The CNG Civic GX Returns!

The CNG Honda Civic GX has returned to the Chicago Auto Show this year. Named the 2012 Green Car of the Year by the Green Car Journal, the unassuming sedan looks just like any other 2012 Civic. The only indication that this is not a car running on standard gasoline is the CNG badge on the back, proudly but quietly claiming that this car is one of the cleanest-burning in the world.

CNG vehicles (NGVs) are still somewhat of a niche, mostly due to natural gas stations being a little hard to find (the US Department of Energy does have a locator application to find alternative fuel stations), but natural gas burns very cleanly. Just about the only way to be greener with your vehicle is to get something purely electric and then power it with solar panels alone.

In addition to being much cleaner-burning than gasoline-powered cars – the Civic GX has an AT-PZEV (Advanced Technology Partial Zero-Emission Vehicle) rating as certified by CARB – the mileage is great. The Civic GX has a 31mpg EPA rating (combined – 27mpg city and 38mpg highway, gasoline-gallon equivalent). The actual volume of fuel burned, since it’s natural gas, is a little higher, and that brings us to the one sacrifice that an NGV driver will be making.

The 2012 CNG Civic has not solved the problem of the 2011 CNG Civic, which is namely this:

There’s very little trunk space, since the fuel tank has to be quite a bit larger than a standard Civic. On the other hand, low emissions plus good mileage plus eligibility for energy efficiency incentives more than make up for a lack of trunk space in my book. The Civic GX is available in California, New York, Utah, or Oklahoma.

Source: Gas2.0

New Mitsubishi i-MIEV Unseats Honda Civic Natural Gas after 8 Consecutive Years at the Top

PRESS RELEASE

With the auto industry back on its feet and fuel economy standards shifting into high gear, automakers provided American consumers with a huge array of vehicles and technologies to choose from in 2012. Today at greenercars.org, the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) released its 14th annual comprehensive environmental rankings showing how these offerings stack up.

The "Greenest" list saw a considerable shake-up this year, with the Mitsubishi i-MIEV battery electric vehicle claiming the top spot from the Honda Civic Natural Gas, which has held on to first place for eight years in a row. Making its model year 2012 debut on the American market, the i-MIEV earns a score of 58, the highest Green Score awarded since the rankings began in 1998. With a combined city and highway fuel economy of 112 miles per gallon equivalent, the i-MIEV outpaces all other vehicles currently sold in United States. "Even taking into account the emissions generated from the electricity used to power the i-MIEV, it still handily outscores other vehicles on the market today," said ACEEE lead vehicle analyst Shruti Vaidyanathan.

The Honda Civic Natural Gas, despite its improved fuel economy this year, appears in second place, tied with the Nissan Leaf. Rounding out the top six are the Toyota Prius, the Honda Insight, and the Smart ForTwo. This year, hybrids dominate the "Greenest" list occupying half of all spots. Highly efficient conventional gasoline vehicles also continue to have a presence on the "Greenest" list, claiming three of the top twelve spots.

"It's increasingly obvious that automakers are fully invested in providing consumers with the widest possible array of vehicle choices. Earning a spot on the " Greenest" list is proving to be a real challenge for automakers given the variety of vehicle technologies on the market and the proliferation of highly efficient conventional vehicles. Just using the latest technology does not guarantee a top spot," said Vaidyanathan. This year saw the arrival of a number of new hybrid options for drivers from Hyundai, Kia, and Infiniti, but none broke into the top twelve.

Widely regarded as the pre-eminent buyer's guide to environment-friendly passenger cars, trucks, and SUVs, greenercars.org provides the facts necessary to examine the eco-performance of any 2012 model.

Vehicles are analyzed on the basis of a "Green Score," a singular measure that incorporates unhealthy tailpipe emissions, fuel consumption, and emissions of gases that contribute to climate change.

This year, a number of updates were made to the Green Book® methodology to more accurately estimate vehicles' environmental impacts. These include improved emissions estimates for the vehicle manufacturing process, changes reflecting current natural gas extraction practices, and consideration of upcoming shifts in the generation mix for the electricity used to power electric cars.

The greenercars.org website also identifies top, widely-available models in each vehicle class. This "Greener Choices" list includes trucks and SUVs such as the Chevrolet Equinox, GMC Canyon, Honda Odyssey, and the Ford F-150 (FFV). Cars such as the Chevrolet Sonic-5 and Hyundai Sonata top their respective classes. As the list demonstrates, consumers can make "greener choices" whatever their vehicle needs may be. Domestic manufacturers claimed five of the twelve spots.

The "Meanest" list this year sees a number of heavier light-duty vehicles, pushing out European sports cars as the highest emitters. The dirtiest vehicles for 2012 are the twin Chevrolet G3500 Express and GMC G3500 Savana cargo vans, followed by the Ford E-350 Wagon and the Bugatti Veyron sports car.

In addition to highlighting the year's "Greenest," "Meanest," "Greener Choices," and best-in-class lists, the greenercars.org website features informational write-ups on model year 2012 highlights, a consumer primer on vehicles and the environment, and advice on how to buy green when shopping for a new car or truck.

Summary "Green Scores" of the 1,000+ configurations of all model year 2012 vehicles are made available to subscribers of ACEEE's Green Book® Online interactive database along with each configuration's fuel economy, health-related pollution impacts, and greenhouse gas emissions. Subscribers can also build custom lists for comparing vehicles. Monthly and annual subscriptions to ACEEE's Green Book® Online are available at greenercars.org .

About ACEEE: The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy acts as a catalyst to advance energy efficiency policies, programs, technologies, investments, and behaviors. For information about ACEEE and its programs, publications, and conferences, visit aceee.org.

Civic Hybrid driver Heather Peters wins $9,800 judgment from Honda in small claims court

This is why some people didn't want to settle with Honda. Heather Peters, who took Honda to small claims court in Torrance, CA recently over claims of the Civic Hybrid's fuel economy, has been awarded $9,867.19 in damages. That's almost the maximum allowed in small claims court ($10,000) and is a decision that might have a big impact on future class-action litigation.

A refresher on the situation: In 2007, John True sued Honda because, he said, the automaker made misleading claims about the fuel economy of the Civic Hybrid. In 2009, after it became a class-action lawsuit, Honda settled with Civic hybrid drivers, giving them either up to $1,000 off the purchase of a new Honda or a $100 check. This didn't sit right with Peters, so she sued.

The court commissioner ruled that Honda "negligently misled" Peters with claims that Civic Hybrid could get 50 miles per gallon, the LA Times writes. In a statement, Peters said:

I am absolutely thrilled at the reports that I won, even though I won't see the actual judgment until it comes in the mail. It's a victory for Civic Hybrid owners everywhere! Sometimes big justice comes in small packages.

Honda says it plans to appeal, and this may all just be the beginning. Peters is encouraging other Civic Hybrid owners who are disappointed in their real-world mileage to file suits against the automaker in small claims courts across the country.

Source: Autoblog Green

Truck Stop CNG Station May Spur on Alternative Fuel Movement

Natural gas has forever been a "nearly" fuel. While offering several advantages over gasoline or diesel, such as low cost of refueling, HOV-lane stickers in California and cleaner running, the disadvantages are even greater.

One of those has been the availability of natural gas, limiting its suitability for longer trips, where access to a natural gas pump might be scarce.

That could be about to change, according to Associated Press. Natural gas developer Clean Energy Fuels Corp. is planning to equip truck stops all over the country with natural gas pumps, increasing the total by 150. All will be located on major interstates.

While the main aim of this is to encourage heavier, thirstier vehicles to use natural gas, it will be beneficial for the passenger car market too. Currently, the natural gas vehicle market is dominated by buses, taxis and garbage haulers. Refueling is less of an issue for commercial vehicles, as they're often refueled each night at the company running them.

At the moment, only one production natural gas vehicle is on sale, the 2012 Honda Civic Natural Gas. We drove it recently, and found it to be very similar to the regular Civic to drive.

However, with fewer than 1,000 public natural gas fueling stations across the U.S. and a lower range on gas than on gasoline, it's a less practical choice. It also costs more than the equivalent gasoline Civic - as much as $10,000 over the basic model - giving it similar limitations to an electric car.

If the number of stations increased, the low price and low greenhouse gas emissions - a third lower than the equivalent gasoline model - could make it a more logical option, at least for owners keeping their cars for several years.

Honda is expanding sales to 37 states next year, up from only four. "We think we are expanding the car at the right time with the expansion in public infrastructure," explains Honda's Jessica Fini. Honda plans to boost sales from 1,000 cars annually to 2,000, still less than one hundredth that of regular gasoline Civics.

150 more stations still sounds like a small expansion, but it's certainly a step in the right direction and should help Honda sell a few more natural gas Civics. Whether it will stimulate greater demand and encourage other car makers to follow suit is a different matter.



Source: Green Car Reports