"Duck" Tours Injected
This story caught our eye for a bunch of reasons, mostly because it has to do with World War II-era vehicles, which are cool. For those of you not up on your history, the odd-looking vehicles shown here are WWII-era DUKW (or "Duck") amphibious landing craft. The name is a typically obscure military acronym: "D" for its year of manufacture (1942), "U" for its utility truck body style, "K" denoting driven front wheels (just like contemporary GM 4x4s), and "W" for having two driven rear wheels on tandem axles. (Thank you, www.dukw.com, for the info!)
Anyway, we heard about these Ducks, owned by Boston Duck Tours, because the company's owner, Tony Cerulle, wanted to convert their engines to fuel injection. Howell Engine Developments, a long-time expert in fuel-injection conversions, helped Cerulle convert one of his Ducks, and he was so happy with the result that he decided to convert all 23 of his Ducks to EFI.
"I was familiar with Howell products from my Jeep four-wheeling days, so I decided to try them with the Duck," Cerulle said. "I've got to tell you, even though I converted initially for the power and reliability, I was really surprised by the fuel mileage we gained, somewhere between 7 to 8 gallons per vehicle per day with both the six-cylinder vehicles and the V-8s. In our business that's significant."
This Just In
* In a story that was still unfolding as we went to press, Chrysler is making some big changes in how it does business. The company has called the plan Project Genesis, and industry analysts say it will eliminate certain vehicle models as well as consolidate dealerships so retail outlets will sell all Chrysler products under one roof. No details were released as to which vehicles will get the axe, but likely targets are models that share a platform. For instance, does Chrysler need both a Dodge Durango and a Chrysler Aspen, especially if both SUVs will be on sale in the same dealership?
* Toyota will reportedly add E85 capability to its Tundra pickup and Sequoia SUV in '09. And according to Katsuaki Watanabe, president of Toyota Motor Corporation, a new clean-diesel V-8 engine will be offered in both the Tundra and Sequoia "in the near future."
Earth Watch
* Looking for new ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, Hawaii and California are considering new laws that would impose fines, in the form of fees and taxes, on buyers of cars and trucks deemed "gas guzzlers." According to SEMA, legislation has been introduced in the Hawaii House of Representatives to establish a progressive purchase surcharge for some new motor vehicles based on state calculations of carbon emissions. Depending on the vehicle purchased, this surcharge could require owners to pay up to $2,500 more for the vehicle. Likewise, the Los Angeles Times reports that the California Assembly is considering the California Clean Car Discount Act, which would charge up to $2,500 in one-time registration fees for thirsty vehicles like fullsize SUVs, while paying rebates to buyers of hybrid cars and other fuel-efficient vehicles.
* The EPA has denied California's waiver request to regulate carbon dioxide emissions from automobiles starting in 2009, overturning the regulations on the same day that President Bush signed into law the energy bill that would raise the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards for passenger cars and light trucks by 40 percent, to an industry average of 35 mpg by 2020. SEMA worked with the automakers and other industry associations as part of the CAFE Coalition to help negotiate a compromise to the new fuel economy standard. According to the EPA, the new CAFE law and renewable fuel provisions will achieve greater greenhouse gas savings than the California program. Additionally, the federal approach provides a national solution, as opposed to a potential patchwork of state rules.