Representative David Wu (D-OR) and 13 co-sponsors have pushed the Green Transportation Infrastructure Research and Technology Transfer Act past initial barriers in the House of Representatives. The bill referred to as HR 5161 passed the House Committee on Science and Technology on February 28th. Representative Wu feels that the Environmental Protection Agency and other federal agencies need greater resources to determine the impact of green infrastructure on existing systems.
The market for electric cars has expanded beyond major cities like San Francisco and New York City in the early 21st century. ZAP Cars is helping promote the democratization of electric cars by allowing consumers to test drive their models through regional dealerships. ZAP’s Xebra sedans and trucks give drivers a glimpse of the early stages of electric car development.
The focus on overhauling the development of automobiles for sustainable transportation has overlooked the creation of green parts. Many motorists focus on the high expense of maintaining a hybrid or alternative fuel vehicle without looking under the hood. SOMS Technologies has created a specialized oil filter that is designed to eliminate the tradition of oil changes at 3,000 miles. The company claims that this filter helps cars diminish engine debris over 10,000 miles thereby decreasing wasted oil.
The Ford Motor Company has built 30 hydrogen-fueled E-450 buses for use by corporate and government clients. The Wayne County Airport Authority has procured two of these buses for passenger transportation within the Detroit Metropolitan Airport complex. This purchase means that Ford has two-thirds of its hydrogen bus fleet running in cities from Florida to Vancouver.
The development of Subaru’s two-person electric vehicle has taken another step at the start of the New York International Auto Show this weekend. Subaru representatives have announced that the New York Power Authority (NYPA) will test two prototypes of the company’s R1e. This transaction may lead to a large order of the vehicles by state agencies in New York and other states in the Northeast.
The Middle Eastern nation of Qatar has announced a commitment to converting its bus system from gas-fueled to electrical vehicles. Qatar is hoping to parlay its success as host of the 2006 Asian Games into a successful bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics with infrastructure improvements. There are no electric buses on Qatar roads currently though the project is in the late stages of development.
The Southern Business Improvement District (BID) in Los Angeles can be counted among the growing number of communities using electric vehicles. This tax-funded district owns three utility vehicles from HiLine Cars and Carts that run completely on electricity. The district’s use of these vehicles for daily patrols as well as community cleanliness helps volunteers and city workers get their work done faster.
Lithium-ion batteries are quite the hot topic in the green car industry these days. Car companies can’t seem to line up fast enough to test all the options available for the cars of the future.
General Motors is testing lithium-ion technology from two companies in hopes to roll out the Chevrolet Volt by 2010 when it is also expected to produce the plug-in hybrid Saturn Vue. An estimated cost per lithium-ion battery is $10,000 that is provided by A123 Systems in Watertown, MA. GM is also utilizing the combined efforts of South Korea’s LG Chem and Compact Power from MI in the Chevy Volt test.
The lithium-ion battery is expected to get 40 miles on one charge but the use of the technology is not free of criticism. The most obvious criticism is the questionable lifespan. The industry wants guarantees of a battery that can offer 10-15 years to the consumer. Read the rest of this entry »
For the fifth year in a row Toyota’s Prius is ranked number 1 in the green car category. The Prius is a gas / electric hybrid that gets 44 miles per gallon. It is affordable priced around $24,000 and can hold a family with a five-passenger capacity. The capacity alone is probably the biggest contributor to its number one showing on the list. As more cross-over hybrids appear on the scene it might make it harder for the Prius to hold its ground unless cost is more of a criterion for the purchaser.
There is talk of Toyota adding plug-in hybrids to its line-up especially in response to community requests. San Francisco mayor, Gavin Newsom wants leaders in the Bay Area to request plug-in hybrid cars as they are lower-emission vehicles and get more miles to the gallon. Perhaps the ten year old favorite is up for a face lift in the near future. Read the rest of this entry »
New York City continues its efforts to go green under its PLANYC, a plan from late 2006 where Mayor Michael Bloomberg challenged the citizens of NY to work toward achieving 10 goals for a greener future.
Last year the Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) officially addressed the city’s plan to turn the taxi fleet hybrid. Expectations are that taxi cabs purchased after September 2008 must get 25 miles per gallon or better. The plan graduates in an increase of 30 miles per gallon in the following year on all new taxi cabs added to the fleet in the fall of 2009. Read the rest of this entry »
