UCS Vanguard: Minivan of the Future?

The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) -- a science-based nonprofit organization which advocates using science to develop "a healthy environment and a safer world" -- recently unveiled the UCS Vanguard, a minivan concept vehicle that they say could meet (and surpass) California's upcoming greenhouse gas emissions legislation, slated to go into law in 2016.

According to the UCS, many automotive technologies are available today that could drastically reduce greenhouse emissions and improve fuel economy, but aren't all found in one vehicle. To make their point, the UCS Vanguard concept boasts a lengthy feature list of leading automotive technologies.

The UCS Vanguard features a host of improvements to the drivetrain, air conditioning, wheels/tires and exterior design of a traditional minivan. For example, the concept includes a turbocharged 6-cylinder engine with variable valve timing, cylinder deactivation (similar to the variable cylinder management feature found in the Honda Odyssey EX-L) and direct fuel injection. The engine would be mated to an advanced "automatic manual" transmission (like the DSG transmission in the 2007 Volkswagen GTI), and could also run on a mixture of gasoline and e85 ethanol fuel. Improvements to the heating and air condition system -- including superior hoses and tighter connections -- would reduce emissions and pollutants as well.

All of the aforementioned technologies are on the road today, but the process of combining all of them into one vehicle -- at least in the short term -- would be an expensive challenge for most automakers. That said, you can't argue with the logic: if the technology exists to make a vehicle that uses less fuel and restricts pollution and greenhouse emissions without comprimising performance and safety, it seems like a win-win situation.

Toyota has emerged as the market leader in introducing hybrid vehicles (like the Japanese-market Estima minivan), but the minivan market is long overdue for some innovation in this area. What about a minivan with a clean-burning diesel engine, turbocharging and a slick 6-speed DSG transmission? Let us know your thoughts by dropping a word or two after clicking on the "comments" link below this post.
^{photo: © Union of Concerned Scientists}