Finally: Fuel Savings On The Cheap
Doesn’t it bug you that you have to shell out loads of money in order to save gas? Here comes a fuel sipper that won’t suck your wallet dry. No fancy electronics, no heavy batteries, and it even so gets 30km per liter of gasoline (according to the JC08 standard,) which translates to a non-EPA, but nonetheless jaw-dropping 70 mpg. According to The Nikkei [sub], Toyota’s Kei car subsidiary Daihatsu “has developed technology that will enable it to offer the only [gasoline powered] car in the world” that gets these numbers without hybrid technology.
The technology is called “e:S” which simply stands for “energy saving.” It had been showcased fist at the 2009 Tokyo Motorshow. Now it is ready to be released into the wild. The first e:S minivehicle will be released in Japan in September, at a likewise jaw-dropping price of under 800,000 yen ($10,000).
According to Daihatsu, that “e:S” technology is as simple as this:
- A new engine with maximized combustion efficiency and minimized energy loss
- Continuously variable transmission (CVT) with higher power transmission efficiency
- Shell body streamlined to achieve a weight reduction of around 60 kg*3
- Air resistance, rolling resistance and other running resistance lowered
- Thermal management in the engine room
- A new Eco-Idle system with pre-stop idle reduction functions
- Eco power generation control (with regenerative braking functions)
Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.
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Really, I don't get the hysteria of saving fuel vs. spending tens of thousands of dollars on a new car. Yeah so my old Volvo 240 gets 22-24mpg; my commute is maybe 8 miles round trip. I really wouldn't care if gasoline hit $6/gallon because I fill up once a month, if that. I wouldn't be better off with a Fiat 500, though I sure want one. People who pay premiums for hybrids/diesels can't or won't do basic math to calculate the payback, if any.
The Mitsubishi iMiev Kei has recently been certified in the US (as a BEV), they enlarged it a bit and added some enlarged bumpers to it.. still looks like a Kei car and easily seats 4
In the 70/s I drove a Beetle surrounded by behemoths of every kind and I never had any problems keeping up with traffic until I got my 1st 4 cyl with a slush box and then it was a different story.
Please look at my patented bumper invention that can make these small cars much safer in collisions. www.safersmallcars.com