2009 Mercedes-Benz B-Series Runs on Natural Gas

Natural gas is becoming an increasingly popular alternative to gasoline and diesel in Europe. It’s less expensive than these conventional motor fuels and has lower carbon dioxide emissions. Also helping is the growing availability of natural gas, with nearly 800 compressed natural gas (CNG) refueling stations in Germany, 600 in Italy, 100 in Switzerland, and 90 in Austria.

Mercedes-Benz has joined in to lend its emphasis to the viability of natural gas vehicles with a bi-fuel engine option for the redesigned 2009 B-Class. The B 170 NGT BlueEFFICIENCY joins B-Class models powered by 1.5- and 1.7-liter gasoline engines (B 150 and B 170), 1.8- and 2.0-liter diesel engines (B 180 CDI and B 200 CDI), and a turbocharged 2-liter gasoline engine (B 200 TURBO). All are four cylinder powerplants.

Identified by "NGT" – for Natural Gas Technology – on the tailgate, the B 170 NGT BlueEFFICIENCY Sport Tourer delivers an identical maximum output of 116 horsepower on either gasoline or natural gas. A driver selects the fuel using a button on the steering wheel. An electronic control unit switches fuel source instantaneously and seamlessly, even while driving.

Mercedes-Benz added four additional gas injectors on the underside of the intake manifold to handle natural gas. A close-coupled pressure governor with an electromagnetic shut-off valve regulates the supply of natural gas and maintains a constant gas pressure in the system.

In addition to the gasoline tank, there are five compressed natural gas tanks with a total capacity of 35.2 pounds, providing a range of over 180 miles. The B 170 NGT has a total range of over 620 miles on both fuels. The tanks are located in the rear and beneath the front passenger footwell. Trunk capacity is about 25 percent less that conventional models but still sufficient for carrying a family's luggage.

The B-170 NGT achieves 32 mpg on premium gasoline as measured on the combined European driving cycle. According to Mercedes, the cost of running on natural gas is around 50 percent less than on gasoline.

Carbon dioxide emissions are some 20 percent lower than in the gasoline-powered B 170 at 135 gm/km, with NOx emissions 11 percent less. When calculated on a total lifecycle basis, carbon monoxide emissions are reduced by over 50 percent. While more CO2 is produced in manufacturing the more complex B 170 NGT, this is balanced out by the savings offered when running on natural gas after 10,730 miles. Germany’s TÜV Technical Inspection Authority has awarded a "Design For Environment" to the B 170 NGT, the first natural gas-powered car to receive the award.

Also new for the B-Class is an ECO start/stop function that’s optional on B 150 and B 170 BlueEFFICIENCY models. ECO automatically turns the engine off when the driver shifts to neutral at low speed while depressing the brake pedal. If the predetermined criteria for engine shut-down are met, a display on the instrument panel informs the driver. When the clutch is pressed or the brake pedal released, the engine starts almost noiselessly and in a fraction of a second. It doesn’t have regenerative braking. Mercedes-Benz says the belt driven starter-generator produces a fuel saving of up to nine percent.

The B-Class is available in Canada although only the B 200 and B 200 TURBO are now sold there. There are currently no plans to bring the B-Class to the U.S., although that’s a scenario we hope will change as the market for small cars – and of course natural gas-powered cars – increases in response to high gasoline prices and concerns about CO2 emissions.

5 Natural Gas Car Facts

What's the Status of Natural Gas Vehicles?
In years past, a number of auto manufacturers offered cars and light trucks that could operate on compressed natural gas (CNG). All automakers except Honda have left this market in the U.S., although companies like BAF Technologies do modify select existing models to run on gaseous fuels. This lack of CNG vehicles should change for the better since natural gas has so much going for it, especially in this age of rising gasoline and diesel prices and a growing dependence on imported oil. Natural gas is the cleanest burning of all fossil fuels, it’s found in abundance in the U.S., and it’s also significantly less expensive than gasoline.

Safe and Reliable
CNG is actually a safer fuel than gasoline. After all, natural gas is used in virtually every home. Unlike gasoline that can pool on the ground in the event of an accident or leak, CNG dissipates harmlessly into the air. With a very narrow range of flammability to be combustible and nearly twice the ignition temperature of gasoline, it’s also less likely to cause a fire. Because natural gas is such a clean burning fuel, carbon deposits in an engine are nil, reducing cylinder and ring wear so engine life can be much greater than when running on gasoline. Oil change and tune up intervals can also be extended.

Natural Gas is Growing in Popularity
Natural gas vehicles are growing in popularity. This has been driven in recent years by the medium- to-heavy duty market. Natural gas is now widely used in transit buses, school buses, refuse trucks, package delivery trucks, and vehicles used in ports. One thing these all have in common is that they can be refueled at a central location. This is not the case with cars and light trucks that travel where natural gas might be difficult to find. This could have contributed to the lack of interest in natural gas vehicles by general consumers in the past. In recent years, companies like Clean Energy have successfully driven natural gas vehicle use by building fueling stations and supplying natural gas under multi-year contracts to fleets at costs significantly less than the per-gallon cost of gasoline or diesel. Fleet use should lead to greater consumer use in the future.

Convenient At-Home Refueling
At present there are about 800 natural gas stations available nationwide, compared to 175,000 stations dispensing gasoline. Refueling at a fast-fill CNG station takes no longer than tanking up with gasoline. As the fueling infrastructure builds for CNG, the inconvenience of limited public fueling opportunities is softened by the availability of filling up at home. That’s because Honda offers the Phill home refueling appliance, which was developed in conjunction with its Canadian technology partner Fuelmaker and is now manufactured by that company. Phill can be installed in a garage or outside a home to allow refueling using a home's natural gas supply. The refueling appliance does require as much as 16 hours to fill an almost empty tank, although it’s likely that a natural gas vehicle refueled at home will rarely have an empty tank, and an overnight top-off will usually be sufficient for the daily commute. In many cases, vehicles fueled up at favorable natural gas home rates can operate as cheaply as the equivalent of $1.25 to $1.50 per gallon.

Honda’s Civic GX
Unlike bi-fuel vehicles previously offered by other automakers that could run alternatively on natural gas or gasoline, Honda’s “dedicated” natural gas Civic GX – the industry’s cleanest internal combustion production vehicle – has an engine that’s optimized to run only on this alternative fuel. The Civic GX comes only as a four door sedan that looks identical to gasoline Civics. Its 113 horsepower four-cylinder engine produces about 27 hp less than the standard Civic engine but you really can’t feel the difference during normal driving. The equivalent of 8 gallons of natural gas fuel is stored in a 3600 psi pressurized fuel cylinder located at the forward part of the trunk. This tank, which is hidden behind a carpeted liner, does consume some trunk space but leaves quite adequate room for carrying groceries, gear, and luggage. The Civic GX has an EPA estimated 24 mpg city/36 mpg highway fuel rating, about the same as the gasoline Civic. Its real-world driving range is approximately 200 miles between fill-ups. At $25,225, the GX costs about $7,000 more than the gasoline powered LX model but presently qualifies for substantial federal tax credits and other incentives. At this time in California you can even obtain a decal that allows driving a Civic GX in HOV (High Occupancy Vehicle, or “carpool”) lanes even with only one person in the car. This is the same benefit enjoyed by qualified hybrid cars that were issued decals in the state, although no new hybrid decals are available since the maximum allocation of hybrid HOV decals has been reached.

VW Jetta SportWagen Scores High

Before gasoline-electric hybrids made headlines, the VW turbo direct injection (or TDI) diesel was the undisputed king of fuel economy. Even with competition like the Prius, Civic Hybrid, and Insight, TDI powered Volkswagens often delivered the highest real-world mileage available from the showroom floor. Now, with federally mandated ultra low sulfur ‘clean’ diesel fuel available in the U.S., Volkswagen is set to market the next generation of high-mileage diesel technology in all 50 states.

Later this year, VW will launch its cleanest diesel ever in the form of the Jetta SportWagen. The new four-cylinder 2.0-liter TDI engine meets the most stringent Tier II/ Bin 5 emissions standards, with tailpipe emissions on par with clean gasoline engines. Interestingly, these standards are tougher than their European counterpart, the Euro-5 emission standard. Volkswagen hasn’t officially announced fuel economy estimates, but inside sources indicate that mileage will be 12 percent better than the previous generation TDI. Even with the more aggressive 2008 EPA test procedures, that should mean real-world fuel economy in the low-to-mid 40 mpg range. Hyper-mileage enthusiasts may be able to coax well over 50 mpg from the new powertrain.

The new 16-valve 2.0-liter TDI produces 140 horsepower and importantly 235 lbs-ft of torque. That generous torque launches the Jetta with authority and delivers strong performance under load and on long grades. VW is meeting the strict 50-state emissions standards without the aid of urea injection. Instead, internal engine modifications include unique cylinder pressure sensors that allow a new type of individual cylinder pressure based combustion control. The high-pressure injection pump, common rail fuel supply, and high pressure injectors have also been optimized along with the addition of dual high and low pressure exhaust gas recirculation systems. Exhaust after-treatment includes an oxidation catalytic converter, particulate filter, and a NOx trap.

Perhaps most impressive is what you don’t get with the new TDI. Quiet and smooth, the latest TDI gives few cues that you are driving a diesel. In fact, while idling next to a four cylinder economy car, the TDI was noticeably quieter. And of course, there is no tell-tale sooty smoke or diesel odor.

The Jetta SportWagen is a landmark vehicle. As the first high-mileage clean diesel offered in the North American market, it will bring the long awaited promise of superior fuel economy and clean operation in a very versatile package. The 2.0-liter TDI will also be offered in the Jetta Sedan, and expect the Rabbit TDI to return soon. The verdict? We’ve seen the future of diesel and it is a very good one, indeed.

Things To Know About Ford Falcon Car

The Ford Falcon was an automobile produced by Ford Motor Company from 1960 through 1970. It was manufactured in the USA, Canada, Australia, Argentina, Mexico and Chile.

The Ford Falcon is a full-size car and each model from the XA series of 1972 has been designed, developed and built in Australia, however prior to this all models were re-engineered American designs. As a result of the longevity of its Australian production, the Falcon is one of the biggest selling names in world automotive history, selling over 3,000,000 in six generations to 2003, almost exclusively in Australia and New Zealand. It was a huge sales success for Ford initially, handily outselling rival compacts from Chrysler and General Motors introduced at the same time.

Ford has manufactured over three million units since 1960, and has topped the sales charts in Australia on many occasions. Currently the Falcon lineup is offered in sedan, station wagon, and utility body styles, however in the past panel vans and hardtops (coupe) were offered. Falcons dominate the ranks of taxis in Australia and New Zealand and are also widely used as police cars.

Other Falcon-based models continue to be made in Australia, continuing many nameplates no longer used in North America, including the better-appointed Ford Futura and luxury versions marketed as the Fairmont and Fairmont Ghia. Station wagons, as well as the now-defunct Fairlane and LTD limousine derivatives, sport a longer wheelbase than that of the mainstream Falcon. For this reason they are sometimes rebuilt for uses such as stretch limousines and hearses.

Some features of ford falcon car are: 17 inch alloy wheels, air conditioning, anti-lock braking, body kit, central locking remote control, child restraint, cruise control, driving lights, dual airbag package, electric front seats, electronic fuel injection, engine immobiliser, leather steering wheel, log books, power front seat driver, power mirrors, power steering, power windows, radio CD with 4 speakers, rear spoiler, seat belt pre-tensioner, sport seats, sports suspension, traction control system and trip computer.

Now, you have already the information about this car model. You can select either to buy a new or a used one. Some of used cars are offers at car auction sites online. But you should also know the value of the car or if the site have good cars pricing.via

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Lotus Researches Cars Running On CO2

Exige 270E Tri-fuel is the next stage of Lotus Engineering’s long-term sustainable, synthetic alcohol research Lotus Engineering, the world renowned automotive consultancy division of Lotus, unveils its latest development towards carbon neutral road transport at the 78th Geneva International Motor Show. The Lotus Exige 270E Tri-fuel is the most powerful road version yet of the Exige (0-60 mph / 96 kph in 3.88 seconds, a top speed of 158 mph (255 km/h), 270 hp (201 kW / 273 PS at 8000 rpm) and it runs on any mixture of gasoline, bioethanol and methanol. Emerging technologies will allow alcohol fuels such as methanol, already a proven internal combustion fuel, to be made synthetically from CO2 extracted from the atmosphere.

An alcohol-based fuel derived renewably from atmospheric CO2 would allow society to transfer relatively easily to sustainable, carbon-neutral internal combustion. Lotus Engineering is researching the use of sustainable synthetic alcohols as potential future fuels, with technology available from Lotus for introduction in four to five years. However, the supply infrastructure investment from governments and fuel companies could take 15 to 20 years.

The Exige 270E Tri-fuel is part of Lotus’ research to understand the complex combustion process involved in running on mixtures of alcohol fuels and gasoline, which will be important for a successful transition from today’s fuels to the sustainable, synthetic fuels of the future.

This research is just one aspect of Lotus Engineering’s ground-breaking work on environmentally friendly vehicles. It is involved with a number of electric vehicle projects, has successfully integrated hybrid technologies into vehicles such as its EVE demonstrator, and recently announced results on a collaboration with Continental Division Powertrain on the Low CO2 downsized three-cylinder engine.

The research into sustainable alcohols is progressing at Lotus’ Hethel headquarters in Norfolk, UK and involves input from the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Alternative Fuel Symposium Series, the Low Carbon Vehicles Innovation Platform, developed by the Technology Strategy Board and direct discussions with the University of Sheffield.

Methanol (CH3OH) can be produced synthetically from CO2 and hydrogen. Ultimately, emerging processes to recover atmospheric CO2 will provide the required carbon that can entirely balance the CO2 emissions at the tailpipe that result from the internal combustion of synthetic methanol. The result is that a car running on synthetic methanol, such as the Exige 270E Tri-fuel would be environmentally neutral.

As well as being green, the great benefit of synthetic methanol is that it would use similar engines and fuel systems to those in current cars; and synthetic methanol can be stored, transported and retailed in much the same way as today’s liquid fuels such as gasoline and diesel.

Synthetic methanol also possesses properties better suited to internal combustion than today’s liquid fuels, giving improved performance and thermal efficiencies. And it is ideal for pressure-charging (turbocharging and supercharging) already being introduced by manufacturers to downsize engines in a bid to improve fuel consumption.

Lotus Engineering’s Lotus Exige 270E Tri-fuel technology demonstrator illustrates how easy it is for synthetic methanol to be embraced over time as a future fuel for road transport. The Exige 270E Trifuel, with its supercharged 2ZZ-GE VVTL-i engine, could be the forefather of a new generation of conventionally driven cars that have the potential to be environmentally-neutral. Mike Kimberley, Chief Executive Officer of Group Lotus plc, explains: “Lotus is a world-class leader in research into a variety of alternative fuels; each has its merits and challenges and some options could be more easily implemented than others. But while motorists want to be green, we do not want to change the culture of total freedom for the owners, who will have an extreme reluctance to spend more at the pump, or to sacrifice the performance of their cars

GM Volt to Cost About $35,000

The first Chevy Volt electric cars scheduled to reach showrooms in late 2010 will probably cost about $35,000 US in the United States, not the $30,000 US General Motors had hoped, the company says.

GM has found it can’t re-engineer features such as windshield wipers and high-powered audio systems fast enough for the all-electric car, so it will be forced to put expensively redundant systems into the first-generation Volt.

The redundant systems will be eliminated later, probably in the second generation of the Volt, after engineers have had time to rework them for the new world of electric propulsion. “It’s starting to look like it’s going to be close to $35,000,” Dee Allen, a spokesman for GM, said of the first-generation Chevy Volt.

Presently the Chevy Volt team is ramping up battery tests and preparing to create the first functioning Volt prototype.
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