Considering a 'cleaner' automobile

February 11, 2002

For every gallon of gasoline the average car burns, it releases 20 pounds of carbon dioxide into the air. That's five pounds of pure carbon added to the atmosphere for every 25 to 30 miles a car is driven. The miles-per-gallon ratio is even less for gas-guzzling SUVs.

That's disgusting, if you really think about it. But how often do we really think about it?

When searching for a car, price and comfort are way up on the list (and as one recent caller to the radio show Car Talk admitted, color was the only thing on her list). Gas mileage is probably near the top -- but only because of its effect on our wallets, not the environment. Do we really think about what the long-term effects of our automobile's exhaust will be?

We should. And we have a lot of affordable and viable options for more environmentally friendly transportation without pitching the car for a 10-speed bicycle and a helmet.

More than 100 years ago, even before Henry Ford first started producing his Model T "horseless carriages," one popular model was powered entirely by electricity. Unfortunately, the electric auto could go only 50 miles before it conked out.

Technological advances over the past 100 years have made natural gas cars, electric cars and hybrid electric and gasoline cars a real option for car buyers.

Maybe getting the compressed natural gas needed for natural gas powered cars isn't as convenient as stopping at the gas station on the corner, but the benefits must be considered. In some areas of the country, the air coming out of the tailpipe is cleaner than the air people breathe there.

Federal and state governments have offered monetary incentives to municipalities that buy fleets of natural gas- powered cars to make the clean cars a more attractive option. There are similar offers for individuals.

General Motors EV-1, which isn't available right now, was the only purely electrical car produced by the large automobile corporations. It was offered on a lease-only basis for between $350 and $575 per month ($34,000 to $44,000), depending on governmental incentives in the area of purchase. It can travel up to 130 miles before recharging and can build up speed.

In fact, a prototype of the EV-1 broke the land speed record for electric vehicles in 1994 with a speed of 183 miles per hour. It can hit 30 in less than 3 seconds and 60 in less than 9 seconds. The EV-1 wouldn't win a drag race, but it's not too shabby. It uses regenerative braking and regenerative coasting to recharge the battery. That means every time the driver hits the brake, power is sent back to the battery. Same thing with coasting. The kinetic energy is converted into electrical energy.

The downside to the EV-1 is that it does have to be recharged. It still costs less than gasoline, but it needs hours to recharge after traveling only 55 to 130 miles. Plus, the design, while aerodynamic and functional, isn't exactly attractive. It's pinched in the back and has skirts over the back wheels.

Regenerative technology similar to the EV-1 is employed in Honda's Insight, the first hybrid sold in the United States. It costs much less than the EV-1 at about $21,000 and gets almost 70 miles a gallon on the highway. It takes regular unleaded gas and doesn't need to be plugged in to recharge. But again, its futuristic design takes a definite sense of style to pull off, and it seats only two people.

Toyota's Prius, however, costs about the same, but seats up to five people. Unfortunately, this hybrid gets up to only 52 miles per gallon, so it isn't as fuel efficient as the Insight. Still, it's better than non-hybrid automobiles, and it can fit an entire family.

In the next few months, many college graduates will be looking into buying cars for their new lives. Why not consider an inexpensive option that will not only save money in the long run, but also do its part to save the environment?