Posts Tagged Global Warming
Coda: a New Electric Car for California
Posted by Jeffrey in General News, Green Cars on June 8th, 2009
It looks like someone else is jumping into the electric vehicle market. The company is called CODA. The car will be built in China and will be sold only in California beginning next year. Looks a bit plain, but at least the EV choices keep expanding.
Like everyone else, the manufacturer is shooting for the 100-mile range.. Despite being painfully similar to a lot of other things going on in the EV scene, the CEO of Coda says, “The Coda sedan is an all-electric vehicle for everyone. It’s a practical revolution for real drivers who need reliable transportation.” Here are some of the specs:
- 90-100 mile range on a full charge
- 0-60 mph in under 11 seconds
- Full recharge in 6 hours with 220v outlet
- Electronically limited to 80 mph
- Company expects to get a five-star safety rating
The price? $45,000. However, with California State subsidies, the real price will likely be in the mid-$30,000s, which is on par with the Chevy Volt.
Hopefully China won’t demand that spyware be installed in the car!
I need to reduce my ecological footprint!
Posted by Jeffrey in General News on June 4th, 2009
If everyone on the Earth lived like me, we would need five planets to sustain it! That’s my result for the Ecological Footprint Quiz I just took by Center for Sustainable Economy.
This survey goes in quite a bit of detail. It breaks down your footprint into four categories: carbon, food, housing, and goods and services. You can compare how each aspect of your lifestyle stacks up against national averages. And, of course, they provide tips on how you can reduce your footprint!
Check it out and see what your ecological footprint is!
Norwegian Think Car to be manufactured in Portland, OR?
Posted by Jeffrey in General News, Green Cars on May 28th, 2009
I like to think of the Pacific Northwest as leaders in the green vehicle movement. Soon, we may have Norwegian’s Think! EV built in Portland to give us some serious green credibility.
Reports began in April that Think North America could use an old Freightliners plant in Portland, OR to bring it’s small EV to the United States. The move would not only provide about 900 jobs to the area, but Oregon seems keen on using the partnership to explore building an EV infrastructure with charging stations. (Think is also talking with several other states, so no final decision has been made yet.)
What is Th!nk?
From the official Th!nk city page:
TH!NK city demands very little of you. In fact, not much more than a mobile phone. Just an overnight power top-up, and it’s ready to go in the morning.
TH!NK city is a modern urban car. With zero local emissions and an energy efficiency three times that of a traditional combustion engine car, it is a car for the environment. And it is a fun car for you. A choice of sodium or lithium batteries allows you to accommodate your car to your driving style, travelling up to 180 kilometres in one charge, with a top speed of 100km/h. Driving a silent car will give you a totally new experience.
It is a 100% electric vehicle that is currently being sold in Europe. It’s a two-seater, but has the option for two more smaller back seats. It is not only safe, but is made in an evironmentally-responsible manner, and it is made to be recycled at the end of its life. (Full specifications here.)
Bad Appliance! - How to monitor electricty usage.
Posted by admin in Tools & Toys on May 3rd, 2009
It’s no secret that appliances around the house are constantly gobbling down electricity: that TV may be off, but it’s still plugged in, right? Is the refrigerator working overtime? How’s that old freezer in the garage doing? Being an appliance detective is easier than you think thanks to a number of tools readily available.
To really get a hold of your energy usage, your first stop should be your electricity bill. Here’s a sample bill, but depending on your electricity provider, it will look different. The key part is the bar graph. This will give you a good overview of what your power usage trends are. If you have electric heat, you would expect to see your power usage increase in the winter when you need to heat your home more.
However, just looking at your electric bill won’t tell you which appliances are using the most energy. There are several tools out there to help you approximate what is normal for an appliance (such as this one), but these tools are only simplified guesses.
If you want to really reign in misbehaving appliances, then co
nsider something like the Kill A Watt EZ, (which we sell at The Green Car Company).
There are several tools like this, and each varies in features and price. This particular model retails for $49.95 ($29.95 for it’s little brother, the Kill A Watt). They are very simple to use: plug them into an outlet, then plug the appliance into the device. It will keep track of how much electricity the appliance uses and provide cost forecasts. If you’re considering an electric vehicle, then this is definitely something you will want so you can keep track of how much money it is saving you in fuel costs!
Increasing Fuel Efficiency with a Plug-In Hybrid
Posted by admin in Green Cars on April 11th, 2009
NPR’s Morning Edition recently spoke with Green Car Company owner Susan Fahnestock about what kind of fuel efficiency you can get with a plug-in hybrid. A U.S. Department of Energy report found that plug-in hybrids were showing only a little more than 50 mpg. when the vehicles are actually capable of much more.
Susan explained that plug-in hybrid drivers need to know how to drive in a manner that maximizes fuel efficiency. While it’s hard to shrug at 50 mpg, 80, 90, or even 100 mpg can mean incredible savings on fuel.
First thing you need to do is get rid of your lead foot. Accelerating quickly will cause the gas engine to engage. At 20 mph the electric motor is sufficient. Susan says to pretend like there is an egg under your foot, and if you hit it too hard, the egg will break.
Secondly, resist peer pressure. While you may feel pressured to keep up with other drivers, don’t feel obligated. It’s a balance between driving safely and operating the car so that it uses the battery to the greatest advantage.
If you’d like to tryout a plug-in Prius, we’d love to show you how! Visit our company site to see what’s available and how to contact us.
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