At the L.A. Auto Show Thursday morning, the Green Car Journal jury voted the Volkswagen Jetta TDI the 2009 Green Car of the Year. The TDI "clean diesel" runs on ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel and uses a "common rail direct injection system" that decreases 95 percent of sooty diesel emissions.
The turbocharged diesel sedan bested a field that included two hybrids and the trendy Smart ForTwo. Though it garnered respectable fuel-efficiency ratings from the EPA, 31 mpg city/40 mpg highway, the TDI won the award because it achieved "the kind of fuel efficiency offered by gasoline-electric hybrids but in a more affordable way," Ron Cogan, editor and publisher of Green Car Journal, said in a press release.
The TDI's win was a bit of an upset for the Ford Fusion hybrid camp, who thought the win was in the bag. Yours truly was pulling for the über-cute, if über unlikely, Smart ForTwo -- crossing my fingers for the EV version in 2012.
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Comments View as Flat
Anna Haynes Posted 5:39 am
20 Nov 2008
Gristmill website feedback
(Sorry - I know this is off topic, but don't see where else to deliver it)
The silly headlines for the Gristmill posts are really getting on my nerves - plus they send the message to readers that climate change isn't something to take seriously.
And the RSS feed at http://feeds.grist.org/grist/gristmill
(the one that the big orange 'rss' icon links to, on this page)
is still showing the most recent post as being from Oct 9.
Is there an email address for Gristmill website feedback, that works?
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Anna Haynes Posted 5:44 am
20 Nov 2008
fyi, just noticed the gristmill email addr
...i'm hoping it will work (nobody seems to be home, at webmaster@grist.org or grist@grist.org)
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Erik Hoffner Posted 6:11 am
20 Nov 2008
Anna:
"The silly headlines for the Gristmill posts are really getting on my nerves"
What took you so long?
About this car, sweet. With a tankful of waste vegetable oil biodiesel, even McCain could ride to victory...
Erik
The Orion Grassroots Network: supporting grassroots groups working for conservation, justice, & more
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ahmednewenergy Posted 6:42 am
20 Nov 2008
The Karma is Better
This is pretty awesome. Still the greenest and best looking car I've seen in recent years is the Fisker Karma. UNBELIEVABLY COOL DESIGN! see:
http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/fisker-opens-new-d ...
and that's an American car. I say let the big three eat it. Let the new american companies emerge.
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kilgore trout Posted 7:15 am
20 Nov 2008
last year
I can't take the "green" car awards seriously ever since they named the Chevy Tahoe green car of the year last year. 21 mpg city... ouch. Someone needs to tell these guys there are more than just a half dozen car companies on the planet.
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Bob Wallace Posted 8:04 am
20 Nov 2008
Green Tahoe...
The Tahoe is a hybrid that gets 30% better mileage than the previous year non-hybrid version. That is a very significant improvement and a 'proof of concept' that will lead to hybrid versions of the rest of the fleet. Especially the large vehicle fleet.
You might complain about the overall size of the Tahoe (and large pickups), but please realize that some people legitimately need big rigs.
The complaint might be better aimed at people who buy big rigs when they could as easily use a smaller, more efficient vehicle....
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WWAGD?! Posted 9:11 am
20 Nov 2008
Calling All B.S. Detectives: Whaddya Think?
I have always thought the ads and articles for "hydrogen generators" that people stick on their cars were borderline...but here's a guy who's a city engineer, the Chicago Tribune is reporting he's put them on a fire truck, bus, etc...
Beloit tests hydrogen boosters to improve mileage
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-wi-hydrogen-car ...
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christophersj Posted 2:48 am
21 Nov 2008
Hydrogen booster
What powers the electrolysis that made that hydrogen? Would a hybrid battery have been a more efficient use of that original electricity?
I think, if anything, hydrogen may have a roll in heavy transport like planes and trains and big rigs, but not for cars and light trucks.
Even T-Boone Pickens now admits batteries are best for cars and light trucks, with plug-in hybrids being the bridge.
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christophersj Posted 2:54 am
21 Nov 2008
What about PRODUCTION of clean diesel?
I just read an article that says low sulfur diesel uses 25% more CO2 to produce than gasoline:
http://www.grinningplanet.com/2005/04-12/diesel-vs-gasoli ...
So is it a wash? The diesel gets something like 30% more efficiency per gallon than gasoline?
And how many stations have this fuel?
Is this award misplaced because it doesn't include PRODUCTION of the fuel. Well to wheels, should be the measurement.
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christophersj Posted 2:56 am
21 Nov 2008
AND...
And the Ford Escape Hybrid still beats this VW in City MPG.
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