According to Edmunds Insideline, the recent joint venture between Toyota and Isuzu could produce a diesel hybrid. Toyota, who recently announced that they would buy a 5.9 percent stake in Isuzu, believes that creating a diesel alternative to their gasoline hybrid has merit. Steven Curtis, the media and investor relations national manager for Toyota, sees Isuzu’s diesel engine technology and Toyota’s environmental technologies as a way to bring the diesel engine and “Synergy hybrid drive train together. He believes “that the demand for diesel engines will increase globally,” something that is already apparent in Europe. Toyota’s North American President, Jim Press, stated that “eventually we (Toyota) will have hybrids on diesel, biodiesel, ethanol — the whole gamut.” For those thinking Deja vu, Toyota’s counterparts in the US, Detroit’s Big Three, worked on exactly this concept back in the 1990’s when a program called Partnership for the Next Generation of Vehicles produced diesel-electric hybrids looking to produces an 80mpg family sedan. Edmunds states that “A Prius with a diesel engine would closely resemble those concept vehicles, both in appearance and fuel economy.”
Last year Ralph Wirth (see previous post), of Wirth Advertising & Marketing, used his talent and equipment to dress up his Volkswagen Golf TDI before tailgating down at “the jungle.” With the excitement and enthusiasm here in Southwestern Ohio for the Cincinnati Bengals, the updated his graphics in support for the team is no doubt well received. Outstanding job again! (not only supporting ‘our Bengals,’ but representing VW diesel TDI owners pretty well too!)
His fan-atics were well reward this past weekend with a Bengal win over the Oakland Raiders, 27-10. The weather was great, downtown was packed and there couldn’t been any more enthusiasm in support of the team. Cincinnati is on a roll and from the schedule yet ahead and the tight race for a wildcard spot we’ll need to keep the winning streak alive. Again … nice job Ralph!
Planned for a full write up on the 2007 Volkswagen Rabbit while linking to the Motorweek review, but to my disappointment the local VW dealer didn’t have any for me to look at. They did have a 2007 GTI … so I enjoyed the little rocket trip around the town.
🙂
I think I’ll have to revisit GTI and add a few comments in January. Let’s just say, if you are looking for a fun but functional car that can still turn in over 30MPG on the highway, then the Volkswagen GTI is your car. I’ll look forward to testing the Rabbit another time, maybe when (if) the diesel makes its way to the US?
Success! The space shuttle Discovery launched beautifully into the night sky after a Thursday night delay. This was the first launch prior at night since the Columbia disaster. There was wind earlier in the day that potentially could have delayed the launch for a second time, but the go signal was given and the seven crew headed toward the space station at 20:47:35. Godspeed crew of STS-116 … have a successful mission and return safely in 12 days.
What does a biodiesel entrepreneur and Starbucks have in common? A retort on a newly printed Starbuck’s cup from Imperium Renewable’s (Seattle Biodiesel) CEO Martin Tobias. The optimistic statement mentions soybeans and biodiesel as something he sees helping to cure our “petroleum addiction.” Let me know if you see the cup when you pick up your 16 oz. Latte! Hmm … I could use one right now.
I wanted to write about the launch of the Shuttle Discovery and STS-116, but weather has delayed the planned Thursday night (12/7/2006) launch until Saturday. The launch was declared scrubbed at 21:36. For the aging Discovery, this is the 33rd mission and 117th space shuttle flight. The STS-116 mission is scheduled for 12-days and the crew will continue construction on the International Space Station. The highpower of the mission will be additional space walks to rewire and add a segment to its integrated truss structure. Cross your fingers for better weather on Saturday.
Like many baby boomers, I am proud to have a World War II veteran in my family. Today we remember the reason the United States went to war back in 1941, not that there weren’t reasons to defend Europe earlier. On December 7th we were “brutally attacked” by the Empire of Japan in Pearl Harbor as President Roosevelt stated. The memory for me is only in story or in history books, but because I stood over the USS Arizona this past summer the surroundings are more real. Watching that oil ooze to the surface above the tombs of sailors in the silence of our group was an eerie feeling. Well worth putting on the list of National Parks to visit.
My father-in-law was an airmen in the European theater in WWII and I picked up a DVD detailing the B-26 he flew and I’m looking forward to giving it to him as a Christmas present. I think he’ll enjoy it. Today the company that sells these old film on DVD, Zeno’s Warbird Video Drive-in, is showing a few online films free online in remembrance of Pearl Harbor Day. If you are interested in warbirds from World War II, check it out the clips. Also Wikipedia has a great refresher on the attack.
Wow … not that long ago we were excited when efficiently advancement in solar cell technology hit 20 percent, now a Department of Energy funded research company has doubled that. According to the Alexander Karsar at the DOE, Boeing-Spectrolab achieved a world-record conversion efficiency of 40.7 percent, establishing a new milestone in sunlight-to-electricity performance. According to the DOE, the “breakthrough may lead to systems with an installation cost of only $3 per watt, producing electricity at a cost of 8-10 cents per kilowatt/hour, making solar electricity a more cost-competitive and integral part of our nation’s energy mix.”
The approach to achieving these impressive results has to do with using an optical concentrator to increase the intensity of the sun prior to hitting a solar cell. The structure is referred to as a “multi-junction solar cell” which is made up of several layers which capture part of the sunlight as it passes through the cell.
These new cells are make up of “multi-junction gallium arsenide-based solar cell devices,†multi-layered solar cells which converted about 16 percent of the sun’s available energy into electricity. In 1994, DOE’s National Renewable Energy laboratory broke the 30 percent barrier, which attracted interest from the space industry. Most satellites today use these multi-junction cells.
With the help of advancements like this, the Bush administration’s Solar America Initiative (SAI) may be able to meet the goal of producing enough power for two million homes by the year 2015 at a cost of only 5 to 10 cents per kilowatt/hour of zero-emission solar energy. (link for more information)
Not to be outdone by Mercedes, Volkswagen, Audi and Honda when it comes to 2008 ‘clean’ diesels here in US, BMW AG also plans to sell diesel cars in 2008 too, according to the Automotive News. Currently 63% of all the vehicles BMW sells in Europe are diesels so they are no stranger to the beasts. The company has not announced which models will be first to receive the Bluetec diesels, but considering that BMW paid more than $12 million in fines for failing to meet US fuel economy requirements last year, bring over more fuel efficient power plants won’t hurt in this area either.
According to the brief article, “Andreas Klugescheid, a U.S. spokesman for the company, said that the 2008 diesel introductions will be for all 50 states and that “BMW is keeping its product options open in case market conditions change in the next two years. Some industry observers predict the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will seek higher fuel economy requirements for cars and trucks.” Personally … my dream car would be a tuned BMW diesel … they are fantastic cars to drive!
It was an interesting day for Dr. Robert Gates nominated to replace Donald Rumsfeld as Defense Secretary, as he carefully handled questions from committee senators during today’s confirmation hearings. I found his candor surprising considering he was appointed by President Bush. His comments did seem middle of the road since when asked if “we were winning in Iraq” his answer was a single word — “no.” He was given a brief amount of freedom by Senator Lieberman to offer some thoughts on working toward unity if we were to be successful in an overall struggle against terrorism. He suggested that bipartisan support was needed much like we had during the long running cold war with the Soviet Union.
Another interesting segment is included in this 9 minute clip below in response to some pointed and speculative questions for Senator Byrd. Its worth a listen … I’m curious how support for his nomination is running nationally? I find it difficult to believe his confirmation will be held up, but with the political winds blowing in this country, anything is possible.
Isuzu, believes that creating a diesel alternative to their gasoline hybrid has merit. Steven Curtis, the media and investor relations national manager for Toyota, sees Isuzu’s diesel engine technology and Toyota’s environmental technologies as a way to bring the diesel engine and “Synergy hybrid drive train together. He believes “that the demand for diesel engines will increase globally,” something that is already apparent in Europe. Toyota’s North American President, Jim Press, stated that “eventually we (Toyota) will have hybrids on diesel, biodiesel, ethanol — the whole gamut.” For those thinking Deja vu, Toyota’s counterparts in the US, Detroit’s Big Three, worked on exactly this concept back in the 1990’s when a program called Partnership for the Next Generation of Vehicles produced diesel-electric hybrids looking to produces an 80mpg family sedan. Edmunds states that “A Prius with a diesel engine would closely resemble those concept vehicles, both in appearance and fuel economy.”
Last year Ralph Wirth (see 
Planned for a full write up on the 2007 Volkswagen Rabbit while linking to the 
I wanted to write about the launch of the 
States went to war back in 1941, not that there weren’t reasons to defend Europe earlier. On December 7th we were “brutally attacked” by the Empire of Japan in Pearl Harbor as President Roosevelt stated. The 
According to the DOE, the “breakthrough may lead to systems with an installation cost of only $3 per watt, producing electricity at a cost of 8-10 cents per kilowatt/hour, making solar electricity a more cost-competitive and integral part of our nation’s energy mix.”
Not to be outdone by Mercedes, Volkswagen, Audi and Honda when it comes to 2008 ‘clean’ diesels here in US, BMW AG also plans to sell diesel cars in 2008 too, according to the 
questions from committee senators during today’s confirmation hearings. I found his candor surprising considering he was appointed by President Bush. His comments did seem middle of the road since when asked if “we were winning in Iraq” his answer was a single word — “no.” He was given a brief amount of freedom by Senator Lieberman to offer some thoughts on working toward unity if we were to be successful in an overall struggle against terrorism. He suggested that bipartisan support was needed much like we had during the long running cold war with the Soviet Union.