What is the future of fuel? What's new? What's next? Since 2007, Gas 2 has covered a rapidly changing world coming to terms with its oil addiction.
Designed and built in 1894 the Electrobat was a small version of a battery streetcar, it was a slow, heavy, impractical vehicle with steel tires to support the immense weight of its large lead battery. But it did lead to the Morris & Salom Electric Carriage and Wagon Company, the first electric car company in America.
About Jerry James StoneJerry is a web developer, part-time blogger and a full-time environmentalist. His crusade for all things eco started twenty years ago when he ditched his meat-and-potatoes upbringing for something more vegetarian-shaped.
He currently works at Care2 and also blogs over at Treehugger. His passions include green tech, eco politics and smart green design. And while he doesn't own a car anymore, he loves to write about those too.
Jerry studied at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, CA. During his time there he was a DJ at the campus station KCPR and he also wrote for the campus paper.
Jerry currently resides in San Francisco, CA with his cat Lola.
You can stalk him on Twitter @jerryjamesstone.
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No real surprises here…
We have the same concepts once again…
No real surprises here…
We have the same concepts once again…
No real surprises here…
We have the same concepts once again…
Very nice article, we start again the electrical race!!!
Very nice article, we start again the electrical race!!!
Very nice article, we start again the electrical race!!!
What we are seeing here are ideas that came out way before their time, particularly regarding electric cars. Back in the late 19th/early 20th centuries there was no significant electric grid across the country and thus no way electric cars could be an every day practical vehicle outside of certain limited urban areas. Even within urban areas there was no recharging infrastructure whatsoever. Another factor was their cost. As an example, a 1918 Detroit Electric cost around $3,000 as opposed to $400 for a 1918 Model T Ford. By the time the U.S. electrical infrastructure as well as technological advancements in electronics had matured the internal combustion engine had taken over as the powerplant of choice. The current “perfect storm” of high energy prices, advanced technology, more electricity distribution infrastructure have combined to make the electric car a truly practical alternative today. As should be expected, the electric car (in both hybrid and pure electric forms) is becoming more commonplace. We can expect this pattern to continue the process that began such a long time ago with such distinguished pioneers. I salute those early pioneers and eagerly anticipate the future development of electric transportation alternatives.
What we are seeing here are ideas that came out way before their time, particularly regarding electric cars. Back in the late 19th/early 20th centuries there was no significant electric grid across the country and thus no way electric cars could be an every day practical vehicle outside of certain limited urban areas. Even within urban areas there was no recharging infrastructure whatsoever. Another factor was their cost. As an example, a 1918 Detroit Electric cost around $3,000 as opposed to $400 for a 1918 Model T Ford. By the time the U.S. electrical infrastructure as well as technological advancements in electronics had matured the internal combustion engine had taken over as the powerplant of choice. The current “perfect storm” of high energy prices, advanced technology, more electricity distribution infrastructure have combined to make the electric car a truly practical alternative today. As should be expected, the electric car (in both hybrid and pure electric forms) is becoming more commonplace. We can expect this pattern to continue the process that began such a long time ago with such distinguished pioneers. I salute those early pioneers and eagerly anticipate the future development of electric transportation alternatives.
Great post and a nice flashback to the past.
It is good to see how much things have changed, this time, it seems for the better.
We need to have a special sections on collectible EVs.
The Electricnick.com team with the Electric Car Examiner
Great post and a nice flashback to the past.
It is good to see how much things have changed, this time, it seems for the better.
We need to have a special sections on collectible EVs.
The Electricnick.com team with the Electric Car Examiner
Great post and a nice flashback to the past.
It is good to see how much things have changed, this time, it seems for the better.
We need to have a special sections on collectible EVs.
The Electricnick.com team with the Electric Car Examiner
Since I have had a Prius beginning in November of 2006 and it just got to 140,000 miles with nothing but regular changes of oil! Being a person that likes speed and the tollway, the fact that I only get 40 mpg is still better than any car I have ever had..None could come close or stay in fine shape as mine has, (knock on wood) and I would love to get a newer one, but even that seems stupid. Don’t want to change horses in mid-stream!
Most people that ask about it seem totally confused on how it works! It is not pure electric, as a matter of fact on the tollway the electric only assists if the cruise falls to fast for the engine to catch up. However, on a good day and terrain being just right, I have driven five miles without the gasoline kicking it, it isn’t fast doing that and requires a very tender feel of the pedal! But to drive that distance and have the screen on the dash be stuck at 99.9 mpg is rather a good feeling..