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Advanced vehicles demonstrate zero oil-consumption, reduced emissions
By Meg Herbert, Boston.com Staff | May 18, 2005
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There is no doubt that with the rising cost of fuel and environmental concerns, extra attention is being paid to hybrid and alternative-fuel vehicles. But besides all the hype around these issues, progress toward alternative fuels has been slow.
However, carmakers such as Toyota and Honda are churning out hybrid vehicles faster than the public can purchase them. Interest in this new technology is growing, and one group is highlighting these technical marvels in a yearly event called the Tour de Sol.
The Northeast Sustainable Energy Association, or NESEA, just wrapped-up their 17th annual event, which was held in Saratoga Springs, NY. There are many components to the Tour de Sol, including a Monte-Carlo rally, in which drivers of hybrids and modified hybrids drive a minimum of 150 miles to see who can get the best gas mileage.
"The students, businesses, New York State government officials, auto companies producing advanced vehicles, and people using new hybrid and biofuel vehicles in the Tour de Sol are the new American heroes of the 21st century," said Nancy Hazard, executive director of the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association.
Another component of the event is the Tour de Sol championship, where students and entrepreneurs showcase their efforts to design vehicles that approach zero carbon emissions and use renewable fuels. The cars are put through rigorous tests as a technical, emissions, and fuel economy. St. Mark's High School in Southboro, and North Haven Community School, North Haven, ME, demonstrated true zero-oil consumption and true zero climate-change emissions with their modified electric Ford pick-up and Volkswagen bus.
"Each year, the Tour de Sol highlights the largest innovations in alternative-energy technology and advanced fuel vehicles, showcasing the future of the clean-energy and transportation industry," said New York Gov. George E. Pataki. "Over the last 10 years, we've invested unprecedented funding into the research and development of clean-fuel technology and currently deploy more than 4,300 clean-fuel vehicles in our state-operated fleets."
Top prize for the Monte-Carlo Rally went to a modified Honda Insight driven by Brian Hardegen, of Pepperell, who broke the 100-mile-per-gallon barrier over a 150-mile range. The car actually got 107 miles-per gallon. An honorable mention in the rally went to a modified "plug-in" Toyota Prius from Valence Corp. in Austin, TX, averaging 102 miles-per-gallon over a 150-mile range.
The winner of the Tour de Sol championship was a student team from West Philadelphia High School in Philadelphia, Penn. Their purpose-built hybrid uses biodiesel (or treated vegetable oil) instead of gasoline, which produces 77% less emissions compared to a conventional gas car. Teams from Western Washington University and Quebec Advanced Transportation Institute (ITAQ) in St. Jerome, Quebec, Canada demonstrated incredibly low greenhouse-gas emissions by running their vehicles on biodiesel. The ITAQ entry got 67 MPG in a diesel Mercedes SMART vehicle.
Over 60 hybrid, electric and biofueled vehicles from throughout the US and Canada demonstrated that we have the technology today to power our transportation system with zero-oil consumption and zero climate-change emissions.
BACKGROUND:
Monte Carlo-style Rally & 100 MPG Challenge
The Monte Carlo-style Rally was created this year to offer advanced vehicle owners the opportunity to demonstrate what their vehicles (production-line or modified) can deliver as well as to compete for up to $10,000 in prizes. To compete for the 100 MPG Challenge (which no entrant achieved this year), entrants began at one of the 11 official starting sites around the US and Canada, and drove a minimum of 500 miles to Stewart's Shops in Saratoga Springs, NY. Other entrants traveled a minimum of 150 miles to Saratoga Springs, for other prizes.
Key Monte Carlo-style Rally organizers are the Automotive Career Development Center and the Center for Technology Commercialization, with Stewart's Shops and biodiesel supplier Environmental Alternatives providing the fuel for all the entries. This year, 40 teams entered the new Monte Carlo-style Rally.
E-Bike and NEV Competition
The E-bike and NEV (neighborhood electric vehicle) competition was created last year by RunAbout Cycles in Sunderland, MA. E-bike and NEV manufacturers, distributors, entrepreneurs, hobbyists, and students are invited to participate in this two-day event. This year, over a dozen entrants went through technical specification checks and displayed their vehicles.
Tour de Sol Championship
Over a half million consumers have visited the Tour de Sol since its creation in 1989 by the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association (NESEA). The Tour de Sol provides a key platform for vehicle manufacturers, students, and entrepreneurs to demonstrate future designs and current products that aim to reduce oil and carbon emissions to zero. The event provides news media the opportunity to provide timely and topical updates on the status of sustainable energy and mobility. This year, over a dozen teams participated in the Tour de Sol Championship, which began in 1989. It aims to inspire students and businesses to design, build, showcase, and use concept vehicles that push the envelope and work toward the ultimate goal of the event.
Sponsors
The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority and the Center for Technology Commercialization are the event's premier sponsors. Key sponsors are the US Department of Energy, the New York Power Authority, Toyota, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, New York State Parks, Honda, Environmental Alternatives, and the Federal Highway Administration.
NESEA - NESEA, the nation's leading regional education and advocacy association, is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization. NESEA aims to accelerate the deployment and use of renewable energy and energy efficiency by producing major sustainable-energy events that inspire and motivate large numbers of people to get involved and make a difference.
