Electric Vehicles
Do a search for "Electric Vehicles"
on the web. There are thousands of sites.
All the major cities have electric
vehicle clubs and meetings you can attend.
There is a national magazine,
annual convention, scheduled EV races, etc.
I personally own a 1980 "Lectric
Leopard" and love driving it.
-- Dean Petrich
*Anuvu: Car of the Future
by Ed "Redwood" Ring / EcoWorld.com
There are many candidates for next-generation cars: high-tech
diesels, hybrids, super-engineered gasoline powered cars, electric cars,
and fuel cell cars that use reformers. But the most efficient we've
seen yet is a prototype being developed by Anuvu Inc. in downtown
Sacramento, California. It's a car that promises to require almost
no maintenance, should last
for decades, and can run 700 miles on $20 worth of electricity
(at $.10 per kilowatt hour).
http:www.ecoworld/home/articles2.cfm?tid=255
http://www.anuvu.com
DREAM CAR
Unlike most Americans, I'd rather not drive. Maybe it's because I
live in Manhattan, where the traffic is awful, the parking worse and public
transportation by far the best choice. Half the time, I don't need transportation
anyway. In the
city, it's often easier and faster to walk. That said, I do
own a car. Not a particularly exciting one. Neither new nor powerful, it
accelerates to 60 at a very old-fashioned rate, topping out
at 85 mph. The fuel economy isn't great either, but I drive so rarely,
it hardly makes a difference. Why such an uninspiring model? It's a family
hand-me-down that we got for free. There have
been three such gifts over the years, and I'm truly grateful
for all of them, but lately I've been wishing that we had the excuse (or
need) to buy a car of our own. Then, we could get one of those half gas,
half electric wonders called hybrids, or HEVS (hybrid electric vehicles).
Maybe it's just vanity. If I am what I drive, as the car companies would
have me believe, I don't want to be the hundred-year-old internal combustion
engine. I want to be the best, latest and smartest thing on wheels. Right
now, that's the hybrid -- the cleanest, most efficient, quietest, most
convenient vehicle available for the passenger market. Hybrids combine
a small gasoline engine with a battery-powered electric motor, which provides
extra power when the car accelerates or climbs
hills. The electric motor also kicks in when the car cruises
at low speeds, and in some hybrids, the car can start accelerating purely
on electric power. The engine turns off when the car comes to a stop, then
restarts automatically when the accelerator is pressed. Hybrids also capture
and convert energy from braking that would otherwise be wasted. These various
features can result in up to double the mileage of conventional
cars, as well as lower smog-forming emissions. That's not to say hybrids
are anywhere near as clean as pure electric vehicles. However, they have
one great advantage for consumers: they do not need to be plugged in. Simply
driving the car recharges the battery.
Currently, you can choose among three hybrids -- the Toyota
Prius, Honda Insight and Honda Civic Hybrid -- all excellent cars. And
the number's about to grow. Mid-sized, luxury and SUV hybrids are due out
later this year and next. As you probably know, hybrids have developed
quite a cachet among the Hollywood set -- Cameron Diaz, Meryl Streep and
NRDC board member Leonardo DiCaprio come to mind. Don't let that persuade
you that hybrids are out of your class. The cars tend to be surprisingly
reasonable, with current models averaging around $20,000. You can even
get a federal tax deduction of up to $1,500, plus sales tax waivers in
some states.
And, of course, hybrids are much cheaper to operate than
conventional cars. The calculator at fueleconomy.gov shows that the
annual fuel costs for my family would be $500-$600 lower if we drove a
hybrid, assuming we traveled 15,000 miles a year.
All I can say is thank goodness we don't. With savings like
that, I'd have no choice but to look our gift horse in the mouth. —Sheryl
Eisenberg BETTER CONVENTIONAL CARS If you're in the market
for a new car, keep in mind that even among conventional vehicles, fuel
economy and emissions vary widely. The best cars incorporate many of the
same efficient features found in hybrids, such as:
- Aerodynamic design.
- Lightweight materials, like aluminum and high-strength
steel.
- Automatic shut-off at stop lights and instant
restart when the accelerator is pressed.
- Five- and six-gear transmissions.
- Continuously variable transmissions (CVT), which
do away with gears altogether.
- Four-valve cylinders and variable valve timing.
To ensure you get an efficient model, do your homework
on the web. Use the EPA and ACEEE links I've provided
to check out your chosen car's ratings.
Sheryl Eisenberg, a long-time advisor
to NRDC, posts a new This Green Life
every month. Sheryl makes her home
in Tribeca (NYC), where—along with
her children, Sophie and Gabby, and
husband, Peter—she tries to put her
environmental principles into
practice. No fooling.
Neighborhood signs (at left). In New York, parking's notoriously difficult,
and driving isn't much
better.
ONLINE RESOURCES NRDC
Break the Chain
DOE
Hybrid Cars
HOW STUFF WORKS
How Hybrid Cars Work
EPA
2004 Cars Sorted by Rating
MOTOR TREND
Motor Trend Announces 2004
Car of the Year
ACEEE
Highlights of the Model Year
GREEN CAR JOURNAL
Building a Market for Green
Vehicles
There she is -- the car of my
dreams. While the purple's pure
fantasy, the car is a real Toyota
Prius, Motor Trend Magazine's "2004
Car of the Year." Commenting on the
choice, editor-in-chief Kevin Smith
said, "The Prius is a capable,
comfortable, fun-to-drive car that
just happens to get spectacular fuel
economy. It also provides a
promising look at a future where
extreme fuel-efficiency, ultra-low
emissions, and exceptional
performance will happily coexist."
In other words, the Prius isn't just a
great hybrid, it's a great car.
Emissions and Fuel Economy.
The terms are confusing. Cars that
are said to be low in emissions
release fewer smog-producing gases
because of pollution control devices,
such as catalytic converters, in the
car. However, they still may emit
plenty of CO2, the primary
greenhouse gas responsible for
global warming. That's because
there's a direct relationship between
the amount of gas burned and the
amount of CO2 released -- 20
pounds per gallon. For that reason,
it's important to get a car that's not
only clean, but gets good mileage.
Driving Well. Whatever kind of car
you drive, you'll improve your
mileage and lower your emissions if
you:
1) Avoid quick starts and gunning
the engine.
2) Minimize use of the air conditioner
and heater.
3) Remove unnecessary cargo that
adds weight to the car.
4) Keep your tires properly inflated.
5) Get regular tune-ups.
6) Keep your car in the garage if you
have one.
7) Plan and consolidate your trips.
At the gas pump, avoid "topping off"
the tank to prevent spilling gasoline
that pollutes the air when it
evaporates.
---------------------------------
Sheryl Eisenberg is a web developer and writer.
With her firm, Mixit Productions
(http://www.mixitproductions.com), she brought
NRDC online in 1996, designed NRDC's first
websites, and continues to develop special
web features for NRDC. She created and, for several
years, wrote the Union of Concerned Scientists'
green living column, Greentips, and has designed and
contributed content to many nonprofit sites.
© 2004 Natural Resources Defense Council
To subscribe to This Green Life, go to:
http://www.nrdcaction.org/join/subscribetgl.asp
BioDiesel
www.mistiqfuel.com
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