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| Forward Drive: The Race to Build "Clean" Cars for the Future | 
 enlarge | Author: Jim Motavalli
Publisher: Sierra Club Books
Category: Book
List Price: $16.00
Buy New: $1.03
You Save: $14.97 (94%)
Buy New from $8.94
Avg. Customer Rating:  (9 reviews)
Sales Rank: 876602
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Unknown), English (Published)
Media: Paperback
Edition: 1st Pbk. Ed
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 304
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.6
Dimensions (in): 7.9 x 5.1 x 0.8
ISBN: 1578050723
Dewey Decimal Number: 629.2293
EAN: 9781578050727
ASIN: 1578050723
Publication Date: June 26, 2001
Release Date: June 26, 2001
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
As more and more alternative-fuel cars from major auto makers enter the market, and with gasoline prices continuing to soar, "clean" cars are no longer being relegated to side-show status; they're taking center stage.
Forward Drive presents the fascinating story of the race to build greener cars?ones that can help address the problems that have accompanied the rise and spread of traditional gas-powered vehicles. The book traces the history of automobile development, including early attempts to create practical electric vehicles, and explores new technologies for clean cars, especially gas/electric hybrid drives and hydrogen fuel cells. In his research, Jim Motavalli conducted extensive interviews with "early adopters" of alternative vehicles, energy researchers, and key auto-industry figures, giving us a clear picture of how U.S. and foreign auto makers are getting serious about building greener cars. With his passion for automobiles and knowledge of their history and workings, he presents an insightful, informative, and highly readable book.
Amazon.com Review
Few consumers have been attracted to "clean" cars--those powered by something other than traditional internal combustion engines--because they aren't satisfied yet with critical factors such as appearance (too odd), cost (too high), dependability (too uncertain), and performance (too limited). The times they are a-changing, however. A host of catalysts, including new legal requirements and shifting public opinion, is finally driving automakers toward relevant alternative technologies that actually date back 160 years. And Jim Motavalli, who travels an unusual professional route as both syndicated auto columnist and environmental reporter, chronicles the buildup and potential payoff in his intriguing book Forward Drive. "The information I came across ... described a personal transportation revolution that was becoming tantalizingly close," he writes. "Here, at last, were vehicles that promised to not only greatly reduce pollution but also to perform better, be more reliable, cruise farther, and last much longer than anything the public had ever seen." Written for those "who'd somehow failed to get their engineering Ph.D.s," it absorbingly examines the history of such vehicles, the impact of gasoline automobiles, the pioneers who already utilize alternative power, the large and small R&D operations, the political and financial forces under which everything operates, and the broader picture of sustainable transportation. --Howard Rothman
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| Customer Reviews: Read 4 more reviews...
Out of date but still interesting December 30, 2008
The author claims to have written this book mostly in 1998. My edition has an afterward from a few years later. In any case, 1998 was a year in which things looked much different for alternate-energy cars. On the positive side, this book has a lot of interesting information about the history of cars in general and non-gasoline cars specifically. It is good for a background read. About the second half of the book deals with ideas for electric, hydrogen, hybrid and other types of non-gasoline-powered cars. That's where the book gets a little dicey. The first issue I have is the dizzying array of people and ideas presented. Sometimes it's hard for a layperson to get a solid grasp on what's more likely to be successful. The second problem is obviously the date of the book. GM's legendary "killing" of their electric car and 8 years of President Bush's oil-centric energy policies ended up making the book look overly optimistic. For example, the author on many occasions cites estimates of how many electric or fuel cell cars will likely be on the road by 2002 or 2004. These numbers, of course, didn't happen. So in some ways, you could transfer the optimism of the book to 2008 and say that the ideas the author suggests could be realized by 2004 might actually happen by 2014. In any case, this appears to be a highly respected book, and I give it 4 stars because it really does do a nice job of presenting background material that's worth knowing. I even learned a few new things even though I've read a number of books on this topic already.
 Fuel Cell vehicles is unlikely too be mass produced in 2008 January 25, 2008
"The French are leading the way to eco-city of the future with small urban Evs and systems that turn them into a sharable form of public transportation." The Air Car by MDI is the most important eco-city friendly innovation of this century. The Air Car has about the same EV mileage range but requires no batteries.
Germany uses high-speed light rail systems to move people into the center of the city in about half and hour. 1994, Daimler-Benz built NECAR - the first fuel cell vehicle; NECAR II was a small van and could seat six; NECAR II reached traveling speeds of 60 mph and maintained a range of 150 miles; NECAR III has fuel reforming which increase the range to three hundred miles. In 1997, NEBUS arrived by Ballard and was powered by its 25 kilowatt fuel cell stacks. In 1998, Daimler-Benze delivered the world's first methanol reformed fuel cell car, NECAR III.
Fuel Cell Project House says this about the NECAR III, "it's our first methanol vehicle and the reforming technology is very complex. It takes time for the four step process to work, so there is hesitation when you accelerate, plus the problem of excessive noise from the compressor." Gerald Hornburg, the DBB fuel cell system manager estimated NECAR III to be worth more than $5 million.
DaimlerChrysler's Panik is convinced that methanol will be the fuel of the future: Germany has enough methanol for two million cars and there is enough methanol in the world for two million cars. Methanol production by China is possible because they have coal and natural gas that could be converted to Methanol. "Hydrogen fuel cells make a lot of sense for China, but its expensive technology requiring considerable investment."
In 1999, NECAR IV was unveil with 40 percent increase in power, top speed of ninety miles per hour, and a 280 mile range. NECAR IV ran on liquid hydrogen. "The company is intrigued by liquid fuel's easy portability, as is BMW, and both are in partnership with the German company Linde, which builds liquid hydrogen refueling stations." Hydrogen reaches a liquid state at minus 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
In 1997, Toyota showed a drivable methanol reformed "FCEV" fuel-cell car, based on its electric Rav 4. FCEV hydrogen fuel was stored in metal hydride. Toyota said it could obtain a 155 mile range with its metal hydride storage. David Hermance said "I'm not sure what system (metal hydride or onboard reformer) we'll end up with but my personal belief is that we'll never solve all the cost problems for onboard reformers. Direct hydrogen, however, is doable by 2004 - with some luck" No luck.
Projects that didn't measure up: 1. Hydrogen burning rotary engined Miata 2. Methanol reforming Nissan 3. Altra EV with lithium-ion battery (75 mph with a 80 mile range and 5 hour recharge cycle)
Consumers expected Honda commitment too Low Emission technology to drived cars capable of 100 mpg using gasoline internal combustible engines, but instead got sporter, heavier, and more stylist vehicles. The beauty of the Honda CXV was 50 mpg.
Low Emission technology with a swirl vortex plasma heater eliminated the need for a catalytic converter. Catalytic converts control emissions by burning unburned fuel, lower emissions caused from waste. Why not burn all the fuel the first time says PCCI technology.
"Taken for a ride" describes consumer disappointment in Honda's software allowing misfirings. When the news broke there was an uproar and Honda commitment to quality challenged.
"In the 1970s, Honda let Ford look at its data on how to meet Clean Air Act goals without catalytic converters". CVCC was the early low-emission engine.
Honda's 2.3-liter, four-cylinder used in the 1998 Accord EX was the first gasoline-powered vehicle to meet California ULEV standard. Hybrid technology increases the cost of the vehicle but promises low emissions. Plugin Hybrid technology will probably become the choice for Low or Zero Emission regulation.
Honda spokesman, Art Garner is not looking to fuel cell technology any time soon, as he says, "I agree with most people in the industry that fuel cells represent the best long-term potential, but the won't be here anytime soon. It will be a long time before they're financially feasible." Honda is working with methanol and built a prototype called FCX-V2. FCX-V2 incorporated Honda fuel cell and reformer technology. "Could the in-house engineers meet the significant technical challenge of miniaturizing an efficient methanol reformer?"
In 1999, ten hydrogen car prototypes were developed and by 2008 none have made it too market: Honda FCX-V2, Daihatsu MOVE EV-FC, Mazda Demio FCEV, Honda FCX-V1, Honda FCX, BMW 750hl, Venturer Geo Metro, Nissan Altra FCV, DaimlerChrysler NeCar 4, and Ford P2000.
 Too Shrill To Be Taken Seriously March 23, 2004
1 out of 12 found this review helpful
Environmentalists every stripe probably sit and wonder why they cannot seem to get any traction with their anti-gas guzzler campaign, and this lunatic raving is the perfect example of why that is. Motavalli has a wealth of facts and data at his disposal, but his potentially rational arguments are crowded out by his shrill denunciations of auto executives, auto workers and consumers, all of whom he scorns for not being as enlightened as he likes to think he is. Motavalli's fault is not in his material, but in his presentation. He could very well have made a profound impact with this book, much in the way Eric Schlosser did in the expose Fast Food Nation. Yet because Motavalli can't help but being hysterical for hysteria's sake, the reader comes away with the feeling that he has just attended a meeting of the Anti-Automobile Front, or some such extremist group where ecoterrorism is considered moderate. Too bad. This book, by accident to be sure, adds another victory to Detroit: it shows how irrational and extreme its critics are, and thus makes the dinosaurs in Detroit look reasonable by comparison. No wonder no one takes Motavalli seriously enough to propel him onto the bestseller list.
HIS BROTHA May 30, 2001
4 out of 21 found this review helpful
This book is just flat out amazing. I read it every night, and that's a lot of reading (272 pages a night). Anyways, trust me, it talks about cars that are developing, such as electric and nitrogen...Peace out fools
all up in your mug May 30, 2001
4 out of 11 found this review helpful
this is the most exciting and interest book i have ever read on cars. I have found out so much information on cars of the future it is amazing. Jim Motavalli does a great job of explaining how these cars will work to the average person who doesnt know alot about cars.
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