This tag includes automotive topics, including car-sharing companies, environmentally efficient car parts, and even related businesses such as car washes.
While researchers have been working on ways to harvest small amounts of energy to power wearables, LEDs, and other devices, vibrational energy could provide much more power. Mechanical engineering professor Lei Zuo has been researching methods of harvesting vibrational energy and in August 2015 he got some more attention when Virginia Tech published an article […]
Zipcar is unique because it allows a customer to rent a car for a portion of a day, instead of requiring a full day’s access like other rental car firms. This is probably Zipcar’s best feature, because there are many other rental car firms. Zipcar rents hybrid cars, but so do many other rental car […]
Hybrid cars, such as the Toyota Prius and the Ford Fusion, are capable of using electric power instead of burning gasoline to operate. While a hybrid is using electric power, it is a lot quieter. This can create a safety hazard for pedestrians, bike riders, and skateboarders, who may not hear that a car is […]
Algae is an alternative to petroleum based fuel. There are many companies that grow algae in large ponds, dry it out, and burn it, providing a source of renewable energy. Algae also grows in streams and rivers. If farms use a large amount of fertilizer, the runoff can make algae grow very rapidly, and the […]
Google is designing a system that allows a car to drive itself. This system is in operation in California, and the highway patrol allows Google to test these cars on the freeways. I have not seen any of these cars myself yet, but from the description that UMBC provides, they are Priuses with some extra […]
A car wash uses large blasts of water to clean a car quickly. The water usage is a problem, especially in areas that normally have water shortages, such as Southern California. Soap is necessary to clean a car, and the soap and detergent at the car wash can also cause environmental problems. There are ways […]
Electric cars are a sustainable alternative to petroleum powered cars, since electric cars do not need a constant supply of gasoline or diesel to fuel them. One of the major issues with powering electric cars is the sustainability of their power supply, as charging an electric vehicle from a wall socket likely means that the […]
Payback periods for hybrid cars are a popular topic because hybrid cars are well known to have a higher purchase price than cars with standard engines. Typical calculations use the sales price of the hybrid, as well as the cost of gasoline, and possibly state and federal rebates. Hybrids don’t always come out ahead this […]
After my trip to the Ventura Hall of Justice for jury duty, I noticed the improvements at the court house that improve its energy efficiency and reduce waste. Yesterday, when watching a police car drive down the street, I wondered, how are the police departments implementing environmental initiatives? Will we be seeing hybrid Crown Victorias […]
There are now several makes and models of hybrid cars to choose from. Most of them are compact cars and even some much smaller vehicles. What sets the Altima and Fusion hybrids apart is that they are midsize sedans, so they offer more luxurious seating and more space than the smaller hybrids. They don’t get […]