mpg-o-editor

Economic Stimulus Bill: What’s In It For Alternative Fuel Cars?

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Sometimes it makes sense to stall. I’ve been meaning to dig into the economic stimulus bill to find out exactly what it contains with regard to alternative fuel cars. As I attended to other matters, the answers appeared in my inbox, thanks to the Diesel Technology Forum (DTF) and the Alternative Fuel Vehicle Institute (AFVI). … Read more

MPGomatic Featured on CNN

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Continuing on a media roll, MPGomatic landed an ever-so-brief segment on CNN yesterday, after submitting an iReport on the topic of “would you buy an American car.” The segment happened completely on a whim, after deciding that Tuesday was the day to fire up the iMac’s webcam and cut a quick report. The phone rang … Read more

MINI E Sponsorship Wrap a No Go

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We can forget about the concept of defraying the cost of driving an electric MINI E through sponsorship. At least for now. It appears that wrapping a leased MINI with (tasteful) graphics may run astray of the lease terms. Looking for ways to make the $850 per month lease payment more affordable for the less-than-well-heeled, I posed the question to MINI Product Manager, Vincent Tennessee Kung.

“Modifying a MINI, like any vehicle leased by MINI Financial Services, may violate the terms and conditions of the contract regarding modifications done to the vehicle as it may also affect as the new vehicle warranty. Therefore, we do not recommend or endorse a wrap,” replied Vincent. “This is an engineering field trial more than anything else and with the flying doctors who will be checking in on the cars, such activity will be noticed.”

Ah well, the best laid plans, and all that …

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Diesel Fuel Prices Leveling Out?

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Sometimes, things work out for the best. I’ve been happy as a clam this week, test driving a 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Sportwagen. I had initially hoped to test drive the Jetta TDI last summer when the model was first reintroduced to America, but circumstances being what they’ve been, the opportunity did not present itself until now.

And that’s a nice turn of fate.

At the peak of last summer’s gas price madness, diesel fuel was a dollar or so more expensive than regular gasoline, with prices dancing around five dollars a gallon. As gas prices crashed last fall, diesel fuel prices fell, but a large price differential remained between gasoline and diesel. At some point, that gap began to narrow. Now I’m not going to be a complete cynic and attribute the narrowing gap to the departure of the oil men from Our Nation’s Capitol, but it does seem odd. Perhaps what we’re seeing right now is a result of the switch in refinery production from heating oil to diesel fuel. Or not. I was just glad to have not paid five bucks a gallon testing a car that I was drooling to drive … for hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of miles (for your benefit, of course).

This morning, with the Jetta TDI’s tank just under half full, I decided to head up the road a few miles to the next town to fill up the tank. Now some folks still cling to the thought that diesel fuel is hard to come buy.

To that I gladly and wholeheartedly say hogwash.

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Mitsubishi Outlander Gas Mileage

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The Mitsubishi Outlander delivers mid-range gas mileage ratings in a compact SUV package, and is available in both five- and seven-seat versions. Two engines are offered in the 2009 Outlander: a 2.4-liter inline four and a 3.0-liter V6. The four-cylinder Outlander’s gas mileage ratings are a bit higher than the more powerful V6, with highway figures in the mid-twenty mile per gallon (MPG) range.

Mitsubishi Outlander

In the UK, the 2009 Mitsubishi Outlander is equipped with a highly fuel-efficient intercooled and direct-injected 2.0 liter 16-valve DOHC turbo-diesel engine that produces 33.6 urban / 51.4 extra urban / 42.8 combined miles per British gallon. That equates to roughly 28 city / 42.8 highway / 35.6 combined in US MPG. It’s not just about the mileage, of course … the little diesel four banger pumps out 123 HP and 310 foot pounds of torque.

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