One Hot Future

We didn’t need a thermometer to tell that this has been one hot summer. Scientists with thermometers, though, have been recording global air temperature, and they’ve found that the 10 years to 2004 were the warmest decade since reliable measurements began in the 1850s, and they’ve probably been the warmest in the past millennium.

While there are several factors contributing to global warming, the carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases being pumped into the atmosphere by motor vehicles are almost certainly among the culprits. With the huge populations of such countries as China and India just beginning to take their first spin on the road, the potential for more earth-warming is difficult to overstate. Amidst such concerns, every carmaker worth its good citizenship badge has shown that they are committed to the future sustainability of the automobile as the best means of transport.

For their part, governments, such as Britain’s, have begun to charge excise taxes based on the amount of carbon emissions of vehicles, from 15% to 35% of the vehicle’s purchase price, for example. Predictably, small cars such as the Smart ForTwo and hybrids like the Toyota Prius are among the lowest carbon-emitters.

We need such industry and government initiatives. Though it’s becoming more and more painful to fill ’er up these days, fuel is still relatively affordable, and prices are not yet a deterrent to people driving inefficiently.

As for the Philippines, all new vehicles sold must pass Euro 1 standards. That’s about a 90% improvement from pre-Euro 1, but even those standards date back to 1992. The current Euro-4 standards reduce carbon dioxide emissions to only 36% of their Euro 1 counterparts for gasoline engines, and 18% for diesel. There are several vehicles sold here that are already Euro-4 compliant, but even that is small comfort when you’re driving such a vehicle only to be confronted with the rolling smokestacks that serve as common public transportation. This is one country where driving a new car is more environmentally friendly than taking the bus. We have seen buses that are labeled as Euro-1 compliant, and that’s a glimmer of hope.

The day when cars will no longer pollute the environment may become a reality within our lifetime. Behind the glitzy new-car introductions at the 2006 Manila International Auto Show was another, quieter revolution. Three carmakers introduced alternative propulsion vehicles that serve as a preview of what the future of motoring will bring. Ford introduced the Flexible Fuel version of its Focus, capable of running on a blend of gasoline and ethanol, a renewable energy source that’s cleaner than gasoline. Isuzu demonstrated its Elf Hybrid truck, showcasing a marriage of diesel and electric technology. DaimlerChrysler through country distributor CATS Motors brought in its F-Cell fuel cell car.

The Isuzu Diesel Hybrid and Focus FFV represent technologies that are already in mass production. Isuzu introduced its Diesel Hybrid technology last year in Japan, and vehicles like the Focus that run on fuels with even higher proportions of ethanol are gaining acceptance in the U.S.

For more than 100 years now, the mainstream automobile has been propelled by an internal combustion engine burning fossil fuel. It was not for lack of trying alternate fuels; the field for a power source in the early 20th century was wide open. Carmakers settled on gasoline and later diesel, as these became the cheapest and most widely available alternatives.

All that may soon change. We now know that fossil fuel reserves are not only finite but likely to run out in less than 100 years. Wind and solar power may be promising for powering homes and factories, but a mobile device like a car still needs an onboard chemical energy source.

Gradually gaining acceptance as an alternative fuel is ethanol or ethyl alcohol. Ethanol is derived from cellulosic materials such as rice or sugarcane, quick-growing trees such as willow and poplar, and even municipal waste. Ethanol fuel provides slightly less mileage than unleaded, but it’s cheaper and cleaner-burning; running costs per km should reflect significant savings.
The chief proponent for ethanol-based alternative fuels is the Ford Motor Company; it introduced the technology and is promoting its use, particularly in the US Midwest, where ethanol-based fuel is more commonly available.

Ford Group Philippines showed its commitment to the technology early this year with the announcement of a flexible-fuel engine plant to be built in Sta. Rosa. Now it’s taking the next step, with the introduction of the Focus Flexible Fuel Vehicle (FFV). The Focus FFV is capable of running on E20 (20% ethanol and 80% gasoline).

Nearly all new vehicles are capable of running unmodified on E10; at this proportion, the ethanol is considered more of an additive. Running E20 and higher requires modification to some of the engine parts, as ethanol can be highly corrosive and damaging to parts such as rubber seals. The fuel system also needs to be recalibrated. An FFV uses sensors to automatically detect the mixture of gasoline and ethanol being used; the process should be seamless and invisible to the user. The Focus FFV promises the same or better engine response compared to its gasoline-only counterparts, while retaining the Focus’ razor-sharp handling and convenience features.

The next question is: where can we load up on E10 or E20? There are several fuel pumps offering ethanol-blended gasoline, but significant interest in the fuel is expected when one of the “Big Three” oil companies starts offering it. Shell may be the first to roll out its ethanol-blended fuel this year.

Aside from its being cleaner-burning, the primary benefit in using ethanol is that it is a renewable energy source. The fuel is made from renewable, organic sources. This has the potential to lessen our dependence on imported oil. As this technology becomes more popular, the benefits to our environment and our agricultural sector will be considerable.

Showcasing the future of commercial vehicles is the Isuzu Elf Hybrid truck. The Elf hybrid expands the possibilities for Isuzu’s diesel technology, and brings it to new levels of efficiency and clean emissions.

The Elf Hybrid pairs Isuzu’s direct-injection diesel engine with an electric motor powered by lithium-ion batteries. A unique feature of Isuzu’s hybrid system is that the electric motor is external, or installed parallel to the main drivetrain, instead of being incorporated within it. The batteries, inverter, and system components are installed at the side of the body frame. This design makes installation of the hybrid system easier and enables suitable body installation like that on conventional trucks. The Elf Hybrid features a 35-percent decrease in fuel consumption and a 25-percent decrease in exhaust emissions.

The Mercedes F-Cell is the most futuristic of the vehicles on display: the closest thing we’ve seen to the Mr. Fusion mounted in Back to the Future’s modified De Lorean. The F-Cell combines onboard hydrogen with oxygen in the air via its onboard fuel cell stack; the result is electric power for propulsion and from the tailpipe, pure distilled water—tastes like Absolute.

The F-Cell represents the far future of the automobile. The F-Cell combines its onboard hydrogen fuel with the oxygen in air, silently generating an electric current; the process’ only emission is pure water. The 2 kg of high-pressure hydrogen stored within the F-Cell’s sandwich floor provides a range of about 160 km; the car is derived from the A-Class subcompact.

For now, the F-Cell (each costing Euro 1.1 million) comprises the first global fleet of hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicles—it is not just a concept car. It’s ready to run from day one on Southeast Asia’s hot and humid streets. Another 55 vehicles are testing in other cities. The purpose is to gather feedback from real world testing in all sorts of conditions. They will be pitting their usability against Detroit’s freezing weather and Tokyo’s city traffic.

Developments in technology and infrastructure can occur rapidly. 1994’s NECAR 1 was a large van, and the fuel cell and propulsion system weighed 800 kg and took up all of the cargo area. Barely ten years later, the system fits under the floorboard of the miniscule A-Class. Commercial production is possible within a 10-15 year period.

Perhaps the most noteworthy feature of these technologies is that they are not sci-fi material, or even concept vehicles. All three vehicles were driven right off the show floor and back onto real roads. These technologies are not yet in the mainstream even in developed economies, but it’s comforting to know that local carmakers are beginning to show some initiative and proving that we are not isolated from these concerns. It’s a small planet, after all, facing a very hot future.

By Jason Ang