Since I’ve been writing about efficient alternative vehicles and recently with coverage of the November SEMA 2009 show, it’s probably only fair that I share some of our own auto choices. While purchasing a hybrid would surely be nice, it was not practical for us at the time [...]]]> Part of the Green Green Owner/Builder series
by Jen Pennington

Since I’ve been writing about efficient alternative vehicles and recently with coverage of the November SEMA 2009 show, it’s probably only fair that I share some of our own auto choices. While purchasing a hybrid would surely be nice, it was not practical for us at the time nor affordable.

A few years ago before we started our house project, we asked ourselves, “do we need a pickup truck when we begin to build our house?” Seems like everyone we knew had one, but we just couldn’t afford it, and we needed a high mileage car for other reasons. Sure we could fit a lot more things in a pickup truck and get them to the job site easier, faster, and minimize the cost of having deliveries sent to the site, but where’s the fun in that?

Over the last few years I have come across a series of pictures of the strange things we have done to our poor 1998 Toyota Rav and 2005 Matrix. They have been filled with both the heaviest and lightest of items, carried bales of hay, stacks of cement blocks, bags of garbage and recyclables, been used as a short distance logging device and carrier for a few SIPS panels. There is even a platform set up on top of the Rav for Bob to photograph wildlife. The same rack was used to recreate a scene from an IKEA commercial by strapping large boxes to the top while listening to the straps whistle and thump for miles in the middle of a snowstorm in Utah. On one Whidbey trip, over twenty 3-inch pieces of electrical conduit were affixed on top and performed incredibly like a sinister organ as we traveled 45 mph down the road. More recently, I cinched a series of Styrofoam forms equaling a mass of 2’ x 4’ x 8’ ft. block and drove it from Seattle to Whidbey Island. I was convinced the car would lift off the ground and become a bad Disney Flying Nun/Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang moment. People tend to move out of your way, it’s amazing how that works.

So if you’re thinking about buying a big ass pickup truck before starting a big project, obviously it would be more helpful. But I say, cowboy-up, save some gas, look ridiculously like Jed Clampett from the Beverly Hillbillies and stuff that little vehicle to the max. Be safe, cover your load, cinch tight, and embrace the embarrassment.
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This year at the Specialty Equipment Manufacturer’s Association (SEMA) 2009 show in Las Vegas, there seemed to be a great gathering of beautifully customized and enhanced Mustangs and Camaros. All I can say is, what Mustang or Camaro isn’t sexy with a body like that? But to most motorheads what [...]]]> by Jen Pennington
Photos by Robert J. Pennington

This year at the Specialty Equipment Manufacturer’s Association (SEMA) 2009 show in Las Vegas, there seemed to be a great gathering of beautifully customized and enhanced Mustangs and Camaros. All I can say is, what Mustang or Camaro isn’t sexy with a body like that? But to most motorheads what makes a car sexy is what’s under the hood, and in some cases, what’s in the tank. So we thought we’d pick five of our favorite alternative fuel cars from elegant EVs and beefy biodiesels to hybrids with horsepower. And for you Birkenstock-wearin’-moss-growin’-between-the-toes-greenie folks, feel free to indulge some secret lust after these “husky pups,” as my Dad used to say. These independent builders are definitely on the right track to foster the kind of sustainable technology we need for the future.

Sexy is Classic – The 912 “911E” Porsche
This 1976 Porsche was modified and restored by Sunshine State Restorations. This little blue beauty is powered by a NetGain Warp11 series-wound DC Electric motor. The car offers up the classic refined Porsche style with a robust 280 volts/1000 amp lithium ion battery bank (85 x 3.3 volt/100 amp hour). Fast, furious, and fabulous.

1976 912 (911E) Electric Porsche--elegant outside and in.

Sexy is Muscle – The SS Chevelle Biodiesel
If muscle is more your style, check out this restored and rebuilt 1970 SS Chevelle with a modified 6.6 Duramax Diesel GM Engine by Pacific Performance Engineering. PPE calls the car remarkably easy to drive with about 20,000 proven miles on it. Painted metallic green with black racing stripes this buff body is pumped up with biodiesel and ready to flex some new greener biceps.

Modified 1970 SS Chevelle Biodiesel

Sexy is Beefy – The Pangaea Expeditions Land Rover Defender 110
This Land Rover is part of the Bio Bonatti Project by Pangaea and it’s setting out to prove that not all full-size SUVs need to be gas guzzlers. Starting with a military spec frame and drive train, the vehicle was built from the ground up with a focus on environmental responsibility. In fact the majority of this daily drive expedition vehicle was built using scrap parts. The fuel system was modified to run on a variety of fuels including diesel, biodiesel, synthetic diesel and waste vegetable oil. Of its many attributes, a Plant Drive Vegtherm heater allows the Land Rover to run waste vegetable oil below freezing and B100 (100% pure neat biodiesel, no diesel) down to about 20 degrees. What makes the Land Rover unique is the 1,600 mile round trip to SEMA from Colorado drove on a clean burning synthetic diesel/biodiesel blend. The company is hoping it will become a next-generation, completely sustainable biofuel. We love that this beefy off-road beast carries with it a low impact footprint.

Pangaea Bio Bonatti Project - Landrover Defender 110 Biodeisel

Sexy is Shocking – The “Big Green” Regen EV Shocks
Sometimes it’s not the outside of the car that’s sexy, but a unique feature that draws all the attention. Such is the case with Physics Lab’s Regen-EV-Shocks on their “Big Green” Chevy Blazer. The SUV uses its shocks to generate electricity to the battery from the up and down motion of the vehicle as it travels down the road. A former X-Prize contender, the company’s mission is to retrofit heavy vehicles like, Suburbans, Rams, F-150s, military vehicles and railcars with renewable, regenerative technology on electric drivetrains. Creator Jim Stansbury was there to demonstrate the technology by using a light bulb and volt meter attached to an EV shock. A handle extended and contracted the shock up and down to generate voltage that lit a lightbulb. And oh yeah, did we mention the Blazer also had a Wind Turbine Inlet underneath and a solar Thermal Collector on top?

Chevy Blazer with Regen EV Shocks

Sexy is Racy – American Le Mans Hybrid Racecar
This American Le Mans Zytek hybrid GZ09-SH by Corsa owner Steve Pruitt of Utah hopes to prove that hybrids make a whole lot of difference in the world of racing. The 4-liter gas engine/electric motor with a 70 lb battery translates into a bit more speed out of turns and less pit stops. With promising finishes against top competitors, the real race to watch is how this technology can turn the corner from the rigors of racing down to our lowly daily commutes.

American Le Mans Zytek hybrid GZ09-SH

Find more SEMA 2009 pictures at www.rhizomeimages.com

Today at the Specialty Equipment Manufacturing Association (SEMA) 2009 show in Las Vegas, in the midst of some very sweet cars, parts and accessories, it’s easy to get sucked into the shiny beauty of gorgeous machines. An unveil by color master/designer Chip Foose and builder Peter Klutt on their Super [...]]]> by Jen Pennington
photos by Robert J. Pennington

Today at the Specialty Equipment Manufacturing Association (SEMA) 2009 show in Las Vegas, in the midst of some very sweet cars, parts and accessories, it’s easy to get sucked into the shiny beauty of gorgeous machines. An unveil by color master/designer Chip Foose and builder Peter Klutt on their Super Cuda collaboration was stunning. The guys from Galpin Auto Sports (GAS) and Ford rebuilding a 69′ Mustang live for the MTV crowd had all the right glam. But what was really disappointing was the fact that SEMA’s “Making Green Cool Zone” might have referred to the Siberian-like space it occupied at the back of the South Hall in the Las Vegas Convention Center. This was a shame because this area was the most exciting in terms of design, innovative engineering, and new eco-friendly automotive products.

X PRIZE from Progressive Insurance Automotive was the key sponsor for the area and a selection of cars from competing teams adorned the area. The X PRIZE awards 10 million dollars in prizes to the teams that win a multi-stage competition for clean, production-capable vehicles that exceed 100 miles per gallon energy equivalent (MPGe).

Rick Woodbury in his Tango at the X Prize showcase

HP2g's 1987 Ford Mustang hybrid gets 110 MPG

Azhar Hussain on the new Mavizen TTX02 electric racing superbike

With all the great new ideas being set forth, it was unfortunate that the press conference background for some of these innovators was some leftover green cloth with an 18 x 24 inch sign with a tiny Making Green Cool logo on it. In one area all the other exhibitor cars were so closely put together, it was tough to maneuver around them. You just felt bad for these guys. Like they were put in a corner and told not to make a fuss.

Okay so maybe you don’t need big fancy graphics, but when some of the most innovative work in the automobile industry is not showcased with the enthusiasm it deserves, how are we ever going to expect people to get excited and on board with greener, smarter alternatives?

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Find more SEMA 2009 pictures at www.rhizomeimages.com

This year’s North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) provided more insight into how Detroit hopes to navigate the sharp curves of the rapidly evolving auto industry. The economic downturn and global climate change have created a perfect storm for the automotive industry. Government and consumers alike are calling for [...]]]> By Robert J. Pennington, Edited by Clifford Guren

This year’s North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) provided more insight into how Detroit hopes to navigate the sharp curves of the rapidly evolving auto industry. The economic downturn and global climate change have created a perfect storm for the automotive industry. Government and consumers alike are calling for a significant change in direction. Detroit has finally embraced the electric vehicle (EV) as its flagship in its turnaround campaign. EVs have come to the forefront because of their ability to make a positive impact on critical issues like the environment and foreign energy dependence. In previous NAIAS shows EVs were sidebars or part of the general green-washing of the auto industry. In 2009 EV’s are the crown jewels of the show.

“All electric” vehicles can potentially deliver compelling advantages over traditional internal combustion engine powered cars. They can be smaller and lighter—and therefore more efficient. For the moment, designers don’t have the engineering in hand required to fully exploit these advantages, but they’re making headway… That’s why there’s such a focus on the performance and luxury segments—the healthy profit margins in these segments offset the costs of this still developing technology.

In contrast to the smaller, specialty manufacturers like Tesla and Fiskar, General Motors has focused on the challenge of delivering an all electric vehicle at an affordable price. GM’s solution is the Chevy Volt. The wheels in the Volt are always driven by an electric motor. The electric motor is powered by batteries for the first 40 miles, then by a small gas powered generator to deliver extended range. The Volt will go 200 miles between a plug-in or fill-up. The Volt will be in production in 2010 and have price of around $40,000. The Volt is a major benchmark in next generation of hybrids.

The question is, will consumers adapt as quickly as Detroit? The throaty racket or ear-piercing whine of a well-tuned internal combustion engine is destined to become a distant memory. Will we welcome the whirr of the electric engine or lament our command of all that power? Perhaps auto manufacturers should think about a security blanket—the sound of a big Detroit V8 or Porsche Flat 6 to play while we drive toward the future.

See more images from the 2009 Detroit Auto Show