Perhaps CR-Y Would Have Been More Appropriate

At the Detroit Auto Show, Honda announced that they will indeed manufacture a production version of the CR-Z concept car shown at previous shows and mentioned earlier on this blog. The CR-Z in many ways recalls the extinct CRX (CR-X in the home market), of which I own one of the last copies. The new car, interestingly, will be a hybrid. There's no word on when this car will hit the market.

In other Honda hybrid news, the company re-announced that they will be marketing a new, small hybrid-only model for the 2009 model year. Honda says that it wants 10% of their sales to be hybrids by 2010. It seems strange to me, then, that they recently discontinued the hybrid Accord.

Green Cars

I've recently been thinking about replacing my 16-year-old CRX, perhaps sometime in 2008. For various reasons, I will probably be purchasing my first car with more than2 usable seats,* most likely a Honda Fit, though it's hard for me to resist something tiny and sporty, like the Mazda MX-5 (Miata).** I recently came upon some interesting but short articles concerning fuel consumption and greenhouse-gas production:

• Here's an article about how a hybrid-powered car can still suck (gas), while an efficiently designed conventionally powered vehicle can be both more efficient and less polluting. Granted, the examples are large hybrid SUVs and the Fit, but the point stands.
• Meanwhile, here is an explanation of what exactly "partial-zero-emissions vehicle" means.
  
• This is a follow-up on potentially upcoming changes to the EPA's window stickers.
• The last article compares the labels used in the US and the UK.

Enjoy.

* For the record, I've owned the following automobiles:

• 1977 Datsun 280Z, white.
  
• 1980 Honda Prelude, silver.
  
• 1991 Honda CRX, black.

It occurred to me as I wrote the above list, that I've never owned a car that wasn't a (possibly metallic) shade of gray.

**Clearly, I have no plans to purchase my first non-Japanese car.

Smithsonian Sacrifices Science

A form associate director of the the Smithsonian Institution claims that the Smithsonian modified an exhibit on climate change in the arctic, reducing the reported level of confidence among scientists that humans are responsible, eliminating scientist's conclusions, and generally minimizing the issue. The changes were made, allegedly, in order not to anger Congress or the President's administration. This kind of thing makes me really angry.

Now that Hybrid is Fit! But Does it Fit?

Today I read this TreeHugger article about the cheap Honda hybrid sports car I mentioned yesterday. Said article directed me to another on the same site about the potential Fit Hybrid. This article's source's source claims that there will indeed be a hybrid Fit in the 2008 model year, and that the drivetrain will be based on the Civic Hybrid's. Furthermore, it appears that the price premium for the hybrid version won't be too onerous.

You are most likely aware, gentle reader, that I'm quite attracted to small, sporty cars. (If not, click on the "cars" subject to the right, and you will quickly get the picture.) You may even know that I've never owned a car with more than two truly usable seats. However, it's quite likely that, when I purchase my next automobile, I will bow to practicality and select one with four seats and ample cargo space. If nothing else, it should make hauling some subset of our bikes around easier.* Based on some research in Consumer Reports, my preference for small cars, and the low-low price, the Fit has found its way to the top of my practical-car wish-list. Today's news makes the Fit Hybrid number one with a bullet.

*For the record, I've had two people, two bikes, and two days worth of luggage in the CRX. I've also had four people and no bikes or luggage in it. It holds a surprising amount of stuff.

You Get 12 MPG Less Than You Thought

The EPA will soon begin testing the fuel efficiency of vehicles using a new and, supposedly, more realistic protocol. The upshot of this change is that most cars will be rated less efficient than they have been, but hybrid vehicles will suffer the most. Keep in mind that driving style has a huge impact on one's mileage. Shuiab, for example, makes a game of eking out every last meter from each cubic centimeter of fuel; he often gets over 50 miles/gallon.

Neofelis Diardi

There's been a bit of news in the online press lately about a paper published late last year announcing the discovery that a long-known subspecies of clouded leopard is actually a distinct species of its own. The newly promoted species will have the scientific name "Neofelis diardi" and the common name "Bornean clouded leopard." I'd suggest "murky leopard" or "turbid leopard" as funnier alternatives, but I'm certain no one would listen to me.* This critter is distinguishable from the mainland clouded leopard by a darker pelt with different markings and parallel dorsal stripes as well as by its very different genes. As might be expected, Darren Naish has posted a good blog entry on the history of this animal's classification. I encourage you to check out both of the above links for information and for photos of this beautiful animal. And be sure to note the size of its canine teeth; apparently, all the clouded leopards have proportionately large canines.

* Nor should they.

Tesla Roadster

I think I've found the car for me.

Furoshiki

The Japan's Ministry of the Environment has published a guide to wrapping gifts in reusable cloth, rather than paper, to cut down on waste. I think this is a spectacular system and we should adopt it. Check it out.

Frightening News About Global Warming

This New Scientist article describes some scientists' fears that we are within one degree Celsius of a threshold beyond which enormous climate change will occur. Please look it over.

Readers interested in this topic might also care to bone up on the much less famous phenomenon of global dimming.

Oh, and while you're at it, you might want to look up the phrase "Tragedy of the Commons."

Sailing to the North Pole

Environmental scientists have recently reported significant shrinking of the Arctic Polar ice cap. The ice has shrunk so much that a navigable channel opened up between northern Europe and the Pole itself. And people don't believe in global warming.