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by Spencer Quong
This is the car the automakers refuse to make.
Five years ago, the auto industry was issued a challenge. That was when California passed a law requiring the industry to reduce global-warming pollution from its cars and trucks. Since then, 10 other states have adopted that standard. Together, these 11 states represent one-third of the U.S. auto market. Instead of rising to this challenge, the automakers filed lawsuits in California and two other states to kill the standard -- even though they have the technology today to surpass it.
Before joining the staff of the Union of Concerned Scientists, I worked as a consultant for the major automakers, so I know first-hand that they can do better. Working with other UCS vehicle experts, I recently designed a "virtual" vehicle that combines a number of pollution-cutting technologies under one hood. Our blueprint, which we call the Vanguard, is not a hybrid. It doesn't use fuel cells. It merely puts together conventional off-the-shelf technologies that can already be found piecemeal in more than 100 vehicles on the road today. Installing these technologies in everything from two-seaters to SUVs could cut their global-warming pollution by as much as 40 percent. Adopting the Vanguard "package" in California alone would be the equivalent of taking 19 million of today's vehicles off the road.
Not only would the Vanguard package help save the planet, it would save Americans millions of dollars annually. The minivan package, for example, would pay for itself in less than two years and deliver $1,333 in savings over the vehicle's lifetime. From 2009, when the standard is supposed to take effect, to 2030, California drivers would save $2.6 billion.
OK, that all sounds almost too good to be true, but what would it be like to drive? Not to worry. The Vanguard would be just as fast, safe and reliable as today's vehicles. In fact, the Vanguard package actually would give you a smoother ride than the car you're driving today.
Here's a look at some of the key features of this cleaner car:
Transmission: The Vanguard has a six-speed automatic-manual transmission that delivers a smoother ride and allows the engine to operate at top efficiency. There's no clutch: You switch gears by simply pushing a button on your dashboard. If you don't want manual control, the car will do the shifting for you.
Engine: Cylinder deactivation will give you muscle only when you need it, saving you money and cutting pollution. If you're cruising down the highway with no passengers, two of the six cylinders will shut down seamlessly. When you lean on the gas, go up a hill, or load your car with six kids headed to soccer practice, the extra cylinders will kick back on.
Electrical system: Electric power steering will let you change direction with an electric motor instead of a hydraulic pump, providing faster, more responsive steering and consuming less energy.
Ethanol: Building cars that can use as much as 85 percent ethanol from plants would help cut global-warming pollution. Corn ethanol can cut pollution 10 to 30 percent compared to gasoline, while cellulosic ethanol from switchgrass, wood chips and other materials would cut pollution by as much as 90 percent. As more gas stations offer ethanol, you will be able to fill your car with homegrown, clean, renewable fuel.
Aerodynamics: The Vanguard is streamlined to use less energy fighting air resistance. In some models, the updated design would provide more space for passengers and storage.
Air conditioning: The Vanguard's cooling system would keep the planet cool, too. Tighter hoses and cleaner refrigerants would keep global-warming pollution out of the atmosphere, while more efficient air compressors wouldn't tax the engine as much.
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