This summer, General Motors will support public outreach efforts by the Cal/EPA and the CIWMB to help motorists understand how frequently they need to change their engine oil, and the proper methods of doing so.
The traditional 3,000-mile oil change recommendation was based on engine and oil technologies of the past. Today’s engines are built to stricter tolerances using advanced technology that reduces or eliminates contaminants that might enter the engine. In-vehicle technologies such as the GM Oil Life System can also reduce the frequency between oil changes by determining each engine’s oil “life.”
“Driving conditions vary from one driver to another,” said Peter Lord, executive director of GM Service Operations. “The GM Oil Life System is a sophisticated technology that determines the ideal time to change your oil. A driver whose fuel tank is still half full wouldn’t empty the tank just to refill it. This same logic applies to oil. We should not waste motor oil that still has life.”
According to the American Petroleum Institute, more than 1 billion gallons of motor oil are sold each year in the U.S. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that about 185 million gallons of used motor oil are improperly disposed of each year - dumped onto the ground, tossed into the trash or poured down the drain.
According to research conducted for the state of California, the need to reduce waste oil is significant. “Today, California generates more than 150 million gallons of used oil. If that oil isn’t recycled it can find its way into our lakes, streams and oceans,” said CIWMB Chair Margo Reid Brown. “And just one gallon of oil can contaminate a million gallons of drinking water.”
The GM Oil Life System
Motorists can help prevent the unnecessary use of motor oil by following their automaker’s recommendations for oil change intervals. For drivers of GM vehicles equipped with the GM Oil Life System, your car or truck can “tell” you when it’s time to change the oil.
The GM Oil Life System can extend oil change intervals significantly compared to the former 3,000-mile recommendation, depending on the vehicle/engine combination and other factors. The system is based on a sophisticated algorithm that measures key engine functions to determine the ideal time for an oil change. Because people drive differently, and under different operating conditions, the rate of oil breakdown varies from vehicle to vehicle.
“In California alone, more than 2.5 million GM vehicles are equipped with the GM Oil Life System,” said Ron Strayhorn, regional service manager, GM’s Western Region. “Owners of these vehicles can reduce the amount of oil they consume simply by following their GM Oil Life System, which for many drivers can be thousands of miles between changes as opposed to the old standard recommendation.”
The average GM vehicle equipped with the GM Oil Life System typically needs oil changes half as often as the 3,000-mile recommendation. Based on driving 15,000 miles per year, this could mean between two and three fewer oil changes annually. If used as intended by all drivers of GM vehicles equipped with the system in the state of California, more than 8 million fewer gallons of motor oil would be consumed annually, compared to a 3,000-mile interval. That would help reduce the environmental impact and save motorists money.
All 2007 model year and newer GM vehicles, as well as certain qualified 2003 model year and newer GM Certified Used Vehicles, are backed by GM’s five-year/100,000-mile Powertrain Limited Warranty. So, GM customers who follow their GM Oil Life System recommendation can have peace of mind of knowing that their vehicle is being well maintained.
It is possible that under the best conditions, the GM Oil Life System might not indicate that an oil change is necessary for more than a year. However, the engine oil and filter must be changed at least every 12 months and at this time, the system must be reset. For vehicles not equipped with the GM Oil Life System, owners should follow the recommended maintenance schedules in their owner’s manual.
For more information on the GM Oil Life System, go to www.gm.com. Motorists should check their owner’s manual for their specific oil change and waste oil recycling recommendations.
The difficult event involved crossing 24 mountain passes in 24 hours. From the outset in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, both Gerhard Plattner and Franz Doppler experienced first-hand the exceptional performance of the 140 hp Altea freetrack 2.0 TDI with four-wheel drive. The car’s hydro-mechanical connection and AWD Haldex electronic control unit provided progressive tractive force at all times to deal with all types of rough terrain.
The drivers got encouraged with the idea of taking the challenge a step further, and so they did. 22 hours later, Plattner and Doppler had already covered the entire distance, but had crossed 29 mountain passes.
Upon completion, Plattner and Doppler commented that “the SEAT Altea freetrack was the perfect vehicle to drive on this tour. We’ve driven on all kinds of surfaces, including a short snow-covered road, and the car behaved perfectly. One of the big surprises was the fuel consumption – only 7.1 l/100 km, even when we spent the whole time driving on winding uphill and downhill roads.”
The 140 hp Altea freetrack 2.0 TDI with four-wheel drive is one of the Spanish company’s high-performance all-road versions, along with the other Diesel, a front-wheel drive 140 hp 2.0 TDI and the petrol powered four-wheel drive 200 hp 2.0 TSI.
On 24 October 2008 the first pilot phase will start in the southern German city of Ulm where car2go will be tested in real-life conditions. “Ulm has been one of our most important research locations for many years, and is therefore the ideal choice for testing this future-oriented mobility concept,” says Dr Thomas Weber, member of the board of management responsible for research and development at Daimler AG. Welcoming the commitment of Daimler AG, Ivo Gönner, the Mayor of the City of Ulm, says: “As a centre of scientific activity, Ulm offers the right environment for laying the groundwork for new ways forward in mobility.” The City of Ulm is supporting the car2go project team, in particular with issues of traffic planning.
Simple and economical city driving
And this is how it works: a fleet of smart fortwo vehicles will be made available within the city, functioning for all citizens as a vehicle pool that can be accessed at any time. Following a one-off registration process, the smarts can be hired spontaneously in passing, or pre-booked and used for as long as desired. The concept aims to ensure that a reliable vehicle is available at any time, just a few minutes walk away. The customer gets in and can drive off right away. Once the trip is completed, the driver simply parks the rental smart somewhere within the city limits. Billing for the Ulm project is just as straightforward and flexible as the entire operation of car2go – to the nearest minute, for just 19 cents per minute.
car2go in detail
On registering for car2go, the customer’s driving licence is provided with an electronic chip that enables the car to be unlocked. Customers have several possibilities for accessing a car2go. A spontaneous ‘passing’ rental, for example – wherever a customer finds a free smart, they can hire it ‘on-the-spot’. To do so, the customer simply holds their driving licence up to a reading device behind the windscreen, gets in, enters their PIN number and drives off. Available vehicles can be located quickly and easily via the internet or a telephone service hotline. Alternatively, vehicles can be booked up to 24 hours in advance. In this case the location and directions to the vehicle reserved are sent to the customer in good time via a text message.
The rental period can last for as long as desired. The vehicle remains reserved for the customer during any stops made – when shopping, for example. When customers wish to return the car2go, they simply leave the vehicle in a parking space within the city limits. All “non-managed” parking spaces within the city limits can be used, for example the car can be parked at the side of the road or within marked parking spaces. In addition, specially marked car2go parking spaces are provided at railway stations or airports.
Charged to the minute
car2go is also notable for its simple and transparent payment system. Charges are not based on distance, but on time – minute for minute – similar to mobile phone usage. Customers can use a car2go in Ulm for 19 cents per minute – inclusive of all associated costs such as fuel, insurance and taxes. Favourable hourly or daily rates apply to longer rental periods. There is no joining fee as a special motivation to try out car2go. Customers are not required to enter into any long-term contractual commitment, and there is no deposit or minimum usage fee. Customers pay for the actual vehicle use by means of a convenient monthly bill.
High quality and reliable service
A service team cleans the vehicles on a regular basis and handles all technical maintenance work. This guarantees that every customer receives a clean, tidy and undamaged vehicle for every trip. The service team is also responsible for refilling the fuel tank, or customers can do this themselves using a pre-paid fuel card found in the glove compartment of the car2go in return for free minutes credited against their next trip. Customers can use the integrated navigation system via a special car2go monitor and they can establish a telephone connection to the service centre should they have any questions about the vehicle.
Start-up with 50 smart fortwos
The first phase of the project with 50 smart fortwos will start in Ulm on 24 October and the vehicles will initially be available to employees of Daimler AG only. Robert Henrich, the responsible project manager in Daimler’s Business Innovation division says: “Our objective in this initial project phase is to gather practical experience of using car2go. For example we will analyse the technical implementation, the service concept and the usage behaviour of the customers.” The next pilot phase will begin in the spring of next year, and will see the size of the vehicle fleet in Ulm increased considerably and the group of possible car2go users expanded to include all residents of the city and visitors.
In supporting car2go, Ulm is promoting efficient individual mobility concepts for inner city traffic and the optimum usage of available parking space, and the city is also setting international standards. “The implementation of the car2go pilot project in Ulm has been made possible primarily thanks to the comprehensive support of the city,” Robert Henrich continues. The firm Daimler TSS GmbH based in Ulm played a decisive role in the development of the telematics systems, the internet portal and the fleet management systems.
The origin of the concept: smart - “Not just another car”
When the first smart was produced in 1997, the new two-seater micro-car also carried with it a vision of mobility in the 21st century; tailored to address traffic problems in large urban areas. A host of mobility services, such as special rates for occasional rental of a larger vehicle, cheaper car wash rates, special parking arrangements in large cities and combined usage of car, rail and local public transport all positioned the smart as “not just another car”.
The original idea of the smart mobility concept was taken on by Daimler’s Business Innovation division, which identifies emerging business sectors and derives corresponding business models. In view of increasing crude oil prices, higher traffic volumes in urban areas and the growing need for individual mobility, Business Innovation devised car2go as a tailor-made response to the issues raised by today’s urban mobility.
Project HOTFIRE was made up of a collaboration of engine specialists from Lotus Engineering, Continental Powertrain, University College London (UCL) and Loughborough University, with funding from EPSRC (Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council). The project studied the potential efficiency gains of spraying fuel directly into the cylinders of a petrol-driven engine, rather than introducing a fuel/air mixture. Due to outstanding early results, the project progressed further with the delivery of a concept-car engine which has been the subject of interest from a number of large manufacturers.
Mike Kimberley, Chief Executive Officer of Group Lotus Plc said: “I am absolutely delighted that our global high technology Lotus engineering division is continually being recognised for leading the industry across a number of advanced technologies which are contributing to the reduction of CO2 emissions. Project HOTFIRE is an excellent example of an industry and academic partnership producing world-class research for the benefit of the environment and the car buyer.”
Kimberley continued: “The most important part of the project is that the technologies developed are available and affordable and as we have already shown, can be easily implemented into next generation models to produce lower emissions.”
Geraint Castleton-White, Head of Powertrain at Lotus Engineering said: “The project studied the benefits of homogeneous, early, direct injection for a spark ignition engine, using inlet valve events to minimise throttling losses. Being able to introduce the fuel separately from the air gives you freedom with how you operate the engine, there is no fuel lost to the exhaust, so hydrocarbon emissions are reduced, and you get more efficiency from the engine. It is our dedication to research such as this that keeps Lotus Engineering at the forefront of advanced combustion technologies, which ultimately will find their way into engines of the future.”
Two single cylinder research engines were designed and constructed by Lotus Engineering, one of which was optically accessed. The in-cylinder geometry of the two engines was identical and features a close spaced direct injection system with a centrally-mounted injector architecture.
The optical version of the engine incorporated a full length fused silica quartz cylinder liner with a full view of the pent roof of the combustion chamber and a sapphire window in the piston crown. This allowed an advanced suite of laser diagnostics to measure air motion, injection characteristics, air/fuel mixing and combustion. This engine was based at Loughborough University for detailed studies of these in-cylinder phenomena.
The second engine was placed at UCL, and was updated to the same engine architecture as the optical engine, to measure emissions and fuel economy. The principle of the investigation was to use early inlet valve closing as a means of controlling the load on the engines, with a minimum amount of throttle, and so gain significant fuel savings. The emission measurements were essential, as any fuel savings could not be at the expense of the exhaust emissions from the engine.
The end application of this project is a direct injection spark ignition engine architecture that does not require stratified lean burn combustion to achieve significant, fuel economy savings of approximately 15%. This ensures that the system can be used over all speed/load ranges and eliminates the need for an expensive lean NOx trap which is usually required when lean combustion is employed.
Early results from this project were so successful that the same architecture was adopted for the Low CO2 project, a collaboration between Lotus Engineering and Continental Powertrain with funding from the Energy Saving Trust (EST). This Low CO2 project has successfully delivered a 3-cylinder mild-hybrid engine incorporating the cylinder head design used by the research and this engine has been installed in Opel Astra demonstrator vehicles which demonstrate significant improvements in both performance and CO2 emissions.
“This is quite an honor,” said Mike Accavitti, Director, Dodge Marketing. “In a head-to-head competition, our game-changing all-new 2009 Dodge Ram un-seated the new Ford F-150, long considered the leader in the market. This is not only the best pickup truck we’ve ever built, it’s the best pickup on the market, period.”
TAWA’s competition names three overall winners, including Truck of Texas, SUV of Texas and Crossover of Texas (a new category this year), along with 12 additional categories. Judging by the 40-plus TAWA members occurs over two full days of on- and off-road evaluation. Consideration is given to everything from exterior styling and off-road capability to the entrant’s overall utility, value and fuel efficiency.
“The TAWA Truck Rodeo is the most comprehensive evaluation of new trucks and SUVs in the country and manufacturers consider it a great honor to win their category,” said Harold Gunn, President of TAWA. “This was an especially tight competition because several manufacturers are building great product. We’re proud that the Texas truck rodeo is considered the most important competition of its type in the nation.”
The all-new 2009 Dodge Ram includes more than 35 new or improved features when compared to the previous light-duty Dodge Ram. These features include:
* Dodge Ram’s first-ever crew-cab size model
* First-in-segment coil-spring, five-link rear suspension fitted to a solid rear axle provides the required towing and payload capability, with ride and handling unexpected in a pickup truck
* New 5.7-liter HEMI V-8 provides more horsepower (390 hp) and torque (407 lb.-ft.), with increased fuel economy (20 mpg on the 4×2 model)
* Best-in-class aerodynamics – .387 Cd – helps improve fuel economy and performance
* First-in-segment, RamBox™ cargo management system that includes versatile, weatherproof, lockable, illuminated, drainable storage bins; pickup bed dividers; 2-foot bed extender; and cargo rail system with sliding, adjustable cleats
* First-in-segment, factory-installed 4-inch dual exhaust styled dramatically into the rear bumper
* First-in-segment store-in-the-floor bins
* Nearly twice as many storage bins (42) than the previous model (26)
* 35 safety and security technologies, including standard front and rear side-curtain air bags, four-wheel Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) and Electronic Stability Program (ESP)
* Significantly upgraded interiors with segment-first surround-sound audio system and live SIRIUS Backseat TV™
Based on the Fabia 2, this little blue wonder comes with unique Pacific Blue paint, white roof, 15 ” ‘Line’ alloy wheels and lowered suspension, all of which add to the BlueLine’s smart look.
Interior features over the Fabia 2 include ‘Magic’ upholstery, climate control air conditioning, glasses storage compartment and storage boxes under front seats, making the little Fabia both funky and functional.
With a price tag of just £9,990 for the 1.2 70 bhp petrol engine and £11,450 for the 1.4 80 bhp diesel unit, Škoda is releasing a car which is small on price and CO2 emissions but big on economy and value.
Warren Richards, Product Marketing Manager at Škoda, comments on the latest addition to the Fabia family: “The BlueLine is a great looking car at an incredibly good price which offers a touch of individuality in the crowded supermini market.
“The Fabia BlueLine will only be available for a short period and limited to just 500 cars, so anyone on a hunt for a stunning supermini should contact a Škoda retailer now.”
We should not forget that Fiat is the first and only manufacturer to offer, in its “Natural Power” range, a wide array of vehicles with methane-petrol dual fuel systems able to meet the mobility requirement of an extensive category of users: Multipla Natural Power, Punto Natural Power, Panda Panda Natural Power, Panda Panda Climbing Natural Power and Doblò Natural Power. Now comes the turn of the Grande Punto Natural Power, a new dual fuel car that sets standards of absolute excellence in several areas.
Firstly, a methane-driven Grande Punto proves itself to be a valid financial alternative to cars that run on conventional fuels (diesel and petrol) that are increasingly subject to rising prices. Suffice it to say that in Italy, for example, EUR 12 buys a full tank of natural gas and it costs just EUR 3.8 to cover 100 km.
Another virtue of the new model is its extraordinary range: when running on methane, it is able to cover 310 km with the tank filled to its full capacity of 84 litres. This record-breaking figure is increased by the 45 litre petrol tank capacity: this means that the Grande Punto Natural Power can be driven for more than 1000 kilometres without refuelling. So once you have a full tank you can drive with peace of mind, and in any case it is increasingly easier to refuel with natural gas because the network of service stations is extensive and continuously expanding (the number of service stations in Italy currently stands at 630).
The new model also offers a 1.4 8v Fire unit that is already compliant with the EURO5 directive and offers low CO2 emissions (just 115 g/km) that allow customers access to the maximum state incentives (EUR 2800 and 3 years of car tax if scrapped). The promotional launch price will start from EUR 12,300, complemented by 6 years of interest-free finance (offer valid to 31 December 2009).
Because Grande Punto Natural Power marks an important step forward in dual fuel cars technology, we have decided to introduce it at an original event that reflects Fiat Automobiles all-round commitment to the environment. The press presentation has been designed in accordance with the principles of “Impatto Zero®”, an innovative project by LifeGate (an eco-cultural platform that is the chosen partner of companies who are serious about sustainable development) that is putting the aims of the Kyoto Protocol into action for the first time in Italy: reducing carbon dioxide emissions and compensating for them by planting new forests.
In detail, Impatto Zero® quantifies the environmental impact of businesses, companies, products and individuals, calculating emissions of carbon dioxide and greenhouses gases and the equivalent amounts in Kg of CO2. It then compensates for the emissions by reforestation and the protection of woodland areas in Italy and throughout the world. Since 2002, more than 450 companies have chosen to sign up to the LifeGate scheme in Italy and they have now been joined by Fiat Automobiles, which has calculated the environmental impact of the Grande Punto Natural Power launch event and compensated for it by planting 6,668 m2 of forest in the Ticino Natural Park.