Adding a lane to freeways to loosen congestion has been a traffic solution for 50 years, apparently out of habit or tradition, but not because it works. Environmentalists have insisted that highway expansion triggers the law of nature defined by Kevin Costner in Field of Dreams that “If you build it, they will come.” And they’re right. At least in LA, the most recent highway expansion has lead to double-digit percentage increases in traffic and, alas, plans for another expansion.

"We expected that the opening of the freeway would result in additional traffic on the 210," Ty Schuiling, county transportation planner, said. "…It's not enough to make the freeway crash and burn at this point." What? Clearly, the standards are a bit skewed when LA considers a project whose results are counter to its goals, but not ‘crash and burn,’ worthy of replication.

Even if LA's traffic science is wacky, you'd think they could respect common sense, but no. Home of the 405 and other sprawling freeways, a person could think they would have learned that building a new freeway, like the 210, does not really do anything to solve traffic issues. Schuiling notes they knew ahead of time that traffic would increase, and continued with the project anyway. Their own data now shows that traffic is up by 20% and merging onto connecting freeways is nightmarish.

LA’s answer to 210’s traffic increase is to widen it, evoking the incredulous-wide-eyed look from this author. The anti-rationality of further widening a freeway when it didn’t work the first ten times leads to suspicions that somebody with power has a stake in an asphalt company. There are lots, and lots, and lots of better transit options for LA to take advantage of with the millions they are about to sink into futilely widening 210:

1. Get a rail line. LA’s absence of a light rail is mystifying. They have the density for ridership, the regionalism for effective stops, smoggy environmental motivation obscuring skylines, and gas prices kissing $5.00/gallon. LA is primetime mass transit territory, if only the government would start working on buying the right of ways and launching the scoping meetings.

2. Though they have tried to enhance the bus service, they have leagues to go in that respect and lots of options for Bus Rapid Transit, or specialized bus lanes with limited stops, with all that freeway.

3. There is now fancy technology to make existing traffic more efficient via light timing schemes; they should use it. A lot of LA’s traffic occurs in predictable patterns that could be manipulated via metering lights and software that responds to real time conditions.

4. PRT and GRT: personal rapid transit, or group rapid transit, is the Jetson-y idea of having pods that carry people around on an above ground track or hanging wire, a la ski lift or mini-monorail. Personal rapid transit for personal pods, group rapid transit for larger pods. This is sort of a far-out idea for transit, which is why it would work in LA. LA also has destinations that are very popular but hard to get to and park at, ideal PRT or GRT conditions.

5.The transit district has to win hearts and minds via a serious publicity campaign. LAians are used to cars, and they need to be purposefully weaned off them.

LA shouldn’t expand freeways anymore. They’ve maxed out the utility of that idea. I am not more creative than the people in LA, and I just thought of five alternatives to highway expansion off the top of my head. Thankfully, there are lots of cool solutions like these waiting for LA once a strong leader manages to intercept the vicious freeway expansion cycle. 

Photo by Robert Corbin.

According to the EPA, car air conditioners use seven billion gallons of gas every year. That  translates into 16 million tons of additional carbon.

 As part of its implementation of the aggressive California Global Warming Solutions Act, or AB 32, the California Air Resources Board is investigating what can be done to keep people from using their car's air conditioner. One solution under investigation is how to keep cars cool in the first place, including heat reflecting paint, solar fans and special glazing. Cooler cars are one of AB 32’s early action items, to be addressed by 2010.

Unprotected cars sitting in the sun for hours at a time can reach temperatures of 130 degrees and higher.  In fact, temps inside cars can rise by 40 degrees in less than an hour.  Under conditions like that, people understandably scramble to hit the AC button. 

In an effort to keep the solution as simple as possible and keep drivers away from their AC, California is looking at how to cool cars down before they emit, using a variety of technologies.

1. Solar cooling paint: An exterior coat of paint that reflects solar rays of different frequencies, reflecting nearly 80% of rays to reduce the heat of a car by up to 19 degrees. Reflective paint is essentially a form of insulation and has been available for exterior buildings and roofs for quite a while, saving buildings approximately 5% in energy costs.

2. Solar ventilation: Powered by a small solar array,  fans that turn on when triggered by intense sun or the heat of a vehicle, moving hot air out of the cabin. This approach is conducive to modifying sunroofs to slightly open when the car reaches a certain temperature.

3. Reflective Window Glazing: Similar to window tinting, reflective glazing coats the window and is specifically designed to minimize a vehicle's heat gain. 

Initial tests indicate that these cooling technologies, working in tandem, can reduce a car’s internal heat by 39 degrees and have the potential to trim the AC fuel use of an automobile by nearly 30%. If California prevails, such technologies will be mandated for new cars in the near future.

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Hypermiling: Getting the Most From Every Gallon

For as long as America has reveled in its love affair with the automobile, its citizens have always reveled in trying to tweak every last ounce from their vehicles. Drag racers took off fenders and improved aerodynamics with differing wheel sizes between front and rear. Car customizers in Southern California put hydraulic suspensions on their low-riding hot rods to evade ground clearance restrictions when police drove by. Off-road drivers have been lifting their vehicles and increasing the aggressiveness of their tires for decades, and street racers continue to fuel a booming aftermarket in high-quality, performance enhancing parts.

But with gas prices climbing past the four dollar-per-gallon mark, a different sort of performance-focused driver has emerged: the hypermiler. Rather than chase the age-old desires for speed, power, and conquering the wild, hypermilers compete to pursue a far more mundane glory: fuel economy. The practice rose to national prominence recently after a profile of hypermiling king Wayne Gerdes appeared in an issue of Mother Jones in 2007, but similar practices and competitions began many decades ago at events like the Mobil Economy Run. It’s a sad commentary on the state of the American auto industry to see that the current fleet averages barely exceed fuel economy records set in 1959.

The concept behind hypermiling is fairly simple—employ the laws of physics to glean every ounce of power out of the increasingly precious hydrocarbons in your gas tank. Here’s a more or less complete list of the major techniques employed to achieve that sky high efficiency, but it all basically boils down to avoiding the brakes, avoiding the gas (even if that means turning the engine off) and drafting whenever possible. While competitions sometimes involve the removal of all non-essential parts, some fairly impressive results have been achieved even in completely unmodified non-hybrid vehicles.

While extraordinarily planet friendly, hypermiling isn’t always the safest means of transportation. As one mileage enthusiast in the Mother Jones article noted, comparing himself the the legendary Gerdes, “"I don't consider myself a hypermiler in this sense, because, um… I try to conform to the traffic much more than he does. There's a big difference there. I'm sure it will show in the mileage numbers.” But for many hypermilers—just like hot-rodders and off-roaders that preceded them—the advantages far outweigh the risks: less funding going to foreign oil producers, more money saved on gas purchases, and plain old bragging rights. And when it’s all said and done, there are several safe, effective, and legal tricks developed by hypermilers that the average drive can employ to get the mileage of tomorrow today.

Related articles:
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Fuel Economy to Top 30 MPG in 2015

Photo by Rim2Rim

The arrival of $4 per gallon gasoline in some parts of the country has some consumers debating whether or not to trade their current vehicles in now or wait a few years for technologies that reduce or eliminate fuel consumption to be commercialized. Car shoppers in 2010 will have more options that are lighter on their wallets and the planet, but they may have to look beyond dealer's row to find them.

"Green" autos have been all the rage at this year's auto shows, with fuel-sipping compacts, plug-in and all-electric vehicles headlining events from Detroit to Geneva. However, many of these cars from the largest automakers are concept or pre-production models that still won't be available by 2010.

Electrics: Part and Full Time

Vehicles that can run on electric power -- either full-time or for at least 40 miles on a full charge -- are seen as the greatest hope for reducing vehicle emissions in the short term. These vehicles will cost less than $1 per gallon of gas equivalent to operate when running on electricity. They will be available primarily from boutique auto manufacturers during 2010, as the large automakers will be lucky to have vehicles coming off the assembly line by the end of the year.

Electric vehicles (EVs) that can function as primary transportation (as opposed to the many "neighborhood vehicles" out now that aren't permitted on highways) are slowly gaining momentum from both specialty car manufacturers and the major players. EV options that will be available in limited quantity in 2010 include the Think City, a compact urban car reborn from a former Ford company, the Tesla Roadster, a six-figure luxury vehicle, and the exotic looking Aptera. Japanese automakers Nissan and Mitsubishi have both committed to making EVs as well, but even if they can deliver by 2010, production levels will likely be low.

Therese Langer, the Transportation Director of the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE) says consumers looking for alternative power train options from large-scale manufacturers in 2010 will have to wait. "The Tesla Roadster is cool, but it is not designed to be a mass-market vehicle," she says.

Even with recent improvements in battery technology the electric vehicles currently in development can't provide the range of a gasoline vehicle, which will limit their attractiveness to many consumers. Alan Weverstad, GM Executive Director of Environment and Energy, says people have "range anxiety, a fear of not being able to complete their trip."

California's decision to reduce the number of electric vehicles required to be sold into the state in the coming years has diminished some of the manufacturers' drive to go gas-free. California's Air Resources Board switched to requiring more plug-in hybrid vehicles instead, and automakers are primed to respond.

For the past few years, a growing faction of consumers has been lobbying the auto industry to build vehicles that can run on battery power alone or gasoline when the batteries run out. By 2010, some of those prayers will begin to be answered. Plug-in hybrids, which are currently limited to costly conversions of Ford Escape and Toyota Prius hybrids, could be in select dealer showrooms in 2010.

In conjunction with the University of California, Toyota is now testing plug-in models of its Prius to see how they perform and their emissions, according to Cindy Knight, the company's Marketing Communications Manager. Knight says Toyota is "not ruling out having a plug-in hybrid by 2010," but having a vehicle ready that year "would be ambitious." More testing and assessment of consumer expectations is needed before a plug-in is ready for the lot, according to Knight. Today "we can engineer a decent car, but we're not sure anyone would want it," Knight says. Ford is similarly testing a plug-in version of its Escape Hybrid SUV in conjunction with utility Southern California Edison, but has not committed to a timetable for production.

General Motors is developing a plug-in version of its Saturn Vue Green Line SUV that is scheduled to be in production by 2010. The company is taking an alternative approach to electric vehicle power with its "extended range vehicle," the Chevrolet Volt. The Volt sedan is neither traditional EV (running on battery power) nor hybrid because instead of an internal combustion engine providing power when the batteries are depleted, the car relies on an electric generator powered by gasoline or alternative fuel to keep the batteries charged.

"It's really an electric vehicle" since electric power is always the source of locomotion, says GM"s Weverstad. But the Volt's arrival in 2010 is uncertain. Weverstad says the company has "talked about having the Volt on the road in calendar year in 2010... assuming that the battery technology will become production quality" in time.

John O'Dell, the editor of Edmunds.com's Green Car Advisor is skeptical that plug-in hybrids or extended range vehicles will be for sale in 2010. "[The Volt] probably won't be produced until December, and probably won't be for sale until 2011," he says. O'Dell thinks Toyota is closely gauging the Volt's progress. If GM appears remains on schedule, Toyota could "make some compromises" to have a plug-in vehicle available first, he says. "It will be 2012 to 2015 before we see a lot of alternatives to the combustion engine showing up" according to O'Dell.

Hydrogen vehicles -- powered by either fuel cells or an internal combustion engine (ICE) -- perpetually remain on the far horizon. BMW has begun limited production of its Series 7 Hydrogen ICE vehicle, but mass production is several years away, and lack of infrastructure to refuel the vehicles makes it unlikely that other manufacturers will follow. Just as in 1998, today hydrogen vehicles are projected to be more than a decade away from volume production.

Diesels Redux

The biggest changes on the roads and showroom floors entering the next decade will be the resurgence of diesels, a wider selection of hybrids and flex fuel vehicles, and existing models that have been engineered to require less gas per mile.

Edmunds’ O’Dell predicts that an unprecedented variety of diesel passenger vehicles will be the biggest change in showrooms in 2010. He says diesel vehicles, which are less than 1 percent of current car sales, will jump in popularity to become between 8 and 10 percent of passenger vehicle sales by 2010.

Diesels will become popular because "We now care about fuel economy," according to O'Dell, who cites concerns about emissions and the price of fuel for the change in consumer interest. The auto industry is reacting, with new diesel cars from Nissan, Acura, and Honda scheduled to arrive in the U.S. market by 2010. Later this year Mercedes will release a trio of "clean" diesel SUVs for the U.S. market that can meet the emission rules of all 50 states, and Volkswagen aims to reignite its U.S. diesel sales with a Golf TDI and Jetta BlueTDI .

"Virtually every automaker -- even Toyota -- has diesel plans for the U.S.," O'Dell says.

Spread of Hybrids

An increasing number of hybrid models will be out in 2010, but they are likely to be outpaced by diesels in sales. Hybrids, which were approximately 2.6 percent of passenger vehicle sales in 2007, will grow to between 6 to 8 percent of the market by 2010, O'Dell says. Toyota, which will likely continue to dominate the hybrid market, will offer a third-generation Prius to compete with a new compact hybrid from Honda.

Toyota has targeted selling 1 million hybrids per year by early next decade, according to Toyota's Knight. Toyota has also been showing off a hybrid truck concept that might be the basis for a production vehicle in the coming years. Toyota has dedicated a production line to hybrid vehicles that will use the more powerful lithium ion batteries.

Consumers who venture into Chrysler dealerships looking for a hybrid truck or SUV can choose either the Dodge Durango or Chrysler Aspen.

BMW and Porsche are expected to unveil their first hybrids aimed at the luxury market in 2010, while Mercedes plans on being first to market with a hybrid SUV that uses the more powerful lithium ion batteries.

Consumers looking for larger vehicles will have several options from General Motors. Later this year the company will introduce a hybrid Cadillac Escalade. In 2009, GM will offer dual-mode hybrid technology that is optimized for both city and highway driving in two pick-ups (GMC Sierra, Chevy Silverado), and an SUV (Saturn Vue Green Line). A second-generation hybrid technology that will improve fuel economy by 15-20 percent will be introduced in GM vehicles starting in 2010.

Having at least one "green" vehicle has become a necessity for automakers, according to Cody Lusk - president of the American International Automotive Dealers Association. "Companies that don't have hybrids are having trouble attracting customers... manufacturers with nothing green are losing sales," Lusk says, citing Hyundai and Kia as examples of companies that have lost market share because of the lack of a marquis green vehicle.

Drivers interested in reducing their oil consumption will also find a greater selection of flex fuel models that can run on a mixture of up to 85 percent ethanol. GM is expanding flex fuel engines beyond its trucks and SUVs and will have 15 flex fuel vehicles in 2009, and by 2012, half of its fleet will be able to go light on gasoline. Toyota will have an e85 version of it Tundra and Sequoia available by 2010.

Finding an ethanol pump will be more challenging than locating a dealer with E85 vehicles. Fewer than 2,000 ethanol pumps are available across the country, with availability in most states at less than 20 pumps.

Focus on Fuel Economy

Consumers won't have to choose an alternative drivetrain or fuel to cut back on their gasoline consumption in 2010. The cars we love today are being reengineered to add several miles per gallon without a tradeoff in performance.

Because of concerns about greenhouse gas emissions and the rising price of fuel, nearly every automaker is developing technology to maximize the fuel economy of their vehicles. Technologies such as deactivating cylinders on demand, variable valve timing, and turbo-charging are being implemented across vehicle lines to reduce emissions and fuel consumption.

Ford's Eco-boost technology is a primary example. The technology can improve fuel economy by up to 20 percent while reducing emissions by 15 percent through a turbocharged direct-injection technology. Ford will introduce the technology in 2009 and will install it in up to 500,000 vehicles in the next few years.

These technologies have been "floating around" for several years according to the ACEEE's Langer, but have not been available on a large number of vehicles. Automakers have recently shown a "dramatic interest in conventional technologies" for maximizing fuel efficiencies, Langer says, so car buyers in 2010 will likely see many of their favorite models with higher fuel economy ratings.

Performance enhancing technologies such as turbo-charging also enable automakers to use smaller engines. Consumers should see more four-cylinder sedans with six-cylinder class performance.

Nearly the same breadth of SUV choices will likely be available in 2010 as today, though automakers are switching the underlying platform from trucks to crossovers, according to Langer. She says sales of mid-size and large SUVs are dropping, which could lead to some discontinuations after 2010. So far -- despite the higher gas prices -- sales of luxury SUVs have been relatively unchanged.

Automakers are also being forced to increase the average fuel economy of their fleets each year to meet guidelines proposed by the federal Department of Transportation. Under the proposal, passenger vehicles sold in model year 2011 would have to average 31.2 MPG, and light duty trucks 25.0 mpg, up from 2007's standards of 27.5 and 22.2, respectively.

GM's Weverstad says it is "too early to say whether there are any vehicles we won't build any more of" to meet the requirements for model year 2011. Likewise, Toyota's Knight says she expects that the company's line of SUVs will continue to be sold for the foreseeable future. People "aren't going to have [large SUVs] just to drive them around town... they'll be used more for actually moving things," points out the AIADA's Lusk.

The largest SUVs might be languishing on dealer lots if the SUV loophole that allows small business owners to write off most of the cost of the largest trucks is eliminated during the next session of Congress.

The recent success of the micro-compact vehicles from Europe, such as the Smart Fortwo and Mini, suggests that more compact vehicles developed for international markets could show up in the U.S. by 2010. Lusk says the globalization of the auto market means that more cars will be engineered with fuel economy in mind to also appeal to Asian buyers, including the booming Indian and Chinese markets.

Beyond 2010

In the early years of the next decade, the federal government will play an increasingly pivotal role in automakers' strategies regarding fuel economy. If Congress and the new president enact tougher laws on emissions, impose a carbon tax on fossil fuels, or further raise fuel economy standards, automakers would respond with more fuel-efficient models.

Edmunds’ O’Dell reinforces that notion. "Everything can change depending on who is elected president," he says, adding that several Democrats in Congress have suggested raising fuel economy to 40 MPG instead of the current 35 MPG goal for 2020.

The next administration could also repeal the billions of dollars in annual subsidies to the oil and gas industries, which could affect the price of gasoline. If oil stays above $100 per barrel automakers might think twice about offering vehicles that get less than 20 miles to the gallon.

Combining the time-tested reliability and power of the internal combustion engine with the low-rev efficiency and emissions-free locomotion of an electric motor, hybrid vehicles have proven extremely popular with the American public.  New hybrids are almost immediately in high demand, and with gas prices continuing to climb upward, the interest seems unlikely to flag anytime soon.

However, there are many downsides to hybrid technology that negatively affect both vehicle performance and the pocketbook of the American consumer.  The weight  of the combined battery and engine makes hybrids heavier than comparable vehicles.  Existing battery chemistry can be very expensive to create, as it can contain a variety of rare metals. Disposal may increase the cost of ownership, too, due to the presence of highly toxic materials.  Plus, popular lithium-ion batteries have a nasty tendency to explode.

But now, PowerGenix, a battery company based in San Diego, has developed an impressive, relatively environmentally friendly solution to the unique problems presented by hybrid-electric vehicles: nickel-zinc batteries.  NiZn, with its 30% increases in capacity and power over existing batteries of  similar size, is ideally suited for high-power, low-drain applications, such as HEVs. The use of a zinc, which is quite cost effective at less than a dollar per pound, offers excellent price savings compared to lithium-ion and metal hydride batteries.  Reduced toxicity increases the ease of disposal, and the more stable battery chemistry eliminates the chances of an unexpected explosion.

NiZn power is not a new technology. Thomas Edison worked with NiZn during his career, and the technology has been used in transportation before, powering a few streetcars in Ireland during the 1930s and '40s. Until recently, however, the Achilles’ heel of NiZn batteries had been their cycle life limitations.

But recent developments in the use of electrolyte additives have created NiZn batteries good through hundreds of cycles, making them a viable alternative to existing technology.  Additionally, PowerGenix’ NiZn cells operate at 1.5v, the same voltage of existing disposable batteries, making them an ideal and longer-lasting replacement for the billions of alkaline batteries in use worldwide.

Realizing the potential of the technology, PowerGenix planned ahead, designing its NiZn batteries to be readily produced using existing infrastructure. “Technology design from the get go was for production on existing nickel metal-hydride and nickel-cadmium lines”, says PowerGenix CEO Dan Squiller. And the move has paid off—through an overseas supplier, PowerGenix will be able to produce some 1.2 million cells each day.

Like any other technology, NiZn batteries are not a magic fix. Existing zinc mining operations do have significant environmental downsides, and nickel, though used in most existing rechargeable batteries, remains a expensive. Still, these issues not withstanding, nickel-zinc batteries represent an exciting new frontier for hybrid vehicle development.

 

Scientists working at Germany’s ORINOKO project are making progress on solving commute woes. The ORINOKO (Operative Regional Integrated and Optimized Corridor Control) Project has received funding from Germany and BMW to investigate large-scale transportation modeling that can improve efficiency and reduce traffic.

ORINOKO scientists use complex software systems to monitor an array of factors and respond to real-time traffic flows. Using video sensors mounted on traffic lights, the system sends a constant stream of traffic information back to computers that respond by altering traffic signals accordingly. The video sensors can also use real-time conditions to predict future conditions, recording the number of cars, the length of the backup, the timing of vehicle movements and more.

The ORINOKO model has potential beyond shortening daily commutes; reducing traffic jams can also improve air quality. Idling in stop-and-go traffic is the least efficient use of gas in cars, making commuter hour the driving period that produces a day's most significant emissions. Some cities, like New York and London, have proposed congestion pricing specifically to reduce stop-and-go traffic and its resulting emissions. Though congestion pricing has not been very successful in the U.S., cities can now look to the ORINOKO Project for a hi-tech traffic solution.

Read more at Science Daily.

Photo by Olaf

In a move that surprised many, Ford became the first car company to join The Climate Registry (TCR), a nonprofit, national clearinghouse of climate output information. Designed to increase transparency in environmental reporting, TCR will aggregate mandated and self-reported data from companies across the continent, equipping consumers and policymakers with one of the most important political tools they can have: information.

Studies have revealed that data reporting requirements can motivate corporate changes.  Despite slumping sales, Ford appears to be enthusiastic about the reporting program. “We endorse TCR’s reporting process because it has adopted the WRI/WBCSD reporting structure, which will ultimately lead to a common, single reporting standard worldwide,” said Larry Merrit, manager of Ford’s global environmental policy. “A single reporting standard is easier for its members and administrators to manage and more cost effective than developing new tools on a state-by-state basis.” Impressively, Ford is also linking its reporting to the Chicago Climate Exchange, increasing accountability.

A single standard really would be helpful. The absence of a single standard is a challenge for clean tech investors and private sector players. The lack of federal leadership and regulation creates so much uncertainty in the market that it discourages investment for project funding. For example, green building has existed for decades, under the radar. The industry took off once LEED standards were put in place, validating the market in the mainstream. Having central standards allows policy makers to build out tax policy, environmental laws and market controls.

Though there do not yet appear to be tools to verify self reported data, if companies go through the trouble of paying for someone to calculate their green house gas output twice a year, the hope is that they are likely to report them truthfully. The Climate Registry reflects an effort to let companies self regulate and meet policy goals on their own rather than responding to government mandates. Though unified standards and regulatory structures are important for investment, companies argue that they have the best expertise and industry knowledge to meet government goals.

Admittedly, the author can get a bit cynical about American car companies’ slow and almost collusive response to global warming. However Ford’s move is revolutionary for the company, demonstrating cooperation and good faith, and is a beautiful thing to see.

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Photo by jamie3529gq 

If the thought of motorcycling still conjures up images of leather-clad rogues speeding along highways, consider another picture: Buttoned-down commuter zipping through Manhattan traffic on two wheels.

Having enjoying a surge in popularity during the 1970s fuel crisis, motorcycles are back in vogue. Across the country more and more people are recognizing the environmental benefits of motorcycles for everyday commuting and transportation purposes.

In fact, 2007 was one of the best years for motorcycle and scooter sales since the 70s, illustrating consumers' pursuit of new ways to deal with four-dollar-per-gallon gasoline. Weekend warriors who used to motorcycle only recreationally are now opting to commute on two wheels.

The fuel efficiency of motorcycles varies depending on road and traffic conditions, but ranges from a minimum of about 30 miles per gallon up to around 70.  Of course there are the mpg superstars: Motorcycles like the Matzu Matsuzawa Honda XL125  have been specifically designed for fuel efficiency and have been known to achieve nearly five hundred miles to the gallon.

Fuel efficiency was enough to make a motorcycle fan out of Joshua De Los Santos of San Diego.  De Los Santos says he likes “everything" about motorcycles. "They’re more mobile and it is easier to get places faster than in a car," he says. "Where it costs fifty dollars to fill up our Four-Runner,  it only costs about ten to fuel the motorcycle.”

Motorcyclists are also benefiting from the same automobile clean-tech advances as cars. Most motorcycles are ethanol and biofuel compatible, and Intelligent Energy has developed a fuel cell motorcycle for use with hydrogen. Plug-in motorcycles are also in development, but face the same battery efficiency issues as plug-in hybrids do, with the additional challenge of the motorcycle’s storage limitations.

Motorcycles offer a compact, easy to-park-solution for city dwellers where parking spots can rent for hundreds or thousands of dollars a month. Many cities permit motorcyclists to park even where spots aren't defined. However, people who live in inclement climates may find exposure to the elements and the two wheels’ diminished traction discouraging. De Los Santos says that touring bikes (with more substantial wheel widths and protective windshields) or sidecars (providing a third wheel) offer more stability for motorcyclists in rainy climates.

But for many, motorcycling's primary allure is fuel-cost savings.  “The biggest difference is the gas," De Los Santos says. " Riding a motorcycle saves a lot of money.”

EnerDel says tests by the DOE's Argonne National Laboratory confirm that its lithium ion batteries provide longer life and more power than today's hybrid batteries.

According to the company, a modified plug-in Prius attained more than 77 miles per gallon when the nickel metal hydride batteries were replaced by EnerDel's battery pack. The company is using lithium-titanate in its cathode to prevent over heating, which was a problem with previous iterations of lithium ion batteries.

EnerDel says the advances allow the batteries needed to power a hybrid to be reduced in size and weight by half.

Why this matters: Plug-in and extended range vehicle makers are waiting until they are confident in the battery technology before going into production. EnerDel, which has a deal to provide batteries with EV maker Think of Norway, could find many willing customers.

Read more at Edmunds' Green Car Advisor

Cars and light trucks will be required to attain an average fuel economy rating of 31.6 miles per gallon by 2015. The new ruling from the National Highway Transportation Administration surpasses the mandates requested by Congress in December.

Fuel economy would increase by 40 percent over the 2008 model year. Under the proposed system, individual car companies would have to meet different requirements based on the split in their sales for light trucks and cars. For example, Chrysler cars would have to get 33.6 mpg while the minimum for trucks would be set at 29.1 mpg.

The new requirements will save consumer $100 billion in fuel during the lifetime of the vehicles, according to NHTSA. Car companies however, would have to pay $47 billion to comply with the requirement.

The proposal has a 60-day review period during which automakers could ask for changes.