Renewable Revolution

Automakers Take Notice – Data Points to Love Affair with Electric Cars

Some early research findings by the research division of Recargo, PlugInsights Research, offers a look into the maturing electric car market as car leases start to end for early adopters. (at link)
http://insideevs.com/automakers-take-notice-data-points-love-affair-electric-cars/



                                                                                             

Can the Electric Car Save Your Life?

Diana Vilibert
May 31, 2014

It’s been debated whether electric cars can help save the environment — but now, some experts are claiming a different benefit: your health.
                     


Released a few days ago, a new report from the Environmental Defense Fund and the American Lung Association in California made a strong case for electric cars as not just an environmental solution, but a health-related one. With transportation contributing almost 70 percent of smog-forming gases and 40 percent of California’s climate change pollution every year, the authors stated that some of the many impacts of pollution include an increased risk of asthma attacks, heart attacks, cardiovascular disease, respiratory ailments, cancer, and shortened lifespan—adding that air pollution has been estimated by the California Air Resources Board to cause 9,200 deaths in California per year. Other recent research actually estimates that approximately 21,000 deaths per year in California are caused by roadway pollution.

The report states that the transition to electric cars can have a big impact on the health of California’s residents, “creating billions of dollars in annual economic benefits in the form of fewer missed work days and fewer hospital visits.” Namely:

• Savings of $8.3 billion in pollution-related health costs 

• Prevention of 600 heart attacks and 880 premature deaths caused by air pollution 

• Prevention of 38,000 asthma attacks and almost 75,000 lost work day 


In other words, the impact could be life-saving, particularly for the 80 percent of California’s population that lives in areas defined as having unhealthy air, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Residents living near highways and busy roads are particularly impacted by tailpipe pollutants, with asthma, lung cancer, heart attacks, strokes, and heart disease all exacerbated by carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds, sulfur oxides, and nitrogen oxides in the air.


The potential monetary savings are also huge, according to the report:


…And that’s just based on only 11.3 to 18.8 percent of California’s cars converting to running on carbon-free or low-polluting fuels.   

This isn’t just a California issue, however. Though California, home to more than 30 million, vehicles ranks first in terms of the amount of energy used for transportation, other states aren’t too far behind:



Would you make the switch to an electric vehicle for the health benefits?  

Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/can-the-electric-car-save-your-life.html#ixzz33RTZX7GR

US Department of Energy Info on Hybrid and Plug-In Electric Vehicles

"Are electric drive vehicles safe?
HEVs, PHEVs, and EVs undergo the same rigorous safety testing as conventional vehicles sold in the United States and must meet the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. In addition, their battery packs are encased in sealed shells and meet testing standards that subject batteries to conditions such as overcharge, vibration, extreme temperatures, short circuit, humidity, fire, collision, and water immersion. Manufacturers also design vehicles with insulated high-voltage lines and safety features that deactivate electric systems when they detect a collision or short circuit.

For additional electric drive vehicle safety information, refer to the AFDC’s Maintenance and Safety of Hybrid, Plug-In Hybrid, and All-Electric Vehicles page (www.afdc.energy.gov/afdc/vehicles/electric_maintenance.html).


How do maintenance requirements compare to those of conventional vehicles?
Because HEVs and PHEVs have internal combustion engines, their maintenance requirements are comparable to conventional vehicles. The electrical system (battery, motor, and associated electronics) doesn’t require the same scheduled maintenance. Due to the use of regenerative braking, brake systems on these vehicles typically last longer than those on conventional vehicles.

EVs typically require less maintenance  than conventional vehicles because:
• They have fewer moving parts
• Regenerative braking reduces brake wear
• Their electrical systems don’t require frequent maintenance.

Drivers of EVs and PHEVs will soon have access to thousands of charging stations across the country. "

http://www.afdc.energy.gov/pdfs/52723.pdf

http://www.nhtsa.gov/About+NHTSA/Press+Releases/DOT+Proposes+New+Minimum+Sound+Requirements+for+Hybrid+and+Electric+Vehicles


Agelbert NOTE:The main problem of EVs, from the point of view of the US Department of Transportation, is that they are too quiet.    There is concern for rising EV on bicyclist accidents because of this and new regs are being proposed since January of 2013.

U.S. Department of Transportation Proposes New Minimum Sound Requirements for Hybrid and Electric Vehicles

I want an EV!  

261 Miles Per Gallon! Volkswagen Introduces Most Efficient Car Ever

SustainableBusiness.com News

Demonstrating that it's possible to produce really high mileage cars, Volkswagen has produced a diesel-electric plug-in hybrid that gets 261 miles per gallon (mpg) - the most efficient car ever made.

The 2-seater can make it from NY to Washington DC on just one gallon of gas, while emitting a tiny fraction of the greenhouse gases of the average US car. It spews out 34 grams of carbon for every mile driven, compared to 340 grams for a conventional car. And even the average all-electric car gets about half the mileage.

New fuel economy standards in the US that require 54 mpg by 2025 will cut those emissions in half. Europe has an even higher goal of 65 mpg.




Volkswagen 261 mpg XL 1

 Volkswagen's XL 1 is now at car dealers in Germany and Austria, but only in a limited edition run of 250 vehicles. About 50 have sold so far for a pricey $150,000.   

Giving us a glimpse of the car of the future, XL 1 combines a very light, aerodynamic body that weighs half of a typical car with  smaller tires and a turbo-charged, smaller engine. It can travel 31 miles in all-electric mode.     

Although diesel cars haven't taken off in the US, they are a third more efficient and release much less carbon emissions. Until recently, however, they did emit high levels of nitrogen oxides - which cause smog - but that's been cleaned up to meet air standards in the US and Europe. While it costs more to fill up with diesel gas in the US, it costs less in Europe.

 40 diesels models are available in the US and more are coming, according to the Diesel Technology Forum. The market will double and could even triple, Allen Schaeffer, executive director, told InsideClimate News. 

Volkswagen's first all-electric cars are the e-Up! and an electric Golf. 14 electric models go on sale this year and if demand is strong, VW says it will roll out as many as 40 hybrids and electrics.  

Last year, Volkswagen led the auto industry on the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, which evaluates companies based on social and environmental criteria. Its Chattanooga Solar Park is the only LEED-Platinum auto factory.   



Here's a description of the Volkswagen's XL 1 from the company: 

 
Website: www.volkswagen.co.uk/about-us/futures/xl1
http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/index.cfm/go/news.display/id/25777

Agelbert NOTE: Remember all those "urban legends" we have been hearing (those among of us who are Oldy Goldies of course  )  for a good 40 years about super efficient carburetors and 200 MPG designs that big oil has kept off the market by hook or by crook? Five will get ya ten they are true! Henry Ford's first production model got 26 MPG! Do you REALLY think they needed 100 YEARS to improve the gas mileage? GIVE ME A ****ING BREAK! 

Another day, another century of fleecing by BIG OIL! 
 Have a nice day.

Keep bending over for big oil or sign here!

And now, some good news: 

ANOTHER kind of EV that will be, if things go correctly, THE main form of transportation (and FREE as well! ) in all the cities of the planet soon. I have enough imagination to see how EASY (think of the conveyor belts at airports) it would be to also set up a solar powered network of underground movement for goods, from the factory to the stores (less TRUCKS!).

For those who don't think it's "impractical", look up the AVERAGE speed of commuter traffic in the city with your POV. It's really rather stupid and extremely wasteful to drive a big machine that CAN go very fast but DOESN'T REALLY DO SO IN THE REAL WORLD. Ski lifts and Gondolas work quite well without a ski resort, thank you very much.   

Solar-powered Gondola Saving Clean Mountain Air in Colorado

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2014/07/solar-powered-gondola-saving-clean-mountain-air-in-colorado
 

Nissan, Mitsubishi Partner Up For Ultra-Affordable $14,000 Electric Car

The partnerships of all electric vehicle partnerships has been officially created.

Nissan is partnering 50:50 with Mitsubishi on a joint venture with one goal: to develop a minicar-based electric vehicle with release of the new model set for Fiscal Year 2016 (April 1, 2016 through March 31, 2017).

Both Nissan and Mitsubishi promise that this co-developed electric car will be sold for the lowest price among major automakers when it hits the market.

The plan is that Nissan and Mitsubishi will work hand-in-hand on this EV.  Key components such as batteries will be procured through the economies of scale of two automakers combined.

It’ll be an electric minicar and we’re not yet sure if it’ll be sold in the US.

However, it’s hinted that the price in Japan will 1.5 million yen ($14,614 USD) including subsidies, or approximately the same as a compact ICE sells for in Japan.  For comparison, the Mitsubishi i-MiEV sells for a base MSRP of 2.52 million yen ($24,300 USD) prior to subsidies in Japan.  Or 1.78 million yen when subsidies are factored in.

No further details are available at this time on the minicar electric coming from Nissan-Mitsubishi.
http://insideevs.com/nissan-mitsubishi-team-ultra-affordable-electric-car/

First Zero-Emissions All-Electric BYD Bus Launches in Brazil

2014-04-04    Author：    Source：www.chinabuses.org

Summarize：Fetranspor and Rio Bus, the public transportation companies for the state and city of Rio,Brazil, and BYD, a Chinese company with leading technologies on batteries and electric vehicles, joined together at the opening ceremonies for the launch of the BYD 100% electric bus this week. This is the first pure-electric bus to launch in Rio and is running now on line 249 (Water-Santa Carioca) operated by Matias, the leader of the Consortium Internorte.

www.chinabuses.org: Fetranspor and Rio Bus, the public transportation companies for the state and city of Rio,Brazil, and BYD, a Chinese company with leading technologies on batteries and electric vehicles, joined together at the opening ceremonies for the launch of the BYD 100% electric bus this week. This is the first pure-electric bus to launch in Rio and is running now on line 249 (Water-Santa Carioca) operated by Matias, the leader of the Consortium Internorte.

 

First Zero-Emissions All-Electric BYD Bus Launches in Brazil


“The partnership with Fetranspor will be important to showcase its economical and environmental benefits and help to develop the market for low carbon buses.”The partnership, which aims to test the bus on a regular line for one month, has the support from the City Government through the City Department of Transportation, and the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group (a network of megacities committed to taking actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions) and is currently chaired by Mayor of Rio de Janeiro Eduardo Paes.


Participants attending the launch ceremony included Lelis Marcos Teixeira, President of Fetranspor; Joao Augusto Monteiro, Chairman of Rio Bus, Roberto Carlos Ozorio, Municipal Secretary of Transportation, Julio Lopes, Secretary of State for Transport of Rio De Janeiro, Stella Li, BYD Motors President, Cristina Mendonca, City Director for C40 in Rio de Janeiro, Vagner Rigon, Sales Vice President of BYD Brasil. Authorities and journalists were able to ride on the electrical bus during its first drive.


Rio is one of the three cities in Brazil to test the 100% electric buses from BYD (São Paulo and Salvador have done successful tests already). The Operation Manager for Mobility at Fetranspor, Guilherme Wilson said that, “the electric buses are no longer just a promise; the electrical technology is a major innovation in the urban mobility sector. In addition, this vehicle has zero emissions, superior durability and lower operating costs, all considerable advantages towards sustainability.”


Companies in Rio have tested some types of buses before, like hybrids, diesel from sugar cane, biodiesel, also CNG buses. The pioneering favored this new partnership. "Fetranspor is a great reference for testing new energy buses in public transportation and the segment in Rio de Janeiro is a model for many cities in the country,” said Vagner Rigon, Sales Vice President of BYD do Brasil. “The partnership with Fetranspor will be important to showcase its economical and environmental benefits and help to develop the market for low carbon buses.”


Besides Brazil, the 100% electric bus has been tested since 2011 in several cities around the world such as Los Angeles and New York (USA), Bogota (COL), London (GB), Copenhagen (DEN) and Oranjestad (Aruba). BYD is testing the buses under different traffic and road conditions, terrain, elevations and temperatures to improve bus design.

http://www.chinabuses.org/news/2014/0404/article_8003.html

Georgia dealers want Tesla store shuttered for selling too many Teslas