The Top 3 Eco-Auto Stories of 2014

Once upon a time if you were someone who covered the green car beat, you’d be hard pressed to find three stories in an entire year to write about.

Times have changed however, and for someone like me who has chosen to focus most of my automotive journalistic efforts on the ‘greening’ of our automotive sector, there has been plenty to write about, talk about and generally focus on either through the EnviroDad Test Drive or while covering Enviro News and Events.

So much so, that as we count down to the end of 2014 I thought I’d look back and give thought to what were the biggest eco-auto stories of the year.

There were plenty of possible choices to consider.  So much so that I even sought some input from two colleagues of mine Michael Bettencourt and Peter Gorrie.  The three of us form the Steering Committee for the Canadian Green Car Award so I thought it would be a good idea to bounce ideas off of them for input and feedback.  It was greatly appreciated and led me to feel good about my conclusion as to which stories would form the Top 3.

So what made the list?  Well, start playing the drum roll in your head and read on!

#1 – Tesla Announces Plans for the Gigafactory

The announcement that Tesla Motors will build a massive battery manufacturing facility near Reno, Nevada has the real-life potential to be an absolute game-changer.  Scheduled for opening in 2017 the ‘Gigafactory’ will have the capabilities to produce 500,000 batteries per year for electric vehicles, which is predicted to exceed the battery-production capacity of all other manufacturers combined.

The production of batteries on this scale will also reduce the cost to produce by about 30%, which in turn makes it more affordable to manufacture EVs and presumably, to buy them.

While electric charging infrastructure still remains an issue, and while battery technology itself is a work in progress this announcement represents the single largest investment in electric vehicles in history.  It’s potential to have a lasting impact on the development of EVs is significant.  Combined with the ability that Tesla has shown to build Electric Vehicles that are stylish and perform better than many luxury brands, you have a potential recipe for wide-spread EV acceptance and utilization.

It was for these reasons that I felt the Tesla Gigafactory was the top eco-auto story of 2014.

#2 The Falling Price of Gasoline

For some time now, the motivation to purchase an EV or a hybrid vehicle could stem from not only environmental factors but also economic ones as well.  With gas prices hovering for most of 2014 around all-time highs, it was easy to make the argument that driving a fuel efficient or zero fuel vehicle made just as much economic sense as it did environmental.

However as the leaves began to fall, so too did gas prices.  We are now looking at prices for gas that we haven’t seen in a decade or more and because of that, hybrids and EVs have lost, at least for the time being, one of their advantages.

While we all know that gas prices will rise to where they once were before too long, consumers of automobiles tend to buy using spur-of-the-moment rationale.  We are seeing increases in sales of larger SUVs all of a sudden, and along with that a slowing down of hybrid and EV sales.  While the slowdown shouldn’t be blamed entirely on lower gas prices, we know they do play a role.  This now becomes a true litmus test for green vehicles as people who buy them will need to make their decision on criteria like quality of design, practicality and suitability as driving factors in addition to their environmental footprint.

If hybrid and EV sales completely shrivel up, then it’s a clear indicator that society hasn’t accepted them yet as a viable form of personal transportation.  However if sales only slowdown and perhaps flat-line during this period of low gas prices, it would suggest that while acceptance isn’t universal, hybrid and all-electric autos are here to stay.

#3 Ford Builds the 2015 F-150 Out of Aluminum

While it might seem strange to include the launch of a new half-tonne pick-up truck as one of the top eco-auto stories of the year, there are huge implications relating to how Ford designed their new F-150 that merit its inclusion on this list.

At the 2014 North American International Autoshow in Detroit, many eyebrows were raised at the Ford Press Conference when they announced that the body of the vehicle would be made out of aluminium instead of steel.

The F-150 is the top selling vehicle of any type in North America and the decision to use lightweight aluminium over steel was a risky one with huge possible future implications.  The switch in metals shed 700 pounds on the new F-150 when compared to its predecessor, and when combined with a new, smaller engine option, there were proclaimed fuel economy improvements of up to 25%.

Aluminium doesn’t rust or corrode like traditional steel, which should appeal to buyers in northern climates who have to deal with the harsh realities of winter and salt on the roads.  However aluminium is more expensive so MSRP would have to rise, plus repair facilities will have to re-tool their shops to be able to work with the new exterior.  Some even questioned whether aluminium could stand up to the rigorous demands that some (not all) of F-150 drivers put on their vehicles.

Ford believed that just because people preferred trucks didn’t mean that they weren’t interested in using less fuel.  They may very well be right, and the approach they took to achieve this goal are being watched very closely by both media, consumers and other automakers alike.  If the new F-150 turns out to be a hit, and aluminium is embraced by all, we can safely assume that there will be many aluminium bodied designs to come.

It’s a big risk that Ford has taken, and for the potential impact it may have on the fuel efficiency of future vehicle designs, I felt it deserved to be included among the Top 3 eco auto stories of 2014.

SEE ALSO: EnviroDad Reveals Top 3 Eco-Auto Stories on TV

So there you have it!  This was a completely subjective list, but one I’m comfortable to publish.  If you feel that I missed something, feel free to post your thoughts in the comments below.

 

Eric Novak

About Eric Novak

Eric Novak is a father of 4 who also thinks that environmental stewardship is a requisite of parenting. He's not a professional Dad nor is he an environmental scientist, but he's someone who gives a damn and is trying to make the right decisions as he lives his life as a father, environmentalist, part time professor and business owner. Eric has 4 children and resides in Ajax, Ontario.