Earlier this week, GM announced initiatives for customer satisfaction and battery safety research to ensure ongoing confidence in the Chevrolet Volt extended-range electric vehicle. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported last week that electrical fires that occurred up to three weeks after lithium-ion battery packs were damaged in crash testing on some of the vehicles.

GM has established a program offering free GM vehicle loan to any Volt owner and vowed to work closely with NHTSA, suppliers, dealers and manufacturing teams to initiate any necessary changes in the vehicles as soon as possible.

An Associated Press report today quoted General Motors CEO Dan Akerson as taking that even further, saying they would buy the cars back from owners who are worried about the issue, and that the company is ready to do a total recall of the more than 6,000 Volts on the road and repair them once the cause of the three post-crash fires in tested vehicles is determined.

As a part of the national FFV Awareness Campaign, the “FlexFuel Vehicle/Motor Vehicle Administration” project will work with MVAs in six states on outreach opportunities such as developing an FFV owner database, vehicle registration and license renewals, safety inspection and emissions notices, and including information with the energy/emergency preparedness program, state websites, and at point of service. The six states are Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Maryland, Georgia, and Florida.

“Working together with MVAs and automakers we want to reach drivers of FFVs to make sure they are aware that their vehicles have the capability of using high-level ethanol blends,” said FFV Awareness Campaign Manager Burl Haigwood. “Educating drivers about fuel choice will result in proper refueling and protect ethanol’s stellar 30-year marketplace reputation.”

The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers CEO Mitch Bainwol says they represent 12 companies of FFVs that see the need for consumer education. “FlexFuel Vehicles are a growing segment of the auto pool. We are pleased to help sponsor this project to increase the use of alternative fuels like E85 and in so doing, educate drivers to avoid the potential for misfueling.”

FFV Awareness Campaign supporters noted that reaching drivers in cooperation with the DMVs is essentially a no-to-low cost means to help states meet their goals to reduce petroleum use, support new biofuel technologies, and improve air quality. The Alliance now joins EPA, USDA, several Clean Cities Coalitions, and over 30 Ag/Energy/Environmental organizations that support the FFV Awareness Campaign.

The day was organized by Plug-in America and included EV events in over 20 simultaneous venues from Honolulu to New York with displays and demonstrations of plug-in vehicles by Nissan, GM, Mitsubishi, Toyota, SMART, Tesla, Ford, Coda and others.

“Only a few years ago, major automakers were literally crushing electric cars. Today, virtually every auto company in the world is selling or developing a plug-in car, and consumers are snapping up each and every one, stimulating our economy while helping the environment,” said Plug In America co-founder Paul Scott.

Among the event’s promoters was Nissan, which encouraged the 7200 Leaf owners nationwide to take part. “One year ago, the Nissan Leaf was just gaining public awareness. Today, thousands of drivers have chosen to go all-electric, with many more to come,” said Brian Carolin with Nissan North America.

Plug In Day will be followed up this Friday with the opening of the critically acclaimed documentary Revenge of the Electric Car in Los Angeles and New York. Filmmaker and electric-car advocate Chris Paine directs the movie, which follows executives including Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn in his industry-leading pursuit of zero-emission leadership.

Watch the movie trailer below:

The 2012 Hino 195h diesel-electric hybrid cab over truck, on display at the HTUF Expo, will show off its capabilities running on a 20 percent biodiesel blend (B20) and hybrid electric power during the HTUF Ride-and-Drive event today, along with more than 30 high efficiency trucks.

Hino Trucks, a Toyota Group Company, announced its full approval for use of B20 biodiesel blends in its new hybrid-electric truck as well as its complete product line of class 4 and 5 cab over, and class 6 and 7 conventional trucks in July 2011. Hino Trucks is the world’s third largest manufacturer of light and medium duty trucks, and now the fastest growing truck manufacturer in the U.S. Hino’s B20 approval statement joins those of competitors Isuzu Commercial Trucks, Ford Motor Company, International / Navistar, Cummins engines and others. B20 biodiesel blends are now approved by more than 95 percent of the medium duty truck market in the U.S., and by more than 60 percent of the U.S. diesel vehicle and equipment manufacturers as a whole.

“We applaud Hino Trucks for its foresight and proactivity in approving the use of B20 biodiesel blends in its new diesel and diesel-electric hybrid trucks,” said NBB CEO Joe Jobe. “The move toward B20 is a trend that is expected to continue as OEMs like Hino realize the value of biodiesel as a cost-effective, high quality fuel solution to help increase energy security and reduce emissions without sacrificing fuel economy or vehicle performance.”

According to NBB, 95 percent of the U.S. medium duty truck market is now approved for the use of B20 biodiesel.

Read more from NBB.

According to GM, the “Cadillac Converj Concept, a dramatic luxury coupe with extended-range electric vehicle technology, is moving forward as a production car that will be called the Cadillac ELR.”

Development of the ELR is just underway, so details on performance, price and timing will be announced later.

The Cadillac ELR will feature an electric propulsion system made up of a T-shaped lithium ion battery, an electric drive unit, and a four-cylinder engine-generator. It uses electricity as its primary source to drive the car without using gasoline or producing tailpipe emissions. When the battery’s energy is low, the ELR seamlessly switches to extended-range mode to enable driving for hundreds of additional miles.

Read more here from GM.

Chrysler Group and ZeaChem today announced the formation of a strategic alliance to “strengthen the credibility among regulators and American consumers of cellulosic ethanol as a cost-effective green transportation alternative; move away from the “food for fuel debate;” provide a leadership role to bring cellulosic ethanol through the production value chain to the consumer market; and build awareness of the potential environmental advantages of high yield, low carbon cellulosic ethanol.”

“Chrysler Group has long been committed to promoting the consumption of alternative fuels and to delivering flex-fuel vehicles to our customers,” said Reg Modlin, director, regulatory affairs, Chrysler Group LLC.

“ZeaChem is at the forefront of advanced cellulosic ethanol production,” said Jim Imbler, president and chief executive officer of ZeaChem. “Our process delivers a 40 percent higher yield in ethanol from non-food cellulosic feedstocks. Through strategic alliances we can fast-track the large-scale production of cellulosic ethanol. We look forward to collaborating with Chrysler Group to achieve our mutual goals and bring sustainable advanced cellulosic ethanol to consumers’ vehicles.”

“We are very pleased to have received this grant,” said Andrew Saul, Genovation Cars CEO. “Having the University of Maryland’s wind tunnel facility and its faculty involved with the G2 project will be a tremendous boost in the development and production of the car.”

The grant marks the 48th round of MIPS funding. Products developed with MIP grant funds have generated more than $21.6 billion in revenue and created thousands of jobs. MIPS is an initiative of the Maryland Technology Enterprise Institute at the University of Maryland and provides grants to companies that partner with researchers in Maryland public universities.

Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley added, “Our number one priority is to create jobs in this new economy. The Maryland Industrial Partnerships Program invests in innovation, enabling us to improve our quality of life and create jobs for the next generation of businesses in Maryland.”

According to Mike Tinskey, Ford director of Global Vehicle Electrification and Infrastructure, the “Drive Green for Life” program enables Focus Electric owners to reduce their cost of ownership by generating enough energy from their SunPower rooftop solar system to offset the electricity required to charge the vehicle at night. “It’s an eco-friendly solution that perfectly complements our plug-in products and other green initiatives,” he said.

“SunPower’s innovative partnership with Ford is a win-win for customers, providing a comprehensive sustainability program,” said Tom Werner, SunPower president and CEO. “By taking advantage of this program, Focus Electric customers can receive the added benefit of installing a SunPower solar system, the highest-efficiency, most reliable on the market today, generating the electricity needed to charge their vehicles.”

The 2.5 kilowatt rooftop solar system generates roughly 3,000 kilowatt hours of power each year. SunPower says this is nearly 50 percent more energy than conventional panels while at the same time utilizes less roof space than other panels. This is enough energy to charge an EV that drives about 1,000 miles a month. The rooftop solar system will also be compatible with the C-MAX Energi PHEV that Ford is rolling out in 2012.

This is the second renewable energy initiative that Ford has undertaken. In January, the company announced a partnership with Best Buy to offer a 240 volt home charging station for the Focus Electric and all future Ford EV models.

During a press announcement, President Obama cited this action would save consumers money at the pump – $1.7 trillion dollars in real fuel costs over the life of the vehicle and save families an estimated $8,200 in fuel savings over the lifetime of the vehicle, relative to the Model Year 2010 standard.

The movement to better fuel economy has been caused by many factors but concerns about prices at the pump, a dwindling supply of oil and climate change have all played major roles in causing auto manufacturers to finally spend some R&D in producing cars with better fuel mileage. The leading sector in improved mileage has been electric vehicles and hybrids, a combination of an electric vehicle with a gasoline engine (and some are flex-fuel vehicles meaning they can use up to 85 percent ethanol).

So what do consumers think about this move and who do they think will get their first? In a recent poll commissioned by LeaseTrader.com, 63.6 percent of respondents believe Hyundai is best positioned to meet these standards, even before 2025. During the week of July 18-22, 1,138 drivers from across the U.S. responded. Seventy two point four percent of the respondents are in favor of the higher fuel standards, but only 34.5 percent remain supportive if it means vehicle prices will rise more than $2,000.

Other results show that 63.3 percent of those polled believe the automakers already have the technology to significantly improve fuel standard technology and 47.2 percent believe domestic carmakers can be profitable under these fuel standards.

Allen Schaeffer, executive director of the Diesel Technology Forum noted, “In just its first year, the Cruze has proven to be extremely popular with American drivers. In June, it was the best-selling car in the U.S. and has exceeded sales of more than 20,000 per month since February.

“General Motors has been a global leader in clean diesel engine technology and this announcement is great news for North American consumers,” added Schaeffer. “Given the overwhelming success of the Duramax diesel heavy-duty pick-up truck in North America, and diesel engine options in the Opel brands in Europe, we can only predict the Diesel Cruze will be a huge hit in the U.S. This announcement clearly signifies the increasing importance of clean diesel technology as a key and viable strategy for meeting fuel efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions goals.

There are currently 22 diesel cars and light trucks sold in the U.S. and several auto manufacturers, including Volkswagen have announced new diesel models aimed at the American market.

A team from Virginia Tech University designed an extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) using 85 percent ethanol (E85) to win first place in the three-year EcoCAR: The NeXt Challenge competition sponsored by the Department of Energy and General Motors. The competition challenged participating engineering students to re-engineer a GM-donated vehicle to minimize the vehicle’s fuel consumption and emissions, while maintaining its utility, safety and performance. The Virginia Tech team hit incremental goals throughout the challenge that helped the vehicle achieve the equivalent of nearly 82 miles per gallon, a 70 percent improvement in fuel efficiency over the stock vehicle.

Taking second place, also with an E85 EREV, was Ohio State University. The University of Waterloo took third place with a hydrogen fuel cell plug-in hybrid electric vehicle.

“With the experience and skills these innovative students have gained through the EcoCAR competition, they will help reduce our nation’s reliance on oil imports and keep U.S. industries competitive in the global marketplace,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu.

Florida-based Protec Fuel supplied the E85 for several of the teams that made it to the competition finals last week, including the first and second place winners. “We are proud that EcoCAR Challenge winners were running on E85 fuel. This next generation of promising engineers has shown that combining E85 with electric vehicles augments the domestic fuel’s already cleaner burning properties,” said Todd Garner, CEO of Protec Fuel. “This just goes to show E85’s value to development in future – and everyday – vehicle technologies and why E85 deserves to keep tax credits that traditional fuels have enjoyed.”

This company press release says the new Reach will not only be green, but it will last a long time, too:

Powering the Reach is Isuzu’s state-of-the-art, biodiesel fuel compatible 4JJ1-TC 3.0-liter turbocharged engine generating 150 horsepower, mated to a Aisin medium-duty six-speed automatic transmission with double overdrive, lock-up torque converter and power take-off (PTO) function. In independent testing, this powertrain achieved a whopping 35 percent better mileage than traditional commercial vans. This impressive fuel economy does not come at the expense of long-term durability; the engine has class-leading B10 durability ratings of 310,000 miles, meaning that 90% will reach that mileage before requiring an overhaul…

Combining efficiency, performance and durability with clean-diesel technology, the Reach offers both low cost of ownership and environmental friendliness—the ideal combination for our times.

You can get the Reach in 10-, 12- and 14-foot versions.

The plant is producing the Ford Focus and the Focus Electric as well as the C-MAX hybrid and the C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs). Ford is using this solar project as a pilot for other assembly facilities. A secondary, smaller solar energy system will be integrated at Michigan Assembly to power lighting systems at the plant.

“This solar energy system allows us to test the viability of alternative energy to supply power for our manufacturing facilities around the world. It serves as a significant initiative within our corporate emphasis on sustainability,” said Jim Tetreault, Ford vice president, North America Manufacturing. “[The] Michigan Assembly Plant has been transformed into a facility that embodies our drive for flexible manufacturing and strives for new standards for green manufacturing.”

Partners in the project include DTE Energy, Xtreme Power, the city of Wayne, Michigan and the state. DTE Energy designed and installed the solar panels while Xtreme Power of Austin, Texas is supplying its Dynamic Power Resource on-site energy storage and power management system. Another key part of this project is the inclusion of a 50 kilowatt-hour facility to demonstrate the potential reuse of electric vehicle batteries for energy storage. Finally, Ford will install 10 electric vehicle charging stations at the plant. The EV charging stations will be used to recharge the electric switcher trucks that transport vehicle parts between adjacent buildings at the manufacturing site.

The Michigan Assembly project is funded by a $3 million investment from DTE Energy’s SolarCurrents program, a $2 million grant from the Michigan Public Service Commission in support of the state’s smart-grid initiative, and approximately $800,000 worth of in-kind contributions from Ford.

“This multimillion-dollar investment is just a portion of DTE Energy’s commitment to renewable energy,” said Trevor Lauer, DTE Energy vice president, Marketing & Renewables. “We’re pleased to work with Ford as it takes another step to help the environment and with the state as it works to meet its renewable energy goals.”

According to Volvo, the car boasts 150 miles per gallon (mpg) in the hybrid mode when using its 2.4 liter diesel engine and 70 horsepower electric motor coupled to the rear drive. The diesel hybrid has two separate drivetrains that can operate on their own or together. In the front is a 2.4-liter five cylinder turbodiesel with a 215 horsepower and a 324 pound-feet of tourque. In the back, a 70-horsepower electric motor with a 12-kWh lithium-ion battery pack controls the Electric Rear Axle Drive (ERAD).

By simply pressing a button, you can tell the car how you want to drive:

• * An electric car with a range of up to 32 miles.
• * A high-efficiency hybrid with carbon dioxide emissions averaging just 49 g/km.
• * A dynamic and engaging car with a combined output of 215 + 70 horsepower, 440 + 200 Nm of torque and acceleration from 0 to 62 mph of just 6.9 seconds.

“The second-generation hybrid is the perfect choice for the uncompromising buyer who wants a superbly carbon dioxide-lean car packed with driving pleasure. To get drivers to think green, we have offered both, in one traditional genuine sports wagon” says Stefan Jacoby, President and CEO of Volvo Cars.

Jacoby added, “The technology is still undergoing development and testing, however, the car already points very clearly to what our customers can expect when the plug-in hybrid enters showrooms next year. What we’ve done is to spice it up with spearhead technology that allows the driver to choose: zero emissions, high-efficiency hybrid or full-on performance. Just select the mode that suits best.”

Volvo did not indicate if the car could run using a biodiesel blend but did indicate that the car was still undergoing development.

This piece from EnergyDigital.com says that while VW’s Super Bowl ads were winners, the “upgraded” TDIs from 2009 and newer are losers when it comes to biodiesel, running just 5 percent of the green fuel:

What we have here is a classic example of environmental protection regulation backfiring. While it is absolutely necessary to ensure that industrial practices are as minimally destructive to the environment as possible, it is also counterintuitive when the regulations created actually promote increased fossil fuel consumption over biofuels. Several TDI aficionados have expressed their disappointment in the new TDI engines in blogs and Internet comment boards, even forming grassroots associations calling for biodiesel-compatible TDI engines to return to VW’s lineup. There were several instances in 2009 where buyers of the new TDIs were uninformed of the engine’s inability to use higher blend biodiesel—the whole reason they bought the car in the first place! VW is currently in the process of approving the new TDI engines for B20 biodiesel blends, but true-blooded biodiesel supporters—the “B100 or nothing” crew—are turning to older TDI models to get their biofuel fix.

Hmmm… maybe we can get that little Darth Vader kid to fix this problem (he won the Super Bowl ads competition as the most creative of the night, right?).

Mercedes said fuel cell cars are now at the same stage of development as early internal combustion engines in the late nineteenth century, when drivers had to buy gasoline from drug stores.

The fuel-cell B class has a range of 200 miles on one tank of fuel, and takes about three minutes to refill, if you could find a hydrogen filling station.

After making the pitch, the company unveiled an electric version of its gull-wing, two-seater roadster.

“We will take substantial steps toward using electricity, bio-fuels, and natural gas to power our cars, and those vehicles still using oil will consume far less of it,” Bloom said.

While the percentage of cars using alternative fuels a dozen years from now will still be relatively small, Bloom said, “the shift will be viewed as inevitable, and the trajectory of change will be accelerating with take-off velocity in sight.”

Bloom equates the increase in auto intelligence in the next 12 years to the same leap cellphone technology made in the last dozen years.

This NBB press release says the biodiesel symposium, entitled “Biodiesel: Powerful Fuel, Promising Future,” will highlight how biodiesel is and will be used to power “vehicles in a cleaner, greener, more sustainable manner”:

“We are extremely pleased to have this opportunity to feature biodiesel as America’s first Advanced Biofuel to the global automotive industry,” said Joe Jobe, CEO of the National Biodiesel Board. “The U.S. Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS-2) established realistic goals of supplementing the nation’s fuel supply with advanced biofuels which reduce lifecycle carbon by more than 50 percent. Biodiesel is the first advanced biofuel to reach commercial scale production in North America, and it reduces direct lifecycle carbon by more than 80 percent. Biodiesel is thus very well-positioned to help the nation meet its immediate and long-term advanced biofuel goals.”

Jim Michon, Truck Fleet Marketing Manager for Ford Motor Company, said, “Many of our fleet customers are very conscious of the environment, and had been asking us for a truck approved for use with B20 biodiesel. In the process of developing our all-new Ford-designed, Ford-built 2011 Super Duty truck, we thoroughly tested B20 in our new engine under the harshest of conditions. B20 proved itself to provide the same fuel economy, power and performance our customers expect of our high performance diesels – there are no trade-offs for using B20”.

In this edition of the Domestic Fuel Cast, I speak with Britta Gross, Director of Global Energy Systems and Infrastructure at GM, about the revolutionary technology that makes the Volt a truly impressive vehicle.

“With the Chevy Volt, you don’t have to plan the way you use this vehicle. It’s great if everyone drives off the battery. It’s great if you don’t have to figure out if you can stop at the dry cleaners [or pick up a sick daughter at school]. You don’t have to plan your day around it.”

Gross says it’s practically impossible to tell when you have switched from battery to gasoline power with the transition practically seamless. Plus, she says it easily plugs into a 120 volt, three-prong plug at home for charging overnight. No special charging stations are needed for this electric car.

While she admits the Volt can look a little pricey at first …. about $40,000 before the $7,000-$8,000 in tax credits that kick in … you have to keep in mind that this is first-generation technology and will get lower with time. Remember how much VCR and DVD players were when they first came out? But she says Chevy also has a lease option for the Volt, and at about $350 per month, it’s on par with other vehicles in its class.

Gross says Chevy will produce 10,000 of the Volts in 2011 and another 45,000 in 2012. Now, these first two that rolled off the assembly line today will have special homes – the first will go into GM’s museum and the second is being auctioned off with the proceeds going to support the Detroit Public School’s math and science at www.bidonthevolt.com.

Gross says today is a proud day for her and many of her co-workers, some who have been working more than three years to make this dream a reality. And she says it’s a sign that after a couple of tumultuous years, General Motors is back.

It’s a great conversation, and you can hear more of it in the Domestic Fuel Cast here. Domestic Fuel Cast

You can also subscribe to the DomesticFuel Cast here.:

To commemorate this milestone, we’ll host an event at the Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly facility – the home of the Chevrolet Volt. The pre-show begins at 9:30 a.m. EST, and will be led by GM CEO Dan Akerson along with other key members of GM and Chevrolet leadership, including representatives from the Volt development team.

You can check out the webcast here, and I’ll be talking with some of the good folks from Chevy during tomorrow’s Domestic Fuel podcast.

This post on The Car Connection blog says the unveiling of the LRX Concept will take place tomorrow for the 40th anniversary of the Range Rover:

The LRX was previously expected to make its public debut at the Paris Motor Show this fall, and that’s still a likely candidate for its first show-circuit appearance. The concept version of the LRX is powered by a 2.0-liter diesel engine capable of sucking 60 mpg out of biodiesel. The biodiesel element may not make it to production, but we’d expect to see a highly-efficient diesel engine in the car from the start–for Europe at least. In the U.S., a small turbocharged gas burner is more likely. Stop-start tech and lightweight materials are also expected to play a key role in fuel savings with the new compact Range Rover.

You can watch the official unveiling at this website.

“Verizon’s fleet team is constantly on the watch for new, lower-carbon technology,” [Ken McKenney, Sustainable Fleet-Technical Engineering Lead for Verizon] said. “CNG is a leading alternative fuel choice right now, so converting these cargo vans to run on the cleaner-burning fuel helps us cut CO2 emissions and fuel consumption. We will continue to find ways to increase the efficiency of our fleet.”

The vehicles are being converted to CNG by BAF, a wholly owned subsidiary of Clean Energy Fuels Corp.

Officials say that this is a move more company fleets could emulate.

USA Today reports GM will offer compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in versions of the Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana full-size vans for commercial fleets:

“We’re listening to our fleet customers and dealers about offering options that help them achieve their business objectives,” said Brian Small, general manager of GM’s fleet and commercial operations. “The industry commitment to expand the CNG and LPG infrastructure in key fleet markets was an enabler to allowing us to introduce these options now.”

Both CNG and LPG vans will carry GM’s limited new vehicle warranty including the 5-year/100,000 mile transferable GM powertrain limited warranty.

GM officials say this will make it easier for commercial customers to choose a CNG or LPG vehicle … and makes the auto giant the only manufacturer to offer the option with this level of support and availability.

Today, more than eight million vehicles on U.S. highways are flexible fuel vehicles, out of over 246 million vehicles on the road. Ford’s commitment to manufacture more Flex Fuel Vehicles will help ensure that we meet Congress’ goal of 36 billion gallons of biofuel production by 2022 as enacted in the 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act, Buis said.

This GM press release says TGC will send the hydrogen, along with synthetic natural gas, through its utility gas stream and separate the hydrogen at key points along the 1,000 mile utility pipeline:

“This is the type of enabler that a hydrogen transportation infrastructure needs because it addresses both the source of the hydrogen and a feasible way to deliver it for fuel cell vehicle use,” said Charles Freese, executive director of GM Global Fuel Cell Activities. “The Hawaii infrastructure could eventually support tens of thousands of fuel cell vehicles.

“We have been delivering as much as 12 percent hydrogen made from renewable sources to our gas customers over the last two to three years and expect we can deliver even greater quantities of hydrogen as demand increases,” said Jeffrey Kissel, president and CEO of TGC. “By delivering hydrogen through our existing infrastructure as vehicle fuel wherever we have gas, The Gas Company expands its key role of supporting Hawaii’s clean energy future.”

Officials believe the price for the hydrogen could be equal to or less than gasoline.

“Protec continues to show great leadership in the area of biofuel commercialization. We are pleased that Protec is sponsoring the EcoCAR Challenge helping to support education and technology,” said Mary Beth Stanek, Director of Environment and Energy Policy and Commercialization for General Motors. Todd Garner, CEO of Protec Fuel stated that “developing the next generation of engineers focused on E85 and flex fuel vehicles is critical. E85 must play an integral role in our transportation fuel mix since the Renewable Fuels Standard 2 cannot be mathematically achieved without a significant expansion of E85 use.”

The EcoCAR Challenge is in year two out of its three year run. Over the last academic year, EcoCAR teams have spent countless hours developing prototype advanced technology vehicles that will be judged in more than a dozen technical events at this year’s competition finals, which will be held May 17-27, 2010. Events will take place at the GM Desert Proving Ground in Yuma, Arizona and at locations throughout San Diego, California.

The EcoCAR Challenge is also sponsored by the Department of Energy.

The AFVI show kicked off on Sunday featuring speakers on compressed natural gas (CNG), propane, biodiesel, electric and ethanol. Nearly 90 exhibitor booths opened on Monday at noon including companies such as General Motors, Toyota, Ford, the National Biodiesel Board, Dresser Wayne, and Honda among others.

In their booth, Dresser Wayne is displaying a CNG dispenser, E85 fleet dispenser and a diesel exhaust fluid dispenser (see right). “It’s always a good opportunity to participate in a show like this to learn about about emerging opportunities relating to alternative fuels,” noted Dresser Wayne’s Director, Alternative Energy Products, Scott Negley.

A “Ride-n-Drive” also took place today offering attendees a chance to experience how an alternative vehicle feels on the road. Vehicles included in the Ride-n-Drive included: Ford E-250 (Propane); THINK THINK City (Electric); Camry (Hybrid); Highlander (Hybrid); Prius (Hybrid); Prius (Plug-in Hybrid); Civic GX (CNG); FCX Clarity (Hydrogen Fuel Cell); Volkswagen Golf TDI (BioDiesel); Volkswagen Jetta (BioDiesel); Crane Carrier LET2 (CNG/Hydraulic Hybrid); Starcraft Allstar (CNG); XCaliber CNG66 Mower (CNG); Escape (Hybrid); Fusion (Hybrid); Global Electric Motorcars e4 (Electric); Ford F-Series (Biodiesel – B20); and Chevy Tahoe (Flex Fuel Vehicle)

The 2010 AFVI show concludes tomorrow.

In a letter that was addressed to Members of Congress on June 28, 2006, the automobile manufacturers stated:
When we met with leaders in Washington last month, we were encouraged to find deep, bipartisan determination to address the far reaching impact of our nation’s growing dependence on foreign oil. As we reiterated last month, we believe renewable fuels can play an important role in addressing this national problem. The good news is that ethanol and other biofuels are well known to our country and to the U.S. auto industry. For decades, farmers in the heartland have been turning corn into fuel, and, likewise, we at DaimlerChrysler, Ford, and General Motors have been building flexible vehicles that run on ethanol.

But we are prepared to do more. We are proud to announce that we will double our production of vehicles that are capable of running on renewable fuels by 2010. That’s more than two million E85 and biodiesel capable vehicles a year by the end of the decade – the single largest commitment to renewable fuels in our nation’s history.

Ford’s announcement was made today by Sue Cischke, Ford’s group vice president, Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering, at the 2010 BIO International Convention in Chicago. “Flexible-fuel vehicles are a great alternative for our customers because they provide owners with the option to choose between using E85 and gasoline when filling up a car,” Cischke said. “Ethanol and other biofuels also help reduce the county’s dependence on imported oil.”

Ford along with DaimlerChrysler and General Motors plans to expand its fleet of flexible-fuel vehicles to 50 percent of vehicle production by 2012.

Ford currently offers 11 FFV models within the U.S.

According to Autoblog.com, the E85 capable 2.0-liter direct injected turbo four will begin arriving on lots in late August, along with the 2.4-liter. The turbo will be GM’s first production E85-capable turbocharged and direct injected engine. The engine was originally developed for the new Saab 9-5, which rides on the same Epsilon II platform as the Regal, and GM decided to install it in the U.S.-spec Buick as well. The new Regal has been available in China since late 2008.

According Jim Federico, vehicle line executive for the global midsize platform, combining direct injection and turbocharging will allow the new engine to get much closer to the volumetric fuel efficiency of gasoline while running on ethanol. Until now, normally aspirated flex-fuel engines typically have gotten about 15 percent worse fuel efficiency on ethanol. The Regal engine should cut that deficit to the mid-single digits and future versions should be just about even.

General Motors now offers a large selection of E85 compatible vehicles for purchase including the Chevrolet HHR, Malibu, Taho, Avalanche, Express, Impala and Suburban along with the GMC Yukon, Sierra, and Savana among others.

However, we could actually reduce oil imports and emissions even more under this program by using ethanol.

Ricardo’s EBDI engine technology

Let me explain. The easiest way to gain the improved fuel economy is through “engine downsizing,” in other words, using smaller engines. But the new smaller engine technologies will not mean less power, like in the past. According to Ethanol Boosting Systems, their technology enables gasoline engines to “reach their full potential” by utilizing performance enhancing properties of ethanol in conjunction with advances in direct injection (DI) and turbocharging.

Here is how their system works: The EBS approach uses controlled direct ethanol injection to add a very significant vaporization-enhanced On-Demand Octane BoostTM that essentially removes the knock limit on engine performance. The elimination of the knock constraint has been proven by systematic engine dynamometer tests. This allows a small gasoline engine to provide the same or higher torque as compared to a conventional engine of much larger size.

This downsizing, the company explains, when combined with the use of a high compression ratio enables gas engines to improve efficiency, aka fuel economy, by 25-30 percent. The ethanol blend deriving the best results is E85 and in conjunction with a 3-way catalytic converter for emission control, you achieve both goals: decreased emissions and increased fuel economy. In other words, octane matters and the highest octane level you can purchase today, is E85.

Several auto companies are already heading in this direction. Ford has released several cars with its “Ecoboost Engines” and plans on adding more models to the line-up. Volkswagon and Mazda and Saab are already on their way and Ricardo, Inc., best known for their engine work in motorsports, is working on their version of this technology called the Ethanol Boosted Direct Injection (EBDI).

In a company statement, Ricardo President Dean Harlow said, “The EBDI engine project is a great example because it turns the gasoline-ethanol equation upside down. It has the performance of a diesel at the cost of a gasoline engine, and runs on ethanol, gasoline or a blend of both.”

The ultimate key to this technology is that the engines must be tuned to run most efficiently on ethanol, not gasoline as they currently are. To make this a reality, several things must happen in tandem.

1. 1. Auto manufacturers must produce cars using this “flex-fuel” technology that capitalizes on the higher blends of ethanol. This will take additional investment and research dollars but the results will pay off. This process can also be accelerated by passing a national mandate that all cars sold in the U.S. must be flex-fuel vehicles.
2. 2. The EPA needs to approve the E15 Waiver, allowing consumers with conventional vehicles the opportunity to use up to 15 percent ethanol in their fuel blend. At the same time, consumers need to voice their support of biofuels by purchasing them at the pump.
3. 3. More funds need to be allocated to building the infrastructure for higher blends in the form of blender pumps and E85 pumps.
4. 4. The government must not deviate from its path as set out in the Renewable Fuels Standard which is leading the way to ending our dependence on foreign oil through the use of domestically produced renewable fuels.

When consumers, retailers, auto manufacturers, and the government begin to work together, our country will achieve its goals of energy and financial security and environmental sustainability.