Most of us drive vehicles powered with internal combustion engines. Tiny explosions in cylinders cause shafts to turn which deliver power to wheels. Energy is stored in liquid fuel, most often gasoline or diesel.

Electric vehicles use electric motors not internal combustion engines. You can probably find a number of smaller electric motors in your house running everything from the washing machine to the garbage disposal. You might also have a cordless power tool that you charge and then run with power from the internal battery. electric cars use the same approach. Plug in to charge the batteries and then drive away.

Although many people will be happy with the electric vehicle choices now offered, others would want more range, larger vehicles, and lower prices. All this is increasingly possible through steady advancements being made with battery and energy storage.

Early electric vehicles used lots of lead-acid batteries. Gasoline cars only need one lead-acid battery to power the radio and other accessories. Electric vehicles need far more battery power to provide a steady stream of electricity to an electric motor or motors. Lead-acid batteries are less expensive than more modern batteries, but they take up too much room and add too much weight to electric vehicles.

Nickel metal hydride has been the battery chemistry of choice for hybrid-electric vehicles. These batteries often deliver twice the power per weight over lead-acid. Nickel metal hydride costs more than lead-acid, but less than lithium batteries.

Lithium batteries often deliver twice the power per weight compared with nickel metal hydride, and at least four times lead-acid. Because lithium batteries cost more, they are not used in most hybrid vehicles. Lithium batteries are the energy storage of choice for electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids. Taking limited space on the vehicle, enough lithium batteries can be used to deliver 15 to 300 miles of travel only using the energy stored in the batteries. With more batteries large and heavy buses and delivery trucks run over 100 miles using only battery-stored energy.

The lithium batteries in the new electric vehicles are similar to the lithium batteries used in your notebook computers and mobile phones. Because millions of lithium batteries are manufactured daily, battery costs have dropped. To deal with the high cost of lithium batteries, some automakers use kits that integrate thousands of consumer-size lithium batteries.

When you store a lot of energy in a small place, there is the potential for fires and explosions. Every year people die from gasoline fires that started when someone crashed. Under some circumstances, batteries can also catch fire and even explode. Lithium can be vulnerable to thermal runaways, and although there is no evidence that electric vehicles are less safe than their gasoline cousins, safety is a concern.

Hundreds of lithium battery makers have developed sophisticated chemical combinations to make their batteries safer and deliver more for the money. Lithium batteries are used with special cathodes made of nanophosphate, lithium nanotitanate, manganese titanium, and other combinations of chemicals as companies optimize some batteries for quick acceleration, others for more range, and always for longer battery life and better safety.

Another type of energy storage is ultracapacitors, which are very efficient at storing energy, such as energy from braking, and delivering energy over brief periods of time. Some hybrid buses that stop at every corner use ultracapacitors, not batteries. Some power tools use combinations of ultracapacitors and lithium batteries to get the best of both. General Motors is evaluating using both ultracapacitors and lithium batteries in future generations of cars.

There are a number of other battery chemistries that can be found in specialty vehicles — from nickel cadmium to nickel salt. Currently vehicle makers are focused on three battery types, depending on whether they just need to power a few accessories or build a hybrid or build a battery electric vehicle – lead-acid, nickel metal hydride, and lithium. Somewhere in the future, a new form of energy storage may replace all three.

Get your discounted paperback or eBook copy of Save Gas, Save the Planet at Amazon. Gain a comprehensive understanding of electric cars, low-carbon fuels, and sustainable transportation.

Electric Car -How Does It Work? is a post from: Clean Fleet Report

By John Addison (updated 9/17/11; original 8/26/11)

The new 2012 Toyota Camry family of sedans offer improved fuel economy and more for the money. The new Camry Hybrid delivers a combined 41 miles-per-gallon (mpg), soaring past the current midsized sedan MPG leader, the Ford Fusion Hybrid.

The Camry is so popular that 15 million have been sold. It has been America’s best selling car for 9 years. Toyota has sold more than 3 million hybrids; more than all competitors combined. Toyota announces its new seventh-generation Camry family as a bold, sophisticated new design with a more spacious interior, class-leading safety features, improved driving dynamics and quieter ride than before.

The 2012 Camry Hybrid model features a highly revised Hybrid Synergy Drive powertrain that includes a new 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine, which produces a combined 200 horsepower and offers better MPG and lower price. The improved 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine is equipped with Variable Valve Timing with intelligence (VVT-i) for reduced noise and vibration levels. The impressive hybrid mileage is with a six-speed automatic transmission.

The Camry Hybrid LE not only delivers the best MPG of any mid-size sedan, achieving manufacturer-estimated 43 city/39 mpg highway/41mpg combined, but it will also carry a MSRP of $25,900, an impressive decrease of $1,150 compared to the 2011 model. The excellent fuel economy will not take long to pay for the $3,360 premium over the non-hybrid LE that delivers 28 mpg combined.

The LE has some distinguishing features. The LE model a new Display Audio system, which features a 6.1-inch touch screen that provides vehicle information and offers phone book access and music streaming via Bluetooth wireless technology. The LE model also includes remote keyless entry, auto on/off headlamps, side rocker panels with chrome inserts, steering wheel with audio and Bluetooth controls, and variable intermittent wipers.

The Camry XLE adds premium content with additional standard features like the all-new Display Audio, 17-inch alloy wheels, premium chrome exterior accents, heated outside mirrors, integrated chrome fog lamps, leather-wrapped steering wheel with integrated audio and Bluetooth controls, wood-style interior trim, dual-zone auto climate control with rear air vents and eight-way power driver seat. The premium Camry Hybrid XLE model features a MSRP of $27,400, a decrease of $800 compared to the previous model with upgrade package.

Better Mileage for non-hybrid Camry

“Despite all of the enhancements to the all-new Camry, prices for all popular models have been reduced with dramatic repositioning on SE, XLE and Hybrid models, representing the best value in the segment,” says Bob Carter, Toyota Group Vice President and General Manager. “Competing in the industry’s most competitive segment, we expect the Camry to continue as America’s best-selling car.”

The new Toyota Camry is powered with a 2.5L 4-cylinder engine produces 178 horsepower, an increase of nine horsepower, and 170 lbs-ft. of torque. Fuel economy is also improved with EPA estimated mpg ratings of 25 city/35 hwy/28 combined. All four-cylinder models are matched with six-speed automatic transmissions.

All 2012 Camrys are equipped with a class-leading 10 standard airbags, and like all Toyota models, the Camry will feature Toyota’s Star Safety System™ standard, which includes Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), Traction Control (TRAC), Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist. It also features the standard Smart Stop Technology brake-override system. An electronic tire pressure monitoring system is also standard.

Camry Hybrid Competition

Some will prefer the Camry SE to the Camry Hybrid to save about $3,400 and get better cargo flexibility. The Camry has a 60/40 fold-down back seat, handy when you’re hauling lots of shopping, sports equipment, school supplies, luggage and the rest. The Camry Hybrid only has a pass-thru space for skiis and boards.

If a mid-sized sedan is ideal for you, the Camry Hybrid offers better mileage than all competition. If you are open to a 5-door liftback, the Toyota Prius is now a family of four vehicles with exceptional mileage, passenger room, and valuable cargo flexibility with 60/40 fold-down back seat. Toyota Prius Family

If you’re willing to pay $7,000 more for a beautiful sedan, the Lincoln MKZ will surround you with premium features and still deliver 39 mpg. Its popular hybrid cousin, the Ford Fusion Hybrid is also worth a test drive. The new Camry Hybrid will prove to be tough competition for other well featured hybrid sedans including the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid, the Kia Optima Hybrid, and the Nissan Altima Hybrid.

The Camry and Camry Hybrid are made in Kentucky, where Toyota employs 7,000. Eighty percent of the parts are from U.S. suppliers. Toyota has invested $5.4 billion in plant and facilities and continues to invest to maintain its hybrid leadership.

10 Hybrids with Best Fuel Economy

2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid – Best MPG Sedan is a post from: Clean Fleet Report

By John Addison (8/22/11)

The new 2012 Subaru Impreza delivers the best mileage of any all-wheel drive vehicle sold in the U.S. – 27-mpg city and 36-mpg highway. Even the hybrid AWD from Ford and Lexus cannot touch this fuel economy. You don’t have to be a professional driver with a stick shift to get this mileage, the Impreza gets this mileage with its new CVT automatic transmission.

Remember last winter’s miserable roads and high gas prices. The Impreza addresses both with better mileage in 2012, more rear seat and cargo room, and new options.

Available as either a compact 5-door hatchback or 4-door sedan, the Impreza is designed to give the vehicle better traction by delivering power to all four wheels. The AWD handling is designed to get you to your snow board / ski resort in the winter, off-road hike and bike spots in the summer, and get to school and work when snow and ice intimidates other drivers. Unlike many compacts, the Impreza wheel wells give you adequate room to put on chains when required.

The new Subaru can save you hundreds of dollars annually in fuel costs with no increase in the base price of $17,495 for the sedan with a five-speed stick. A hatchback with automatic starts at $18,995. As with any car there is a delivery fee and appealing options. The price is suggested to the dealers. You get to shop and negotiate. Dealer sales are expected to start this November.

The 5-door hatchback is popular with people on the go, as I witnessed Saturday at a triathlon competition. Imprezas and other Subaru’s were being unloaded in both asphalt and gravel parking lots. Open the hatch, lower the back seat, and you can slide in a bicycle or two, camping gear, boards, equipment, you name it.

The new 2.0L BOXER engine makes this the most fuel-efficient AWD vehicle in the U.S.  With a huge 30% improvement over the 2011 Impreza, this new AWD delivers 148 horsepower. The new CVT transmission relieves the average driver from clutching and shifting. Paddle shifting is there for those who like to make quick shifts uphill, downhill, and when passing.

All Subaru models are AWD and all are Top Safety Picks by the IIHS. From symmetrical all-wheel drive to electronic anti-lock braking system, Subaru makes safety a priority. At 2,950 pounds, the  Impreza is not as heavy as the former AWD mileage champ the Ford Focus Hybrid 4WD and over $10,000 cheaper. Both vehicles score high on safety. The Escape has more weight; the Impreza, a lower center of gravity for control in the slippery curves.

Whether you are a first time car buyer, first time parent, or first time AWD buyer, the Impreza deserves a test drive from active drivers who want to be ready to go anywhere in challenging road conditions.

All-Wheel Drive Cars with Best Mileage

2012 Subaru Impreza the Best Mileage AWD is a post from: Clean Fleet Report

It’s Time to Lose Weight

Americans spend an extra $3 billion on fuel because vehicles are heavier than they were in 1960. The world’s drivers consume an extra 39 million gallons each year for each pound of added vehicle weight. The American Automobile Association’s (AAA) research shows that the annual average cost of driving a small sedan is $6,320 per year versus $10,448 for a four-wheel-drive mid-size SUV. Heavier vehicles result in lighter wallets.

Cars need to go on a diet. SUVs need a crash diet. A weight savings in the frame and body leads to other savings. A lightweight auto requires a smaller engine and powertrain, which in turn requires less fuel weight. The less a vehicle weighs, the less fuel is required.

Websites like fueleconomy.gov compare the mileage of various cars, trucks, and SUVs. For many models, the actual results of drivers are included.

Vehicles can be better designed. Minor reductions in weight and drag can improve fuel economy up to 50 percent for a cost of a couple of hundred bucks. Even heavyweight SUVs can be put on a diet. GM made its Tahoe’s body 400 pounds lighter by using aluminum hoods, tailgates, drive shafts, and bumper structures. The body was made more aerodynamic through wind tunnel studies. GM then saved more weight with new seat materials, electronic power steering, and a new hydraulic system.

In Europe, Volkswagen has sold diesel cars that get close to 80 mpg. These cars are smaller than United States offerings with lightweight powertrains.

Leave the heavy metal behind when you buy your next car. Your current vehicle is probably made with steel rather than lightweight aluminum. The average amount of aluminum used in European cars rose from 110 pounds in 1990 to almost 300 pounds by 2005. The two million tons of aluminum components put in European cars saved over 250 million gallons of fuel annually and 40 million tons of CO2 emissions over the lifespan of the vehicles. With the growing use of aluminum, composite materials, and aerodynamic design, we will see diesel cars delivering 100 miles per gallon and more if they are hybrid.

Using carbon fiber makes vehicles even lighter than aluminum. Carbon fiber requires half the weight of steel and improves protection of passengers and driver. My bicycle is carbon fiber, making it easier to get up hills. My golf clubs use carbon fiber; unfortunately, nothing can help my golf game.

One carbon fiber sports car, the Tesla Roadster, has been recognized with design awards from Time Magazine to Popular Mechanics. In announcing the awards for Best Product Design, BusinessWeek proclaimed, “The Tesla Roadster electric car took the gold with an exciting shape by the Lotus Design Studio in Britain and an all-electric plug-in engine. The Tesla is the un-Prius: a hot, fast sports car that’s also green.” Tesla achieves over 200 miles per electric charge because the sport car’s body is made from light carbon fiber and the frame is made with aluminum.

It’s Time to Lose Weight – Save Gas, Save The Planet Excerpt is a post from: Clean Fleet Report

Diesel

Over half of all car sales in Europe use diesel engines not gasoline. Diesel fuel contains more energy per gallon than does gasoline. Diesel engines are far more efficient than gasoline. I have enjoyed driving the new diesels from Volkswagen, Mercedes and BMW. Performance was excellent, and the driving experience was smooth and quiet.

The exhaust was invisible and without odor. The new cars perform far better than old diesel trucks and buses that can be loud and have annoying exhaust. If you plan to buy a German car, make turbodiesel your first choice. The car will probably use 25 percent to 40 percent less fuel than its gasoline counterpart.

Turbocharging compresses and delivers more air to engine cylinders, resulting in the same amount of diesel fuel delivering better mileage and performance. It took awhile for these new turbodiesels to get approval to be sold in the United States because of new federal and state emission standards and because of requirements for ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel. All new offerings are likely to be turbodiesel, so I will simply refer to these vehicles as diesel.

Should your next car be a hybrid or a diesel? The answer depends on the type of driving you do and if you want a car, truck, SUV, or minivan. The best hybrids deliver better mileage in stop-and-go city driving than do diesels. Diesels can get over 40 miles per gallon on freeways, while hybrids often have better fuel economy in city driving than on the highway.

You might also prefer a diesel engine if you are enthusiastic about biodiesel, which blends fuel from plants or waste, instead of only being sourced from petroleum. In the chapter about biofuels, you will see that some blends of biofuels help the environment while others hurt. Some types of biodiesel helps performance, others can void vehicle warranties or damage engines. The new diesels, with their high-pressure injection, demand a much higher quality fuel than the diesels of yesterday. Most automakers can void your warranty if you use over five percent biodiesel in the new diesel cars, trucks, and SUVs.

Why not have the best of both with a hybrid diesel? This approach is slowly being adopted. Thousands of buses and trucks are hybrid diesel. Volkswagen and Mercedes plan to bring hybrid diesels to the United States that will deliver over 40 miles per gallon. GM plans to bring a plug-in hybrid diesel to Europe that will deliver over 100 miles per gallon.

Millions of trucks deliver our goods, run farms, help keep our cities running, and bring people to fix our homes. Diesel has long been the standard in big heavy-trucks. Diesel engines are more efficient than gasoline and the engines last longer. Diesel fuel packs more energy per gallon than gasoline. Diesel is increasingly being offered so that light trucks can deliver more miles per gallon.

Diesel – Save Gas, Save The Planet Excerpt is a post from: Clean Fleet Report

Hybrids

Millions of hybrids are now on the road, saving fuel and making driving more pleasant. Most cars are only powered by an internal combustion engine fueled with gasoline. Electric vehicles are powered by electric motors that are often three times more efficient than a gasoline engine. A hybrid vehicle uses both an electric motor, or motors, and a smaller engine that is typically fueled with gasoline. Rather than being a pure electric vehicle, it is a hybrid-electric vehicle. That is why these vehicles are called “hybrid.” Because the engine is smaller and assisted by the electric motor, less fuel is used.

Hybrids also store braking energy, downhill energy, and engine-generated energy in advanced batteries and then supply the energy to an efficient electric motor(s). In effect, the engine is sometimes used as a generator. Capturing braking energy in batteries and then reusing the energy for power is called regenerative braking.

Since 2002, my wife Marci and I have enjoyed driving a hybrid Toyota Prius. In real driving it has averaged 42 miles per gallon, including times when we drove on highways with bicycles on the roof and through snow with skis on the roof. Some drivers of new hybrids achieve over 50 mpg.

The hybrid provides a quiet ride. In stop-and-go traffic the car only uses the electric motor and automatically shuts off the engine. When I accelerate past a slow speed, the engine is immediately engaged and away we go. The vehicle smoothly accelerates when entering highways. We can easily travel with up to four people and a full trunk. Hill climbing is a breeze.

Although Toyota leads in hybrid sales, a number of automakers have introduced appealing hybrids. My mother is delighted with her Honda Civic Hybrid. The new Honda Insight four-door sedan with an Ecological Drive Assist System may deliver better mileage, a lower price, and a smaller carbon footprint than the 2008 Prius. Toyota will respond to the competition, creating better choices for all of us.

Hybrid technology is improving the fuel economy of some SUVs. The Ford Escape Hybrid, for example, offers over 30 miles per gallon.

Hybrids – Save Gas, Save The Planet Excerpt is a post from: Clean Fleet Report

Excerpt from the Prologue of Save Gas, Save the Planet: John Addison’s book about hybrid and electric cars, pathways to low carbon driving, and the future of sustainable transportation. © 2009 John Addison. All rights reserved.

You Can Make a Difference

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

-Margaret Mead

You can make a difference. Save Gas, Save the Planet tells the story of two new types of heroes: the “car-light” and the “car-free.” The car-light are the people who have dramatically reduced their gas usage, thereby helping save the planet and increasing their bank accounts. The car-light includes those that drive less, do not always drive solo, and use vehicles that get over 40 miles per gallon. The car-free are the millions of people who do not own a car. They prefer to use public transit, car sharing, bicycles, and walking.

The first chapters of Save Gas, Save the Planet will help you consider what you want in your next car. You may already have one fuel-efficient vehicle. You are debating whether the other vehicle should be replaced with a hybrid, a diesel, a flexfuel vehicle running on ethanol, or possibly a zero-emission alternative. These chapters describe the clean vehicles being driven today including hybrids, plug-in hybrids, biofuel vehicles, electric vehicles, and hydrogen vehicles. Issues are clarified. Myths are dispelled, including ones that suggest that these technologies are in the distant future.

You will find a number of ideas for improving your lifestyle in the middle chapters of Save Gas, Save the Planet. Millions reduce driving by participating in flexible work programs. People commute together and share rides. Many employers pay for these commute programs. There are many ways to reduce miles and improve fuel economy with your current car.

Each chapter concludes with suggested action that you can take as an individual and steps you can take to help save the planet. Your actions and your words will influence more people than you expect. Supported with the facts and examples in the pages that follow, you may inspire children, sway friends, and improve employer commute programs. You might even persuade your community to improve transportation.

Some of the 94 solutions contained in Save Gas, Save the Planet are free and simple. Other solutions require more thoughtful approaches to work, commuting, sharing vehicles, or making the best choice when buying a new vehicle. You may gain free hours and reduce stress by participating in flexible work programs, using a home office, and replacing some drives with bike rides and walks. None of these are all-or-nothing ideas. Consider realistic improvements for yourself, your family, your friends, and your community.

Be inspired by how people are living better and making a difference. Enjoy the journey.

Visit Amazon for free look inside or discount on paperback and kindle ebook.

© 2009 John Addison. All rights reserved.

You Can Make a Difference – Save Gas, Save The Planet Excerpt is a post from: Clean Fleet Report

Excerpt from the Prologue of Save Gas, Save the Planet: John Addison’s book about hybrid and electric cars, pathways to low carbon driving, and the future of sustainable transportation. © 2009 John Addison. All rights reserved.

Magical Solutions

As a small child, I was distraught to learn that Santa Claus was not the person that I imagined. And after reading Harry Potter, I searched the Internet trying to book a stay at Hogwarts. We want to believe in magic.

When I tell people that I write about clean transportation, they often lecture me about their one magical solution. Some tell me it is the plug-in hybrid; some say diesel. One fellow was angry that I did not immediately accept that the one answer is railroads. Another felt the same way about motorcycles.

Some believe that the answer is electric vehicles. Others believe that electric vehicles will only encourage people to use cars without guilt; these enthusiasts want car-free cities and zero suburbs. Some promote ethanol; still more don’t believe that the answer is converting food to fuel.

Some believe that the future is a hydrogen economy; others believe that hydrogen is an evil conspiracy. Some believe that energy efficiency is everything. Others will take 10-percent efficient solar power over 40-percent coal power any day. Too many people argue that there is no problem. These people do not like change. Surprisingly, the people who do not lecture me are those who walk, bike, and live car-free. Perhaps these people, free from the stress of driving in gridlock, are more flexible and optimistic.

Even the friendly walker cannot escape the critic. By one calculation, if two people walk a mile and a half, then replenish the burned calories by each drinking a glass of milk, less greenhouse gases would be emitted by driving. This contrived example works because cows emit lots of methane and milk must stay refrigerated throughout the delivery chain. Skip the milk, and the argument falls apart. Ditto, if the car is driven solo. We all need a little exercise and more than a little common sense.

There is no one magical solution. Save Gas, Save the Planet captures over 120 different ways that people are making a difference by riding clean, riding together, and riding less. Many people can avoid some driving but not all. Not everyone can take transit or carpool all the time. A busy parent in the suburbs with three kids has different requirements than someone with no children who lives in a city. As you read Save Gas, Save the Planet, you will discover a number of ways to burn less fuel without needing a new car. When, and if, you are ready for a new car, you will make a better choice.

Visit Amazon for free look inside or discount on paperback and kindle ebook.

© 2009 John Addison. All rights reserved.

Magical Solutions – Save Gas, Save The Planet Excerpt is a post from: Clean Fleet Report

The new Ford Focus Electric is expected to have a range of about 100 miles per charge. EcoMode can greatly help people get better range. Those buying new gasoline powered Focus can save hundreds of dollars at the pump each year.

“The foot of the driver has one of the biggest impacts on real-world fuel economy of a vehicle and was the starting point for the development of EcoMode,” said Thomas Schick, an engineer with the Ford of Germany Core Vehicle Integration team who helped design the software. “This is a useful tool that creates awareness between personal behavior and fuel consumption and offers up hints on how to improve. Applying those hints and recommendations is all up to the driver.”

Eco-driving refers to specific on-road behaviors that can improve fuel economy, save money and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In recent internal tests, Ford found that eco-driving skills can improve fuel economy by an average of 24 percent. The nationwide Auto Alliance-supported EcoDriving initiative further claims that if every American put eco-driving skills to work on the road and achieved just a 15 percent benefit in fuel economy, more than 22 billion gallons of gas would be saved each year. Practices most often preached within the eco-driving world include:

• Using the highest drivable gear
• Smooth accelerations and decelerations
• Maintaining constant speeds and anticipating traffic flow
• Using cruise control on the highway
• Avoiding excessive idling
• Avoiding short trips with a cold engine

EcoMode generates a personalized driver operation scorecard by monitoring engine rpm, vehicle speed, accelerator position, clutch position, selected gear and engine temperature related to three of these categories:

• Gear shifting (when applicable): Is the driver using the highest drivable gear appropriate for the road conditions
• Anticipation: Is the driver adjusting vehicle speed and distance to other vehicles without the need for heavy braking or acceleration
• Speed: Is the driver using a cruising speed on open roads that enables high fuel efficiency

People can have fun reaching record scores. Friendly competition between family members can add to the fun. Within the driver information menu on the instrument cluster, Focus drivers can review their generated score against the software’s optimized patterns for each of these disciplines. When drivers do their eco-best, EcoMode rewards them with on-screen kudos that include championship cup icons and playful titles such as Advanced ECO driver or the top prize of ECO champion.

Throughout a drive, the scoring system generates hints on how to gain more leaves for each discipline. A driver looking at the advice screen for Anticipation, for example, may see the hint “Smooth driving saves fuel” displayed on the cluster if he or she is accelerating, decelerating or braking unnecessarily. In Gear Shifting, driver advice might include “Early shifting saves fuel,” if the driver is not shifting up as early as possible in conjunction with their acceleration.

The new Focus also offers an optional map-based navigation application called Eco-Route available with MyFord Touch that gives drivers the ability to choose the most fuel-efficient route, versus with the traditional navigation system defaults of fastest and shortest routes.

A member of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, Ford has supported the nationwide eco-driving effort at www.EcoDrivingUSA.com since 2008, and has also developed an eco-driving module for its popular Driving Skills for Life educational program designed for new drivers.

New Ford Focus EcoMode – Up to 24 Percent Better MPG is a post from: Clean Fleet Report

Excerpt from the Prologue of Save Gas, Save the Planet: John Addison’s book about hybrid and electric cars, pathways to low carbon driving, and the future of sustainable transportation. © 2009 John Addison. All rights reserved.

Your Money

Your vehicle is your second biggest expense. You spend the most on your home, which can be a good investment; a car can only be a big expense. Save Gas, Save the Planet is full of ways to save money and use less gasoline. People share tips and stories about how they save by riding smart, riding less, riding together, and riding clean.

A study by the American Automobile Association (AAA) shows that the average cost of owning and operating a passenger vehicle is 54.1 cents per mile.The IRS allows you to deduct 55 cents per mile for business. This is over $8,000 per year per vehicle, based on 15,000 miles of driving. Depreciation is part of that cost. Anyone who has bought a car for $20,000 and later sold it for $5,000 understands depreciation. Fuel, maintenance, tolls, parking, insurance, and tickets add up. Most households have two vehicles, costing them over $16,000 per year. New cars are expensive. Save Gas, Save the Planet will help you decide on the best choice for you. Electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids, and new fuels are explained including your choices today and by the end of 2010. Yes, better technology will help solve the problems of oil addiction and increased greenhouse gases. However, we are forecasted to expand from 800 million cars being driven to triple that amount. 2.4 billion cars trapped in gridlock are not the solution, even if they all run on renewable electricity.

Most do not need to rush into a new car decision. Millions are cutting car use by more often riding together and driving less. Many people are reducing the total number of vehicles they own. More are switching to transit and car-sharing programs. A growing number enjoy living car-free.

Save Gas, Save the Planet will help you lower your transportation costs. Save 2,000 miles per year by skipping rides, or sharing rides, and you save $1,000 per year. In the United States, people drive alone 93 percent of the time. Eliminating a few solo trips quickly adds up.

We drive 2.7 trillion miles per year in the United States, consuming 142 billion gallons of gasoline. In addition to the petroleum used to make that gasoline, a similar quantity of petroleum is used to produce the diesel demanded by heavy-duty vehicles, jet fuel for airplanes, special fuels for the military, and even for the asphalt that carries our vehicles.

We have more than 240 million vehicles in the United States; there are more vehicles than eligible drivers. The number of miles Americans drive has tripled in the past 50 years.

In addition to personally saving thousands, you can help the nation save billions. The United States government estimates that congestion created from commuting to and from work causes 3.7 billion hours of lost productivity annually, costing 92 million work-weeks and the nation $63 billion in wasted time and fuel. People stuck in traffic breathe harmful emissions such as particulates, nitrous oxide, and carbon monoxide. The health costs resulting from these pollutants are in the billions. In addition, by the time people get to work, they are stressed and less productive. We are spending more time on the road, stuck in traffic, burning fuel, and emitting pollutants. Instead, we can be intelligent about how we get around, work, shop, connect with others, and save money.

Visit Amazon for free look inside or discount on paperback and kindle ebook.

© 2009 John Addison. All rights reserved.

Your Money – Save Gas, Save The Planet Excerpt is a post from: Clean Fleet Report