Top 10 'Green' Vehicles Announced & other musings

Since I've been thinking about and looking at vehicles lately, I thought I would share a few links to the just recently announced Top 10 'Green' vehicles, by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy.

Here the List (Top 13 actually- there were some ties)
HONDA CIVIC GX (Compressed Natural Gas)
NISSAN LEAF (Electric (Li-ion bat.))
SMART FORTWO CABRIOLET / SMART FORTWO COUPE
TOYOTA PRIUS (Hybrid)
HONDA CIVIC HYBRID
HONDA INSIGHT
FORD FIESTA SFE
CHEVROLET CRUZE ECO
HYUNDAI ELANTRA
MINI COOPER
TOYOTA YARIS
MAZDA 2*
CHEVROLET VOLT (Electric (Li-ion batt.))
(note: all vehicles are gas-powered unless otherwise noted CNG, electric or Hybrid)
check out the full list/ratings here

A few comments:
1) I personally do not believe CNG (compressed natural gas), is really a viable long-term option for individual vehicles. The report notes that these vehicles are only sold in a few states, CA and NY among them. The main drawback is the infrastructure needed to 'fill up' these vehicles. CNG can be a good option for fleet vehicles such as for buses or local government public works, but until the infrastructure is there, I don't see this as viable for the average individual. If you differ - would love to hear from you.

2) Most of the gas-powered vehicles listed here are 'manual' transmissions. Personally, I prefer to drive a manual than automatic. This is however a drawback as I'm unsure our younger generations have been taught how to drive a stick-shift. Well, time to start teaching. Interesting, another benefit of 'manual' vehicles, which I and others have known for years, is they get better gas mileage :)

Diesel Vehicles Are An Option
The Best New 2011 Diesel Vehicles have also been announced. This comes from thedailygreen: the consumers guide to the green revolution. For those unaware, most of the newer diesel vehicles are designed with excellent gas mileage. Here's a link to 9 Myths and Facts about Clean Diesel Vehicles which you might find interesting.

For a long time now I've been waiting for the U.S. automobile market to finally get it's act together and start selling high mpg diesel vehicles, which have been selling in Europe for years.

As a matter of fact, I first learned about high mpg diesel vehicles on a trip to Slovakia (Slovak Republic, formerly part of Czechoslovakia) in 2005. I had the fortune of staying with a young couple and their 3 children for several days (relatives of a family friend here in U.S.). During this time, Roman, the father, and I spent a fair amount of time talking about the general state of affairs in the U.S. and Europe, while driving in his GM-made diesel vehicle that got 40+mpg.

Why, I pondered, are these vehicles not available in the U.S.? Clearly, this was a U.S. auto-maker who was manufacturing and selling these high mileage vehicles in Europe. Why not in the U.S.? Well, there's a whole host of reasons - gas prices in the U.S. were much lower at the time, the U.S. auto industry lobby & oil lobby, and the American public's acceptance of what we're given/sold, among other things.

Still, what I remember the most about this discussion and experience was the price of gas at the pump when Roman and I filled up - equal to about $3.50/gallon. Interesting! Just as we here in the U.S. are facing $3.50/gallon gas prices, which I hear are expected to reach $4/gallon this summer - we're seeing the peak of high mileage 'green' and diesel vehicles. At least they are on the market, because we are going to need them. Unfortunately, the economic downturn means for many Americans these vehicles will continue to be out of reach for many.

Of course I cannot post about 'green' vehicles without a caution - Peak oil and the Long Emergency (a book of that same title by Saratoga author Jim Kunstler about the decline of cheap oil) are here, so please keep that in mind when thinking long term as oil is a non-renewable resource, and it's important that we as individuals and communities be thinking and planning how to be self-sufficient and significantly less reliant upon oil as a means of transportation and for producing electricity for our 'electric' vehicles.

Thanks and here's to, well, taking the bus :)