Eco-Motive gets patent for CNG-gas hybrid H-Motor - Press Release

Press Release

ECO-MOTIVE RECEIVES PATENT FOR REVOLUTIONARY DUAL-FUEL H-MOTOR POWER PLANT

MORENO VALLEY, California – Nov. 18, 2014 – Eco-Motive has received a patent (#8807098) for the world's first dual-fuel "H" power plant. The patent is the next step toward adoption by major original manufacturers worldwide of a revolutionary, cost-effective technology that can cut global emissions, slash oil consumption and increase fuel flexibility for consumers.

"The Eco-Motive dual fuel 'H' engine is a masterpiece of smart engineering that replaces a single fuel design that has been powering cars for over 100 years," said Herns Louis, founder and CEO of Eco-Motive. "Our design will offer significant benefits for both consumers and the environment. Best of all, the technology can be easily adapted to existing engines, making the implementation very cost effective. We're offering auto manufacturers a leap forward that is as revolutionary as Henry Ford's adoption of the assembly line."

The principle behind the engine is brilliant in its simplicity and flexibility. The Eco-Motive H-motor can be powered by either gasoline or compressed natural gas (CNG), at a driver's prerogative. Each bank of the engine is powered exclusively by one of the two fuels; with the push of a button, the engine can switch from the bank of cylinders fueled by gasoline to the other set using CNG, or vice versa.

"Our unique H-shaped motor uses a pair of individual cylinder banks and respective crankshafts," said Louis. "Each side is controlled by an engine selector gearbox, which connects to the transmission. Thus an OEM can adopt our idea to any internal combustion engine with an even number of cylinders to any truck, SUV or car they currently build, regardless of its transmission or configuration."

The H-motor is fed by dual gas tanks on either side of the drive shaft. A fuel inlet for each tank can be located on the side of the car where its tank will reside. Users can switch from natural gas to regular gasoline from inside the vehicle; the vehicle will stay in this mode until switched by the driver. The exact specifications may vary depending upon the OEM.

The engine was invented by Herns Louis, veteran of more than 30 years in the parts manufacturing industry ranging from automotive to aerospace, specializing in computerized parts machining. This twin-bank engine is a result of Louis's experience, along with his vision to help meet an emerging market need for more efficient, lower-exhaust CNG engines.

"Our intent is to help automakers leverage the plentiful natural gas supplies and existing infrastructure to meet the pending government regulations for emissions and fuel economy," said Louis. "The internal combustion engine can still be optimized with innovations such as the patented H-Motor without a budget-busting expenditure. Our intent is to partner with visionary auto manufacturers who want to leverage this flexible technology worldwide"

According to the Southern California Gas Company, CNG powered vehicles offer substantial advantages over those running on gasoline. SCGC states that CNG usually costs significantly less than a gasoline or diesel gallon equivalent at the pump, saving consumers money. In addition, CNG typically has a much higher octane rating than gasoline, allowing for more engine compression and combustion efficiency so the vehicle uses less fuel. Because of the clean burning attributes of natural gas, the H-engine is projected to offer a much longer engine life compared to most gasoline-powered vehicles.

A driver in an H-motor power vehicle can fill their CNG tank at home or at a filling station, as well as buy gasoline nationwide. In addition, natural gas is becoming much more prominent with 530 CNG stations nationwide. There are also over 112,000 natural-gas vehicles in the U.S. and 15 million in use worldwide. Since almost all natural gas currently consumed in the U.S. is also produced in North America, CNG powered vehicles help reduce dependence on foreign oil.

While CNG is plentiful, it is not yet universally available at the pump. Thus, the H-motor incorporates a bank of cylinders that use traditional gasoline. Unlike electric cars, this gives the vehicle similar range, power and utility to a conventional gasoline powered engine.

"Receiving this patent is a huge step forward for my company," said Louis. "Now we can push our engine technology into a market that's hungry for smart, effective solutions. The infrastructure for CNG powered vehicles is established and will be prominent in the next couple of decades due to its low costs and high efficiency."

About Eco-Motive USA
Eco-Motive USA is developing an innovative new bi-fuel power plant that runs on gasoline and CNG. The Eco-Motive "H" engine was developed by Herns Louis, who has over 30 years as a machinist and in the manufacturing sector. The H-motor will be manufactured in California and marketed directly to OEM automotive manufacturers worldwide. This engine can be a disruptive technology that gives manufacturers an edge in cutting emissions and fuel consumption.

Ford to offer new diesel engine option in new Transit van; new Vehicle Emissions and Fuel Cost Calculator

Ford will bring the all-new Ford Transit commercial van to market with an option for an all-new diesel engine as well as the 3.5L EcoBoost V6. (Earlier post.) Ford says that the new Transit, which begins production in Kansas City in 2013, will achieve at least 25% better fuel economy than current E-Series vans.

Speaking to the Automotive Press Association in Detroit, Kevin Koswick, director, North American Fleet, Lease and Remarketing Operations for Ford said the company will provide customers with a range of options to reduce their operating costs through a lineup of fuel-efficient engines and alternative-fuel technologies, including EcoBoost (turbocharged, gasoline direct injection); hybrid; plug-in hybrid; battery-electric; biodiesel; and CNG/LPG.

Ford also has developed a specialized new tool to help optimize fleet purchases based on specific fuel types and operating locations. Called the Vehicle Emissions and Fuel Cost Calculator, the new tool is designed to help fleet customers understand their current carbon footprint and to model various scenarios based on the types of vehicles they choose for their fleets. The tool incorporates important information to evaluate fuel costs and emissions, providing an opportunity for fleet managers to quickly evaluate multiple options.

The Vehicle Emissions and Fuel Cost Calculator utilizes such information as vehicle type, fuel type and traffic conditions (stop-and-go city traffic or on the highway, for instance), along with the geographic region in which the car will be used to generate information about the efficiency of a fleet.

The proprietary program, which must be used in conjunction with the support of a Ford representative, will create customized scenarios for customers by using special formulas and variables to determine the environmental impact and fuel costs of specific vehicles.

For example, the tool can demonstrate how operating an electric vehicle in Portland, Ore., has different environmental ramifications from operating one in Philadelphia. This is due to hydropower being a common source of electricity in the Pacific Northwest, reducing carbon dioxide emissions, compared with the mostly coal-based electricity used in the East Central region.

Ford has gained major market share in key commercial vehicle segments as the economy rebounds from the industry lows of 2009. In vans, where Ford E-Series has been the best-seller for 32 years, market share grew from 49.8% in 2008 to 53.7% in 2011, even as new competitors entered the market.

E-Series full-size vans and cutaways are available with flex fuel or CNG/LPG gaseous engine prep package fuel systems.

Source: Green Car Congress

E85 Becoming Harder to Locate Than Electric Charge Stations

Despite millions of dollars of commitment from automakers like Ford and General Motors, finding somewhere to fill your flex-fuel car with E85 is now officially harder than finding somewhere to recharge a plug-in car.

In fact, according to Bloomberg, the number of electric car charging stations in the U.S. outnumbers E85 filling stations by two to one, despite a total of 7.6 million flex-fuel vehicles on U.S. roads today.

But if so many automakers have now embraced flex-fuel technology, why are there fewer than 2,500 gas stations in the U.S. that offer E85? And what does it mean for the future of biofuels?

Ethical issues for ethanol

Around the world, most ethanol is produced from either corn or sugar cane.

Although around 95 percent of all E85 is produced from domestically-farmed corn, some academics question the ethics of producing fuel from food crops when the world’s population is struggling to feed itself.

FlexFuel badge on E85-capable 2009 Chevrolet HHR

Moreover, in countries like Brazil -- where rainforests are being illegally cleared to make way for more biofuel crops -- the demand to grow biofuel crops is having a detrimental effect on indigenous flora and fauna.

And for some religions, there’s even ethical questions that suggest using Ethanol-based fuels is nothing more than a sin.

Subsidies, import protection to end

Earlier this summer, the U.S. Senate voted to end subsidies for the production of ethanol in the U.S, killing the 45-cents-per-gallon ethanol blending credit that farmers and ethanol producers had been able to claim.

At the same time, the U.S. Senate ended the 54-cents-per-gallon import duty on ethanol imports, making it cheaper to import E85 from outside the U.S.

Sadly, importing ethanol means facing the same problems as buying foreign oil, including being subjected to massive price fluctuations, not to mention facing the number of political and ethical challenges associated with buying ethanol from countries like Brazil.

In short, ethanol has become a political hot potato.

E85 station in Los Angeles

Cheaper, but less energy

This summer, the price of corn-based ethanol prices reached a three-year high, driven in part by a lower-than-expected corn harvest yield.

Secondly, E85 contains less energy per gallon than gasoline. As a consequence, anyone driving a flex-fueled car on E85 will discover that they can’t travel as far on a full tank, meaning they’ll have to fill up more often.

And that’s the double-whammy. When ethanol was considerably cheaper than gasoline, people didn’t mind filling up more often if they could get substantial savings. But with E85 becoming increasingly expensive, flex-fuel drivers are happy to use gasoline instead.

Flex-fuel cars: no range anxiety

As the name suggests, flex-fuel vehicles can use gasoline, E85, or a mixture of the two as fuel.

2009 Chevrolet HHR E85

As a consequence, there’s no onus on the car driver to fill up on E85. And unlike plug-in car drivers who have to plan their longer trips to include somewhere to charge up, flex-fuel drivers just stop whenever they come across a gas station, regardless of which fuel is sold.

In fact, until carmakers started labeling them with "FlexFuel" badges and fitting bright yellow gas caps, hundreds of thousands of drivers of such vehicles had no idea they were driving a car that could run on anything other than gasoline.

For a Flex-fuel driver, finding somewhere to refill that sells E85 isn’t a prerequisite of making a long-distance trip, while electric car owners need to find somewhere to recharge for trips beyond the range of their car.

Source: Green Car Reports