Clean Fleet Reporthybrid & electric cars smart charged with renewable energy
THINK City EV Test Drive
The THINK City EV for the U.S. is a 2 seat, 2-door hatchback. THINK got adequate acceleration on city streets, even in its range extending Eco mode. My brief test drive did not include steep hills or entering a freeway. Acceleration did not come close to my Mitsubishi iMiEV test drive; on a freeway, I would have acceleration concerns. THINK already has 1,700 of its new generation EVs on the road in northern Europe. As THINK prepares for U.S. manufacturing, it is in discussions with a number of U.S. fleets.
Solar Energy’s 33 Percent Annual Growth will Accelerate
Solar energy growth continues its strong growth. For the 30 years from 1979 to 2009, solar energy has grown 33 % CAGR (compound average growth rate). For this decade, over 40 percent is forecast. Although 2009 was hurt by a sever recession and difficulty in financing large projects, most additional power brought online in the United States, Europe, and much of Asia was renewables. 32 GW of solar power is installed globally; 7.2 GW was installed last year. I joined 2,500 conference attendees at Intersolar North America, that develop this progress report, especially about solar in the 100kWh to 20 MW hour category.
DOT Reports Climate Action from Electric Cars to Public Transportation
A wealth of potential solutions, from electric cars, to better transit, to reduced VMT, are detailed in the recent Department of Transportation’s report to Congress. Not only is the report rich with promising climate action, solutions are detailed to address U.S. energy security, with 97 percent of our transportation coming from one source – petroleum. The United States is starting to reduce its total consumption of oil, become a bit more energy secure, and to implement promising strategies. By eliminating some of the biggest subsidies to oil and widening of highways, with some positive policy shifts, and with a modest carbon price, we could achieve significant reduction of oil use and reduce damaging emissions. Individuals, fleets, and regions have a wealth of options.
Car Sharing + Ride Sharing = Saves Thousands per Person
Ride sharing has long been a popular way to commute to work; people save money, have some company, and travel faster in high-occupancy lanes. More recently, sharing cars by the hour has allowed hundreds of thousands to free themselves from the $8,000 per year cost of owning a car. Zipcar, the world’s largest car sharing provider announced a partnership with Zimride, the world’s leading social online ride sharing community.
Ford Transit Connect Electric Test Drive
Fleet managers of utilities, universities, and city delivery will be evaluating this new battery-electric truck. As I turn and accelerate on the busy city street, the vehicle is silent. I cannot even hear the electric motor. Zero to 60 in 11 seconds is nothing to brag about, but the acceleration was adequate on the level street. By partnering with Azure and JCS, Ford will be one of the first to delivery commercial freeway-speed electric vehicles in the United States.
USPS may buy 20,000 Hybrid and Electric Vehicles
Most of the 220,000 U.S. Postal Service vehicles only travel 20 to 25 miles per day making them a good match with the range of an electric vehicle. Hundreds of stops make hybrids and electrics ideal for capturing braking energy and regenerating the batteries. A bill is now being debated in Congress, the American Electric Vehicle Manufacturing Act, that would enable the USPS to have 20,000 vehicles with electric drive systems, including 2,000 pure battery-electric.
Ford Transit Connect 80-mile range Electric Delivery Truck
Ford Motor Company unveiled the all-electric version of the Ford Transit Connect – the 2010 North American Truck of the Year – at the Chicago Auto Show and confirmed the zero-emissions small van will be in fleet operators’ hands later this year. The 2011 Transit Connect Electric will use a Force Drive electric powertrain manufactured and integrated by Azure Dynamics who has built electric delivery truck drive systems for the U.S. Post Office, Purolator Courier, and Fed Ex.
Ford U.S. Market Share Passes Toyota
Higher sales for every brand and in every product category propelled Ford to a 24 percent sales increase in January versus a year ago. Ford captured a 16.4 percent of the U.S. market, up from 14 percent in January 2009. Ford took the #2 spot from Toyota who is suffering from a massive recall and lawsuits related to braking problems. Toyota’s January share fell to 14.2 percent, from 17.9 last January. GM remains #1 in the U.S. at 21 percent, up from 19.6 last January.
Six Good Reasons to Use Transit
Buses, trains, car-sharing, carpools – whatever form it takes, shared transportation can give a big assist to car-free or car-lite living. Worldwide, transit plays a huge role in moving the human race. Even in car-dependent countries like the U.S., millions of people ride transit. All this travel has a range of advantages over using cars. Read this book excerpt by Katie Alvord.
San Jose’s Personal Rapid Transit
As London readies for record numbers for the 2012 Olympic Games, Heathrow airport is installing a personal rapid transit in the form of six seat cars that take you from terminal to parking garage on dedicated pathways. By 2015, San Jose plans to have a more extensive PRT system that connects major hubs within two miles of the airport including connections to VTA bus rapid transit, Caltrain rail to Silicon Valley and San Francisco, major hotels, major employers, and the Kiss N Ride lot. By the end of the decade, connections will be added to BART and the new 800 mile California High-Speed Rail system.
