FASCISM |
"We the corporations" On January 21, 2010, with its ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, the Supreme Court ruled that corporations are persons, entitled by the U.S. Constitution to buy elections and run our government. _________________________________ MOVE to AMEND
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All Entries in the "Transportation" Category
The Solar Bus Goes to Washington
In October 2009, the Solar Bus led a march to the White House to call for climate change legislation. The march was part of a global effort in which protests and rallies were held all over the world at the same time, organized by 350.org.
California’s High Speed Rail Future
Many experts and industry insiders believe that the United States will have to embrace a future on the rails if it hopes to cope with obstacles and changes in years ahead. By and large our dependence on gas-powered vehicles has proven to be both hazardous to our environment and disastrous for our wallet.
Anyone who has ever traveled around Europe, Japan, or increasingly China, has seen the dependence that passengers have on long rail networks. Railways in the U.S. are almost completely dominated by freight transportation; travelers utilize a small proportion of our network. Many millions of Americans use subways and regional, or municipal, transit; but there is very little infrastructure to travel long distances.
Many experts and industry insiders believe that the United States will have to embrace a future on the rails if it hopes to cope with obstacles and changes in years ahead. By and large our dependence on gas-powered vehicles has proven to be both hazardous to our environment and disastrous for our wallet.
Our nation may never completely break its addictive bond with automobiles, but it could potentially lessen the burden by rebuilding passenger rail systems that have long been an afterthought.
Full Story: California’s High Speed Rail Future | Economy In Crisis.
Coda Automotive to launch all-electric vehicle in the fourth quarter
As Coda Automotive prepares to launch its all-electric, China-built sedan in California in the fourth quarter of 2010, the Santa Monica company said it is focused on safety.
“We’ve worked to make it a safe car so [that], above all, families can use it,” said Dan Mosher, Coda’s chief financial officer at the Cleantech Forum in San Francisco. “We are working to achieve the highest safety standards so that we can get a five-star crash rating. We’ll have a passenger-side occupant detection airbag, which is the most advanced 2011 model safety standard.”
In recent months, Coda has finalized the sedan’s engineering, settled on component suppliers and announced a joint venture with leading Chinese battery manufacturer Lishen. Last week, it also revealed that it had raised an additional $5 million.
Still on its to do list: meet the government’s safety requirements.
Full Story: Coda Automotive to launch all-electric vehicle in the fourth quarter | Technology | Los Angeles Times.
Opel to launch inner-city electric car
Ailing carmaker Opel is considering launching an electric car for inner-city use to tap what it sees as a high-potential market, the firm’s boss said in an interview Sunday.
“We are thinking about a small electric vehicle,” the chief of the General Motors unit, Nick Reilly, told Germany’s Bild am Sonntag newspaper.
“We believe there is strong potential for growth in cities across the world,” he added, predicting that “various governments are going to provide fiscal support for this kind of vehicle.”
An Opel spokesman said the new model — which would be smaller than the Corsa — was expected to be launched in three years, in both electric and conventional fuel versions.
Full Story: Opel to launch inner-city electric car – Yahoo! News.
Chevrolet Volt’s official fuel economy: 230 mpg
Ultra-high mileage for GM’s electric-drive Volt could give it a marketing boost.
The Chevrolet Volt, GM’s electric car that’s expected to go on sale in late 2010, is projected to get an estimated 230 miles per gallon, the automaker announced Tuesday.
That exceptionally high government mileage rating could give the Volt a major boost. For the first time, car buyers will easily be able to compare electric cars with ordinary gas-powered cars.
“Having a car that gets triple-digit fuel economy can and will be a game changer for us,” said GM CEO Fritz Henderson.
Full Story: Chevrolet Volt’s official fuel economy: 230 mpg – Aug. 11, 2009.
Internet-charged hybrid vehicle tech croudsources electricity generation
Owners could actually get paid $30 an hour when contributing power to the grid
US researchers unveiled a vehicle Thursday that earns money for its driver instead of guzzling it up in gasoline and maintenance costs.
The converted Toyota Scion xB, shown at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science here, is the first electric car to be linked to a power grid and serve as a cash cow.
“This is the first vehicle that’s ever been paid to participate in the grid — the first proof of concept vehicle,” Ken Huber, who oversees technological development at wholesale electricity coordinator PJM Interconnection, told AFP.
The presentation of the box-like, unassuming looking Scion was the researchers’ way of introducing the “vehicle-to-grid” (V2G) concept as it begins to gain momentum in the United States and around the world.
Full Story: Internet-charged hybrid vehicle tech croudsources electricity generation | Raw Story.
Honda – solar hydrogen prototype in Los Angeles
Honda has started operations for a solar powered hydrogen fuelling station, at the Los Angeles Center of Honda Research and Development Americas.
The power station is intended to used in people’s homes, so they can fill up hydrogen vehicles themselves. The unit will fit in a garage.
The system has been designed so it does not need a compressor (the compressor was the largest and most expensive component).
Full Story The Hydrogen Journal.
Hertz to include Nissan electric cars to fleet
Hertz will add Nissan’s electric vehicle to its lineup next year in the U.S. and Europe, the rental car company said Friday.
Hertz Corp., the world’s largest car rental agency, plans to use the Nissan Leaf, an all-electric vehicle with a rechargeable battery.
The Leaf can seat five adults and is designed to travel up to 100 miles on a single charge. It will be available at select Hertz rental sites, though the company did not specify where.
Full Story Hertz to include Nissan electric cars to fleet.
Plug-in Hybrids: Renewable Energy Solution of the Month
Many people seem to think dealing with climate change will bring poverty and limit human development.
The truth may be exactly the opposite. Moving to a world of where we aren't fighting each other over the last few drops of oil, where energy is free, will mean a better life, with greater opportunities even for an expanding population. If we make the right decisions, we could be on the verge of the most prosperous period in human history.
The Future of High Speed Rail in Jeopardy
As it stands now the bidding for any rail projects will be open, as in, open to foreign companies as well. With almost no momentum domestically to build trains it is likely that these contracts will go to companies based in Canada, France, Japan, China, or a host of other countries.
After essentially dragging its feet for a year as it failed to push through financial or health care reform proposals, the Obama administration may have righted the ship in terms of picking up some of its progressive agendas.
During the presidential campaign then Senator Obama was all in favor of vast and comprehensive infrastructure projects that would revitalize the economy, create employment, and help America join the rest of the developed world. This was before the White House ran into the blatant obstructionist agenda of Republicans, and several bought and paid for Democrats, who took reasonable policies (financial reform, consumer protection, healthcare overhauls) and dragged them through the mud.
After having to combat the combined efforts of huge corporate policy agendas, and vast right-wing media propaganda, the Democrats and the president have absolutely nothing to show for any of their efforts. Now, with the 2010 election cycle underway, they are turning their attention to issues that are actually politically feasible.
Full Story The Future of High Speed Rail in Jeopardy | Economy In Crisis.
Transportation secretary says owners of recalled Toyotas should stop driving them
Transportation Secretary LaHood advises owners to seek repair at dealers
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood suggested Wednesday that owners of recalled Toyota vehicles stop driving them and seek a repair for the sticking accelerator problems that have forced the automaker to recall a record number of autos.
“My advice is if anybody owns one of these vehicles: stop driving it. Take it to a Toyota dealer because they believe they have the fix for it,” LaHood said in testimony before a House committee.
Earier, Lahood said he plans to speak with Toyota President Akio Toyoda about the automaker’s spate of recalls in the United States. LaHood confirms that the government is investigating potential electrical problems in Toyota vehicles.
Full Story Transport chief: Stop driving recalled Toyotas – Autos- msnbc.com.
China: $7 billion for Las Vegas to Los Angeles maglev train
China may fund 300mph maglev train from Las Vegas, Nevada to Anaheim, California.
The Export-Import Bank of China has negotiated a plan to provide the California-Nevada Super Speed Train Commission with the investment capital needed to create thousands of jobs for the men and women of Las Vegas.
Video: 
Maglev Gets $7B Investment From ChinaThe construction of the Maglev from Las Vegas to Anaheim will create 90,000 jobs and has the potential to revitalize the Las Vegas economy immediately by employing thousands of construction workers and in the long term by linking Las Vegas with the ARTIC intermodal transportation hub of Southern California, said spokesman Mark Fierro.Video: Which Is Better: Maglev Or DesertXpress?The proposal on the table would take the form of a direct loan that would require the backing of the federal government and continued cooperation with Chinese enterprises.
Full Story China: $7 billion for Las Vegas to Los Angeles maglev train
OPS: If China owns it – WTF is the point?
GM Doubles Down On Plug-In Technology
As long as the federal government is handing out money to encourage the development of plug-in cars in the U.S., General Motors says it will invest in the necessary technologies.
GM is expected to announce Tuesday a $246 million investment in a new U.S. factory that will build electric motors, a technology that is every bit as important as advanced batteries for the development of hybrids, plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles.
By designing and building electric motors in-house, GM says it will be able to lower costs and improve performance, quality and reliability by controlling the design, purchasing and manufacturing processes.
Full Story GM Doubles Down On Plug-In Technology – Forbes.com.
Detroit Auto Show Small and Efficient Vehicles
Many of the 2012 model year vehicles achieve close to 40 miles per gallon on the highway, and the concepts of the future are almost exclusively next-generation hybrids or all-electric vehicles.
Every year dozens of auto shows around the world are used to showcase and refine new models and concepts. The 2009-2010 circuit is still the same showcase, but the products on display have changed drastically from years past. The North American International Auto Show, held in Detroit, is currently underway with small high mileage vehicles taking center stage.
Many of the 2012 model year vehicles achieve close to 40 miles per gallon on the highway, and the concepts of the future are almost exclusively next-generation hybrids or all-electric vehicles.
General Motors unveiled a new mini-car meant to compete against Daimler’s immensely popular Smart Fortwo. The Chevrolet Spark will be the smallest car in GM’s lineup and will be available in showrooms around the United States early in 2012.
Full Story Detroit Auto Show Small and Efficient Vehicles | Economy In Crisis.
Ford Fusion Hybrid: 2010 Car Of The Year
Ford Motor Co.’s market momentum got a lift Monday by winning both the 2010 North American Car and Truck of the Year awards.
Ford’s Fusion Hybrid midsize sedan took top car honors and its versatile Transit Connect compact van snagged truck of the year at the Detroit auto show.
It was only the third time in 17 years that an automaker has won both awards, selected by 49 auto journalists and given annually since 1994. Finalists for the car award included the Buick LaCrosse and Volkswagen Golf GTI and TDI diesel. The Chevrolet Equinox, Ford Transit Connect and Subaru Outback were finalists for the truck award.
Full Story Ford Fusion Hybrid: 2010 Car Of The Year.
Plug-in Hybrid Hysteria Hits a Wall
For this technology to truly take hold we must first make huge strides in the fabrication of batteries and we must make home electricity even more affordable than it already is.
The American car market has quickly become flooded with gas-electric hybrid vehicles. For several years the Toyota Prius was the only car even trying the hybrid model.
Today, every major automaker provides full lines of hybrid alternatives. In some cases, after rebates and deductions, there is no reason whatsoever to purchase the standard combustion version.
The rapid growth of the hybrid market has led to another off-shot: the plug-in hybrid.
A hybrid vehicle uses a symbiotic relationship between the gas engine and an electric motor. The “plug-in” hybrid of the future depends almost completely on its electric motor, while carrying a backup generator running on gasoline. This technology allows for much greater fuel economy, and in a world of high gas prices it is very appealing to consumers.
Full Story Plug-in Hybrid Hysteria Hits a Wall | Economy In Crisis.
GM to launch Volt in California next year
General Motors will launch its hotly anticipated Chevrolet Volt electric car in California next year, the company announced Wednesday.
The US carmaker announced the decision as the Los Angeles Auto Show got underway, one day after the surprise departure of the auto giant’s chief executive Fritz Henderson.
GM vice-chairman Bob Lutz said the Volt, which can be charged by a conventional electrical power outlet and can run for up to 40 miles (64 kilometers) without fuel, would be released in California in late 2010.
Other markets for the car, which analysts expect to retail at between 30,000 and 40,000 dollars, would be announced later Lutz said.
Full Story GM to launch Volt in California next year – Yahoo! News.
Blue Concept Cars at the L. A. Auto Show That Are Really Green
Green cars actually come in all different shapes, sizes and colors. When perusing the debuts and concept cars for the Los Angeles Auto Show I happened to notice that many of these green cars are actually painted blue.
There are several blue car offerings from Mercedes, Subaru, BMW and Toyota. The Mercedes-Benz E350 Bluetec is based upon clean diesel technology and will have an additional 32 horsepower bump due to direct injection.
The Subaru Hybrid Tourer Concept first premiered at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show. It uses a 2.0 Liter direct turbocharged gasoline engine plus a lithium ion battery pack and two electric motors front and back.
The BMW MINI Coupe Concept was originally unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show this year commemorating the 50th anniversary of the introduction of the first MINI. Besides being good on gas, this 2-seater has a 1.6L twin-scroll turbo-charged engine.
Full Story Blue Concept Cars at the L. A. Auto Show That Are Really Green | Green Tech Gazette.
Ford Mixes Wheat Waste With Plastic in 2010 Flex
The 2010 Ford Flex will include the auto industry’s first use of wheat straw, a waste byproduct of wheat production.
Wheat straw will make up 20 percent of the vehicle’s two third-row storage bins, lowering the bins’ weight by 10 percent, reducing Ford Motor Company’s petroleum use by 20,000 pounds a year and lowering its carbon dioxide emissions by 30,000 pounds a year.
Ford is already looking at expanding its use of wheat straw to other car parts like center console bins and trays, armrest liners, interior air registers and door trim panels.
The use of wheat straw in the plastic bins also represents the first production-ready application to come out of the Ontario BioCar Initiative, a collaboration among Canadian universities and the auto industry to advance the use of plant-based materials.
Full Story Ford Mixes Wheat Waste With Plastic in 2010 Flex | GreenBiz.com.
GM to put electric Cadillac Converj into production
General Motors Co. has decided to produce the Cadillac Converj, an extended-range electric car using the same technology as the Chevrolet Volt, The Detroit News has learned.
Cadillac included the Converj, a concept car that wowed industry critics and the public at the 2009 North American International Auto Show, in a presentation made to the automaker’s board of directors Nov. 2, according to sources familiar with the production plan.
A production date has not been set, and it likely will be a few years before consumers can buy a Converj.
“Cadillac needs as much excitement in its portfolio as possible, so I think it’s a good strategy for them,” said Rebecca Lindland, director of auto industry research at IHS Global Insight in Lexington, Mass.
Cadillac sales have fallen 39.2 percent this year, the steepest decline among GM’s four core brands.
Full Story GM to put electric Cadillac Converj into production | detnews.com | The Detroit News.
It’s Time to Rebuild Our Passenger Railroad System
Restoring the American railroad system is an excellent place to start recovering our sense of national purpose and faith in collective enterprise.
The following is from the foreword of Waiting on a Train: The Embattled Future of Passenger Rail Service by James McCommons (Chelsea Green, 2009).
The world economic fiasco, which I call “The Long Emergency,” may be speeding us into a future of permanent nostalgia in which anything that is not of the present time looks good.
I say this to avert any accusations that I am trafficking in sentimentality where the subject of railroads is concerned. For the moment, any suggestion that a railroad revival in America might be a good thing is generally greeted as laughable for reasons ranging from the incompetence of Amtrak, to the sprawling layout of our suburbs, to our immense investment in cars, trucks and highways — motoring culture now overshadowing all other aspects of our national identity.
This said, I will hazard to engage in a personal sentimental journey to the memory bank of my many adventures on trains, starting with the best: my yearly journey from New York City to summer camp in New Hampshire, which I repeated for several years beginning in 1959.
Full Story It’s Time to Rebuild Our Passenger Railroad System | | AlterNet.
Fiscal Blood on the Tracks
LIKE a tsunami that follows an undersea earthquake, collateral damage from the collapse of credit markets is about to strike the millions of daily transit riders in America’s biggest cities. Public transit agencies in cities including New York, Atlanta, San Francisco and Washington are under pressure to surrender $2 billion from their budgets because financial institutions have spotted a chance to gain a windfall from complicated tax-shelter deals known as “leasebacks.”
In the heady 1990s, the federal government encouraged these leaseback deals as a quick fix for budget problems. Transit agencies like New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority would sell their railcars and other equipment to banks, which would then lease them back to the agencies.
Leasebacks appeared to promise that everyone would emerge a winner. Banks — including many that later took federal bailout money like Bank of America and Wells Fargo — were able to cash in on substantial tax deductions through the transactions. The transit companies, which were paid with a portion of those tax savings, could use the cash to modernize their systems and make safety improvements.
Alas, as with any quick fix, the deals have set off a cascade of problems.
Full Story Op-Ed Contributor – Fiscal Blood on the Tracks – NYTimes.com.
Silent but deadly? Electric cars may be too quiet for pedestrian safety
OPS: This is a bullshit premise
Enjoy (or fear) the silence while it lasts. Battery-driven vehicles are touted for their potential to cut down on harmful emissions spewed for decades by gasoline-powered cars, but electric and hybrid vehicles may be too quiet to be heard by pedestrians, posing a particular danger to people without sight.
Although the relatively low number of electric and hybrid vehicles on the road as well as the lack of data to link pedestrian injuries to quiet cars make it difficult to validate these concerns, one option being floated is that of “car tones” to make up for the missing engine noise, reports The New York Times. The Times cites Nissan, Toyota, BMW and plug-in hybrid maker Fisker Automotive as companies all considering the addition of sounds that would more prominently announce the presence of their cars on the road. (Stories of Fisker’s plans to use speakers to pump out sounds “like something between a Formula One car and a jet plane” surfaced in March 2008.) “One possibility is choosing your own noise,” BMW told the Times.
Full Story: Observations: Silent but deadly? Electric cars may be too quiet for pedestrian safety.
Nissan Scrambles to Create EV Charging Stations
Shouldn’t GM be doing this?
Nissan is planning to roll out thousands of electric vehicles next year and is rushing to establish a network of charging stations where owners can plug in to keep them going.
The Japanese automaker is working with Ecotality to bring 11,210 chargers and 4,700 Nissan Leaf electric cars to five states — Arizona, California, Oregon, Washington and Tennessee. Ecotality is getting a big assist from the Department of Energy, which has granted the Arizona company $99.8 million to underwrite The Electric Vehicle Project. Ecotality calls it “the largest deployment of electric vehicles and charging infrastructure in history.”
Creating that infrastructure will be a huge challenge, but Mark Perry, director of product planning for Nissan North America, tells the Tennessean the company will be ready when the first Leafs (Leaves?) roll into showrooms in December 2010.
“There is a lot of work to be done and not a lot of time to do it,” he said.
No kidding.
Full Story: Nissan Scrambles to Create EV Charging Stations | Autopia | Wired.com.
Vision Cheetah Zero Emissions H2 PHEV Supercar to Rollout in 2010
| Hydrogen Cars and Vehicles - Okay, I’ll be the first to admit that the details are sketchy on this one. But, on the Vision Motor Corp. website there is a cool little hotrod that caught my eye. This little hotrod is called the Vision Cheetah.
Now, what makes the Vision Cheetah so special? According to their website, “Vision is also in prototype development of the Cheetah, which is intended to be the world’s first hydrogen fuel cell / plug-in electric-powered supercar, featuring: zero emissions, accelerating 0 to 60 MPH faster than production Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Porsches and the battery powered Tesla.”
Now, I’ve pointed out a few hydrogen fuel cell plug-in hybrid vehicles in the past such as the Ford Flexible Series Edge and the VW Space Up Blue, but these are no speed burners. Recently I had talked about the Buckeye Bullet 2 and the Jesse James Streamliner, which are both speed burners, but are not street legal and are not plug-in hybrids.
The Vision Cheetah is unique in that when the production model comes out it will be classified as a zero emission supercar with 0 – 60 mph acceleration of around 2.9 seconds. The Vision Cheetah will also contain 10,000 psi carbon composite hydrogen tanks with an estimated range of 350+ miles.
Full Story: Vision Cheetah Zero Emissions H2 PHEV Supercar to Rollout in 2010 | Hydrogen Cars and Vehicles.
Volkswagen L1 Concept Car – 240 MPG.
Now the idea of the one-liter car has been resurrected. VW’s biggest news at the Frankfurt auto show was the L1 concept, a prototype that “is close to production” and “will be developed,” the company says. Three ingredients were needed to make it happen: a supremely efficient powertrain, great aerodynamics, and lightweight engineering.
As to the powertrain, VW has opted for a two-cylinder, 39-hp turbo-diesel engine combined with a 14-hp electric motor. There is a stop/start system and a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. The L1 can reach 100 mph, but fuel economy at that speed drops to a shameful 1.38 liters per 100 kilometers, or 170 mpg.
Full Story: Volkswagen L1 Concept on Yahoo! Autos – Pictures, News.
Green Cars Are All the Rage At The World’s Largest Auto Show (PHOTOS)
From hybrid plug-ins to all-electric sports cars, these green cars were all the rage at the world’s largest auto show, the Frankfurt Auto Show in Germany. Check out these amazing creations and vote on which one you would like to own!
Also known as the 1L, this car will be able to travel 100 km on just one liter of gasoline (that’s 235 miles per U.S. gallon). To achieve this, it relies on light-weight materials and a one-cylinder diesel engine.
Full Story: Green Cars Are All the Rage At The World’s Largest Auto Show (PHOTOS).
E-Up: Volkswagen ELECTRIC CAR Unveiled
FRANKFURT — German carmaker Volkswagen AG said it would unveil several new models at this week’s Frankfurt Auto Show, including an electric car called the E-Up.
At a reception before the start of the show Monday evening, the company said the E-Up compact would likely only go into production in 2013 and approach production levels of that of its other popular compact cars only by 2020.
The company said the front wheel drive car’s lithium ion battery will have 18 kilowatt hours energy capacity enabling a driving distance of around 130 kilometers, or about 80 miles, depending on driving style.
“One of the basic milestones on this timeline is the mass produced electric car,” Chief Executive Martin Winterkorn said in a statement.
Full Story: E-Up: Volkswagen ELECTRIC CAR Unveiled.
Taxi of the future: Space-age pods drive transport into the 21st century
Taxi of tomorrow: The space-age pods with no driver, no fumes… just a ’start’ button – | Mail Online
A driverless taxi has been unveiled which could make traffic jams, petrol fumes and crowded buses a thing of the past.
The futuristic pod has no driver, and no opinionated chatter to accompany your journey, but instead a button set in the wall with the word ’start’ written beside it.
The four-seater cab was unveiled at the Science Museum in London yesterday and will be in use from next year taking passengers between car parks and Terminal 5.
The man behind the mission, Professor Martin Lowson, who has a background in space travel and worked on the Saturn V Rocket, said: ‘They could have the same effect on transport this century as the rocket had on the 19th.’
He added: ‘We believe that our PRT system can transform cities in the 21st century to provide the optimum form of environmentally friendly urban transport, relieving congestion and reducing emissions.’
The bubble-shaped taxis are battery-powered and passengers select their destination from a touch screen.
via Taxi of the future: Space-age pods drive transport into the 21st century | Mail Online.
Turning over a new (Nissan) LEAF
Turning over a new (Nissan) LEAF – — Autoblog Green
Had lunch the other day with Nissan North America Product Planning Vice President Larry Dominique. He is the point man for communicating Nissan’s green-vehicle vision, beginning with its soon-to-come LEAF battery electric car. A few minutes earlier, he had presented exactly that to a large roomful of automaker and supplier representatives, industry analysts, consultants and media.
The occasion was the Center for Automotive Research (CAR) Management Briefing Seminars, an important industry conference that has been a 44-year annual tradition. He and Nissan Midwest PR manager Brian Brockman had invited a small group of journalists to join them for lunch so we could ask burning questions about the car and the plan. Which we did. Find out what the answers were after the jump.
We learned that, among other things, there will be similarities between Nissan’s LEAF BEV roll-out beginning next year and GM’s EV1 launch 13 years earlier. For starters, they will begin with leases and expand later to private sales, and they will pre-qualify prospects to ensure they understand the car’s operating parameters, range limitations, charge times, etc.
LEAF customers will need their own garages, at least at first, and 220V power sources for EVSE (Electric Vehicle Service Equipment) home charge units. And roadside assistance will be part of the deal to rescue any who encounter problems or run out of volts on the road.
via At Witz’ End: Turning over a new (Nissan) LEAF — Autoblog Green.
Orange County Choppers Unveils Green Bike (VIDEO)
Orange County Choppers Unveils Green Bike (VIDEO)
It’s big, it’s loud, it’s… green?
Paul Teutul Sr., founder of Orange County Choppers and star of American Chopper, was in Columbus Circle Wednesday showing off his new electric motorcycle.
Made as a joint effort between OCC and Siemens, an energy company, the “Smart Chopper” can go about 60 miles after a five-hour charge, whereas the New York Daily News reports a “gas-powered chopper costs about $10 to fill at a pump and can get 120 miles on a full tank.”
The Rise of the Electric Car
The Rise of the Electric Car - Craig Harrington economyincisis.org
General Motors issued an official release updating specs for the much anticipated Chevrolet Volt which boasts an average fuel-economy for city driving at an EPA-estimated 230 miles per gallon.
On Tuesday General Motors issued an official release updating specs for the much anticipated Chevrolet Volt. One figure jumped off the page; average fuel-economy for city driving would be an EPA-estimated 230 miles per gallon.
Right now the mileage wars are being won by the Honda Insight and Toyota Prius which, based on driving style, boast average fuel-economy of 50 to 60 miles per gallon. In “real world” driving conditions, the Volt would at least double and perhaps even triple its best competition.
Perhaps the most impressive feature of the Chevy Volt is its drive-train. The motor is fully electric and the car carries a gas-powered electrical generator to replenish the battery rather than turn the wheels. As a result, a commuter could possibly drive 40 miles without ever using any gasoline.
via Economyincrisis.org – America’s Economic Report – Daily.
GM: New Chevy Volt To Get 230 Miles Per Gallon
GM: New Chevy Volt To Get 230 Miles Per Gallon
General Motors Corp. said Tuesday its Chevrolet Volt rechargeable electric car should get 230 mpg in city driving, more than four times the current champion, the Toyota Prius.
The Volt is powered by an electric motor and a battery pack with a 40-mile range. After that, a small internal combustion engine kicks in to generate electricity for a total range of 300 miles. The battery pack can be recharged from a standard home outlet.
GM is marketing the 230-mile figure following early tests using draft guidelines from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for calculating the mileage of extended range electric vehicles.
The EPA guidelines, developed with guidance from automakers, figure that cars like the Volt will travel more on straight electricity in the city than on the highway. If a person drives the Volt less than 40 miles, in theory they could go without using gasoline.
Tesla Says It Is Now Profitable, Ships 109 Roadsters In July
Tesla Says It Is Now Profitable, Ships 109 Roadsters In July
Silicon Valley’s electric car company, Tesla Motors, says that it hit profitability in July. The private company reports that it made “approximately $1 million of earnings” on revenues of $20 million, and that it shipped 109 Roadsters, its $109,000 all-electric sports car. The revenues reflect GAAP accounting standards and are only for the month of July.
Founder and CEO Elon Musk predicted in June that the company would soon hit profitability at the end of a lengthy blog post dealing primarily with a lawsuit brought on by Tesla’s ousted co-founder Martin Eberhard. In June, Tesla was also awarded a $465 million loan from the Department of Energy, which will help it manufacture its more reasonably priced Modern S sedan.
The $20 million in revenues and $1 million in profits do not reflect any proceeds from that loan, the company tells us.
via Tesla Says It Is Now Profitable, Ships 109 Roadsters In July.
GM to launch Buick plug-in hybrid crossover in 2011
GM to launch Buick plug-in hybrid crossover in 2011 – Detroit Free Press
All-new vehicle to debut in 2011
General Motors Co. this morning announced plans to introduce an all-new plug-in hybrid Buick crossover sport-utility vehicle in 2011.
The Detroit automaker also has scheduled an event Aug. 13 to officially announce its investment in the automaker’s new Brownstown Township battery pack assembly facility at 20001 Brownstown Center Dr., Trenton.
The facility will produce the lithium ion battery packs for the Chevrolet Volt and other future extended range electric vehicles
.
via GM to launch Buick plug-in hybrid crossover in 2011 | Freep.com | Detroit Free Press.
Obama to unveil $2.4 billion for electric cars
Obama to unveil $2.4 billion for electric cars – - – msnbc.com
President will announce stimulus grants during Elkhart County visit
Venturing back to a region reeling from deep unemployment, President Barack Obama’s latest mission to hard-hit Elkhart County aims to show that his stimulus plan is producing tangible help — $2.4 billion in taxpayer grants to create electric cars and tens of thousands of jobs.
At a recreational-vehicle plant in northern Indiana, Obama on Wednesday will announce the grants and try to stabilize American confidence. His stop in Wakarusa, Ind., is part of a concerted economic campaign that also will see Vice President Joe Biden and four Cabinet secretaries holding events in five states.
via Obama to unveil $2.4 billion for electric cars – The Elkhart Project- msnbc.com.
Nissan unveils zero-emission hatchback
Nissan unveils zero-emission hatchback
Nissan Motor Co took the wraps off its much-awaited electric car, naming the hatchback “Leaf” and taking a step towards its goal of leading the industry in the zero-emission field.
Japan’s No.3 automaker and its French partner, Renault SA, have been the most aggressive proponents of pure electric vehicles in the auto industry, announcing plans to mass-market the clean but expensive cars globally in 2012.
Nissan will begin selling the first Leaf cars in the United States and Japan in the latter half of next year, adding more models in rapid succession.
Twinning the car’s unveiling with the inauguration of Nissan’s new global headquarters in Yokohama, south of Tokyo, Chief Executive Carlos Ghosn drove up to the stage in a sky-blue Leaf prototype, carrying former Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and two other guests to greet a throng of journalists who made the trip from all over the world.
Electric cars forced to make noise
Electric cars forced to make noise – - Telegraph
Electric car manufacturers may be forced to add noise emitting devices to vehicles in a bid to stop accidents involving pedestrians, according to a new Japanese government review.
The silent hum of hybrid petrol-electric vehicles, which recently became number one best-selling cars in Japan, has been deemed dangerous to pedestrians, in particular the visually impaired.
When switched from fuel to battery mode, the vehicles make a barely perceptible noise, prompting campaigners to urge the installation of noise devices to prevent accidents.
Pickup runs on wood and waste
Pickup runs on wood and waste
KILLINGLY, Conn. – From the first time he saw Emmett “Doc” Brown fire up the Mr. Fusion home energy reactor in the “Back to the Future” movies, Dave Nichols has always wanted to make a vehicle run on garbage.
Two decades after the trilogy, the 42-year-old home builder and auto shop owner from eastern Connecticut isn’t traveling through time in a DeLorean, yet. But he’s modified his 1989 Ford F150 pickup truck to run on wood, leaves, cardboard and other “biomass” with a fuel system that he says expels virtually no pollution.
The technology is called gasification, and it’s been around since the 1800s, when it was used for street lamps and cooking. It even powered some vehicles during World War II, but faded away under oil’s dominance.
D.C.’s Metro Rail Crash and America’s Aging Transit System
The Metro Crash: A Nation’s Aging Transit System - TIME 
Investigators are still sorting through the wreckage of Monday’s crash of two Metro rail cars in Washington, D.C., the deadliest in the system’s 33-year history, which killed nine people and injured scores of others. Federal officials said on Tuesday that the train that rear-ended another was an older model that lacked equipment that might have helped avert the collision and, according to the Washington Post, had been overdue for needed brake work.
The D.C. Metro is hardly the only one in the U.S. with an aging fleet. Public-transit advocates in many major cities face a similar problem: an aging, underfunded transit system struggling to safely ferry ever larger numbers of riders. “This does draw attention to the fact that we need to invest a lot more in our transit system,” says Deron Lovass, the federal transportation director for the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). “Our highway system is world class, but we’ve neglected public transit along the same way.” (See pictures of Washington, D.C.)
This spring the Federal Transit Administration gave marginal or poor ratings to more than a third of the equipment of the largest rail transit agencies in the U.S. To replace the nation’s elderly equipment and finish station rehabilitations, it would cost roughly $50 billion; keeping the updated system in good repair afterward would run nearly $6 billion a year. (Read: “U.S. Stimulus Puts Bullet Trains on the Fast Track.”)
via D.C.’s Metro Rail Crash and America’s Aging Transit System – TIME.
Cash For Clunkers: Earn $4,500 For Your Gas Guzzler
Cash For Clunkers: Earn $4,500 For Your Gas Guzzler
If you trade your old vehicle for one that gets better mileage the government could provide you with federal vouchers of up to $4,500. An addition to the $106 billion dollar wartime spending bill, the Cash for Clunkers provision is an attempt to get gas-guzzlers off the road.
If you own a car that’s bought after 1984 that gives you 18 miles to the gallon or less, you’re good to go. For a trade with a car that gives you 22 mpg, you get $3,500. But you’d get $4,500 if the new car is 10 mpg higher in fuel efficiency.
- Your vehicle must be less than 25 years old on the trade-in date
- Only purchase or lease of new vehicles qualify
- Generally, trade-in vehicles must get 18 or less MPG (some very large pick-up trucks and cargo vans have different requirements)
- Trade-in vehicles must be registered and insured continuously for the full year preceding the trade-in
- You don’t need a voucher, dealers will apply a credit at purchase
- It needs to be worth less4,500
- You cannot trade it in for a car that costs more than45,000
Fuel Efficiency How To: Simple Tips to Improve Your Gas Mileage
10 Tips to Improve Your Gas Mileage
How often do you have to stop and fill up your tank? Frequent trips to the gas station may be a sign that you’re not maximizing your car’s fuel efficiency. As it turns out, trading your ride in for a hybrid isn’t the only way to improve your gas mileage. Here are some simple pointers to get started.
Lighten your load. Take out your golf clubs, toolbox and other heavy items when you don’t need them. Any extra weight reduces your car’s fuel efficiency.
Use cruise control as much as possible because driving at a constant speed increases your gas mileage. Plus, it sure makes that daily commute a little more bearable.
Switch into overdrive to decrease the engine’s speed and save gas.
via Fuel Efficiency How To: Simple Tips to Improve Your Gas Mileage | EcoSalon – The Green Gathering.
The best U.S. transit systems you never knew existed
The best U.S. transit systems you never knew existed | Grist
When it comes to public transit in the U.S., there are certain predictable all-stars: the Metro in Washington, D.C., is convenient, efficient, and clean. The anthropomorphically nicknamed El and BART in Chicago and San Francisco are legendary. And everyone knows it’s easier to navigate New York City without a car than with one.
But what about the rest of the country? As cities big and small rethink how their residents get around, new systems are taking shape—and as gas prices and paychecks fluctuate, riders are responding in droves. While the current economic crunch is forcing many cities to hike fares and cut back on service, innovations continue, and the tracks are laid for a bright future.
Here are a few surprising places where public transit is gaining speed—steer yourself to the comments section below to leave your own nominations.
via The best U.S. transit systems you never knew existed | Grist.
US House approves vouchers for fuel-efficient cars
US House approves vouchers for fuel-efficient cars
A pickup truck being filled with gasoline is reflected in the window of a hydrogen fuel pump in Los Angeles, California. The US House of Representatives on Tuesday approved a measure to provide vouchers of up to 4,500 dollars for customers to trade in their old gas guzzlers and buy new fuel-efficient cars and trucks.
The US House of Representatives on Tuesday approved a measure to provide vouchers of up to 4,500 dollars for customers to trade in their old gas guzzlers and buy new fuel-efficient cars and trucks.
The measure — approved 298 votes against 119 — calls for four billion dollars to be allocated to the program, which is expected to encourage the purchase of one million new vehicles.
Consumers could access the program for one year.
The new personal and work vehicles must be have higher gas mileage than the old trade-in cars.
“This bill is quite a remarkable piece of legislation and the timing is perfect,” said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
“And when they trade in these cars, they will strengthen America?s auto industry, creating jobs and reducing layoffs and save more than 250 million gallons of gas.”
via AFP » US House approves vouchers for fuel-efficient cars.
Future of Chevy Volt Uncertain
OPS: Would you be shocked to learn, at some point in the near future, that the Volt was just BS to grease GM’s bailout?
Future of Chevy Volt Uncertain
It is unclear if the capital exists to finish the development of the Volt, which GM hails as the wave of its future
Monday’s bankruptcy filing by General Motors leaves the company’s future in doubt. Plans are underway to shutter plants, sell brands, slash jobs and cut ties with hundreds of dealerships. What is even more unclear is the future of GM’s newer products, especially those currently in development that will still require substantial capital investment to get them market-ready.
The most interesting of those products is the Chevy Volt, the vehicle in which GM has staked its newer, more energy efficient future to. Even before the recession, the collapse of demand for new vehicles and the eventual bankruptcy, GM had hailed its Chevy Volt as the wave of the future and its ticket back to the top of the auto manufacturing mountain.
Now the company is doubling-down on that promise, even though it is unclear if it will have the capital to finish the development.
via Economyincrisis.org – America’s Economic Report – Daily.
Electric cars are coming!
Electric cars are coming! | Salon
We’re sorry to be buzz kills. But we’ve heard this one before. Like in 1990. And 1910. Do the automakers have the juice this time?
On Tuesday, when President Obama proposed the first nationwide regulation of greenhouse gases, which would set limits on tailpipe emissions for cars and trucks, he jacked up the buzz about electric cars. The new regulation requires new cars and light trucks to get on average 35.5 miles per gallon by 2016, which is almost 40 percent more fuel-efficient than the requirements today. Automakers, which have kicked and screamed for generations about increasing fuel efficiency, stood politely by Obama, having to suck it up, as their fortunes now depend on the government. In good part, they will attempt to meet the goal with a flashy new line of cars powered by the electrical outlet in your garage.
“The industry is already transitioning. Hybrid cars are the first step toward electric drive vehicles, and the question now is how fast will the transformation take place,” says professor Daniel Sperling, director of the Institute of Transportation Studies at the University of California at Davis, and coauthor of the recent book “Two Billion Cars: Driving Toward Sustainability.”
On May 6, Ford declared it would spend hundreds of millions of dollars to convert an SUV plant near Detroit to churn out the Ford Focus. By 2011, the plant would be producing battery-electric versions of the diminutive car. Nissan recently claimed that 10 percent of its new cars will be electric by 2016. Mitsubishi plans to unleash its i-MiEV in Japan this year and bring it to the U.S. in 2012. Toyota, which has dominated the hybrid market with its Prius, plans to launch an electric Prius by 2012. Even famed investor Warren Buffett is jumping on the buzzwagon: He’s bought a stake in BYD, a Chinese battery and electric car company.
South Korea tries recharging road to power vehicles | Science | Reuters
South Korea tries recharging road to power vehicles
SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korea’s top technology university has developed a plan to power electric cars through recharging strips embedded in roadways that use a technology to transfer energy found in some electric toothbrushes.
The plan, still in the experimental stage, calls for placing power strips about 20 cm (8 inches) to 90 cm (35 inches) wide and perhaps several hundred meters long built into the top of roads.
Vehicles with sensor-driven magnetic devices on their underside can suck up energy as they travel over the strips without coming into direct contact.
“If we place these strips on about 10 percent of roadways in a city, we could power electric vehicles,” said Cho Dong-ho, the manager of the “online electric vehicle” plan at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology.
The university has built a prototype at its campus in Daejeon, about 140 km (90 miles) south of Seoul, for electric-powered golf carts and is working on designs that would power cars and buses.
via South Korea tries recharging road to power vehicles | Science | Reuters.
Electric vehicles offer rides in the green lane
Electric vehicles offer rides in the green lane
The Vectrix VX-1 maxi scooter, which weighs much more than a typical bike at 515 pounds, is anything but a kid’s toy. It requires a motorcycle license to drive.
It’s also electric, with a 180-pound battery that lets the rider forget about pumping gas. The Vectrix just needs an electrical outlet to get its fuel.
Steven Shapiro bought a scooter last year, when gas prices were surpassing $4 a gallon.
“I felt like I had an opportunity to sort of make a statement, just at the local level,” Shapiro said.
That statement came with a price, though. His Vectrix VX-1 was $8,000.
“The cost of new technology is always higher than old technology,” explains Mike Boyle, Vectrix’s CEO. “You may win [people's] minds and hearts through the understanding of what an electric vehicle can bring to them. You then have to win their pocketbooks as well.”
The Obama administration is helping do just that. Earlier this year, President Obama’s stimulus plan proposed tax credits for those who buy plug-in electric vehicles. Depending on the size of the battery, the credit can reach up to $7,500.
via Electric vehicles offer rides in the green lane – CNN.com.
Keep Biofuels Out of the Gas Tank
Keep Biofuels Out of the Gas Tank - ScienceNOW Daily News
Biofuels work better if you don’t put them directly into your car. That’s the conclusion of a new study that shows that ethanol derived from corn and switchgrass allows cars to drive farther and emit less greenhouse gases if these crops are converted to electricity for powering electric vehicles rather than pouring the ethanol into the gas tank.
Biofuels are widely considered a better environmental alternative than fossil fuels. Even though they release carbon dioxide (CO2) when burned, the same amount of CO2 is reabsorbed as the next crop of plants grows. What hasn’t been well-understood is whether it’s better to convert crops to ethanol that can be burned in conventional internal combustion engines or to burn the crops to generate electricity that can power electric vehicles.
To find out, Elliott Campbell, an environmental engineer at the University of California, Merced, and his colleagues carried out a life-cycle analysis of bioethanol and bioelectric technologies. The analysis took into account not only the energy produced by each technology but also the energy consumed in producing the vehicles and fuels.
Bioelectricity was the clear winner. Cars would travel 81% farther on the energy in biofuels if it were first converted to electricity, the team reported today in Science. Powering an electric vehicle using crops would also prevent the release of up to 10 tons of CO2 per acre compared with a similar sized gasoline-powered car. That “offset” of unreleased CO2 is roughly double that of bioethanol-powered cars. According to Campbell, the primary reason bioelectricity came out looking so much better is that electric engines are far more efficient than are internal combustion engines. “Even the best ethanol-producing technologies with hybrid engines aren’t enough to overcome this,” he says.
via Keep Biofuels Out of the Gas Tank — Service 2009 (508): 3 — ScienceNOW.
The 2030 New Concept Car- A Modern and Green Car
The 2030 New Concept Car- A Modern and Green Car
(more photos at link)
I really like the idea of this car. However they would have to rid the world of the existing cars before putting something like this out on the road. This has death written all over it if hit by anything bigger than a Hummer.
The car is simply the concept of 2030 and it was envisaged by the designer Mihai Moldovan Stamati who wants a green and happy future, and who can blame them? We all want a future like this and solar-powered cars can bring us the joy that we need.
via Epicfunny| The 2030 New Concept Car- A Modern and Green Car.
Energy Department Cuts Funding for Fuel Cell Cars
Energy Department Cuts Funding for Fuel Cell Cars
After pouring billions of dollars of federal money into fuel cell car research over decades, the US Department of Energy is cutting back on future spending. In the 2010 budget that the administration is submitting to Congress, Energy Secretary Stephen Chu proposed slashing more than $100 million from the Energy Department’s hydrogen program. That’s a cut of almost 60 percent and one that will almost entirely come from transportation.
Dr. Chu said yesterday that he holds little hope for fuel cell cars in the coming decades. In a press briefing, he said, “We asked ourselves, ‘Is it likely in the next 10 or 15, 20 years that we will covert to a hydrogen car economy?’ The answer, we felt, was ‘no.’”
he National Hydrogen Association and the US Fuel Cell Coalition quickly issued a joint statement criticizing the program cuts, but the federal government and the auto industry have already switched direction toward hybrid gas-electric cars, plug-in hybrids, and other battery-powered vehicles. “We think it is too early to be picking winning and losing technologies,” said Patrick Serfass, the National Hydrogen Association’s vice president for technology, in an interview with Edmunds.com.
Dr. Chu pointed to significant stumbling blocks to widespread adoption of hydrogen fuel cell cars, including the lack of a nationwide fueling infrastructure. Plug-in cars—such as plug-in hybrids and pure battery-electric cars—also face significant obstacles in reaching a mass market, including lack of an electric recharging infrastructure and high costs for next-generation lithium ion car batteries. However, the obstacles for introducing those cars— which can be powered via the electric grid—are viewed as solvable, even though it could take five to ten years before plug-in cars reach 1 percent of the new car market.
via Energy Department Cuts Funding for Fuel Cell Cars | Hybrid Cars.
High-speed solar train proposed as Tucson-Phoenix connection
High-speed solar train proposed as Tucson-Phoenix connection
Project, in idea stage, could cost $27B for 1st phase
via High-speed solar train proposed as Tucson-Phoenix connection | www.azstarnet.com ®.
From the XP-883 to the Volt: analysis and history of the electric car
From the XP-883 to the Volt: analysis and history of the electric car
The Prius, a “Hybrid Vehicle” which is produced by Toyota, has already been altering the auto industry. Lately celebrities and media promotions of every angle have held these in the spotlight. But here’s the shocking fact: they have even been marketed for several years already. Much smaller electric vehicles (and Petroleum-fueled vehicles) are being tested and adapted and produced in European countries, too. Around the world, the demand has been growing. Now the supply needs to build in order to match that demand. The United States auto industry desperately needs to hop on this wagon. Or have they already?
Detroit, in fact, already has. According to “Detroit Goes for Electric Cars, but Will Drivers?” in the New York Times (Brooke), the Ford Motor Company has designed Product M, a proposal to “build a prototype of a totally electric, battery-powered car in just six months” in order to at least compete, if not flood the upcoming electric car market with hopes to annihilate competitors. This plan has been developed, roughly, throughout the course this past year, since the summer of 2008.
via From the XP-883 to the Volt: analysis and history of the electric car | Factoidz.
GM Promises Plug-In Hybrid By Early 2011
OPS: Really? even if they go under this year?
GM Promises Plug-In Hybrid By Early 2011
DETROIT — General Motors’ new product development chief says it will have a plug-in hybrid sport utility vehicle ready for fleet testing in early 2011.
The SUV was supposed to be a Saturn Vue Green Line, but GM has announced it will sell or phase out Saturn by the end of this year.
Vice Chairman Tom Stephens says GM will still produce the vehicle under one of its four remaining core brands _ Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick and GMC. He would not identify the vehicle or say when the hybrid would be in showrooms.
A plug-in hybrid can be recharged with a home outlet and be powered by electricity or a conventional engine.
Stephens says the new SUV will get about double the city gas mileage of any other conventional SUV.
How to get 100 miles per gallon
How to get 100 miles per gallon
(AOL Autos) — We first met Gil Portalatin — a twenty-five year veteran at Ford — when testing the 2010 Fusion Hybrid in Los Angeles. In a fuel-economy competition against the media, Gil (an engineer by trade) effortlessly triumphed by racking up economy numbers that significantly bested the journalists and EPA estimates.
On some runs, Gil’s Fusion returned nearly 47 mpg. We immediately wanted to know Gil’s fuel economy secrets so we could tell them to you.
To learn Gil’s special driving techniques, we visited his group’s modest offices in Dearborn, Michigan, the city Henry Ford (founder of Ford Motor Company) put on the map. After a brief interview that covered technical aspects of Ford’s new hybrid technologies as well as touching on a running dispute with Toyota, we went for an instructional drive.
National Hydrogen Association Report on Positive Growth for H2 Cars
National Hydrogen Association Report on Positive Growth for H2 Cars
The National Hydrogen Association has come out with a document called the “Energy
Evolution: An Analysis of Alternative Vehicles and Fuels to 2100.” In this document is a comparison of 15 vehicle and fuel alternatives that can cut greenhouse gases and provide energy independence from now to the turn of the century.
The document of course doesn’t promote hydrogen as the only solution but one of several solutions (albeit the primary solution) going forward that will provide cleaner air and energy self-reliance plus provide a refueling medium in which consumers are familiar.
According to the Energy Evolution report, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, plug-in hybrids, other hybrids and biofuel vehicles could cut emissions 80-percent below 1990 levels, eliminating almost all controllable urban air pollution.
The document states that building a nationwide hydrogen fueling infrastructure of 6,500 pumps would cost around $9 billion. This dollar amount is far less than critics and naysayers who typically quote $500 billion or more in costs.
via National Hydrogen Association Report on Positive Growth for H2 Cars | Hydrogen Cars and Vehicles.
Letterman: “We Should Be So Far Ahead” On Electric Cars (VIDEO)
Letterman: “We Should Be So Far Ahead” On Electric Cars (VIDEO)
Letterman: I Was Afraid Tesla Roadster “Would Magnetize My Nuts”
The chairman of Tesla Motors, Elon Musk, went on the Late Show with David Letterman last night to promote the Tesla Model S, another in his company’s line very cool-looking, very electric, very expensive cars. The Model S is slated to be sold in two years for around $49,900.
From Tesla’s site:
With a range up to 300 miles and 45-minute QuickCharge, the Model S can carry five adults and two children in quiet comfort – and you can charge it from any outlet, without ever stopping for gas.
Dave, an automotive buff, asks great questions even about environmental issues — like is an electric car really any better if coal is being used to generate some of the electricity?
Here, Dave interviews Elon Musk, chairman of Tesla Motors. Be sure to catch the moment around 8:15 when Dave says that the first time he drove a Tesla car, he was “worried that it would magnetize my nuts,” to which Musk nervously replies, “well, that’s true:”
via Letterman: “We Should Be So Far Ahead” On Electric Cars (VIDEO).
The Race to an EV Future: Being First to an Electric Vehicle Grid
The Race to an EV Future: Being First to an Electric Vehicle Grid
As car companies lined up in Washington, DC last November for the first round of federal bailout money – in San Francisco we announced another way – our comprehensive plan to make the San Francisco Bay Area the “Electric Vehicle (EV) Capital of the US.”
Our efforts to advance electric vehicles are not limited to San Francisco. We’ve engaged the entire Bay Area – a region of 7.3 million people – to make our region the cornerstone of the coming market for EVs. Not just governments, but key companies, business associations, policy advocates, and international car and EV infrastructure companies are all working together to make the San Francisco Bay Area the EV Capital of the U.S.
via Gavin Newsom: The Race to an EV Future: Being First to an Electric Vehicle Grid.
Ford claims 81.5 mpg in Fusion hybrid
Ford claims 81.5 mpg in Fusion hybrid
Ford Motor Co. claims it has set a new world record for fuel economy in a gasoline-powered midsized sedan, driving an unmodified production Ford Fusion hybrid just over 1,445 miles on a single tank of gasoline.
That translated into a whopping 81.5 mile-per-gallon average, nearly double the certified mileage of the new sedan. The Ford team, which included NASCAR driver Carl Edwards, accomplished the feat by practicing fuel-saving driving techniques, such as coasting to red lights and accelerating smoothly on greens.
“Not only does this demonstrate the Fusion hybrid’s fuel efficiency, it also shows that driving technique is one of the keys to maximizing its potential,” said Nancy Gioia, director of sustainable mobility
via Ford claims 81.5 mpg in Fusion hybrid | detnews.com | The Detroit News.
2010 Prius To Actually Get Cheaper
2010 Prius To Actually Get Cheaper
NEW YORK — Toyota Motor Corp. said it won’t change the price tag on its next-generation Prius when the hybrid hits U.S. showrooms in late May and will release an even cheaper version later this year, as the automaker aims to compete with the latest hybrid from rival Honda Motor Co.
Toyota said Tuesday the 2010 Prius will start at $22,000 _ unchanged from the base price for the 2009 model. Toyota will release a more basic model later this year starting at $21,000, the Japanese automaker said, but did not elaborate on what features it will or won’t come equipped with.
Toyota, the world’s biggest automaker by sales, has long been the leader in the hybrid market, and the Prius remains the most popular hybrid in the U.S. But Prius sales fell 57 percent in March. Although Toyota attributed much of the decline to the sell-down process ahead of the rollout of its latest model, hybrid sales overall have fallen sharply as gas prices plunged and as the economic downturn makes it more difficult for consumers to pony up the premium that many hybrids carry.
Bright Automotive unveils 100 mpg hybrid truck
Bright Automotive unveils 100 mpg hybrid truck
NEW YORK (AP) — It sounds like a bright idea.
Anderson, Ind.-based startup Bright Automotive on Tuesday unveiled the IDEA, a 100-mpg plug-in hybrid electric van that it is looking to sell to fleet customers such as businesses and government agencies.
The automaker’s goal is to produce 50,000 vehicles a year starting in 2013. The ultimate outcome, it hopes, will be millions of dollars in savings in gasoline and drastically reduced emissions for fleet users.
“We are ready to provide the necessary automotive leadership our nation is calling for,” Chief Executive John Waters said in a conference call with reporters.
Waters, who developed the battery pack for General Motors Corp.’s first electric vehicle, the EV1, unveiled the IDEA on Capitol Hill in Washington. He said the company has applied for a $450 million loan from a Department of Energy program designed to help automakers develop fuel-efficient technology.
Waters hopes to begin production of the vehicle by 2012 and begin supplying to fleet customers the following year. He said the company is targeting fleet, rather than retail, customers, because fleet customers buy vehicles “on spreadsheets” in large quantities, which helps bring down the cost and eliminates the emotion present in car-buying.
via The Associated Press: Bright Automotive unveils 100 mpg hybrid truck.
We’ll See a Cadillac Volt in 2011. Or Not
We’ll See a Cadillac Volt in 2011. Or Not
General Motors reportedly will build the Cadillac Converj, a range-extended electric vehicle based on the Chevrolet Volt, and have it in showrooms within two years.
Maybe.
Motor Trend, citing an unnamed “well-placed source,” says GM brass have approved the project and want it on the road by the end of 2011, assuming the company turns its finances around. But Cadillac spokesman David Caldwell tells Wired.com that Motor Trend is wrong.
“We’re pleased that reaction to the Cadillac Converj concept is strongly positive,” he said. “But there is no change in its status — it’s a concept under consideration, and that remains the case.”
Motor Trend sticks by its report and says, “Our source offers a number of details that lend credence to the probability of (the project’s) approval.”
The question is why wouldn’t GM build the Converj, assuming it finds the money to do so?
GM has always said the Voltec drivetrain — which uses an electric motor to drive the wheels and a 1.4-liter gasoline engine to recharge the battery — will be the basis of a range of models. Spokesman Robert Peterson recently told us the company is looking ahead to “generation 2 and generation 3″ of the technology but wouldn’t say what those cars might be. The Converj, which GM unveiled at the Detroit auto show, makes sense for a few reasons.
via We’ll See a Cadillac Volt in 2011. Or Not | Autopia from Wired.com.
