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September has been a full and interesting month for hybrid vehicles and policies folks, and we have a newsletter to name—so let’s get right to it.
All the best,
Scott Nathanson
UCS National Field Organizer &
HybridCenter.org Administrator
In this issue:
 This month, BMW announced plans to introduce its hydrogen-powered luxury performance car, to select users in 2007. The 260 hp BMW Hydrogen 7 is equipped with an internal combustion engine capable of running seamlessly on either hydrogen or gasoline, leading it to be characterized as a “hybrid” by some. Yet, the vehicle is more accurately termed a “dual-fuel” vehicle, as it is capable of running the same engine on two different fuels. In contrast, a hybrid combines different propulsion power systems, such as an internal combustion engine and an electric motor, to move the vehicle. Of course, not all hybrids use electricity to provide supplementary power. The Environemental Protection Agency’s hydraulic hybrid technology draws on pressurized hydraulic fluid to boost vehicle performance and fuel economy.
The BMW hydrogen vehicle, like its ethanol flex-fuel counterparts by Ford, GM, and other automakers, will face the hurdle of limited infrastructure for alternative fuel production and distribution. And these hurdles may be even higher in the case of hydrogen. In addition, there will be concerns about the costs of the vehicle and hydrogen fuel production. Nevertheless, its innovation affords us an interesting glimpse into a potential hydrogen-powered future. To learn more about the promises and challenges of hydrogen-powered autos, see our backgrounder on fuel cell vehicles.
I know recent polls say that many Americans think that President Bush and/or the GOP are manipulating gas prices to sway voters, but I know the real truth about who’s behind the plummeting gas prices—it’s me!
A year or so ago, we here at the Union of Concerned Scientists ran the “Extreme Auto Makeover” campaign. You might remember that we tried to take advantage of consumer frustration over high gas prices to generate comments to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) urging them to implement stronger fuel economy standards. What happened when we launched? Gas prices went plummeting down (though we and our allies still sent in over 100,000 comments to NHTSA).
 With gas prices again over $3 per gallon, last month we cooked up a new campaign—“Receipt Revolution!”—to make sure senators heard from people like you that you want more fuel efficient vehicle options. You all know the story about gas prices over the past few weeks—they’ve been plummeting. Once is a coincidence, but twice proves that UCS action alerts about gas prices are the key to controlling of the oil market!
Okay, maybe not, and actually as you’ll note from my most recent blog, our Receipt Revolution action is actually as important, if not more important, with gas prices falling. Congress needs to be reminded that fluctuations in the oil market should not deflect attention from the importance of strengthening fuel-economy. And if you think hybrid owners can’t help with gas receipts, check out the .pdf of my letter to Senators George Allen and John Warner. (And, yes, I know my penmanship bares close resemblance to my five-year-old’s.)
The dip in gas prices is particularly ill-timed for the hybrid market though, as it results in a reduction of the market incentive for these fuel-saving vehicles. Combine this with the fact that October 1 marks the reduction in the federal tax credit on Toyota’s hybrid models and you’re left with a “double-whammy” pointing consumers away from the fuel-economy leading Prius and the 40mpg Camry Hybrid sedan. Perhaps in the post-election “lame duck” congressional session, our legislators can take a break from electoral posturing to lift the 60,000 vehicle manufacturer’s cap on the tax credit. This would help foster the hybrid market in a time of need. If you haven’t yet weighed in on this issue yourself, please do so here.
September 21 marks the Autumnal Equinox. For me, this represents two things. First, it’s my son Gunnar’s birthday, and second it’s the beginning of the inevitable slip of my Prius’ fuel economy as the weather turns colder. Both for my benefit, and the rest of the Driving Change Network, please share with me any tips you’ve found successful for keeping the mpg higher in cold weather. I’ll share your experiences with the rest of the network. I’ll also see if I can get any tips from our contacts among the automakers (I know there are a number of you out there that read this newsletter), and see if they’re up to anything they can tell us about (they may not want to let the competition in on any of their secrets, but we’ll see). We need your help to deal with the cold weather mpg blues! Drop me a note at hybridcenter@ucsusa.org with any tips.
Thank you.
Thanks to everyone who submitted DCN newsletter name suggestions. We received a number of interesting suggestions, and some that wouldn’t quite pass organizational muster (a shout out here to UCS intern Lawrence Lin who suggested “Regenerative Breakin’ Two—Electric Boogaloo”) The “judges” here at UCS have picked over the entries and present to you these five for you to vote on:
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CLEAN: Cars Leading Environmental Awareness Newsletter – Cinda Showalter
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HYBRIDIZE – Dave Brigham
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Clean Cruise News – Melissa McCool (with a little editorial assist by yours truly)
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UP THE MPG – Thomas Maxwell
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HybridZine – Scott Nathanson (you know I had to get one in there)
Email your vote to hybridcenter@ucsusa.org and we’ll announce the winner and unveil a nifty magazine logo next month.
- Automaker reconsiders hybrids: The Nissan Motor Company has announced plans to develop its own hybrid vehicle technology for full-scale mass production, effectively ending its four-year joint venture with Toyota. This announcement marks a significant shift in the company’s attitude towards hybrids—which has often been tinged with skepticism. The Nissan Altima Hybrid, which will enter the U.S. market early next year, will use Toyota's hybrid system.Future Nissan hybrid models, including a possible plug-in hybrid vehicle, will incorporate the company’s own hybrid technology. For more information, check out the Hybrid News Center.
- Power companies bullish on plugins, but are they ready for primetime? This month, we learned how two power companies are contributing to the push for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). CA-based Pacific Gas & Electric Company asked its 5.1 million customers to petition automakers to speed up PHEV development, and IL-based Commonwealth Edison Company joined in a collaborative project lead by the Illinois Institute of Technology to improve hybrid fuel efficiency and emissions through the use of plug-in technology. These announcements come at a time when a new study by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient America (ACEEE) is hopeful, yet cautious, about the benefits and limitations of widespread PHEV use in the near-term. To learn more about these and other PHEV developments, visit the Hybrid News Center.
 Fun Hybrid Fact: Hybrid-electric vehicles continued to work their way into popular culture this year, gracing the red carpet and even making an appearance in an animated television show. Now, one hybrid, the Toyota Prius, will have a place in board game history, replacing the vintage race car token in the new Monopoly Here and Now edition.
- Updated Hybrid Perks: Check out the HybridCenter Incentives section for updated information on hybrid perks for drivers covered by the Farmers and Travelers insurance companies, new developments in California’s hybrid carpool lane exemption program, and Huntington, New York’s leap into the hybrid free parking pool. Intrepid program assistant Lindsay Vidal and I expect to complete a much needed, though time consuming, state-by-state update of all new and pending hybrid incentive legislation by next month's issue. In the meantime, you can help us keep our incentive list comprehensive and up-to-date by letting us know of any hybrid incentives in your city, county, or state that we my have overlooked.
See you next month for a super-spooky Halloween issue!
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