Racing Towards Reality - The 2003 Tour de Sol
Moves Hybrid, Energy-Efficient Vehicles Closer To The Mainstream
by Lee H. Goldberg
Increased bio-fuel activity, and more production-ready vehicles dominate this year's Tour, but hydrogen begins to gain momentum
Trenton
New Jersey's downtown was buzzing this past Monday with an armada of energy-efficient
vehicles, and the throngs of spectators, schoolchildren, and legislators
who had come to wish them well on their journey to Washington, DC. The Trenton
stage of year's Tour de Sol, a multi-day rally for energy-efficient, and
alternate-fueled vehicles, served as a showcase for many technologies that
promise to change the automobile industry.
The Tour de Sol, now in its fifteenth year, showcases dozens of gas-sipping and domestically-fueled vehicles, as well as electric bikes, neighborhood vehicles, and programs that promote walking, biking, and mass transit. During the competition component of the Tour de Sol, teams earn points for good fuel economy, low greenhouse gas emissions (carbon dioxide), reliability, driving range, acceleration, and handling.
Over the past few years, the tour's focus has gradually shifted from strictly electric and solar-electric vehicles, to a wider range of technologies that run the gamut from pure electric to bio-diesel powered hybrid-electric, and even hydrogen fuel cells. This year's race saw over half of the participants using bio-derived fuels, either as alcohol or vegetable-based diesel oil, to power their vehicles.
A New Emphasis On Bio-Fuels
This diversification over the years has, in part, been driven by a renewed focus on technologies that will work today in real-world market conditions without large changes in the energy infrastructure. There has also been a surge in interest as the public has realized that clean energy can increase both economic and strategic security. "We could save billions of dollars, cut dangerous emissions significantly, and reduce dependence on foreign oil producers if we only took advantage of the green transportation options sitting on our doorsteps right now," said Nancy Hazard, director of the Tour de Sol. "The U.S. owns only 2% of the known oil reserves, so we might as well start using other fuels now."
The
bio-fuels entries ranged from simple conversions of stock diesel cars, to
full-up custom hybrid-electric systems. The stock bio-diesel concept provided
an easy way for several high schools to get their feet wet in green transportation.
The students of Trenton Central High School, for example, ran their "Vegginator,"
a nearly stock 1985 VW Golf, on fuel they refined from the school cafeteria's
fry pots. Trenton High students Kirk Groomes and Evelyn DeLeon explained
that filtering and a relatively simple process to remove triglycerides and
reduce the vegetable oil's viscosity turned a waste product into a fuel
that reduces exhaust emissions by 80-90%.
Other
schools made use of bio-fuels to power more sophisticated drivetrains. One
example is West Philadelphia High School's "Hybrid Hippo" which
runs a diesel-electric bio- system in a 1995 Jeep Wrangler frame. Delivering
around 40 mpg, the Hippo, and various incarnations of its sporty home-made
body have been a regular sight as it ran in the Tour for several years.
This may be its last appearance as it makes way for a sleek new hybrid vehicle
based on a kit sports car that the students hope to be ready to run by Spring
of 2004.
The
bio-fuel entries from colleges and universities are even more sophisticated,
such as the "Viking
23", a bio-diesel hybrid-electric speedster from Western Washington
University. This sleek little 2-seater uses a 33-hp Daihatsu diesel and
a 47-hp electric motor to deliver between 50 and 70 mpg under normal road
conditions. But this doesn't stop the carbon-framed roadster from enjoying
brisk acceleration and a top speed of 100 mph.
Bio-derived alcohol is also a very popular fuel for hybrids, with the University of Waterloo, ON, Canada , running two ethanol-burning entries. Their "Eskimobile", a 1995 Chevy Malibu, uses a modified Saturn 4-cylinder engine to deliver most of the performance of the original six-cylinder mill, and a respectable 33 mpg. Waterloo also ran the "Al C. O'holic" a 1999 Chevy Silverado, with a tri-fuel V-8 that can burn alcohol, propane, or regular gas. The modified V-8 has a second direct port propane injection system that helps the large truck get 20-26 mpg.
The top placing alternative-fueled vehicle, called "Kyoto Codex", was built by biodieselnow.com, a group from Sterling, MA. The 1996 VW turbo-diesel Passat won the coveted prize for the most climate-friendly vehicle. This prize is given to the vehicle that emits the smallest amount of carbon dioxide per mile of operation. At a whopping 82 equivalent mpg, the four-passenger sedan delivered more than four times the mileage of the average American car.
Electric Finds Its Place
Electric
vehicles are also beginning to find their place in the market as inexpensive,
short-haul, light-duty vehicles that can squeeze impressive distances out
of the electricity produced from an equivalent gallon of fuel. Several production,
or pre-production vehicles ran in the race, including the Heibao, a compact 4-passenger sedan made in the PRC.
It won the award for best battery electric vehicle in the Tour's Production
Division. The car's 12-kW 3-phase motor and solid-state controller use low-cost
lead-acid cells to deliver a top speed of 25 mph, and a range of around
35 miles. A software upgrade will permit speeds of up to 40 mph. It will
be sold in Canada by Toronto Electric for US$12,500. Plans are also under
way to sell the car in the US as a Neighborhood Electric Vehicle, a recently-defined
class of cars which will require less expensive licensing and insurance.
Perhaps of equal interest to many electric vehicle enthusiasts is the fact that the Heibao's very efficient ac motor and controller are available separately, for use in their own projects. Priced at around US$2000, the compact system uses an efficient convectively-cooled dc-ac converter to deliver a peak power output of 20 kW for brisk acceleration.
Canada
is also producing its own domestic electric vehicle. The 2-passenger Dynasty
IT currently uses a 5-hp dc motor to push the car at speeds up to 25 mph.
Range with the current lead-acid battery set is around 30 miles. Pilot production
in the BC assembly plant has already started, and a prototype vehicle was
demonstrated at the Tour (see below). The Dynasty's manufacturers are considering
swapping out the current dc drive system for the Heibo's more powerful and
efficient ac system before production is ramped up the five to eight thousand
vehicle level (anticipated for early-2004.) Pricing for the vehicle is tentatively
set at US$13,000.
For more information on the Heibao, Dynasty, or electric conversion kit, visit Toronto Electric.
Another
intriguing vehicle on display was the "SpinCycle," a slick, 1-seat
pedal-electric three-wheeler that is as fun to drive as it is economical.
Developed by Joshua Kerson, of Greenfield, MA, the SpinCycle's 2.7 hp motor
propels it at speeds of up to 25 mph, and up to 45 miles on a charge. Its
speed and range can easily be boosted by the 21-speed pedal assist. With
a control system that's a close cousin to the HOTAS (hands-on throttle and
stick) controls found in fighter planes, the "pilot" shifts, brakes,
and controls the electric boost without taking his or her hands from the
differential steering handles. A very comfortable semi-recumbent driving
position completes the fighter-plane feel one gets when zipping around town.
Mr. Kerson is hoping to refine the design, and attract enough investment
money to begin limited production in the next couple of years. For more
information, visit SpinCycle, or write Kerson here.
Hydrogen On The Rise
While
the cost and complexity of hydrogen-powered vehicles has slowed their commercialization,
they are making steady progress. Millennium Cell Corp., of Eatontown, NJ,
http://www.millenniumcell.com/index.pl had showcased its sodium borohydride
hydrogen storage technology at last year's Tour in a fuel-cell-powered Chrysler
Minivan. This year Millennium brought the "Genesis," a fuel-cell-powered Mercury Sable that
had originally been built by the State of New Jersey using compressed hydrogen
fuel storage. The new water-based storage system extracts the hydrogen from
a sodium borohydride solution by
passing it over a catalyst bed, leaving a non-toxic solution of sodium metaborate,
a soapy liquid that the developers say can be used elsewhere as an industrial
chemical, or recycled back into its hydrated form. The resulting hydrogen
is then passed to a 10-kW fuel cell stack under the hood where it either
runs a drive motor or is stored in twenty-four 12-V nickel-metal hydride
modules. The vehicle's range is estimated at somewhere over 400 miles.
GM's Hy-Wire Act
While
it did not run in the actual Tour, GM's much touted "Hy-Wire"
fuel cell vehicle made an appearance at the Trenton stopover. The one-of-a-kind
wondercar looked like something out of a science fiction movie and bristled
with advanced features such as a fly-by-wire steering system, all-composite
construction, and a unique chassis that allows the body to be swapped out
by undoing a few bolts. Its UFO-like character was enhanced by the slight
humming of the power electronics system which accompanied the vehicle whether
it was parked at idle or gliding down the test track.
Even though it is not intended for production, the Hy-Wire is a test bed for the many technologies that GM will be putting into its commercial vehicles according to Robert Vitale, Staff Researcher at GM's R&D facility. Hy-Wire-derived technologies for power distribution and control, and other critical subsystems will find their way into vehicles like the hybrid Saturn Vue, scheduled for introduction in 2005. Other GM eco-vehicle projects include a mild hybrid gas-electric Chevy pickup truck scheduled for production later this year. Fuel savings on the electric-assist system are anticipated to be 10%-12% over a conventional vehicle.
Green Vehicles Head For Washington
With an uncertain energy future ahead, the Tour de Sol and its participants are pointing the way to a cleaner, safer, more hopeful tomorrow. After leaving Trenton, the race continued on to Washington, DC, making two more stops along the way. The final stop, near the nation's capital, was intended to help make legislators aware of the need for, and availability of, cleaner, more energy-efficient vehicles. At least one congressman, Representative Rush Holt (D, NJ), had visited the Trenton event, and was planning on visiting the Tour again when it arrived in Washington.
A list of all this year's Tour de Sol award winners is available on the web at www.TourdeSol.org. For more information on greener vehicles, free educational resources, and NESEA's Green Car Club, go to www.nesea.org, or call 413-774-6051.
lgoldberg@green-electronics.com.