DOE and EPA Release the 2009 Fuel Economy Guide

October 26, 2008 · Filed Under Transportation · Comment 

2009 model vehicles are ranked here in terms of annual fuel costs*. The Toyota Prius continues to lead the pack. And the Honda Civic CNG, a vehicle that runs on compressed natural gas, made the top ten.

2009 Toyota Prius 4 cyl, 1.5 L, Automatic (variable gear ratios), Regular
Toyota Prius

Energy Impact Score
7.4 barrels/year
48
city		 45
hwy
$949
2009 Honda Civic Hybrid 4 cyl, 1.3 L, Automatic (variable gear ratios), Regular
Honda Civic Hybrid Energy Impact Score
8.2 barrels/year
40
city		 45
hwy
$1039
2009 Nissan Altima Hybrid 4 cyl, 2.5 L, Automatic (variable gear ratios), Regular
Nissan Altima Hybrid

Energy Impact Score
10.1 barrels/year
35
city		 33
hwy
$1284
2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid 4 cyl, 2.4 L, Automatic (variable gear ratios), Regular
Toyota Camry Hybrid

Energy Impact Score
10.1 barrels/year
33
city		 34
hwy
$1284
2009 smart fortwo convertible 3 cyl, 1 L, Automatic (S5), Premium
smart fortwo convertible

Energy Impact Score
9.5 barrels/year
33
city		 41
hwy
$1325
2009 smart fortwo coupe 3 cyl, 1 L, Automatic (S5), Premium
smart fortwo coupe

Energy Impact Score
9.5 barrels/year
33
city		 41
hwy
$1325
2009 Ford Escape Hybrid FWD 4 cyl, 2.5 L, Automatic (variable gear ratios), Regular
Ford Escape Hybrid FWD

Energy Impact Score
10.7 barrels/year
34
city		 31
hwy
$1364
2009 Honda Civic CNG 4 cyl, 1.8 L, Automatic 5-spd, CNG
Honda Civic CNG

Energy Impact Score
0.1 barrels/year
24
city		 36
hwy
$1366
2009 Mazda Tribute Hybrid 2WD 4 cyl, 2.5 L, Automatic (variable gear ratios), Regular
Mazda Tribute Hybrid 2WD

Energy Impact Score
10.7 barrels/year
34
city		 31
hwy
$1364
2009 Mercury Mariner Hybrid FWD 4 cyl, 2.5 L, Automatic (variable gear ratios), Regular
Mercury Mariner Hybrid FWD

Energy Impact Score
10.7 barrels/year
34
city		 31
hwy
$1364
2009 Toyota Yaris 4 cyl, 1.5 L, Manual 5-spd, Regular
Toyota Yaris Energy Impact Score
10.7 barrels/year
29
city		 36
hwy
$1364
2009 Honda Fit 4 cyl, 1.5 L, Automatic 5-spd, Regular
Honda Fit

Energy Impact Score
11.0 barrels/year
28
city		 35
hwy
$1408
2009 Toyota Yaris 4 cyl, 1.5 L, Automatic 4-spd, Regular
Toyota Yaris

Energy Impact Score
11.0 barrels/year
29
city		 35
hwy
$1408

*Annual fuel costs are based on 45% highway driving, 55% city driving, 15000 annual miles, and the following fuel prices:

  • Regular gasoline: $2.91 per gallon
  • E85 - fuel mixture of 85% Ethanol, 15% Gasoline: $3.50 per gallon
  • CNG - compressed natural gas: $2.55 per gallon

For a personalized cost comparison you can modify the city vs. highway driving percentages, substitute higher fuel prices, and do advanced searches at http://www.fueleconomy.gov.

You can also find the latest fuel efficient vehicle tax incentive information on the website at http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/taxcenter.shtml.

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Tens of Thousands of Tennesseans Expected to Switch to Plug-in Vehicles within Next Five Years

June 21, 2008 · Filed Under Electric Power, Transportation · 1 Comment 

The Republican Senator of Tennessee, Lamar Alexander, said this week that he expects tens of thousands of Tennesseans to switch to plug-in electric vehicles or plug-in hybrid vehicles at least partially powered by electricity within the next five years.

The TN Senators met with representatives of auto manufacturing companies, battery producers, and Chairman of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), Bill Sansom, who offered a 20 percent discount of off-peak electricity (i.e. outside of noon to 6 PM) that would encourage adoption of plug-in vehicles with batteries that could be charged cost effectively during off-peak evening hours.

According to Energy Central News, TVA carries an excess generating capacity of roughly 7,000 megawatts in the evening, equivalent to the generating capacity of roughly six or seven nuclear power plants.

The top selling hybrid car in the U.S., Toyota Prius, is also the most fuel efficient car sold in the U.S. with an average fuel economy of 48 miles per gallon. GM sells several hybrid vehicles as well.

In contrast to non-plug-in hybrid vehicles (HEVs), plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) need to operate in a long-range charge depleting mode, which requires deep discharge of the battery’s energy over time.  A123 Systems develops affordable PHEV cells, based on nanophosphate lithium-ion battery technology, with the following innovations:

  • Higher energy density for long-range (100+miles), charge-depleting, all electric PHEV operation;
  • Retention of high power for charge-sustaining PHEV operation;
  • Thousands of deep discharge cycles for successful, long-term PHEV operation.

The following graph illustrates how the A123 PHEV cells maintain their energy capacity over thousands of deep discharge cycles.

In contrast to HEVs, which require short, high powe bursts, PHEVs operate in a charge depleting mode, which requires thousands of full depth of discharge cycles over the life of the PHEV.

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