Archives – June 10, 2009
First Electric Car
Oh that William Morrison! Hybrid car enthusiasts should remember the name William Morrison. A native of Scotland, William Morrison built America’s first electric automobile in his secret basement lab in Des Moines in 1892. His 4 horsepower front-wheel-drive vehicle required 24 battery cells, had a top speed of 20 mph and needed recharging every 50 miles. It was the talk of 1893’s Chicago World’s Fair. Just four years later, another inventing Morrison – William J. Morrison – a Tennessee dentist and civic leader, patented an electric candy machine. The machine spun sugar into what was first called Fairy Floss. Today we know it as cotton candy. Remember those names this summer when you cruise over to the county fair in your hybrid.
June 10, 2009
Are you trying to figure out which hybrid car to buy? HybridCars.com has a cool online comparison tool that lets you compare up to 3 hybrid cars side by side. Add or remove different cars from the dropdown menus at the top and compare their estimated fuel use and cost, greenhouse gas emissions, technology, and more, plus see photos of the interiors and exteriors of the cars you choose.
Only cars that are currently for sale are included in the comparisons. There’s no wishful thinking here of what may come. If you’re in the market right now, this is a great help in the decision making process.
June 10, 2009
On June 9, 2009 the House approved the Cash for Clunkers Bill with a vote of 298 to 119. The passing of this bill means that consumers may receive a voucher for up to $4,500 from the government in return for their fuel thirsty cars. The voucher will be good towards the purchase of a newer, more fuel-efficient car of the consumer’s choice. Car owners will qualify to receive a $3,500 voucher if their current vehicle gets less than 18 mpg, and they purchase a new car that gets at least 22 miles per gallon in it’s place. They could, instead, receive up to $4,500 if their newly purchased car gets at least 10 mpg more than their old vehicle.
In the Cash for Clunkers program, the government will essentially buy gas-guzzling cars and trucks from their drivers in order for them to purchase newer more fuel-efficient cars, stimulating our struggling auto industry. It is estimated that the program could lead to 1.3 million new-vehicle purchases.
Funding for this bill will be derived from the already existing $787 billion dollar stimulus package plan. Furthermore, the effects Cash for Clunkers program is expected to be grandiose as it will create job opportunities and will also put more hybrid and eco-friendly cars on the road. Lastly, it will help in minimizing the amount of cars that contribute to global pollution in the atmosphere.
June 10, 2009
Winning the mainstream All electric driving may gain a foothold among mainstream consumers in the future but for now national surveys of households reveal consumers don’t really understand or value the concept. That was one of the observations Dr. Ken Kurani from the UC Davis Institute of Transportation Studies made at this year’s SAE 2009 Hybrid Vehicle Technology Symposium in San Diego. Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) such as the Chevy Volt will face stiff competition from alternative solutions, the researcher said, and manufacturers will need to reach beyond pioneers, advocates and experts to help PHEVs reach their potential. Recent studies, Kurani said, demonstrate that consumers still do not place the highest values of fuel economy or low emissions when purchasing a new car.
June 10, 2009
