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General Motors Wednesday announced plans to invest 15 billion baht - $445 million - to build a new plant to manufacture clean, green turbo-diesel engines in Thailand.

“This plant will enable us to deliver to our customers the cleanest, most efficient diesel engine technology available,” said Steve Carlisle, president for General Motors Southeast Asia Operations and Chevrolet Sales (Thailand). “This is crucial in these days of rising fuel prices.”

The Thai investment extends Chief Executive Officer Rick Wagoner’s strategy of expanding in the Asia-Pacific region, where sales grew about 10 per cent in the first half in contrast to slumping demand in the US. GM is in danger of being overtaken as the world’s top auto maker by Toyota as it closes US plants.

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The auto industry said federal regulators are pushing too far, too fast in their effort to raise fuel-mileage rules. The complaints from the industry, which had previously voiced support for tougher standards, underscore how economic hardship is affecting a major policy debate.

Auto makers are objecting to new rules being crafted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The rules would require car makers to achieve a fleet-wide average fuel efficiency of at least 31.6 miles per gallon for cars and trucks by 2015, up from about 25 mpg today. The rules are a first step toward Congress’s goal of achieving average fuel economy of at least 35 mpg by 2020.

The agency is expected to finalize the rules this year, after considering public input and analyzing confidential product-plan submissions from manufacturers.

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Toyota has developed a new fuel cell hybrid vehicle in Japan that travels more than double the distance of its predecessor model, increasing the maximum cruising range from 205 miles (329 km) to 515 miles (828 km). The new Toyota FCHV-adv (fuel cell hybrid vehicle advanced) improves the cruising range with its newly-designed, high-performance Toyota FC Stack.

Fuel efficiency was improved by 25 per cent through improving fuel cell unit performance, enhancing the regenerative braking system and reducing energy consumed by the auxiliary system. The new Toyota-developed high-pressure hydrogen tanks also make it possible to travel approximately 828 km on a single fuelling, which more than doubles that of the previous Toyota FCHV.
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Bio-hydrogenated diesel (BHD), a high-quality biodiesel suitable for blending to create a greener alternative fuel for vehicles, would be launched commercially after tests prove successful, said PTT Plc president Prasert Bunsumpun.

Testing of the hydrogenation process to produce BHD from vegetable oil would be completed next year.

BHD can be mixed in a 10:90 ratio with diesel fuel, compared with the 5:95 ratio of the existing B100 biodiesel to diesel fuel.

PTT, the state-run oil and gas conglomerate, signed an agreement on Friday to collaborate with Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) and two of the Japanese automaker’s local units to research BHD. Toyota would supply Hilux Vigo pickup trucks and diesel engines to PTT for the tests.
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William Lowry recently spent $500 to replace the tires on his Toyota Camry hybrid. The salesman said the Goodyear Regatta 2 tires were just as good as the Bridgestone Turanzas that came with the car. But it didn’t take long for Lowry to notice that his fuel economy had fallen by five miles a gallon.

“I would have paid more for tires that get better mileage. Instead, I spent extra money for the privilege of spending more money on gas,” said Lowry, a UCLA professor, who asked the tire dealer about fuel efficiency and was told all tires were the same.

In fact, when it comes to fuel consumption, not all tires are created equal. According to experts, efficiency can vary by as much as half from tire to tire, and can reduce fuel economy by 10% or more.
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