May 13th, 2008
Ouch. Whenever I think of UPS, I remember watching a delivery driver (attempt to) run up the stairs of his truck to grab a package, slip and smash his chin down each frickin’ stair. Painful! Then I think of their atrocious “brown” campaign, and I wonder if there isn’t some connection there.
As much of a problem as I give their marketing team, UPS has done a wonderful job of trying to keep their emissions down by utilizing the technology at hand. In fact, they’re trying to become part of the solution by working with the EPA on developing new vehicles meant for deliveries.
Recently the delivery company purchase 200 new hybrid electric vehicles, set for delivery in 2009, and another 300 vehicles that operate on compressed natural gas. That order is tremendous, and increases their “alternative” fleet by 30%.
In the last year, UPS has also added over 40 ZAP electric vehicles, and 300 trucks which can run off compressed natural gas or propane to their fleet. The recent order should prevent hundreds of thousands of pounds in emissions from being released each year.
UPS may still have thousands of gas-guzzling, emissions-belching trucks on the road, but they are committed to making the differences that they can. Not entirely altruistic on their part, the move to alternative vehicles is also saving them a tremendous amount in fuel costs each year.
It’s a phenomenal move, and one that will hopefully catch on with other delivery companies.
[Sources: BizJournal, Greenbiz ]
Tags: compressed natural gas, delivery trucks, hybrid trucks, more efficientShare This
By Hilary -- 0 comments
May 13th, 2008
Fisker is forging ahead with development of their electric sports car despite recent legal troubles with Tesla Motors. In Southern California, three prototypes of the Karma are currently being tested, with initial orders expected to deliver by the end of 2009.
Specs? Up to 125 mph in “sport” mode, in electric only (what the company is calling “stealth”) up to 95 mph. Initial battery testing gives hope of the lithium-ion battery packs lasting 10 years or longer.
According to Fisker, you should be able to fill your tank ONCE per year … if you recharge every night, and drive in stealth mode the rest of the time. The Karma purportedly can go 50 miles on electric power, only.
If you want one, you’ll have to get in line. Like the pricey Tesla Roadster, the $80,000 Karma has already received hundreds of advanced orders.
[Source: Fisker Automotive]
Tags: electric sportscar, Fisker, Karma, PHEV, plug-in, TeslaShare This
By Hilary -- 0 comments
May 13th, 2008
Other big cities have seen positive responses - by companies and customers - to hybrid taxis taking to the roads. They use less gas, and create fewer emissions. It would seem like a win-win situation … but current regulations in Ottawa keep hybrid taxis off the road.
As early as Thursday, the City Council could vote to change the regulations allowing companies to add hybrids to their fleets. The biggest obstacles seemed to be allowable trunk space, cost and winter performance, but hybrid taxis have performed well in other areas with hard winters - New York City, for instance - and if buying as a group, Ottawa’s estimated 10,000 strong buying force would be eligible for generous discounts. Ottawa is also considering a reduction in fees for taxi drivers with hybrid vehicles to help shoulder the expense.
Councillor Diane Deans is in charge of preparing a meeting on the issue by the end of this week. You can contact her at 613-580-2480 or by emailing Diane.Deans(at)ottawa.ca
In other news, Calgary cabbies may be hiking their fares to cover recent hikes in gas prices.
[Sources: Ottawa Citizen]
[Image: Noah Sussman, Creative Commons License]
Tags: Calgary, Canada, hybrid taxis, Ottawa, taxiShare This
By Hilary -- 0 comments
May 13th, 2008
Project Better Place was started by Shai Agassi to make electric cars a truly viable option. Instead of plugging in over a period of 6 or 8 hours, he dreamt up stations where you could pull in … and pull your battery out. Slip in a fully charged pack and you’re back on the open road.
This kind of reminds me of the City Car idea, with stackable, rentable autos you could drive from one place to another, but something more people could easily gravitate toward.
The State of Israel liked the idea so much that laws have already been put in place to support this kind of advancement, and plan on being oil free in the near future. (Well, oil free as far as passenger cars are concerned.)
Renault-Nissan is developing a car and battery pack to fill the role of the world’s first electric car fit with a battery meant to be changed regularly. A working prototype debuted Sunday in Tel Aviv, and are expected to hit Israeli roads sometime next year.
[Source:Autoblog Green, Project Better Place]
[Image Source: Project Better Place]
Tags: Better Place, Israel electric car, removable, Renault-Nissan, swappableShare This
By Hilary -- 0 comments
May 12th, 2008
Jayvee over at Cellphone9 is giving away an Iqua Sun 603 Bluetooth Headset, the very first solar-powered bluetooth headset on the market. Hurry over there between now and the 16th to enter.
Greening up your accessories can go a long way in lessening your impact on the planet. Particularly with something like this, a headset that doesn’t require a charger (devices which often get forgotten in the outlet to waste tons of electricity).
Tags: bluetooth headset, contest, iqua sun 603, Solar-powered CarsShare This
By Hilary -- 0 comments
May 10th, 2008
We’ve been hearing about the Dodge Durango hybrid for how many years now? Word is out. The two-mode hybrid system vehicle, and another - the Dodge Aspen - will hit showrooms in mid-2008.
Both are 4-wheel drive with 3rd rows, seating 8 with leather upholstery, heated seats, navigation that shows the vehicles’ inner components hard work. Pairing 385 horsepower, with the ability to tow up to 8,950 lbs AND operate in electric-only mode for stretches at low-speed combine for an estimated 18 mpg city/ 19 mpg highway fuel efficiency.
I haven’t seen any numbers yet, but I’m guessing comparable or slightly more than the Toyota Highlander hybrid. High 30’s-40’s.
Source: Boston Globe
Image source: Dodge.com
Tags: 3rd row seating, Dodge Aspen hybrid, Dodge Durango hybrid, hybrid SUVs, seat 8Share This
By Hilary -- 0 comments
May 10th, 2008
Larger than the Hyundai Accent, and not much more expensive, the Hyundai Elantra provides a good option for families who need a car that’s a little larger, or has more features (like cruise control) and it offers better safety ratings.
And it comes in “Purple Rain”. Okay, right now, I need this car. Which sucks because it only gets 25 mpg in the city/33 highway with an automatic transmission and 24 mpg city/33 mpg highway as a stick, but I can’t help being drawn to its Prince-like fervor. I don’t want to be your weekend… Ahem, moving on.
The GLS comes with ABS, tire pressure monitoring, front, front side and side-curtain airbags, 60/40 rear folding seat, power windows, locks and heated mirrors, keyless entry with alarm and trunk open … lotsa features, in other words. Add in A/C, an upgraded stereo system (6 speakers with AM/FM/XM/CD and MP3 capabilities) and sunroof, among other things, plus spoiler and mats, etc, and you’re looking to spend under $17,000. (Skipping the sunroof *sob* would save you roughly $1000.)
The SE is roughly $3000 more, and comes with Electronic Stability Control with Traction Control and Brake Assist, 16″ Alloy wheels, standard fog lights, standard AC, a telescoping steering wheel, leather and heated seats optional, audio controls on the steering wheel … basically a bunch of crap that is available through an aftermarket dealer for less should you decide you need it in the future.
And yes, I realize a sunroof falls under aftermarket crap you can add later … but it’s so much cooler a sunroof can contribute to better gas mileage, technically speaking. :p On either model, adding an automatic transmission costs roughly $1000.
For a look at more inexpensive cars with better-than-average green ratings, go here.
Source/Image Source: Hyundai USA
Tags: affordable, family sedan, fuel-efficient, hyundai elantraShare This
By Hilary -- 0 comments
May 9th, 2008
Kristie Burns is a single mom extraordinaire. Her list of jobs is as long as it is varied (some might say “deliciously weird”). She teaches parents how to put together lessons for the children, she teaches people all about herbs and their healing properties, she writes books, she knits unicorns! This is how I ran into her, actually. Well, no, her daughter built a small wardrobe for her doll clothes and she posted the plans online. THAT’s how I found her initially, but since then I’ve become quite enamored.
And Then … I found out she drives a Freakin’ Limo. HOW COOL IS THAT?! Not Even Cool Enough, because … seriously, how great is this lady … SHE USES IT FOR CHARITY.
Charity, people! And not just any charitable cause, but she donates rides to raise money for abuse shelters, and charters battered children and adults.
My sister is a survivor of a 13 year marriage that nearly killed her, and that need to feel supported and special is so pronounced, especially after that initial surge of “I did it! I left him, and I’m safe!” wears off and you’re worrying how to get your kids to the doctor on 0 gallons of gas.
My heart hurts just a little bit that she’s bothered by the fact she gets 15 mpg. She’s already doing so much good … it’s frustrating there’s anything she should be worry about falling short on. (But this is what women do, I suppose.) She has plans to green it up, but where do you begin? Well, how about with what you’re already doing?
I love Kristie’s blog, The Year of the Limo, because it showcases many ways you can be less destructive regardless of whether you drive an Insight or a … well … Limo (which gets better gas mileage than I would have garnered).
Although the limo uses more gas than my old car, I am finding that I actually use less gas than I used to. Ironically, owning a less efficient car has made me more environmentally aware…
now that I have a car that gets only 15 mpg I often ponder…is it really worth going across town to shop? Why don’t we just walk instead of driving to the store? I don’t really need to go to the grocery store more than once a week…sometimes the car will sit in the driveway for days!
I experience this with my minivan. It sat in our driveway so long, in fact, that I had to get it towed somewhere and worked on to get up and running again! Maybe, instead of encouraging people to get more efficient cars, I should encourage them to get gas-guzzlers? lol
OR NOT.
I’m really interested in helping Kristie come up with ideas for greening her limo, and if any of you have money to donate to a cause … this seems like a wonderful service to support.
[Photo credit: Year of the Limo]
Tags: conserving on gas, conversions, environmentally-friendly, limousine, unicorn toysShare This
By Hilary -- 2 comments
May 9th, 2008
“Affordable” is different for everyone, but what options do you really have for going on the cheap while buying a new car?
Cost to the Environment
Sometimes it’s hard to tell what the “good” cars really are. Dealerships certainly don’t know. I had a salesman point me to the HHR as the best car on their lot (even though it’s so cute … it certainly isn’t better for the planet than the Vibe or Aveo).
You can visit a number of sites and try to figure the numbers out on your own, or you can head to (yeh, I know, I was surprised too) Yahoo! Autos, where their Green Rating takes fuel efficiency, a variety of emissions and air pollutants and waste from manufacturing into consideration.
The Cost to Own
I would encourage people to look at the total cost of the car and not just the monthly payment. Insurance premiums. Replacement parts. As this article from MSNMoney points out, a good deal on the lot can still attack your pocketbook.
Also, cheap autos can wind up being more expensive than models you feel you’re shelling out for. The 2008 Toyota Prius has an estimated 5 year expense of $35,493. A 2008 Chevy Aveo, with only an initial cost of $15,447, has a 5 year cost of $33,320.
Edmund’s Cost to Own calculator looks at the cost of ownership over 5 years. Loss data by make and model (a bit outdated)
Inexpensive Cars and Safety Concerns
Sometimes people try to skimp on the cost by skimping on options, but those options can wind up preventing severe damage or injury.
In the case of the 2007-08 Yaris, a very fuel-friendly and inexpensive model, forgoing side airbags left potential for serious head, neck, chest, leg … basically, severe all over body damage. With side airbags? They received the highest rating. (Which is “Good” … seems a little anti-climatic, doesn’t it?) Those options might add a few hundred dollars onto your cost, but save you tremendously in the long run.
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety ratings can be found here
and National Highway Traffic Safety Admin results found here
ALL THAT SAID, I’m not living in a dreamworld where everyone has the $98,000.00 they need to pick up a Tesla Roadster. (Don’t I wish!) I can’t buy the car I really want, and sooner or later, I’ll have to look for one that they’ll let me drive away with.
Thankfully, there are some really inexpensive autos on the market that don’t pose major safety concerns and have comparable fuel efficiency, air pollution and carbon footprint measurements as higher cost, higher tech hybrids.
I’ll be updating this page from time to time with my current favorites, so you may want to bookmark it, or subscribe to the RSS Feed. Ooo, you could Stumble it too, if you like. ;)
Have fun shopping!
Hyundai Accent - $12,000
Hyundai Elantra - $16,000
Tags: autos, cheap, eco-friendly, fuel-efficient, good for the environment, safeShare This
By Hilary -- 0 comments
May 8th, 2008
While the Accent seats five, it is considered a “small car”. It’s noisy at fast speeds, but it also has good safety features for a car of this price and size.
I really prefer the SE with the sunroof package. Um, all because of the potential impact on gas … and emissions … and not even a little because it’s “the cool one”. Honestly. Even with the fun stuff added, you come away with a car that has a lot to offer and with the rebate going right now, it’ll cost you under $15,000.
If that’s more than you want to spend though, the GS can be scored - with upgraded audio, etc -for under $12,000. The GLS 4-door is also under $15,000.
Fuel-efficiency is best (27 mpg city/32 mpg highway) with a stick, but automatic (24 mpg city/ 33 mpg highway) for roughly $1000 more per model. Like many of the smaller cars, there are problems when it comes to taking a hit. Rear passenger tests only scored 3 starts for side collisions in the Accent. The rest were pretty good however, at 5s and 4s. Safety ratings can be seen here.
Standard features on all 3:
Dual front advanced airbags with OCS
Driver and Front Passenger Side-impact airbags
Side Air Curtains (front and rear passengers)
Tire Pressure Monitoring System
Child seat LATCH system
Front seatbelt pretensioners
Not (factory) available? Cruise control. I don’t get this, particularly with the other options they carry. Also not available? A rear wiper. (I have these on two cars and honestly use them maybe once a year, so I was very surprised to see people complaining about them.)
Each model has its own list of upgradeable options, even colors. If you like the Accent, but want more room, the Hyundai Elantra is also an inexpensive option.
[image source: Hyundai USA]
Tags: affordable, fuel-efficient, hyundai accent, seats 5, sunroofShare This
By Hilary -- 3 comments
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