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What COULD Be in Your Garage

A sneak peek at the ‘09 stars of fuel efficiency

by Lisa MacFarlane

With the price of fuel skyrocketing and the environment top of mind, the race is on for auto manufacturers to switch gears and come up with better alternatives to polluting combustion engines. As oil-thirsty horsepower falls out of fashion, SharedVISION presents you with an exclusive preview of the 2009 lineup of Earth-friendlier cars.

Dynasty IT (electric)
This aluminum eclectic-electric is very utilitarian, but nerd-cool. With three models to choose from in 2009, the standout is a tiny two-seater pickup truck that’s just big enough for your gear, but too small to help your friends move house. The four-door sedan is classified as an LSV (low speed vehicle) with a top speed of 40 km/h. For city commuters who have little opportunity to even reach speed limits, this funky little car might be ideal, except for one problem: these cars are currently not allowed in areas where the posted speed limit is over 40 km/h. If you live on Bowen Island, or in a municipality where the speed limit is capped at 40, you’re in luck. For the rest of us, it’s a wait-and-see game. After a six-hour charge in the garage, IT’s got a driving range of 50 km. Pound for pound, electricity from your wall socket is a much cheaper way of getting energy than burning gasoline (especially if your landlord is paying the bills). Colours to choose from include bright lime, in case you really want to drive the “green living” point home. The B.C. car maker was recently purchased by a Pakistani company, and production has moved overseas. ($14,000)

Smart Car (ye old combustion engine)
Available as a Coupe or Cabriolet, the Smart Car Fortwo is one of the best runabout cars on the block, with a hard-to-beat fuel economy rating of 5.4L/100 km. Surprisingly, I’ve spotted this Euro-ride just about everywhere outside the city limits—sporting mountain bikes in the summer and skis in the winter. By no means is the Smart a performance vehicle, but it will get you safely from A to B. Although you wouldn’t think so by the size of its body, the interior cabin nicely accommodates taller drivers. Smart is very manoeuverable, slipping into parking spots too tight for other cars. Fifteen-inch steel wheels, keyless entry, leather steering wheel, and electric rear window defroster come standard. ($14,990)

Mercedes-Benz ML 450 (hybrid)
Attention lovers of German automobiles: here’s a four-wheel drive hybrid SUV coming to a dealer near you. Mercedes claims it will be the most fuel-efficient hybrid sports-ute in the world. Featuring an electric-only driving mode, the fuel economy projections are fairly impressive at 7.7L per 100 km. This is by no means a zero-emissions ride, and if you really want to leave a lesser footprint, cross this one off the list; however, the ML 450 can drive solely on electric power for short distances before the engine kicks back in. Like other hybrids on the market, the technology employs a coaxial electric motor to assist the gasoline engine, and features a stop/restart feature that shuts down the engine at red lights. With 321 hp of combined power when both the electric motor and the 4.5L V6 gasoline engine are working together, these wheels are for the Whistler cabin set. (est. $70,000)

Honda FCX Clarity (hydrogen fuel cell)
The debut of the Clarity sedan is the most exciting auto news of the year. The car runs on electricity quietly generated from hydrogen gas, and emits only water vapour. With a shape similar to Honda’s popular Civic, it’s refuelled using a high-pressure connector on the rear fender. The slow growth of a hydrogen fuelling infrastructure might just speed up if consumers line up for the Clarity. Vancouver actually has some hydrogen fuelling stations—put in place for the feds’ “Hydrogen Highway” program—to showcase a number of hydrogen vehicles in time for the 2010 Olympics. Although the fuelling stations are not open to the public right now, they are an important step for this emerging technology. California will receive the Clarity first, and Vancouver actress Laura Harris (24, Dead Like Me), who now lives in L.A., has scored one. The FCX motor produces 134 horsepower and 189 pound-feet of torque. Light ’em up, Laura! ($600 per month lease including insurance)

ZENN (electric)
This modern-looking three-door hatchback hails from Ontario and has a top speed of 40 km/h. While you won’t win any races, you’ll be laughing your way past the gas pumps. Plug it in to any standard outlet and it’s good to go, fully charged in the morning. ZENN = Zero Emission, No Noise. If your idea of car maintenance is topping up the washer fluid, these might be the wheels for you, as long as the government green-lights the use of electric vehicles in your community. ($14,000)

Lexus LS 600h L (hybrid)
Aha, do I smell the fresh scent of greenwashing? Here’s one to satisfy the power-loving driver. A 288-volt DC nickel-metal-hydride battery is matched to a whopping 483 hp, 5L combustion engine. Huh? Kind of defeats the purpose of the whole hybrid thing, as one would suspect a big engine like this is working most of the time? Turns out the LS 600h produces just 20 per cent of the emissions of a conventional 5.0L V8. But does a V8 have any right to be included in a list of eco-friendly cars? Probably not. The argument is that if you’re going to drive a V8, this is your best option. Peter Partridge at Toyota told me he gets a startling 9.0L per 100 km on average. Not Smart Car economy, but still impressive for that kind of horsepower. Last year I was very skeptical of this new kind of hybrid—one that marries a powerful engine to a battery—when I took the junior version (GS Hybrid 3.5L V6) up to my cabin for a test drive. Great handling on dirt roads. And talk about luxury! Every mod-con imaginable was beautifully installed in the gorgeous cabin: air-cooled leather seats for summer, GPS, and an audio system that sounded like the symphony was riding shotgun. In lake country, driving at speeds less than about 35 km/h, I quietly sneaked up on wildlife with the car running on the battery alone. Environmentally friendly? You decide. ($119,400)

Fisker Karma (hybrid)
This sexy two-door luxury sports sedan, designed by Henrik Fisker (who styled Aston Martin’s legendary DB9 and BMW’s drool-worthy Z8 roadster), will be the first vehicle released by the Fisker Automotive Company. A plug-in hybrid gasoline/electric motor combo consists of a gasoline engine that turns a generator, which charges a lithium ion battery, powering the electric motor and turning the rear wheels. Still with us? What separates this design from other hybrids (like the Prius) is that you can drive the car emissions-free for up to 80 km a day as long as you plug it in to recharge the battery each night. Fisker claims that if you follow this pattern, you will only need to fill up the gas tank once a year. A full-length solar roof powers cooling for the interior cabin when the car is parked. With serious torque, a 0 to 100 km/h time of six seconds, and top speed of 200 km/h+, you won’t miss a revving engine. Great eco-chic looks, high-speed performance, and zero emissions. I’ll take mine in navy, please. ($80,000)

Toyota Prius (hybrid)
The most recognizable hybrid, beloved by Vancouver taxi drivers (there’s a wait list, apparently) will be back for ’09. Toyota recently announced that it plans to install solar panels on the next generation of Prius. The Prius’s award-winning gasoline-electric system has been named Best in Class by Natural Resources Canada’s Office of Energy Efficiency every year since 2004. (The same technology is found in Ford’s Escape Hybrid, a compact SUV that’s worth a look if you require more cargo space.) Prius achieves 4.1L per 100 km as long as you’re not a lead foot. It easily cruises on the battery alone under speeds of about 40 km/h. Just imagine how much more clean and quiet city intersections would be, if all vehicles sported an engine shut-off feature like Prius while we waited at red lights. There are whispers that Toyota is coming out with a brand new hybrid model in ’09, but at the time of writing, the mystery machine is still under wraps. ($27,600)

Chevy Silverado (hybrid)
New for ’09, the revamped Silverado hybrid is a big deal for GM, which is producing hybrid versions of its fleet in an attempt to win back consumers to the brand. If you can’t live without a pickup, or you require towing power, this could be your next truck. A 300-volt nickel-metal-hydride battery is matched to a fuel-slurping 6.0L V8 gasoline engine. So, what’s the good news? Ladies, you may plug a hair dryer into a number of electrical outlets on board (or a blender or power drill). More importantly, at speeds under 45 km/h, even when actively towing, the Silverado Hybrid drives on electricity alone. Another clever technology called “cylinder deactivation” is also included, which means that if you’re not towing a boat or burying the gas pedal for extra power, the engine will run on just four cylinders to conserve energy. That’s great for the city slicker, but good luck finding a parking spot. Carbon credits not included. (est. $35,000)