Gas guzzlers get new lives -- as tire-smoking hybrids

By Sean Callebs - CNN

WICHITA, Kansas (CNN) -- On a beautiful, crisp late fall afternoon, rock icon Neil Young took his 1959 Lincoln Continental for one last spin before a team of mechanics ripped out its gas-guzzling engine to make way for an electric motor.

(Picture: Neil Young watches as mechanics remove the engine from his 1959 Lincoln Continental.

1 of 3 Car buffs may think it's sacrilege to tear apart an automotive classic, but Young wants it to have a new life as a fuel-efficient hybrid.

"If we're going to make a difference, truly make cars more environmentally friendly," Young said, "we have to make that emotional connection."

Young said everyone has a connection with an old car like the Lincoln.

It only took about an hour for Johnathan Goodwin and his four-man team to pry the engine out of Young's Lincoln. He'll have the new engine installed in 45 days.

Talking about the old motor, Goodwin says, "Of course, it's not fuel efficient at all. It's a big polluter, one of the biggest rawest forms."

The Lincoln's new electric engine will power the car and when it begins to lose juice, Young will simply flip a switch and the car will run on biodiesel fuel until the electric motor is recharged. "A 19-foot-long car, the longest car ever made at its time. Two and half tons, the heaviest car at its time," Young said, "And it can get 100 miles to the gallon, not 10 miles to the gallon."

Young renamed his car Linc-Volt, and is making a movie about the transformation, which he hopes to release next year.

Goodwin is making a name for himself -- and his company, H-Line Conversions -- by turning gas-guzzling behemoths like Hummers, Cadillac Escalades, Jeeps and other big American cars into clean-power machines.

The first thing he does is remove the old inefficient engine -- even if it's a brand new vehicle -- and replace it with a diesel engine that can run on biodiesel.

"It's the transformation of what I call old technology to new technology," Goodwin says.

Here's his analogy: Remember 15 or so years ago when a cellular phone was the size of a brick. Now it's a lot smaller, because the industry underwent a ton of changes over the years.

The same kinds of advances are made in engines. But since it's so expensive, changes to cars are made in leaps, not tiny steps.

What's the drawback of his method? You guessed it. Cost.

"It's not cost-effective for someone to run out and spend $40,000 to double the fuel economy, but I have no shortage of customers," Goodwin says.

Including California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who's having his Wagoneer converted to biodiesel.

Goodwin, 37, drives a 1987 gas burning Wagoneer, rents his home and will sheepishly tell you he didn't graduate from high school.

Expect to hear a lot more about Goodwin in the future.

Companies are knocking down the door to work on projects with him.

Goodwin's developing a download that can be installed in a car's computer and improve the mileage by five to seven mpg without losing performance. He expects it to cost about $200.

Ask Goodwin what his favorite project is, and he answers, "the next one" but the Linc-Volt project has been special. "We're going to prove you can have your cake and eat it too so to speak," Goodwin proudly boasts.

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Reasons to buy a hybrid -- or not

Story Highlights

There are two reasons to buy a hybrid -- save the world, or save on gas costs.
Your reason for wanting a hybrid will determine whether you should buy one.
If gas prices drive your decision, it could be 2 to 4 years before you break even.
The trim package will determine how soon you recoup paying extra for a hybrid.

OK, it's official: Hybrid vehicles are definitely the wave of the future or at least one of them. With gas prices remaining over $3 a gallon and oil prices up around $100 a barrel, the need to save on fuel -- and fuel costs -- is clearly not just a passing trend. And, of course, concerns about air quality and global warming seem to mount every day.

So, it would seem that this is the right time to take the plunge and buy a hybrid. But first there are some questions you need to ask yourself. One key question is this: Why are you buying a hybrid? Is it to save on gas costs -- or is it to do your part when it comes to cutting back on fossil-fuel emissions, which foul the air and contribute to rapid climate change?

(Picture Left: Ford Escape Hybrid)

That question has been a valid one the last few years, because hybrid vehicles can be more expensive than their non-hybrid counterparts, if you're comparing apples to apples. (That is, if you're comparing two cars of the same size, same equipment levels, etc.)

One school of thought that was advanced a year or two ago is that you pay such a high up-front "premium" for a hybrid that it could take many years before you "break even" on the amount you would save in fuel costs. In that scenario, your incentive for buying a hybrid vehicle would have to be largely driven by a concern for the environment. Which, of course, is not a bad thing. If we're going to clean up the air and reverse the effects of rapid climate change, perhaps that's just the premium we'll all have to pay as we do our part.

But more recently, with gas prices rising even further and hybrid car prices getting closer to non-hybrid counterparts, it is likely that you will recoup that up-front premium in just a few short years.

So we decided to find a couple of experts on the topic, and pose this question: "Why should people buy a hybrid -- for the cost savings, or just for the environmental benefits?"

One such expert is Bill Reinert, the manager of alternative-fuel vehicle development for Toyota, which produces the most popular hybrid vehicle on the road today -- the Toyota Prius.

"First, let's take a look at the fact that the courts have ruled that C02 is a harmful pollutant, and that Congress has also pushed the auto industry to investigate alternatives to fossil fuels, and is considering regulations as we speak," says Reinert. "So it's clear the government is addressing this problem -- how to reduce C02 emissions -- in a fairly aggressive manner. And hybrid vehicles are one of the most effective ways to do that right now. So it's unavoidable that this is going to be a major direction the industry will go in, even if it didn't want to."

Reinert points out that that there are also emission reductions to be achieved in the "total fuel cycle."

"You also have to consider the emissions that are produced when you extract the oil from the well, and transport it, and convert it to gasoline, and get it into the pump," he says. "So when you drive a hybrid, you're also helping to reduce all of those 'upstream' emissions."

Another factor to consider is the urbanization of the world's population.

"At this point in history, half the world's population lives in urban environments," says Reinert. "And although urban areas cover only 4 percent of the world's land mass, they use 90 percent of our resources. So, how a vehicle performs in urban environments is crucial when it comes to the impact on the environment. That's where a hybrid really offers some key benefits.

"In urban settings, you can just shut off the engine and run it in purely the electric mode for six or eight miles -- and that range is going to get better with every generation of hybrids. And this ability is going to go a long way toward reducing or eliminating emissions signatures of automobiles -- which also happens to be a key issue in the development of the lungs of young children in these urban areas."

Which brings us to the cost issue. Trying to calculate how long it will take you to recoup your up-front premium when buying the Prius is problematic, because there is nothing to compare it to. The Prius only comes as a hybrid, so you can't compare it to, say, "a V6 gas-only version" of the Prius. The Prius's MSRP is $20,950 - $23,220, depending on level of equipment, and has a fuel economy rating of 48/45/46 (city/hwy/combined).

However, it is possible to compare a Toyota Camry Hybrid to a "regular Camry."

The Camry Hybrid is powered by a 4-cylinder engine, but for comparison purposes, Toyota spokesman John McCandless claims that, "if you take into account the equipment level of the Camry Hybrid -- and that it has the performance of a V-6 -- the best apples-to-apples comparison is to compare the hybrid to a V-6 Camry LE. Those base prices are less than $2,000 apart -- $23,640 for the Camry V6 LE, vs. $25,000 for the Hybrid."

Toyota reports that the Camry Hybrid's fuel economy rating is 33 mpg city/34 mpg highway. Meanwhile, the Camry V6 gets 21/31 mpg, city/hwy.

For purposes of comparison, McCandless used a combined fuel economy rating, splitting the difference between highway and city mileage.

"So if you drive 15,000 miles a year, and you buy the Hybrid version, you'll be using about 454 gallons a year," says McCandless. "Meanwhile, if you get the V6 LE, you'll be burning 635 gallons a year. At $3.20 a gallon, that's a fuel-cost saving of about $547 a year. So it should take you three or four years to recoup the up-front premium you paid to buy the Hybrid. Plus, you get the satisfaction that you are easing the emission imprint on the planet."

Another popular hybrid on the road is the Honda Civic Hybrid, which can be purchased for even less than the Camry Hybrid. The MSRP of the regular Civic with the 4-cylinder gas engine ranges from $14,810 - $29,500, while the Civic Hybrid's MSRP is a flat $22,600. So, in the case of the Civic, the calculations will depend on what trim level and features you order if you go with the regular Civic 4-cylinder. The Civic Hybrid's fuel economy rating is 45 mpg hwy/40 mpg city compared to 34/26 for the regular Civic.

"The Civic EX [AT] has an MSRP of $19,510 and gets 29 mpg in the EPA combined cycle," says Martin. "The Civic Hybrid has an MSRP of $22,600 and gets 42 mpg in the combined cycle. That's an MSRP price difference of $3,090, and a mileage difference of 13 mpg.

"At an of assumed gas price of $3.20/gallon for 15,000 miles/year, it would ordinarily take a little over 6 years to pay back that difference," he continued. "However, the Civic Hybrid still qualifies for a $1,050 federal tax credit until June. That credit can bring the price difference between the two trim levels to only $2,040. Taking that into account, using the same cost per gallon and 15,000 miles/year, it would only take 3.98 years to pay back the difference."

Another popular hybrid is the Ford Escape Hybrid. The Escape Hybrid's MSRP ranges from $26,330 - $28,080, and its fuel-economy rating is 30 mpg hwy / 34 mpg city, while the regular Escape has an MSRP range of $18,770 - $25,520, and a fuel economy rating of 28/22. At press time, Ford had not yet provided its own "payback-time" calculations.

One expert who extols the virtues of hybrid vehicles -- both for their environmental benefits and cost savings -- is Bradley Berman, the editor of Hybridcars.com who also writes about hybrid vehicles for publications like the New York Times and Business Week.

"Not all hybrids are created equal, when it comes to price, because it depends on what equipment level you're looking at," says Berman. "But if you buy the most fuel-efficient ones, you'll definitely get a return on your premium within a few years."

As for the Prius, Berman points out that "people who are considering a Prius are probably not entry-level buyers who are also looking at a Toyota Yaris or some other sub-compact. They're going to the next tier. They're comparing the Prius to other cars in that price range -- cars that, if they bought them, they'd be spending that extra money on other features and options."

Berman also notes that "the data I've seen, from J.D. Power, and Polk Automotive, show that the customer satisfaction rate among buyers of hybrid vehicles is 80 to 90 percent. And the market penetration of the hybrid vehicles is increasing. Initially, it was just early-adopter types, but now we're seeing more and more people buying them who probably wouldn't have considered them two or three years ago."

Berman also cites the "tech appeal" of the hybrid vehicles. "Hybrids definitely appeal to people who are into 'fun technology'," he says. "If you were one of the folks who went out and got an iPod or iPhone as soon as they came out, and if you use a TiVO instead of a VCR, then you'll probably like the fact that today's hybrids are the most advanced vehicles out there today in terms of electronics. So they have sort of a 21st-Century-Geek appeal," he adds with a laugh.

If you're ready to make the leap into the hybrid-car world and are wondering which one to buy, there are a few factors to consider, says Berman. "One important decision is the size of the vehicle." If you really, really need an SUV-sized vehicle, there are a number of hybrid SUVs that are on the market now or coming onto the market soon," notes Berman. "But even the most fuel-efficient hybrid SUVs aren't as fuel efficient as most of the conventional gasoline-powered sedans, just because of their size, and the size of the engines."

Styling is another factor. "Some people think the Prius is the ugliest thing ever, but others love it. And environmentally-minded folks love the way it looks because the body style calls attention to the fact that it's a 'green' car. But if you're into more conventional styling, the Civic or Camry or Escape might be the way to go."

One key point that Berman likes to make is that today's hybrids "are still essentially gasoline vehicles. The importance of today's hybrids is that they're forming a bridge to future technology -- to what we will see 20 years from now. And it's a symbolic shift away from the gas-burning internal combustion engine. And that's a key, because the facts about climate change and the global oil markets are incontrovertible.

"We definitely need to get off of fossil fuels, and hybrid vehicles of both today and the future are an excellent way to do that."

Taken from AOL, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

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Expert: Head-turning hybrid has good performance

Some car companies just can't leave well enough alone. After all, if you have the best-selling car eight of the past nine years, have projections to sell 420,000 more next year and your new model has won just about every automotive award available, except the Indy 500 Milk Bottle, why would you place the engineering equivalent of a graffiti mustache on it?

Toyota has three reasons for creating a new hybrid version of their wildly popular Camry. First, Toyota is out to retain and expand its reputation for leadership in hybrid technology that started with the "It Ain't Easy being Green" Prius.

Second, the Camry Hybrid sedan joins the new Highlander Hybrid as another model in a long-range plan to develop hybrids to fit all marketing segments.

The third is financial: through innovation, aggressive product development and offering the car shopper a wide choice, Toyota hopes to make more sales.

Completely redesigned to be more declarative and aggressive, the Camry Hybrid, which has an MSRP of $25,200, is described by Toyota as "athletic and elegant," and that it is. Today, despite the fact that thousands of hybrid Camrys are mingling with traffic on our streets and roads, the perception has not become seen-one-seen-em-all.

Although not quite a Maserati Quattroporte, the Toyota Camry can do its fair share of head turning. Its newly-designed semi-sinister (or smiling, depending on your outlook) grille features projector-headlights highlights with a low, ready-to-spring crouch. From there, a sleek, shark-swoop fender line streaks back along gracefully-curved flanks to a naturally-melding high trunk profile which seems to fit the overall design better than the BMW protruding butts. Our test car was a high-luxe metallic white with the sheen of a giant pearl.

Inside the vault-clunking doors, there is 101.4 cubic feet of passenger volume, seemingly room enough for the starting backfield of the Dallas Cowboys. The feeling of spaciousness is enhanced because the huge windshield and cleverly curved dashboard have been pushed considerably forward. The Camry rear legroom is now over 38 inches. Those rear seats now recline eight degrees and have personal reading lamps on the moonroof-equipped models. Add two jet engines and this vehicle could replace six major airlines.

The entire cockpit has a Lexus-Mercedes-Cadillac feel, enhanced by easy to understand and operate buttons and switches that make everything instantly manageable. Even the optional voice-operated navigation system will make a non-direction-asking husband fall in love. Instruments are large, readable and viewable in bright sunlight. Instead of the usual tachometer, there is a constant readout mpg gauge marked from 0 mpg to 60 and then into a range beyond the numbers when the Camry drives without engine power.

The Camry Hybrid we tested didn't miss a stop on the production line, came as well-equipped as any of its top-shelf Lexus relatives. In addition to the companionable voiced navigation system were seating surfaces covered in leather, a multi-position sun/moon roof, 12v plugs, cup holders, multiple storage bins, a display showing outside temperature, estimated range, average speed, average fuel use and trip odometer, a 440-watt JBL audio system, Bluetooth technology for hands-free cell phone calls, and a keyless push button start system for the engine which takes some getting used to.

In short, the Hybrid Camry has all the operational gee-whizzes and touchy-feely gleams and textures one usually associates with much more expensive cars.

But, as they say, beauty is only skin-deep, so after sating ourselves with surface appeals, we went hunting for our top-of-the-list musts: safety engineering, equipment and operation.

Here, the Camry Hybrid takes care of its own and, obviously, yours too.

Like the other Camrys, the Hybrid features dual-stage driver and passenger SRS airbags, seat-mounted side airbags and side curtain airbags, even a driver's knee airbag. Toyota uses their exclusive whiplash Injury Lessening Technology on the front seats. There is also a standard (ABS) anti-lock braking system, Electronic Brake-force Distribution and Brake Assist which applies enough pressure to engage the ABS if the driver has not mashed the brake pedal hard enough in emergencies.

The Hybrid is also equipped with the Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management System that helps control vehicle traction and stability through throttle control, brake application on individual wheels and even minor steering correction, if needed. Shortly, it would seem, we will all be safer if the vehicles start driving themselves and we can all relax in on our reclined back seats.

But as fetching as the Hybrid looks and as safe as it keeps its occupants, how does it scoot down the road? We set out to see and the going was, as they say, good. On a 78 degree day, on three runs, we got 0-60 mph two-way average times of 8.2, 7.9, and 8.0 seconds. Those 0-60 times compare very favorably to several models in its class.

The dual driving forces behind this surprisingly good performance are the two parts of the Toyota Hybrid Synergy Drive System which carries power between gas and electricity and/or both as needed

The first half of the combined 187 horsepower (same output as the 2006 Camry V-6 3.0 liter) unit is a 147 horsepower, 2.4 litre four cylinder Atkinson-cycle engine (a more efficient engine design) mated to a CVT or continuously variable transmission. The second half is a small, high torque 40-hp electric motor with a small inverter, compact battery and a transaxle, a component that combines the transmission, differential and the drive into one integrated assembly, handling power from both engines.

Because there are times when the gas engine shuts down completely to conserve fuel, Toyota engineers have designed the air conditioning and power steering systems to be driven electrically. There is also an ECO button which can control how much energy is being used by the climate control system.

Also helping the Camry Hybrid accomplish its mpg levels are racing-inspired design elements like wheel spats and underbelly pans which help yield outstandingly low draft coefficients. The slipperier a vehicle is in sliding through the air, the better draft coefficients it has. As examples, the older boxy Volvo 960 had a Cd of .36 while the newer, sleeker model S80 went down to 0.28. The Camry Hybrid has 0.27 Cd.

The EPA estimates 40mpg city/38mpg highway for this new Hybrid. Our experience, including the mini 0-60 mph drag meet, heavy-footed runs along the freeways, shopping mall stop-and-go with lots of air conditioning and general around town cruising, was a bit less with an overall average of 34 mpg. This was generous enough, seemed to us, for a full out, good performing, full sized luxury-type sedan.

If you are still undecided about a Hybrid car and want to wait and see where the industry is headed; whether that is more look-at-me models or me-too versions, Toyota is evidently planning to cover both bases. Word is that the factory fanciers of the Prius look will soon add additional models to the existing four door sedan, including an SUV. Over at the business-as-usual design shop, plans seem to be to just add hybrid technology to existing models and demand and future product planning dictate.

Either way you look at it, Toyota will be offering consumers with more choices and we think the Camry Hybrid is a great one.



By Terry Galanoy taken from CNN/AOL Auto

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