s the solution to the puzzle:
 “The best mileage performance comes when I maintain the speed limit, use cruise control on the highway, and avoid quick acceleration at stoplights.”
-- Helene Maraghy, Brunswick, ME
 “The Civic's engine will restart if you lift off the brake and 'creep' forward when you are waiting at a traffic light.”
-- Lisa Donahue, Elkins Park, PA
 “The stop-and-go of the traffic is great for our mileage.”
-- Carrie Wall, Kennesaw, GA
Final Answer: MPG
I had a few funny responses from those playing, including two people who said, “We do obsess about it, don’t we?”
We’re planning a really fun contest for August, so be sure to check your email, even if you’re on vacation.
Here’s another question from a hybrid SUV owner, but this time it’s the more “muscular” Toyota Highlander Hybrid:
 Q: I bought a new Highlander Hybrid SUV (Toyota) in March, and I'm only getting 19 miles to the gallon! The EPA estimate on the sticker was 28-33 mpg. I went to the Toyota people and was told that the car wasn't "broken in yet." I've got 2700 miles on it, and they said the fuel economy wouldn't improve until I'd gotten at least 5,000 miles on it. I'm driving mostly in the city but have taken a couple of highway trips.
Has anyone else had a fuel economy experience this bad? Has anyone been told that their car had to be "broken in"?
I sure would like to hear from other Highlander Hybrid drivers.
Thank you.
A: You’re not alone; this seems to be one of the more common questions I get asked. Be sure to look back at what I said to the Escape Hybrid owner in our first newsletter, and the supplemental advice by a DCN member in our second issue. I do have to say this is the first I’ve heard of a hybrid needing as much as 5,000 miles to “break in.” March was still a fairly chilly month in Northern Virginia (where our question came from) so that likely had something to do with the relatively slow start, and the relatively hilly terrain of the area combined with the powerful (and therefore thirsty) V6 engine of the Highlander Hybrid conspire to keep the hybrid technology from getting the maximum possible MPGs.
The reaction to the Highlander Hybrid among our dozen “Who’s Got Hybrids?” owners is overall positive, but those actually quoting fuel economy are mostly in the low-to-mid 20s. That’s still far better than conventional midsize SUVs, but it’s not up to the level that could be achieved with non-hybrid changes to a standard SUV as UCS showed with our Guardian SUV blueprint. Toyota, and all automakers, can do more to provide SUV owners with safer, more fuel-efficient options.
For you Highlander Hybrid owners in our network, please let me know at hybridcenter@ucsusa.org any comments or tips you might have for our friend in Virginia as well.
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Detroit’s “Big Three” Set Flex Fuel Target: Daimler-Chrysler, Ford, and General Motors recently sent a letter to Congress announcing their plans to double production of flexible fuel vehicles (FFVs), which can run on ethanol and other biofuels. The announcement comes at a time when both public and political interests in the potential of flexible fuel vehicles have increased. To learn more about the potential and limits of FFVs, click here.
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Ford Boosts Fuel Economy Focus in Europe: Ford of Europe announced that it will invest $1.84 billion over six years to increase fuel efficiency and cut emission throughout its lineup. The company is reportedly aiming to produce a Focus Hybrid that achieves 70 mpg and lower carbon dioxide emissions. Volvo, a subsidiary of Ford, will also invest $1.36 billion over five years to incorporate hybrid and other fuel efficiency technology into its vehicles. For more information, check out the Hybrid News Center.
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EPA Fuel Economy Report Gives Hybrids Cheers, Automakers Jeers: As a number of you know from our recent targeted DCN Rapid Response Action, the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) annual report on car, pickup, and SUV fuel economy was released on July 17, 2006. The result of the report was predictable—the fuel economy of autos in America has stagnated at around 21 miles per gallon—down from its peak in the late 1980s. The EPA highlighted hybrid vehicles and their potential to help bring U.S. fuel economy out of its doldrums in the report. The agency noted three models—the Civic Hybrid, the Prius, and the 2WD Escape Hybrid—as leaders in their respective vehicle classes. This good news was tempered by the finding that “[Model Year] 2006 light-duty vehicles are estimated, on average, to be the heaviest, fastest, and most powerful vehicles than in any year since EPA began compiling such data.” UCS Vehicles Engineer Don MacKenzie used this data in his recent congressional testimony that you can find in our most recent Hybrid Watchdog.
Two DCN members got in touch with me recently to tell me they were heading out to tour America and Canada in their hybrids, and they were going to blog about it.
 The first trip was more practical in nature, as Barbara and Lee Maynard were moving to their new home in Missouri after living a year and a half in Alaska. Barbara hopped in her Generation 1 Prius while Lee drove their 4Runner. On a 12-day voyage across Alaska, Canada, and back into the U.S., Barbara kept a running tab on the Prius’ performance in different terrain, and the fuel consumption and global warming emissions. As she arrived in her new home, here’s how she tallied things up:
“The Prius used 97.9 gallons of gas, costing $336.70 and creating 61 kg of carbon dioxide. The 4Runner used 224.7 gallons of gas at an average of 20.6 mpg, costing $758.20 and creating 140.1 kg of CO2.
The Prius mpg reported by the car’s computer was 49.6 mpg for the whole trip. However, calculated the old-fashioned way (dividing total miles by total gallons), the trip average was not quite that good, at 46.8 mpg. I don’t know why the discrepancy. The Prius’ mpg's dropped a few points in the last few days, and the 4Runner dropped by half a point. I'm thinking that was the effect of higher speed limits in the U.S., maybe combined with the AC (but Lee didn't run the AC that much and I didn't run it much the last 2 days.)”
The Maynard’s trip is a great read. You can catch up on their whole adventure on their blog, Hybrid Highway.
 A “North of the Border” friend had a more issue-focused purpose for her journey. 75-year-old grandmother Dorothy Cutting has hopped into her Honda Civic Hybrid for a Canadian “Climate in Crisis Journey 2006.” Dorothy started her journey north to Canada’s arctic region to bring attention to the current and future effects of climate change to her nation and her world. She sent me this quick note from the road:
“I'm in Prince Rupert now, about to catch the Alaska ferry to Skagway. I've driven about 1500 K since leaving Vancouver and am still averaging 5 liters per 100 K, in spite of a heavy load. Pretty neat, eh? Of course, it helps that I'm obeying the speed limit.”
That’s a little over 62 miles for every 1.3 gallons of gas for those of you who are metrically challenged like I am. Not bad indeed for a Generation 1 Civic Hybrid! To learn more about Dorothy’s journey (it runs through mid-August) head over to her website.
That’s all for this month, hope everyone is having a great summer!
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