A survey of eco-friendly vehicles released today from IntelliChoice.com shows that most 2009 hybrid and clean diesel cars, trucks and SUVs deliver a lower cost of ownership compared to standard versions of the same vehicles.

The 2009 IntelliChoice.com Hybrid and Diesel Car survey examined the value of all 2009 model year hybrids and vehicles with clean diesel engines. The company evaluated the major factors that determine a vehicle’s cost of ownership over a five year period or 70,000 miles, including fuel, maintenance and repair, retained value, insurance costs and taxes and fees.

Among the top-line findings from the survey:

• Clean diesel has the potential to be a game changer. “Clean diesel cars like the VW Jetta TDI and Mercedes Benz E320 perform even better than hybrids in saving thousands of dollars in costs and recouping their purchase premium,” James Bell, editor of IntelliChoice.com, said in a statement. “Make no mistake that clean diesel cars are now mainstream. The Obama Administration needs to reexamine the legacy of higher tax rates on diesel fuel, which were set long before the switch to the low sulfur formulation required for general consumer use. The time has come to put diesel on a level playing field with gasoline. The Administration could even promote it with lower taxation as is done in Europe.”
• Small cars, sedans and crossovers perform better than large trucks and SUVs. “No surprise here. The Toyota Prius, Honda Civic Hybrid and even small SUVs like the Ford Escape Hybrid save their owners thousands of dollars over five years. When you begin to move into the larger vehicles, especially big SUVs, you may pay a few thousand dollars more in ownership costs for hybrid cars and clean diesel versions,” said Bell.
• The higher fuel prices go, the greater value hybrids and clean diesels deliver. “The survey uses a six-month running average of $3.20 per gallon in factoring fuel costs. We expect that gas prices will eventually go up, which increases the savings for hybrid car owners.”

IntelliChoice.com’s 2009 Hybrid and Diesel Car Survey pits hybrid and clean diesel vehicles against their gas-powered counterparts in the five most important cost of ownership categories. For instance, the Ford Escape Hybrid is compared against the “regular” or gas-only Ford Escape. The list below is a sample of findings from the survey that demonstrates how cost of ownership can offset higher sticker prices.

From Green Right Now reports

Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., today unveiled the 2010 edition of the Prius at the 2009 North American International Auto show in Detroit. The car, which has become synonymous with hybrid technology, will get larger even as it retains its high-mileage roots.

In fact, Toyota says the third-generation Prius will deliver even better mileage ratings, enhanced performance, along with innovative new design features; and the new model will be quieter and roomier than its predecessors. It will come equipped with new technology such as a moon roof with solar panels, four driving modes, Intelligent Parking Assist (IPA) and steering wheel touch controls that display on the instrument panel.

The new Prius will offer three driving modes: EV-Drive Mode allows driving on battery power alone at low speeds for about a mile; Power Mode will increase sensitivity to throttle input for a sportier feel; and Eco Mode will deliver the best mileage.

The promise of the 10-year-old Prius has always been excellent fuel economy, and Toyota says the new Prius will get 50 miles per gallon, up from 46 mpg in the current model.

The fuel economy will continue to come with ultra-low emissions. Toyota says the Prius will be built using processes that reduce pollution in every stage of vehicle life, from production and driving, through to disposal.

The first-generation Prius entered the market in 1997 as the world’s first mass-produced hybrid. Honda’s Insight was a limited-production vehicle. The Prius went on to become the virtual status symbol of the environmental movement and Toyota has sold more than a million worldwide in that decade.

In designing the new, third-generation Prius, Toyota said its engineers combined a careful refinement of existing systems with an aggressive measure of new technology necessary for the future of automobiles. A larger and more powerful 1.8-liter Atkinson-cycle, four-cylinder engine will power the new Prius. Toyota says the larger engine actually helps improve highway mileage my making more torque and allowing the engine to run at lower average rpm (revolutions per minute) on the highway.

The company says the new engine uses less fuel at lower rpms, and mileage is especially improved in cold-start conditions and at higher speeds.

The 1.8-liter Prius engine also will be the first from Toyota that requires no belts under the hood, which should help fuel economy and lower maintenance.

Unlike most other hybrid vehicles available, Prius has been a “full” hybrid since introduction. This allows it to run on engine alone, battery alone, or a combination of both. The system blends the best of parallel hybrid and series hybrid designs to achieve the ability to operate on the electric mode alone, and to charge the batteries while the car is running.

Toyota says the patented Hybrid Synergy Drive system in the 2010 Prius is 90 percent newly-developed with significant improvements over previous models:

• The transaxle is lighter in weight and reduces torque losses by as much as 20 percent compared to the previous model.
• The inverter, which converts direct current to alternating current, has a new direct cooling system to reduce size and weight.
• Taken together, the inverter, motor and transaxle are smaller and 20 percent lighter.
• A newly developed electronically controlled regenerative braking system has been adopted, with control logic optimized to enhance regeneration.

Even though the 2010 Prius grows larger, it retains much of its signature aerodynamic look. The overall height is the same, but the roof profile was altered to move the top of the roof 3.9 inches to the rear. This emphasizes the wedge shape, and Toyota says the change improves rear headroom and overall aerodynamics.

The new car also will add new technology flourishes. An optional sliding glass moon-roof will include solar panels that power a new ventilation system. The system prevents the interior air temperature from rising while the vehicle is parked, making the cool-down time shorter when the driver returns to the vehicle, reducing the use of air conditioning.

Further reducing the vehicle’s power consumption are optional LED (light emitting diode) lamps in the low beam headlights and in the tail and stop lamps. Toyota says the air conditioning system, a major energy drain, has been re-engineered to increase efficiency and cool-down performance.

In pursuit of “sustainable mobility”, Toyota says it will use plant-derived, carbon-neutral plastics in the 2010 Prius. The newly-developed plastics, known as “ecological plastic,” will be used in the seat cushion foam, cowl side trim, inner and outer scuff plates, and deck trim cover. Ecological plastic emits less CO2 during a product lifecycle (from manufacturing to disposal) than plastic made from petroleum.

Related stories:

• Detroit auto show promises to be an ‘electric’ event, highlighting hybrids and electric infrastructure
• Slideshow: Detroit’s green cars for 2009
• Big Three kick off Detroit auto show
• Slideshow: 30 (cars) over 30 (mpg)
• The downside of cheap gas

See all Cars/Trucks stories

Don’t be fooled. Gasoline prices won’t be bumping around $2 a gallon for long. Driving a car with good fuel economy still makes sense. Higher mpg means lower operating costs for the household budget and fewer greenhouse gas emissions.

Happily, car shoppers today have a myriad of options among fuel frugal 2009 cars. You can find something getting 30 mpg or better on the highway at nearly every dealer lot. In some cases, you’ll have to settle for a trim line with a smaller engine and manual transmission to hit the 30 mpg mark.

Here are 30 with 30 mpg:

Audi TT

Gorgeous lines, 200-horsepower and a crisp six-speed manual transmission make the Audi TT a swell sports car. The fuel economy of the base 2-liter model makes it an earth-friendly sports car.
EPA estimated mpg: 22 city/30 highway

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the Swedish Energy Agency (SEA) have extended their partnership with Volvo another three years to develop commercial trucks with greater fuel efficiency. The partnership is an extension of a one-year agreement signed by the three groups in June 2007, with the overall objective of creating heavy-duty engines with at least 10 percent greater fuel efficiency then diesel engines.

A total of $48 million will be used to:

• Test and analyze the impact of different biofuels on diesel engines to increase efficiency and fuel economy, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions of new long haul trucks.

• Develop hybrid vehicle technology for heavy-duty engines and coupled with waste heat recovery.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, green house gas emissions from commercial trucks are steadily increasing. Last year’s statistics reveal green house emissions from commercial trucks are up 69 percent, producing more emissions than commercial airliners.

“This partnership is a step in the right direction,” said Volvo CEO Leif Johansson in a statement. “The climate issue and increasing fuel prices make energy use and energy efficiency some of the most important societal issues of our time.”

“The transportation industry has a special responsibility and this research and development co-operation with the U.S. Government is crucial in our efforts to develop the technology required by both our customers and society as a whole.”

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