Efficient and Eco-friendly Muscle Cars
Muscle cars aren't typically known for any eco-friendly leanings. However, there are innovators and examples out there that hope to prove the trend wrong.
1. Is it possible to have an eco-friendly muscle car?
The short answer is yes.
There are a lot of hoops for an automaker to get through before they end up with a truly efficient, eco-friendly product. Although efficiency and green conscience have become bigger trends in the industry (some might say they even toppled the muscle car market) there's always been a sense of holding out when it comes to the muscle car tradition. With that said, there are always people out there who are willing to take up the challenge of merging two dissimilar fields together.
It's important for these big automakers and custom tuners alike, are looking for innovative ways of improving muscle cars' efficiency. Albeit, without losing out on the raw power that they're known for. The eco-footprint of automobiles shouldn't just be seen in terms of their operating costs, but also the impact that the manufacture and assembly plants have as well. From an ecological standpoint, it is actually less costly to refurbish a vehicle towards the end of its lifespan, rather than going through the process of creating something from the ground up.
2. EV muscle cars are possible
Kriesel Electric is a custom tuner operation based in Austria. Best-known for electrifying the Porsche Sportster, this take on the Porsche 910 may very well be their masterpiece.
There are appropriately large segments of the muscle car fanbase that shun electric cars. Why shouldn't they, after all? Electric cars often lack in top end power and miss out on the visceral roar of a proper gas engine. What the EVEX 910e lacks for respective volume, however, it most certainly makes up for by weight of its performance specs. It's virtually unheard of for an electric vehicle to go speeds over 300 km/h, or get to 100 km/h in as little as 2.5 seconds.
Muscle car fans are puritans at heart. Whatever the Kriesel EVEX 910e is carrying on the inside, it should earn some points for the fact that it's been refurbished from the timelessly classic 910 body. This "EV muscle car" is one of the first to prove that an electrified powertrain can bring all the same fury. It's also notable for its price-- the 910e is currently slated at an exorbitant one million Euros.
3. Fueling muscle cars with compressed natural gas
Of all the possible fuel sources out there, it's lamentable that the most common is also one of the most harmful to the environment. Compressed natural gas is a viable fuel alternative with less of an eco-footprint. Just as importantly, if applied to all vehicles, it would also free the United States of its energy dependence on foreign oil. Although this technology is already used to an extent on service vehicles such as city buses, the potential hasn't been explored very much otherwise.
Performance CNG is a company that looks to exploit this untapped potential. Needless to say, there have been some great signs that they're onto something. Using a 2003 Ford Mustang as their base, they created a true-to-form muscle car that operates on either gasoline or compressed natural gas. This "bi-fuel configuration" is very important because it means the car can function within existing infrastructure if a source of CNG isn't available.
4. Mick Fabar's ZERO'D
Based on the '67 Ford FR Falcon, this is an example of a muscle car by way of the green tech community. The ZERO'D is an Australian project from Green Homes Australia CEO Mick Fabar. It was built using almost entirely recycled materials. Running on biodiesel and near-perfectly efficient, the ZERO'D was inspired by the idea of making a car with next to no effect on the environment. That's one way of making its 600 horsepower rating all the more impressive.
5. The EcoCAR3 Camaro
Even the U.S. Government is hooked on the lore and appeal of muscle cars. In the interest of encouraging tech innovation, the U.S. Department of Energy sponsors the EcoCAR 3 competition in order to see which university-based team can create the fastest and fiercest road warriors under a strictly environmentally conscious agenda. Each of 16 teams was given a fresh 2016 Chevrolet Camaro to cut down on the eco-footprint without missing anything in the area of the bite. As an ongoing, four-year-long quest, it's likely we'll be seeing some great inventions coming out of this initiative in the future. It's well clear that muscle cars are here to stay, but making them more efficient is an essential step in keeping them practical.
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