And the winner for the best sustainable vehicle infrastructure in America is…Seattle? Last week, the World Electric Vehicle Association (WEVA) honored Seattle Mayor Gregory J. Nickels, for the town’s commitment to developing clean, efficient and sustainable modes of transportation. This prestigious award was given during the 24th International Electric Vehicle Symposium in Stravanger, Norway. Other winners of the E-Visionary Award were London Mayor Boris Johnson and Osaka Prefecture in Japan.
Why the surprise? Well, in my somewhat narrow world, the two cities I always hear about that are leading the way in developing electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure are San Francisco and Portland. And wouldn’t you know it, the mayors, Gavin Newsom, San Francisco, and Sam Adam, Portland, of these two fine towns have been engaging in a verbal repartee on this very site. Read the rest of this entry »
The Volkswagen Golf was chosen as the 2009 World Car of the Year at the New York International Auto Show by a jury of 59 international automotive journalists.
“It is a tremendous honor for Volkswagen to have its global best selling model, the Golf, named the 2009 World Car of the Year. This is a great way to kick-off the new Golf here in America. We’re excited for the arrival of the sixth generation Golf, which will be in Volkswagen showrooms later this year. Simply put, we believe this is the best Golf ever.” - Stefan Jacoby, President/CEO, Volkswagen of America, Inc
First International Electric Motocross Sets Guinness World Records And Only Cost $100 To Power All 10 Dirt Bikes For 24 Hours.
History was made this past weekend at the 24 Hours of Electricross race when 10 teams, of over 50 competitors, raced for a full-24-hours-straight only stopping to change out batteries and riders.
This first ever endurance competition set two Guinness World Records: one for largest electric motorcycle race, and the other for the furthest distance traveled on an all-electric off-road motorcycle in 24 hours. In total, more than 4,000 miles were completed around the half-mile track.
Fiat’s new concept buggy, the Bugster, with what I would call an Eco Green paint job, is going to be making its world debut at the Sao Paulo Motor show in Brazil between October 30th and November 10th.
The vehicle has been developed by the Italian firms’s automotive engineering division in Brazil and features a zero-emission electric engine.
Showcasing a body made out of renewable natural fibers, it’s no wonder Fiat chose environmentally ravaged Brazil, to show of it’s futuristic green legs.
The vehicle, with a high powered clean-diesel engine capable of running on biodiesel, will display a robust collection of world-class technological and design enhancements, including an ergonomically correct cockpit inspired by jet fighters.
The Carbon ‘E7’ – the temporary program code used until the law enforcement community selects a vehicle name – represents the next generation of law enforcement technology as the first vehicle in history designed and engineered from the ground up and bumper-to-bumper specifically for law enforcement operations.
Editor’s Note: This post is a guest contribution by Adam Shake.
The symbiosis between cars and chemically-produced biofuels is growing closer as Ford Motor Company and DOW Chemical Company announced plans yesterday to hold a National Convention to discuss the future of manufacturing, technology, energy and the environment.
Ford Motor Co. Executive Chairman Bill Ford and Dow Chemical Co. Chairman and Chief Executive Andrew Liveris are scheduled to discuss “The National Summit,” which will take place June 15-17 2009, at Ford Field, the home of the Detroit Lions.
“The United States can no longer afford to take economic leadership for granted,” Ford said in a statement issued Monday by the economic club. “The National Summit offers a rare opportunity for leaders to come together to address the issues that impact our global competitiveness.”
DOW Chemical, who may be best known for its supply of Agent Orange to the U.S. Military during the Vietnam War, also made Chlorpyrifos, marketed as Dursban. Dursban was a home and garden insecticide (now banned for home use) and is also a nerve toxin that has been associated with reproductive and developmental toxicity. One study claims that Dow has contributed to 80% of the Chlorpyrifos burden of the United States.
GM’s Equinox Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicle Makes a stop at the International Trade Center, and I get a first hand look. The car costs approximately 1.5 million dollars to produce, and by General Motors estimates, wouldn’t be available for sale for another 10 to 15 years.
Editor’s Note: This post is a guest contribution by Adam Shake.
It was an overcast Friday morning in Washington D.C., and stepping off the Metro at the Federal Triangle stop in Washington D.C., I had been thinking about how Global Warming was contributing to the strength of Hurricane Hannah. Hurricane Ike was right on her coat tails, and looked to be like one of the largest Hurricanes on record.
Rounding the corner of the International Trade Center to enter the building from Pennsylvania Avenue, I saw an S.U.V. parked on the plaza with a small shelter positioned near it. Inside the shelter were stacks of brochures and four people standing beneath it, staying out of the impending rain.
Intrigued, I stepped over to the vehicle to have a closer look. The doors were open, showing a spacious interior and well designed dash board. The vehicle was running, and idling quietly as I stuck my head into the front seat, inhaling that new car smell. Read the rest of this entry »
You look west to see a barren landscape, tumbleweed breezing lazily through the charred remains of a forest. The rust laden skeleton of what used to be a city echoes the promise of a future long gone. You are fighting out your days amidst gunfire and tribal warfare in armor composed of animal fur and long deserted hockey pads. Ironically water isn’t the most important liquid on the planet that spins where the Earth once spun. You begin to wash the grease smears off your face in a shallow pool…
…oh wait, am I jumping the gun here?
While our gas crises hasn’t quite reached ‘Mad Max’ proportions yet, things are close enough that the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers will make this September “Green Check-Up Month.” After countless years of making oversized and inefficient autos, Ford and Chevy are now going to tell us how to save gas.
Now that you know when it is and what it’s called, I’ll tell you a bit about what it is. Firstly, it’s a bit of a misnomer. Hybrid Fest isn’t really all about hybrids. I know this because my website is a sponsor this year, and we’re definitely not all about hybrids.
So what is HF really? It’s a get together with tons of green car enthusiasts, including hybrid owners, biodiesel producers, ecomodders, and everyone else. The show will be kicked off early on Friday with a fuel economy competition and then get down and dirty on Saturday and Sunday with speeches, discussions, hybrid test drives, and a whole host of other goodies you can find out about on the website. HF will also be a time for companies to show off new green tech, including some of the big guns like GM and Toyota, but also many smaller companies working on things like plug-in hybrid conversions. Read the rest of this entry »
For anyone who’s interested and in the area, on July 20th the second annual Clean Air Car Show in South Pasadena will be highlighting auto manufacturers with hybrids and low emissions vehicles, along with the next generation of these and other alternative energy vehicles.
Since California is the largest market for hybrids and other low emissions vehicles, the show should be full of new models trying to capture this large Southern California market. For more information, see the press release:
(South Pasadena, CA) - The City of South Pasadena, in association with State Senator Gilbert Cedillo and Assemblymember Anthony Portantino, will once again present its free Clean-Air Car Show and Film Festival on Sunday, July 20, 2008. The success of last year’s inaugural event demonstrated that the public is eager to learn about the new technologies that can lead to cleaner, more healthful air for people and pets, help reduce our nation’s dependence on foreign oil, address growing concerns over global warming, and strengthen our national and economic security. Like last year, the show will be part of an effort to promote cleaner, more efficient alternatives to the gasoline-powered internal combustion engine by showcasing emerging alternatives like Hybrid, Plug-in Hybrid, Electric, Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), Ethanol, and Biodiesel vehicles. Read the rest of this entry »
Gas 2.0 digs into the viscous world of biofuels and the fast-paced transit arena, exploring the technologies and substances that are the future of transportation.
For anyone who’s interested and in the area, on July 20th the second annual 
