We're suckers for a good conspiracy theory, and we've stumbled upon one involving getting our nations off imported oil. Perfect! After reading through it, though, we're a little less enthusiastic. The whole thing centers around the Honda Civic GX, which is powered by natural gas as opposed to liquid petroleum. Sure, it's still coming from the ground, but it burns cleaner in an internal combustion engine and there is lots of it around these parts. So, is the Civic GX the perfect car to wean ourselves on? Maybe not. While the gas is available almost anywhere right in your home, the car takes a very long time to fill with the home-based Phill device and it's pretty pricey. So, you'd better have a CNG filling station nearby.

Here's a possible scenario. Honda builds about 1,000 Civic GXs a year and supply is short. Those are sold in California and New York only - states with strict environmental standards. Spokane Community College, which is in Washington State (not California or New York), wants to buy a fleet of GXs, as they have lots of CNG there, but the order is denied. Conspiracy! Or not. Maybe it costs Honda a bit more to make these than normal Civics. Maybe there really aren't enough of them to go around. We hope the cars become more widely available, but for now they aren't. Phill was just sold to Clean Energy Fuels, which could make them more prominent, but kills the idea that Honda is only interested in limiting its use. Feel free to read the whole thing here.


[Source: The Auto Channel / Edwin Black]

Earlier this year in March, PGO showed off a new car called the Cévennes that had some interesting mechanical bits underneath the smooth styling of the classic Porsche 356 Cabriolet. It's pretty difficult to be taken seriously as a car manufacturer if your company doesn't even have its own body design, and PGO looks to rectify that situation soon at the upcoming Paris Motor Show. It is also pretty difficult to distinguish any real details about the new Hemera's looks from the teaser photo, except to see that it has what appears to be a rather upright windshield and a "shooting brake" style profile. It is definitely a two-door coupe and it likely has rather sporty dimensions, including a very short wheelbase. Underneath that bodywork is expected to be the same 1.6-liter four cylinder engine that offers up 150-horsepower and can run on compressed natural gas. Expect about 35 miles per U.S. gallon and a range of 280 miles or so, if this mystery car ever goes into production.

[Source: Channel 4]

We got the chance to check out the concept behind the Standard Taxi at the New York Auto Show in 2007, and it now sounds like the unique people-mover will get a shot at production. Now known as Vehicle Production Group LLC, the company behind the Standard Taxi design has gotten the funding it needed for production. AM General, the company which became famous worldwide for creating the military-spec HMMV (better known as the Hummer), will do the duties of assembling the blocky cab at its Mishawaka, Indiana plant where the Hummer H2 is built for General Motors.

The Standard Taxi uses a rather traditional design with the engine placed up front, driving the rear wheels. Powertrain development work is being jointly carried out with GM. A compressed natural gas version is also in the works with assistance from Clean Energy Fuels Corp., founded by T. Boone Pickens, who also has some investment in VPG. The cab is capable of carrying four passengers and all their belongings and is wheelchair ready.

[Source: Vehicle Production Group]

Ford Germany has announced that its LPG and CNG-powered cars' performance has been improved. According to the press release, gas-powered Fords have improved their consumption up to 1 liter/100 km, which allows the cars to have 50km (30 miles) more range, that is, about 450 km on gas and 750 additional km on unleaded.

Not only that, thanks to a new facility in Saarlouis, Ford has improved its production capabilities. All LPG variants will be made in the new facility in Saarlouis, which allows a global production of 2,000 units of Focus and Focus C-MAX models, while the existing facility in Mainz will be producing CNG variants exclusively (300 Focus, 250 Focus C-MAX) as well as the Ford Transit Van LPG variant (150 units).

Prices for factory-guaranteed conversions are €3,275 and €2,500 (CNG/LPG respectively) for the Ford Focus or C-MAX and €3,950 or €2,920 for the for the Ford Transit van (CNG/LPG respectively).

[Source: Ford]

If you listened to or read our post on T. Boone Pickens speaking at the AFVI Expo in May, then you know that he's a big proponent of wind power and natural gas (some say he needs to learn more about hydrogen cars). Mr. Swift Boat is all over the media today because of an announcement regarding something called "The Plan," Pickens' big new idea to shift some of the $700b the U.S. spends each year on foreign oil into increasing domestic energy production. Unsurprisingly, Pickens says that wind and natural gas are the ways to go. Maybe this is what he meant when he said he wanted to be a player in the fall election.

Pickens spoke to NPR this morning about The Plan, which includes installing 2,500 wind turbines in Texas to deal with Peak oil (The Plan website says that happened in 2005). As for natural gas, Pickens says it should win as a power source for vehicles because it is cheaper than gas, abundant and domestic.

If you need a jolt of irony with your lunch today, check this out. Pickens told NPR that, "The mistake was made because we didn't have the leadership that stepped up and said, 'We cannot continue to import foreign oil.'" One reason no one stepped might be that people like Pickens invested a lot in oil companies looking for oil in foreign lands. Sheesh. h/t to Dave B.

[Source: Pickens Plan, NPR]

We know that T. Boone Pickens is a fan of natural gas, but powering vehicles with the clean-burning fossil fuel isn't exactly on the top of Americans' wishlist. The newly-formed Natural Gas Vehicle Purchasing Cooperative (NGV Co-Op), started by CALSTART and operational in three states (Arizona, Nevada and California), will help fleet managers "to quickly identify, locate, and purchase a wide range of light-, medium-, and select heavy- duty natural gas vehicles at the best prices." Most CNG vehicles available today are larger work trucks, so aiming at the fleet market makes sense. The current list of available vehicles includes the following:

• Honda Civic GX;
• Chevrolet Express Van
• Chevrolet Silverado pickup
• GMC Sierra pickup
• GMC Topkick
• Ford E-450 shuttle bus
• Ford Crown Victoria
• Ford F-150
• F-250 pickup
• Ford Van
• Ford E-350 cutaway

The types, makes and models on this list will grow as more vehicles become available, and CALSTART also wants to bring the co-operative bidding process to other locations in the future. See the NGV Co-Op's announcement here.

[Source: NGV Co-op]

click to enlarge

At the website in the metal event known as Green-Car-Guide Live! 2008, Volkswagen will be showing off a prototype right hand drive version of the CNG-powered Caddy EcoFuel for the first time. Left-hand versions are already available on the European mainland. No matter where the steering wheel is, the Caddy EcoFuel can burn either compressed natural gas of biomethane in a 2.0l 109 PS petrol engine, which offers lowered emissions and fuel costs. It's still a petrol engine, and does have a petrol reserve tank along with the CNG tank (both under the van) that give a combined range of 350 miles, VW claims. The one-day Green-Car-Guide Live! 2008 show takes place this Thursday (June 12) in Liverpool. Along with speakers on green car topics, other vehicles on display will include a 100 percent biodiesel racing truck, a Honda Civic hybrid rally car, an electric Smart, and electric vans from Smith and Modec.


[Source: VW]

After spending a long afternoon together, during which time Penny had given her companion a right thorough thrashing that had been met by only a satisfying compliant willingness, the moment for reward had come. Her hand dipped the sponge into warm soapy water to prepare it for more long gentle strokes down the gleaming black taut skin covering the powerful musculature of the young classic beauty. Penny's breath was coming out in soft gasps as finally finished her task of appreciation and stood back to admire the effect which her efforts of working over the luscious body had produced. Her new friend filled her with the same desire she had felt as when they had first been paired a few days earlier. Sadly, only several more days remained until she would have to give the car back.

You see, Penny Mallory, a World Rally Car and precision stunt driver (as well as television presenter), had been loaned the PGO Cévennes for a week so she could give it a drive and write about her impressions. She loved it so much she actually gave it a hand washing (our narrative of that event in the paragraph above), an occurrence I don't believe has ever happened before in the history of automotive journalism. And, indeed, the PGO Cévennes is car that has never happened in the history of the automobile before. Based on mechanicals from Peugeot and burning CNG for zero particulates and low CO₂ emissions, the Cévennes borrows freely from the '50s era Porsche 356 to which it is a homage to fulfill the performance promises older classic cars can only make. But don't take our word for it. Read an account of the tryst from Ms.Mallory herself by clicking on the "read" link below.

[Source: DueMotori]

Fiat is reportedly planning on introducing a natural gas-fueled version of its Palio compact in the Indian market in 2009. Compressed natural gas is a popular fuel in India, especially for buses. There are also experiments ongoing with using Hythane, a blend of 10 percent hydrogen gas along with the natural gas. The Palio hatchback is already available with both gas and diesel engines in India. Fiat is planning several vehicle introductions in the coming months in India including the tiny 500 and locally-produced versions of the Grande Punto and Linea. The 500s will be imported from the plant in Poland that produces them for the European market.

[Source: MyIris.com, thanks to Justin for the tip]

Image from Wikimedia Commons.

Fiat was recently named the lowest CO₂-producing automaker in Europe. One reason if the brand's collection of small cars, some with alternative powertrains. Buried in an article about Fiat's low-CO₂ win, reader Justin C. noticed that Fiat is readying a new version of its Grande Punto, one that can use methane for clean forward motion. Carpages says that the methane-petrol dual fuel system Grande Punto is supposed to be on sale by the end of this year. Other Fiat models that have this system include the Doblò, Doblò Cargo, Multipla, Panda and the Panda Van. Fiat says the Natural Power system is excellent for many Fiat users, especially trade customers. Fiat also offers a T-Jet version of the Grande Punto that gets 35 mpg on the combined EU cycle and emits 155 grams of CO₂ per km. Thanks to Justin C. for the tip!

[Source: Carpages]

CNET TV has a video report from the Geneva Motor Show on the CNG Porsche boxer clone we told you about recently. Below the fold is a promotional video specifically for the compressed natural gas roadster. You won't find any updates to the news we know about this vehicle - except, perhaps, that it made it safely to the show, but now you can watch the car in motion and feel a little bit like you've ridden in it yourself. Also, if you can read German, you'll notice that the "producers" of the video are No Particulates Less CO₂. Nice, huh?

[Source: CNET TV, YouTube]

Click the Passat for a high res gallery

At the Geneva Motor Show next week, Volkswagen will be premiering a new natural gas-fueled version of the Passat that they are calling the EcoFuel. Unlike most natural gas-fueled cars, which tend to be down on power compared to their gasoline equivalents, the Passat EcoFuel uses one of Volkswagen's turbocharged direct injected TSI engines. The TSI engine has been optimized for running on CNG and has an output of 150hp and fuel consumption of 5.2l/100km (45 mpg U.S.). The EcoFuel Passat goes on sale in Europe around the end of the year.

UPDATE: VW press release added after the jump.


[Source: Volkswagen]

Click to enlarge

Ahead of the Geneva Motor Show next month, Ford has further elaborated on its sustainable mobility plans. Just as Ford execs like Derrik Kuzak have described here in the U.S. recently, Ford's European plan includes cost-effective solutions. With the intent to get large numbers of cars with reduced emissions and fuel consumption on the road as soon as possible, Ford intends to pursue some of the same strategies in Europe that it's using in the U.S. Last fall in Frankfurt, Ford announced plans to add an ECOnetic edition to each model in its lineup. The ECOnetic models would be optimized for ultra-low CO₂ emissions, with extra-efficient diesel engines, low rolling resistance tires, and other tweaks.

Ford will also offer their EcoBoost engines in European models. The EcoBoost engines were announced at the Detroit Auto Show and feature turbocharging and direct fuel injection on smaller displacement four- and six-cylinder engines. The EcoBoost engines will provide the power and torque of larger engines with much lower fuel consumption. By the end of 2008, Ford will have E85 flex-fuel engines to the Mondeo, S-MAX and Galaxy, bringing its total in Europe to five models. In certain markets where a fueling infrastructure is available, Ford will offer models that run on LPG or compressed natural gas, too.


[Source: Ford]

BRA GmbH, PGO Automobiles and gasmobil partnered to create PGO Cévennes Turbo-CNG roadster, a car they will introduce at the International Auto Salon in Geneva (March 6 to 16). They are taking pre-orders now and may take the car into production as a series depending on demand. Interested? The projected price for this car is €48,000 (US$70,000).

The roadster has a top speed of 210 kph (130 mph) and does 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 6.5 seconds. It has a 4-cylinder, 1.6-liter turbocharged engine, 6-speed manual transmission and a maximum output of 110 kW (150 hp) at 5,600 rpm, with maximum torque of 210 Nm (155 lb-ft) at 2,300 rpm. As for fuel economy, it gets 6.7 liters gasoline equivalent/100 km, or 35 miles per US gallon and has a range of 450 kilometers (280 miles).

But who cares about fuel economy with a beauty like that, huh? There is a video below about what looks to be the classic version of the PGO Cévennes. I can't tell: The entire thing is in French. Still worth a watch for any roadster fan.

[Source: Treehugger, Green Car Congress, YouTube]

Well let's start with the technical stuff before we laugh about the styling.... I'm sorry, I can't wait. It looks like the 2008 Car of the Year for GayWheels.com. Did you ever see the Ambiguously Gay Duo? They put their car into production! Okay, that'll do me for the moment. The American Roadster is powered by a compressed natural gas (CNG) engine that achieves 70 mpg. That's all I've got - no horsepower or performance figures, but at least we know at first glance it's rear-drive. Burning CNG, which, if you can get your hands on it, is significantly cheaper than gas, at 70 mpg sounds pretty sweet.

But look at it. If you thought the '59 Firebird II concept was phallic, you were wrong. Well, you were right, but this thing has got it beat. And they're actually planning in producing it - in mass quantities. In their current factory, they can only expect to be able to build 100/month, but at their new 200,000 sq. ft. factory they're acquiring, they expect to construct 240,000/month! I'm sorry, I just don't think they can sell that many. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the forward thinking and battering-ram style to getting a product to market, but did it have to look like a... like that?

More color commentary after the jump.

Gallery: American Roadster

[Source: Eco-Fueler]