Canadians Get Eco License Plates

News comes in via Springwise that Ontario’s Ministry of Transportation aims to recognise drivers of green vehicles with their own special license/registration/number plate – whatever you want to call it.

The aim for ministers in the Canadian province is to have one out of every 20 cars powered by electricity by 2020 – and this idea is a way of encouraging motorists to switch. The green plates are just part of a number of incentives such as rebates but the plates are more than just status symbols. They will (for the next five years at least) give the drivers the right to drive in the High Occupancy Vehicle lanes, even if there’s only one person in them. Also they’ll give them access to recharging facilities and access to special parking places at businesses, and public buildings.

The plate (pictured) will have green lettering on a white background with the picture of a trillium in the middle. It was selected from four choices in an online vote that ran from July to October.

Turning Trash Into Gas

Or “Turning Rubbish Into Petrol” for those in the UK. Recently, Coskata Inc., a leading developer of alternative bio-fuels, announced the successful start-up of its semi-commercial flex-ethanol facility.

Unlike other technologies and facilities that often rely on one primary source of feedstock, the company’s flex ethanol facility will be producing ethanol from numerous sources, including wood biomass, agricultural waste, construction waste and even household garbage. In addition, their patented microorganisms and bioreactor designs will produce ethanol for the same as, and in some cases less than, the cost of producing a gallon of gasoline. This new technology also reduces CO2 emissions up to 96 percent compared to gasoline.

Flex Fuel vehicles that can run on gas, E85 or a combination of both, are already available from Chevrolet, Ford, Dodge and GMC. GM has built 5 million of these vehicles to date, watch the video below to learn more.

Really Smart Driving

smart has unveiled a new green driving initiative called ‘smart eco driving’. Developed alongside the launch of the smart fortwo cdi, apparently the lowest CO2 emitting car in production, the initiative builds on smart’s green driving credentials and teaches motorists how to drive in the greenest and most economical way.

The initiative is designed to encourage all drivers to adopt smarter driving techniques to enable them to save money and cut back on CO2 emissions via a smart tutorial. Green driving courses will also be available from Mercedes-Benz World later this year. Motorists will be able to book a theory lesson to learn tips on how to effectively reduce both fuel consumption and emissions, as well as practical tuition with a professional eco-driving instructor where the techniques can be put into practice.

Watch the top 10 smart eco driving tips below (click here if you can’t see the video).

Additional smart driving tips include:

-Reduce driving speeds by 10mph where safe to – higher speeds use more fuel
- Regularly check tyre pressure – under-inflated tyres use more fuel and need replacing more regularly
- Air conditioning uses fuel so turn it off and open the window a fraction – ideally no more than 10% as full open windows can create drag
- Turn the engine off if stationary for more than 10 seconds – smart’s mhd system does this automatically
- Cruise control can help minimise inadvertent variations in throttle
- Reduce loads – clear the boot of unnecessary junk
- Regularly check air and fuel filters, as well as spark plugs – clogged filters can reduce efficiency
- Roof racks increase drag – take them off when not in use
- Use the MPG indicator (trip computer) so you’re always aware of how much fuel has been used
- Plan journeys well in advance and try to avoid times that will be congested

American Idol Fusion

This is a guest post by Ron Doren, Editor of The Drivers Seat.tv, an awesome car review and comparison site.

For the past several seasons, Ford has been one of the biggest sponsors for American Idol and despite tough times, 2009 is no exception. My day began driving to Hollywood to experience the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid. Just a green day all around. Upon arrival, I was greeted by the fine people at Ford who were eager to show off their redesigned Fusion.

The overview was informative and we learned a lot more about this mid-size GREEN sedan like its class-leading 41MPG and that the Fusion is capable of running in EV or all-electric mode for speeds up to 47MPH. Ford also had Fusion Hybrid that was loaded with decals highlighting its achievement for traveling over 1,400 miles on one 17.5 gallon tank which is a new record. Of course that was done by some hypermile experts, but they did offer 10 tips for the rest of us who want to drive greener.

Slow down and watch speed
Accelerate and brake smoothly
No idling
Check your tires
Be kind to your vehicle
Travel light
Minimize use of heater and air conditioning
Close windows at high speeds
Choose the right oil
Consolidate trips
Numbers are impressive, but it was now time to put the Fusion to the test via a mileage competition among auto journalists.

I had the more challenging part of the drive, taking the Fusion up through the Hollywood hills. Plenty of torque on tap, but the key was to use as little fuel as possible despite the challenging terrain. When I handed the Hybrid Ford to my co-pilot, the average MPGs was at 20.6. Not great, but considering the roads, very good, especially by non-Hybrid standards. My partner had the freeway drive as well as some downhill coasting opportunities to help us achieve a competition-winning average of 36.5 MPG! Not bad when you consider the size of the Fusion. That’s the same fuel economy I’ve been achieving with the Honda Insight!

Ford has come a long way and I have to admit, the 2010 refresh was more than just cosmetic. The Fusion drives better, looks better, and has been improved significantly on the inside thanks to better materials and better gauges. And of course we can’t leave out the Microsoft Sync system which is truly one of the best on the market.

The primary competitors for the Fusion Hybrid are the Camry Hybrid and Altima Hybrid. I’ve driven both of these cars and can honestly say that this Fusion Hybrid is just better. Looks better, drives better, and better interior. And best of all, it’s priced better.

One final word on the Fusion and American Idol. Ford made it clear that although the show is about young people, it actually appeals to a broad audience and therefore the Fusion makes sense. That may be the case, and I’m sure Ford gets a good return on their investment or the partnership would have been canceled quicker than a show on TBS, but I for one can’t wait until next year when the Ford Fiesta arrives. I drove it and it’s awesome. It will help on so many levels. First, it will give Ford its first legitimate compact car in America….EVER. Second, it will draw young buyers into Ford dealerships. And third it will prove that America can build a quality compact car that can compete with Honda and Toyota. I just wish the Fiesta was here today!

Posted by Ron Doren, Editor of The Drivers Seat.tv.

Smart Trees

An interesting piece of news I was sent is smart USA’s recent announcement regarding its Forest Restoration Project. This initiative will plant approximately 25,000 trees in the Cache River State Natural Area in honor of every vehicle sold in 2008 to celebrate the one year anniversary of the fortwo in the United States.

Here are some facts on the smart fortwo:
• Rated by the EPA, as the most fuel efficient non-hybrid vehicle on the road
• Vehicle is up to 95% recyclable
• Received highest possible rating from IIHS in frontal and side-impact crash test, and second highest rating in rear impact.

Of course, depending on what vehicle you’re buying, after no vehicle at all, second hand vehicles are often best. But it’s an interesting initiative for a car company.

Ford Hosts Weekly Live Chat

I’ve attended this a couple of times and realized I haven’t mentioned it to anyone. Every Tuesday at 9am PST, 12pm EST on their Ustream channel Michael Collins gives a the behind the scenes scoop on all things Ford. “The DigiKnow events will stimulate unique and informal conversations with experts from Ford, as well as providing demonstrations of some of the innovative Ford technologies”. They have had some great insights into the Ford Fusion and also NASCAR and hybrids.

You can see an archive of the shows here on YouTube. The Ustream channel is shown below if you happen to see this at the right time, else visit “>Ford DigiKnows every Tuesday at 9am PST or 12pm EST.

Honda Release Environmental Report

Honda have released their fourth annual North American Environmental Report that you can read online. But why should you care?

It’s a report that (almost) regardless of content I’m very pleased a vehicle manufacturer produces. They are quite proud of it, in fact sending me a copy and asking for my opinion on it. Besides making me feel special (along with hundreds of others no doubt) it is actually quite interesting. Admittedly I haven’t read many others to compare it to but it’s an easy read. Divided into three sections, it gets good in section three – Reducing Honda’s Environmental Footprint. Admittedly corporate rhetoric and unnecessary language is abound but these days I found myself getting used to it a little too easily.

Clearly the best thing Honda could do for the environment is stop producing cars. However that’s not a practical or realistic solution, and while I found the Powersports vehicles section strangely amusing there have been some nice advances made, and planned for the future (from the parts I read at least). Some points that Honda were keen to highlight if you don’t want to read it yourself:

- The U.S. corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) for model year 2007 Honda and Acura cars and light trucks rose to 29.5 miles per gallon, the highest level in five years, based in part on the expanded application of fuel-efficient technologies like i-VTEC® variable valve control for 4- and 6-cylinder engines, and second-generation VCM™ (Variable Cylinder Management™) for V-6 engines.

- Three Honda facilities in North America attained Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council in FY2008, joining two existing green buildings. Three additional facilities – two in the United States and one in Canada – will seek LEED certification in FY2009.

- An industry-high 81% of automobile were shipped by rail, the most fuel-efficient means of product transportation. CO2 emissions from automobile transport were reduced by 5,493 metric tons through the use of more fuel-efficient Auto-Max rail cars.

- A $7 million renovation of Honda’s Ohio product distribution center improved efficiency and reduced consumption of diesel fuel by more than 500,000 gallons.

- Promotion of “green factory” practices to more than 650 North American OEM supplier partners helped lead 85% of suppliers to be third-party certified to ISO 14001 environmental management standards in FY2008, up from 80% in the previous fiscal year.

You can read Honda’s North American Environmental Report report here.

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