The City of Berkeley has long been associated with innovation and public policy. There are more than many firsts that have come from this proud and progressive community. On June 24, Berkeley announced another major first, the transition to 100 percent biodiesel (B100) in their diesel powered fleet vehicles. Its an excellent example to other cities throughout the country. Berkeley is the first city of size to make the switch to this renewable fuel. Biodiesel is made from fat or vegetable oil and burns dramatically better than traditional petroleum-based diesel, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). It is also safer to transport and store due to its non-hazardous classification. Whats more, it reduces dependence on foreign oil in turn, supporting a local economy, such as the soybean growers associations. Additional good news is how well biodiesel works in any diesel engine, with few or no modifications. “Largely due to our towering success with B100 in recycling trucks, the Berkeley City Council and six citizen advisory commissions strongly supported the citys switch,” said Dave Williamson, operations manager for the Ecology Center. “With biodiesel Im able to switch to something that is not only an alternative fuel but is completely sustainable. For the first time in my 13 year career in recycling, Ive had people leave their homes to thank me for using biodiesel. It has
About Half a Million Smarts Sold to Date According to Smart brand chief Andreas Renschler the new forfour will be coming to the U.S. in 2006. The DaimlerChrysler AG division looks to improve on its approximate half million units sold to date, by tapping into the lucrative North American market. The four-seat micro car that will be sold here at home will be made in Brazil. This marks a first for the Smart division that up until now has produced all of its cars in Europe. The Juiz de Fora facility currently builds Mercedes-Benz A-Class cars for its domestic market (Brazil) as well as C-Class models for North, Central and South America. The DaimlerChrysler AG division looks to improve on its approximate half million units sold to date, by tapping into the lucrative North American market. The four-seat micro car that will be sold here at home will be made in Brazil. This marks a first for the Smart division that up until now has produced all of its cars in Europe. The Juiz de Fora facility currently builds Mercedes-Benz A-Class cars for its domestic market (Brazil) as well as C-Class models for North, Central and South America.
New Diesels Are More Cost Effective and Cleaner than Gasoline Engines Todays diesel engines are nothing like the oil burners of the past, at least thats what luxury SUV maker Land Rover hopes to bring to light by bringing four of its sport utilities across the Atlantic for demonstration and testing purposes. According to Land Rover test fleet spokesperson Bill Baker, two entry-level luxury Freelanders and two top-line Range Rovers will be arriving in the U.S. this fall for journalists, politicians and Ford Motor employees to test. Does this mean Land Rover retailers will have diesel models for consumer purchase anytime soon? Thats hard to say. The official word is no, but its obvious the company is testing the waters. Rival 4×4 legend Jeep is bringing their Liberty to the market with a common-rail turbodiesel for 2004, which should help to open the market up for other brands such as Land Rover if they decide to do likewise. A common belief among North American drivers is that diesels are slower, noisier, smellier and more polluting than their gasoline powered alternatives. Thats a reasonable deduction considering most peoples experience with the engine type dates back to the early 1980s and before, when old-tech diesel engines belched smoke, stunk up the parking garage, rattled and pinged annoyingly before clogging up the roadways due to poor acceleration. New
Would Stability Control Solve Rollover Problem Full-size domestic vans, once the transportation (and often accommodation) of choice for the post-hippy generation, were recently deemed less than safe by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). Now, 12 and 15-passenger versions are most often seen shuttling passengers to and from airports. According to Associated Press, to ensure occupant safety the NTSB is requesting the Big 3 automakers make significant upgrades by model year 2006, including the addition of shoulder belts for all passengers as well as improved roof strengthening to offset injury in case of rollover. Why the sudden cry of concern? Recently a variety of high-profile accidents have brought to light the categorys poor results in rollover tests, reminding all that it was only last year when the NTSB challenged automakers to include safety technologies such as stability control in large vans. Now, 12 and 15-passenger versions are most often seen shuttling passengers to and from airports. According to Associated Press, to ensure occupant safety the NTSB is requesting the Big 3 automakers make significant upgrades by model year 2006, including the addition of shoulder belts for all passengers as well as improved roof strengthening to offset injury in case of rollover. Why the sudden cry of concern? Recently a variety of high-profile accidents have brought to light the categorys poor results in
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