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Source: FuelFix.com

General Electric Co. (GE)’s commitment to buy 25,000 electric autos, promoted as the largest ever when it was announced more than two years ago, is taking a detour.

The obstacle: Customers of GE’s corporate fleet-services unit wanted more options, said Deb Frodl, the division’s chief strategy officer. So GE has included natural gas-powered pickups and propane-fueled vehicles among about 11,000 autos — mostly plug-in hybrids and electric cars — already acquired from makers including Ford Motor Co. (F) and General Motors Co. (GM)

The shift at GE, whose 2010 pledge was hailed as a catalyst for bulk buying of electric vehicles, shows how businesses are struggling to balance greater fuel efficiency and reduced emissions against higher sticker prices, limited range and lingering doubts about still-infant technology.
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Source: Environmental Expert.com

Fuel Efficient Internal Combustion Engine market report contains comprehensive data on the worldwide market for efficient ICE technologies (engine deactivation, cylinder deactivation, variable valve timing and lift, turbochargers and superchargers, direct fuel injection, homogeneous charge compression ignition, reduced displacement engines, hybrids and partial hybrids, split cycle engines, and opposed piston/opposed cylinder engine designs. Market data are provided for historic (2006 to 2011 Q3) and forecast (2011 Q4 to 2021) market size data in terms of the dollar value of product shipments. The report identifies key trends affecting the marketplace, along with trends driving growth, and central challenges to further market development. The report also profiles leading startups and established manufacturers of fuel efficient ICEs that are most relevant to the fuel efficient ICE industry.

Internal combustion engines (ICEs) power our cars, trucks, big rigs, trains, generator sets, ships, and a host of other applications worldwide. Unfortunately, conventional ICEs boast low efficiency – most convert only 30% of fuel into usable work, and that is under optimal conditions. When accounting for idling and sub-optimal speeds, efficiency drops to 15 to 20%. That means, for every gallon of fuel placed into the engine, only 15 to 20% of the energy in that fuel is ever transferred into usable mechanical energy under typical conditions. The remaining 80 to 85% of energy contained in the fuel is wasted – wasted on friction, losses to heat, incomplete burning, and other inefficiencies characteristic of conventional ICEs.
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WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Energy (DOE) are releasing the 2013 Fuel Economy Guide, giving consumers clear and easy-to-read information to help them choose the most fuel efficient and low greenhouse gas emitting vehicles that meet their needs. The 2013 models include efficient and low-emission vehicles in a variety of classes and sizes, but notable this year is the growing availability of hybrids and the increasing number of electric vehicles.

“This Administration has been working to foster a new generation of clean, fuel-efficient American vehicles, and part of that effort is ensuring that Americans have access to the best possible fuel economy information when they’re choosing a car,” said Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “The 2013 Fuel Economy Guide provides Americans information about which car on the lot offers the greatest fuel economy and the lowest environmental impact. These are important considerations that can help families save money while protecting their health and the environment.”

“The Fuel Economy Guide gives consumers easily accessible information to help them choose the vehicle that’s right for them,” said Energy Secretary Steven Chu. “Fuel efficient vehicles help American families save money at the pump, continue to deliver on vehicle performance, and help reduce our dependence on foreign oil while limiting carbon pollution.”

This year’s guide gives consumers a broad range of information that they can use to select their next fuel efficient vehicle, whether they want to consider an electric vehicle or one that uses a more conventional fuel. This year, for the first time, EPA and DOE have added a second top ten list of most efficient vehicles — separating advanced technology vehicles from conventional gasoline and diesel vehicles. Electric and plug-in hybrid electric models are the most fuel-efficient and lowest-emission vehicles available today and are becoming more common. At the same time, consumers may still look up the conventional gasoline and diesel models that offer superior fuel efficiency.

The 2013 guide provides an estimated annual fuel cost for each vehicle. The estimate is calculated based on the vehicle’s miles per gallon (mpg) rating and national estimates for annual mileage and fuel prices. The online version of the guide allows consumers to enter their local gasoline prices and typical driving habits to receive a personalized fuel cost estimate. The 2013 guide also includes a greenhouse gas rating for each model.

Consumers may view the guide at fueleconomy.gov and it will be available in hard copy at dealer showrooms. EPA and DOE will update the guide online as more 2013 vehicles become available.

All 2013 model year vehicles will display a new fuel economy and environment label to provide consumers with more comprehensive fuel efficiency information, including five-year fuel costs or savings compared to the average new vehicle, as well as new ratings for greenhouse gas and smog. These labels are required for model year 2013, but some automakers voluntarily adopted the new label design on some 2012 models.

More information, including a complete version of the guide and details on the fuel economy labels: http://www.fueleconomy.gov/ and at http://fueleconomy.gov/m/ for mobile devices.

Source: Environmental Leader.com

Peake Fuel Solutions LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Chesapeake Energy Corporation, has announced the development of a diesel natural gas conversion kit that could cut heavy-duty truck operators fuel costs by 30 percent.

Diesel natural gas allows trucks to run on a mixture of diesel and up to 70 percent natural gas. When compressed natural gas or liquefied natural gas fuels are not available, trucks retain the ability to run on 100 percent diesel.

Long-term natural gas prices in the $4-6 per mcf range will translate into CNG and LNG prices of around $2.00 per diesel gallon equivalent, or about 50 percent lower than diesel prices, Peake says. Assuming a typical DNG blend, truckers would save about $0.20 per mile on their fuel costs. The return on investment for a DNG conversion kit is typically less than 18 month, Peake estimates.
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Source: Environmental Leader.com

The Drive Natural Gas Initiative, a collaboration between utilities and producers, has launched a calculator to help fleet owners analyze the cost of converting vehicles to natural gas.

The Natural Gas Fleet Savings Calculator, which was developed for the American Gas Association by product innovation consulting firm Ricardo, is a spreadsheet-based tool designed to evaluate the total cost of ownership. The calculator includes the cost of financing terms and state incentives.

Fleet owners can determine how much trucking fleets would save by converting from diesel-fuel vehicles to natural gas. The tool also allows users to compare the cost savings of switching from gasoline to natural gas.
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