The
next generation of RVs and tow vehicles is right around the
corner, as the auto industry gears up to meet the future head-on.
In the early 1970s scientists were predicting that we would
run out of oil. In response, the technology of finding and refining
fuels has improved - to the point it temporarily negated the
need to develop alternative energy sources. Fast forward to
today, however, and the combination of rising oil prices and
society's growing interest in the environment are providing
new impetus to develop alternative fuels.
RVers have more reason to embrace this new direction than commuters
or city motorists. Whether you tow a trailer, a fifth wheel,
or drive a motorhome, you must refuel each day to be able to
continue travelling around the country enjoying the good life.
We, more than anyone, have a direct appreciation of, and connection
to, the natural environment we need to protect. So recent developments
in automotive engineering promise an exciting and earth-friendly
future for RVs.
To obtain better fuel economy, vehicles have been downsized
and lightened in weight, while computer systems have been installed
to optimize the way our vehicles use fuel.
Some RVers have switched to a diesel engine for their vehicles
in order to improve their mileage. Diesel fuel has undergone
changes in recent years, with the government-mandated lowering
of sulphur content and aromatics. These have reduced particulate
and noxious gas emissions, but created new problems of their
own. The sulphur content in diesel fuel serves to lubricate
many parts of the engine, including things like O-rings in the
fuel pump. When the sulphur is reduced, those O-rings tend to
dry out, which could result in leaks at the pump. Newer O-rings
have been developed that are not as adversely affected by the
low sulphur content fuels, but this remains a problem for owners
of older diesel engines, especially if they travel from one
section of the country to another. With diesel fuels coming
form many sources, such as sweet crude (low sulphur) from Alaska,
and higher sulphur content from the Middle East, trying to remove
the sulphur by hydrogenation will not always produce the same
fuel characteristics. The goal of the diesel fuel industry is
to harmonize the fuel supply so that no matter where you drive,
your fuel will have the same characteristics.
But like anything else, there’s a limit to how far you
can go with diesel power and downsized vehicles. Further improvements
in fuel economy and reduced emissions will simply require new
technology. Thankfully, the auto industry has come up with several
ideas that might just work.
One of these is a biodegradable, non-toxic fuel called biodiesel.
It’s made from the distillation of soybeans or canola,
so it poses far less of a threat to the environment when a spill
occurs, such as at a refinery or when a tanker runs aground.
The odour of biodiesel fuel is more pleasant than petroleum-based
diesel. It actually smells more like popcorn or French fries.
Biodiesel fuel reduces smoke and soot in the exhaust by 31 percent,
carbon monoxide by 21 percent and hydrocarbons by 47 percent
when used in a 20 percent blend with petroleum diesel fuel in
vehicles equipped with a catalytic converter. No engine modifications
are necessary. However, like any developing product, it’s
not cheap – current prices range from $4.25 to $7 a gallon.
This is why it’s blended with regular petroleum-based
diesel fuel. The price would go down if it was produced in larger
quantities and received tax-exempt status. (Page
Top)
 Propane
was originally considered a waste gas released during the refining
of crude petroleum. It was often burned off at the wellhead,
as no storage facilities were available. Today 3,800,000 vehicles
operate on propane fuel worldwide, and 22,000 conversions per
year are being done in Canada. 140,000 Canadian and 450,000
American vehicles currently operate on propane fuel. More than
17,000 refuelling stations exist right now across North America,
5,000 of them in Canada. In British Columbia alone there are
1,100 propane refill stations compared to 1,700 gasoline refill
stations. In Toronto, many police cars and taxis operate on
propane fuel only.
Reformulated gas is a mixture of conventional gasoline and combustible
liquids that contain oxygen, such as ethanol and methanol. Adding
highly oxygenated supplements like these aids the combustion
process and results in a cleaner burn, creating less carbon
monoxide. The downside is that reformulated gas causes engines
to run hotter and could result in damage to pistons and valves.
Further, reformulated gas can easily vapour lock when driving
on hot days. Ethanol can be produced from distilled corn or
agricultural waste. Any motor without computer controls needs
to have its air/fuel mixture adjusted.
Henry Ford thought ethanol would be the fuel of choice since
it produces jobs for distillers and farmers. It is a renewable
resource that can be produced by growing a new crop next year.
The Ontario government has pledged that gasoline in that province
will contain five percent ethanol by 2007, and 10 percent by
2010. The Premier says this would create 3,000 jobs in rural
Ontario.
Methanol (wood alcohol) is a clear, colorless an toxic liquid
refined from natural gas. It’s used to make M85 fuel,
consisting of 85 percent methanol and 15 percent gasoline. It
emits one-third to one-half as many hydrocarbons and oxides
of nitrogen as regular gasoline. Methanol is noxious to touch,
and you engine would require up to different 50 modifications
to burn it. Once modified, vehicles can run either M85 or regular
gas. It is often used in racing engines, and burns with invisible
flame. Ford has produced versions of some cars to operate on
M85 or E85 fuels.
One consideration with reformulated gas is its stability in
storage. RVs are prone to fuel going stale as the RV sits in
storage between uses. Left standing in the fuel tank for extended
periods of time, the alcohol has an affinity for water (it is
hydroscopic). When reformulated gas absorbs water, the alcohol
separates from the gas and can cause corrosion to the fuel system.
Fuel will stay stable for 30 to 60 days, and becomes stale after
that.
Chevron warned me against using reformulated gas in older vehicles,
as the ethanol can apparently rot the fuel lines and create
pinholes that allow gasoline vapours to escape, potentially
leading to an engine fire. In 2004, we talked to eight owners
of older motorhomes whose units caught fire as they drove along
the highway. Each of them confirmed that they had been using
ethanol fuel. If you own an older motorhome or tow vehicle,
have the fuel lines changed to more modern materials that are
not affected by the fuel. On many gas pumps there is a sticker
that tells you how much ethanol is in the fuel. If your motorhome
is older, go on to the next refuelling station. Modern vehicles
are often certified to use up to 85 percent ethanol or methanol
fuel.
Some of my engineering friends at major vehicle manufacturers
have published technical bulletins regarding difficulties with
carbon and sludge, and have established expensive cleaning and
special service procedures to return engines to proper operating
conditions. These carbon and sludge deposits could be eliminated
by the inclusion of more detergents and corrosion - stability
additives in the fuel.
Some people believe hydrogen is the non-polluting fuel of the
future. It can be produced by electrolysis of water, removed
from the air, or released from gasoline or propane. In vehicles,
the hydrogen is used to operate a fuel cell that produces electricity,
which can be stored in a battery bank and used to power individual
electric motors at each wheel. Ballard Research of Canada is
the forefront in the development of fuel cell technology. They
use a Proton Exchange Membrane technology.
In the Ford Focus FCV (fuel cell vehicle), an 85 kilowatt fuel
cell stack is supplied by Ballard, with a nickel-metal-hydride
battery and brake-by-wire electro-hydraulic series regenerative
braking. The Ford Focus FCV is one of the industry’s first
hybridized vehicles with improved range and performance with
the benefits of a fuel cell. In co-operation with Ford, BP is
building a network of refuelling stations to support these cars.
Initially, Ford will place 30 Ford Focus FCV and BP will have
fuelling stations in Sacramento, Orlando, and Detroit.
 DaimlerChrysler
announced in December that it intends to double its fleet of
hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicles – more than 100 of
them by the end of this year! In his State of the Union address
in 2004, US President Bush forecast that “the first car
driven by a child born today could be fuelled by hydrogen and
pollution free.” The delivery of fuel cell vehicles to
the United States, Germany, Japan and Singapore is an important
step in the largest practical fleet testing program for fuel
cell vehicles worldwide.
The principle of the fuel cell was discovered in 1839 by the
English physicist Sir William Grove. In the fuel cell, a chemical
reaction takes place between hydrogen and oxygen in which electrical
energy and heat are released and chemically pure water is produced.
DaimlerChrysler pioneered fuel cell technology more than 10
years ago and has entered into an alliance with Ford and the
fuel cell specialist, Ballard Power Systems.
Fuel cell vehicles are true zero-emission vehicles, with a high
level of efficiency and only pure water vapour as exhaust. (Page
Top)
DaimlerChrysler has provided commuters in Perth, Australia with
three zero-emission fuel cell busses to be operated by the local
public transport authorities for two years. These fuel cell
buses are part of a fleet of 30 that DaimlerChrysler has in
operation around the world in order to gain real-life experience
in day-to-day operation. The fuel cell bus has a range of approximately
200 kilometres and a top speed of 80 kilometres per hour.
The United States Postal Service has begun delivering mail using
a GM fuel cell minivan, which GM calls the HydroGen3. The State
of Maryland has also announced that it has entered into a test
agreement with GM. GM also has a fuel cell vehicle in Shanghai
and a small fleet in California.
General Motors Hy-Wire technology may change the way we look
at automobiles in the future. First shown at the Detroit Auto
Show in 2002, the AUTOnomy concept car illustrates GM’s
commitment to the future. This is a fuel cell-powered vehicle
driven by wire instead of levers and rods in the control mechanisms.
All of the sedan’s propulsion and control systems are
contained in an 11-inch thick chassis that looks somewhat like
a big skateboard. One benefit to this design is that it maximizes
interior space for the occupants and cargo while permitting
a number of exciting new body styles for consumers to choose
from. Since there is no engine compartment, the vehicle is wide
open from the front to the rear. Imagine having no engine, instrument
panel, or foot pedals in front of you. The vehicle is driven
by an electric motor mounted between the front wheels and three
cylindrical storage tanks for the hydrogen are located centrally
under the floor.
While it might be fun to imagine yourself at the wheel of a
motorhome with no engine compartment or dashboard, the reality
is that the day isn’t far off when that could easily be
the case. With these exciting developments, RVs of the future
won’t just be more fuel efficient and environmentally-friendly,
they’ll be incredibly fun to drive and potentially the
most stylish rigs on the road. (Page Top) |
