With the price of fuel going up all of the time, it seems that the electric bike is becoming one of the world’s hot properties. Amazon the online sales store has reported that sales of electric bikes have increased by six thousand per cent this year alone.

In fact there were over ten thousand electric bikes sold during 2007, which is staggering and just goes to prove that these bikes although fairly expensive, they start at around $1,500 the electric bike is here to stay.

Source [Eco Geek]

http://www.ecogeek.org/content/view/2016/

As far as focusing on their campaigns are concerned, there will always be the issue of global warming and eco-friendly issues governing the world today that will be included in their platform. On whether we like it or not, it can make a difference as far as understanding who is pulling our leg and who is planning to make a difference.

Fuel prices are soaring and alternative measures are needed. But a good planner will always determine where all of this is coming from. Barack Obama for instance, has focused on alternative energy and we all know how much hybrid and electric cars are being wooed as the better alternative.

For John McCain, looking for solutions to the oil problem is indeed commendable. But eventually it will point towards Obama’s way. Now that is good planning and McCain better find a quick antidote for this.

(Source) CBS News

Not to be outdone, General Motors is not about to phase out its mainstream cars such as the very popular Cadillac. The Cadillac Provoq is GM’s first concept car that aims to show-off its eco-friendly technology as well as installed gadgets that comes with this luxury vehicle. It runs on hydrogen fuel and lithium ion batteries and has a solar panel to power its electronic devices.

The Provoq primarily runs on hydrogen, but uses the battery for peak power output and storing electricity to extend the range when it’s needed. Like others, the battery can be charged simply by plugging into any wall socket. With this setup, it’s reported to get up to 300 miles per one tank of hydrogen. The vehicle also uses GM’s fifth-generation fuel cell which now encompasses far less space than previous versions, allowing for increased interior room and overall storage.

(Source) BLORGE

Imagine visiting a city for the first time, normally at some point a cab ride is needed, but not only are cabs expensive but they are not at the top of the eco friendly league either. That is unless you are visiting the capital city of Ireland, Dublin. Here you will find the greenest taxis and to top it all they are totally free, how great is that?

The Ecocab is human powered, the driver uses the cycle device to get the thing moving, but there is also a small electric motor, which can kick in when times get a little tough. They can carry two to three passengers around the city centre, every day from 10.00am to 19.00pm.

The ride is free because the Ecocab’s are sponsored by businesses and organisations who care about the environment, the vehicle and driver are company colours and the driver may also give you a leaflet to read, but the ride is free!

Source [Sustainablog]

The British International Motor Show is not the sort of place that you would expect to see an eco car, but times have changed and all of sudden green is good. MyCar is made by a company called the Nice Car Company and will be going on sale in the UK this autumn.

Being all electric the car is not going race away from the traffic lights, but you would not want that anyway. What you do get is a hundred miles for around £20 ($40) which is great by anybodies standards. With prices starting at around £9000 ($18,000) this car offers a viable form of city transport that is not going to ruin the earth or break the bank either.

Source [Motor Torque]

The search for alternative vehicles is in high gear. Most people understand the importance and advantages of considering alternative hybrid and electric cars, but some have reservations as far as seating capacity and recharging the vehicle.

For example, electric cars thrive on electric energy that can only be charged when parked at home. The Smart Ed, though not in the market just yet, is one good example. While many consider it a good second car to your normal fuel consuming vehicle, it can only perhaps serve one to two persons at a time. This is where seating capacity becomes an issue especially if you have your own family to think about.

But surely once demand picks up (which is expected to really increase in the coming years), provisions for larger capacity electric cars are sure to be introduced in the market. The Smart Ed is not in the market yet, but once it hits, it is sure to attract a lot of people looking to fight the ongoing oil crisis.

If you are thinking of replacing your existing family car with a smart ed, you’d better wait a few years.

All that said the great thing about the smart ed is that, with any luck, the technology will develop so a four-seater, family size car, with a decent amount of boot space and a substantial range will be possible. And there is also hydrogen cell technology.

The future of motoring has to be away from fossil fuels, so the smart ed is right at the beginning of that process.

(Source) Telegraph.co.uk

It seems that the Scottish authorities have not heard about Donald Trump and the fact that nobody says no to him.

His plans for $2 billion golf resort on the Scottish coast were rejected last year; this was because the 1,400 acre location at the Balmedie Beach in Scotland is regarded to be rather special. Needless to say, the thought of 950 homes, 36 villas and 500 large houses on a shared site with two eighteen-hole golf courses and a 450 bedroom hotel did not go down very well with the locals.

However, Donald Trump is back with a plan and this time he means business. His revised plan includes specs to make Balmedie Beach more sustainable. He’s even going as far as offering a free electric Smart car to every new home owner! I wonder how the panel is going to receive his pitch this time around. Only time will tell!

Source [Ecorazzi]

Consumers and car manufacturers have focused so much on the private sector of cars that they have forgotten the business side of the equation. Trucks need to be addressed as well, as they tend to be on the road more often and for a longer duration than traditional private cars. Trucks are next on the list to “green” and make more fuel efficient, but the real question is; when?

It is inferred that with the rising price of crude oil in the market, automobile and truck designers are now focusing on such developments. Since the rise of oil is unrelenting, it is also sure to twist the fiscally-savvy arms of the big companies that use trucking to transport their goods. By pushing for eco-friendly alternatives, companies can cut costs and lower their carbon footprint at the same time. In lackluster market times such as these, floundering businesses can use any advantage they can get. It makes it even better that the solution is eco-friendly!

“We are just now starting to see hybrid trucks coming into production,” said Richard Parish of the Hybrid Truck Users Forum, an organization partly supported by the US Army to develop the industry.

Compared to passenger cars, trucks operate for more hours a day at lower fuel efficiency, meaning hybrid technologies could offer greater cuts in fuel use and emissions per vehicle. “Hybrid trucks have developed slowly because the complexity of hybrid vehicles is a bad fit with the way trucks are built,” said Parish.

(Source) One India

In a country where traffic has always been a problem, the good thing about the continued increase of oil in the Philippines is perhaps private and public vehicles which used to throng the streets would rather stay at home or walk. Now that resolves one issue but poses another big problem for people who have to get to places such as the office.

Mass transit has been the alternative the Filipinos use and apparently the issue at hand now is on accommodation. For sure with the large population that the has right now, the current mass transit structures are insufficient to handle them all.

So while they are at it, applying an eco-friendly touch certainly seems to be a good way to improve the transport issue as well as the growing concern for green living in one of Asia’s premier spots.

“Mass transit will not only address the problem of high fares it will also result in the decongestion of traffic and clean air because the trains will be running on electric power,” Mamondong stressed.

(Source) Gulf News

Thanks to the continuous rise in oil prices, do not be surprised to see more compact cars or even eco-friendly developed vehicles on the roads in the coming months. With all hope for a decline in the outrageous oil prices, the wise consumer needs to act quickly. Compact cars which save more fuel or even the eco-friendly cars that run on alternative fuel are sure to be the next boom and demand that consumers will be looking for.

With that in mind, if you are a car manufacturer boss, you will be thinking profit. Surely that is a given and the next thing you have to do is to make sure that supply meets demand. Prices may fluctuate but they would be wise not to push their luck. There is always the alternative of taking public transport so car manufacturers shouldn’t be so complacent at the trends.

WITH fuel prices spiralling, driving a car that doesn’t have an endless thirst for petrol is becoming increasingly attractive.

Now Gordon Brown has pledged to speed up the move to eco-friendly cars, with new measures that could see conventional petrol engines become a thing of the past by 2020.

That’s the date by which G8 members have agreed to reach their targets for cutting emissions of carbon dioxide, meaning cars using greener technologies could become amore common sight on our roads.

(Source) Daily Record

There is no doubt that an electrically powered car will be good for the planet, Gordon Browns suggestion that he would like to see all cars in the UK should be all electric or hybrid vehicles that produce under 100 grams of Co2 per Km.

But there is a problem with this, government ministers have access to a Toyota Prius, but for most people these cars are just too expensive and if somehow everyone managed to get their hands on a Toyota Prius then the National Grid would not be able to cope with the power requirements.

It’s a good idea, but more thought is needed to make this happen.

Source [ETA]

It is not that often that you see Hollywood stars struggling to drive around the streets of movie city, but George Clooney happens to be one of them. He has no need for big and brash cars, why? Because, he has a Tango, the electric car, but he is not happy with it and would like to upgrade to a Tesla when he gets the chance.

He said: “It can be embarrassing. There’s nowhere to hide, because it’s just me behind the wheel and there isn’t enough space for anyone else.”

“But it goes from zero to 60mph in four seconds, which is faster than virtually any other car on the road, so I can take off with a burst of speed if I get too many insults.”

Source [Icelebz]

Alternative Energy, Arts and Entertainment, Auto, Cars, celeb, Celebrity, eco, electric car, Electric Vehicles, hollywood, streets, tesla Alternative Energy, Arts and Entertainment, Auto, Cars, celeb, Celebrity, eco, electric car, Electric Vehicles, hollywood, streets, tesla

Boating is not a very green way of getting around, some boat leave oil and fuel on the surface of the water, not mention the damage that is done to shoreline etc. but what if there was a way to use the river and coastline in eco friendly manner, would that be better?

Of course it would, and a company based in the South of France has the idea of using the sun to power their boats to great effect.

Technical Data for the 550 Solar boat with 800 W engine:

Main building material: GRP 3-Schalenbauweise

The boat is built from polyester GRP. The boat uses the 3 bowls building method with floating unsinkbar.

Length: 5.50 m

Width: 1.84 m

Depth: 0.4 m

Weight: approx. 480 kg

Engine: 800 Watts underwater engine with either 2-step circuit or electronic regulation.

Batteries: 24 V 180 ah (C20) lead acid

Battery charge: For each sun day in the spring and autumn 30 ah (24 V)

in the summer 40 - 50 ah (24)

with covered sky approx. 20 ah (24 V)

Speed: at full power: 5 knots

at half power: 4 knots

Range/travel time: During optimal sun exposure the boat can be driven at 5 knots with full power up to 6 hours. At 4 knots, 10 hours is possible.

At night the boat can be driven for 4 hours at 5 knots or 6 hours at 4 knots.

In sunshine at 2-2.5 knots the boat can be driven for an unlimited period.

Load-carrying capacity 4 people