Filed under: Green News and Products
2012 Chevy Volt
The
Chevrolet Volt debuted last year amongst a great deal of fanfare. Some of the advertising around the car was intentionally vague, leading some consumers to believe it was a pure electric car. Not so. The Volt is a plug-in hybrid which allows it to have a greater all electric range and higher speeds with the gasoline engine engaged.
The 2012 Chevrolet Volt is capable of 25-50 miles on pure battery power before the inline 4 gasoline engine takes over. When that happens, it is able to reach speeds in the 100 mph range. The car has an effective range of 300 miles between a full tank of gas and the battery power. The gasoline engine powers the car’s generator for the most part, but, under extreme needs, will directly power the wheels.
The 2012 Chevrolet Volt features a lower MSRP, an updated keyless ignition/entry, and the MyLink system, which provides Bluetooth streaming audio and voice control over the audio system and your cell phone. Again this year, the Volt does not have standard side body moldings. That leaves your $32,000 car an easy victim to dents and dings everywhere you go. The right Chevy Volt body side moldings could protect your resale value.
The major knock against the 2012 Chevrolet Volt is the price tag. At $32,500 for the base model, and realizing that a home charger is a necessity, the new Toyota Prius PHV may be a better economic decision.
October 12, 2011
Fisker Karma
The Fisker Karma is built around the notion that a car could be produced with sustainable products, achieve high fuel efficiency, and still deliver
power and style. Three years after its concept debut, the Karma is on the verge of delivering on every front.
Building with as many sustainable components as possible is a main goal of Fisker. To achieve that goal the Karma uses zero fuel for the first 50 miles of every trip and all of the interior trim is made of sustainable materials and eco-friendly composites. The roof is a series of solar cells, the body is aluminum, and the bumpers are plastic. All recyclable materials.
Enough about the sustainability of the Fisker Karma. How does it perform? It is powered by a 260-hp GM four popper that powers the generator. Like a Nissan Leaf, the Karma only uses electric power all the time. The gasoline engine only serves to power the generator. The generator in turn supplies power to twin AC motors that saddle the rear axle, delivering 402 horsepower to the differential. If you turn on the ”sport” mode, the gasoline engine engages along with the battery power and you can run a smooth 0-60 in 5.9 seconds. Unfortunately, the Karma is build for fuel efficiency over top speed, so the initial burst is not sustained.
The Fisker Karma is designed to obtain in the 90+ mpg area in full electric mode and 38 average mpg with the gasoline engine running. No definite numbers have been released by the EPA yet. The initial run of the Karma will be limited and each car will cost $100,000. There are already 3,000 pre-orders for the Karma. Fisker is planning a second model, the Nina, which will be more affordable and designed to reach a wider buying market. Still, the Fisker Karma stands as an important milestone in the green car industry.
October 5, 2011
Your hybrid is already delivering great gas mileage, but it can be improved with eco tune performance parts. Luckily, you can add fuel efficiency without losing acceleration or top end performance.
Eco tune performance parts include throttle controllers, air filters, and exhaust systems. Adding the right parts can improve horsepower, torque, mpg, and acceleration response, while lowering emissions.
Combine the engine parts with lowering springs and a carbon fiber hood and you will see additional fuel savings and improved performance.
As gas continues to sit close to $4 a gallon many people are looking for ways to stretch their fuel dollar. Eco tune performance parts are a natural way to do that without sacrificing performance.
June 17, 2011
Some years ago most automakers switched to electric throttles in order to increase mpg. The throttle controller in most vehicles is set to maximize fuel economy, but leave some acceleration response. Eco tune performance parts are designed to increase the mpg your Prius offers beyond what the factory settings allow.
These eco tune performance parts are model specific for your Prius. They increase mpg by switching the acceleration aspect of the throttle controller to a more steady and less gas demanding rate. You will seem to lose some of the instantaneous throttle response that many have come to expect, but your fuel economy will improve.
The Toyota Prius is already the most fuel efficient gas powered car available. Installing eco tune performance parts will take your car one step further. Surely, you won’t complain about getting more than 50 mpg on the highway.
June 1, 2011
2010 Prius Mud Guards
These 2010 Toyota Prius Mudguards help protect the side of your Prius from rock chips, while still helping to keep it clean from mud and tar. They are made of rugged molded plastic and designed to create an integrated look with your vehicle’s wheel wells so there is no compromise in the vehicle’s appearance. Neatly designed mudflaps help protect your vehicle from excessive dirt and reduce stone chip damage. Made By Toyota. Great looking, functional and easy to install. Toyota OEM. Set of 4.
March 3, 2010
Suspension Upgrades with Strut Tower Brace
The Prius strut tower bar is arguably one of the least expensive upgrades that can provide a very high degree of benefit that is felt immediately after installing. Often one of the first modifications performed on a vehicle, the strut tower brace improves handling and stability of a Prius.
By connecting specific points of the undercarriage of your Toyota Prius, this under brace reinforces the strength and stability of the chassis. This under brace is also very lightweight, so it will not add much surplus weight to that of your overall vehicle.
The strut tower bar has been very popular due to its low price and high functionality. By connecting the strut towers, and creating a balance, the shocks are prevented from independently moving and causing small changes in suspension geometry.
Under Brace for Chassis Flex Reduction
Sometimes you might notice your car feeling a little unstable on the freeway under certain conditions such as high winds or being passed by another car. The Prius Uni-Body tends to flex under many driving conditions. You can improve the overall ride quality and handling of your Prius with a chassis stiffener.
A chassis stiffener provides a rigid framework under the Prius to eliminate chassis flex, ensuring correct suspension geometry at all time. It bolts directly to the sub frame to further stiffen the uni-body. This item is often overlooked; especially on Prius were it is extremely important to reinforce the chassis. The Prius experiences flexing and twisting of the chassis is very common in the 2004-2009 Toyota Prius.
The under brace prevents this unwanted behavior by connecting specific points of the undercarriage to reinforce the chassis. Your car will feel more stable and solid, turn in more accurately and corner more quickly
January 14, 2010
Car and Driver recently held a competition between various hybrid makes and models, which calculated scores in numerous categories. These included (but weren’t limited to) driver and passenger comfort, trunk space, fuel economy, steering feel, and styling. While the competition proved to be close, Ford Fusion ultimately beat the Toyota Camry and other hybrid competitors. The results were so close, in fact, that mere opinions could have altered the ultimate result. It is for this reason that I will present some of those opinions and help you to make your own decision.
If you are looking for a smooth and effortless drive, the Camry is a great place to start. This hybrid is quiet and unrushed. The interior is comfortably spacious, and the ride is soft and easy. This car will surely get you where you want to go with nothing but ease and comfort, and you will feel as though you are slipping through the mainstream cars quietly and unnoticed. The Camry also has many upgrades for the 2010 model including six speeds instead of five, a restyled grille and tail lights as well as optional satellite radio and automatic windows.
Driving the Fusion, however, if often compared to playing a video game. It is known for being a fun and informative hybrid, as well as for having the ability to drive on solely the battery when moving at or under 47 miles an hour. The Fusion has incomparable features and amenities, as well as top of the line fuel economy stats. It is a powerful hybrid with many bonus quirks and settings. Upgrades to the 2010 Fusion will include an improved chrome grill as well as a more powerful engine and a quieter cabin.
Of course, our store is already loaded with accessories and necessities for both of these hybrids. We offer all weather floor liners to cargo mats and side window deflectors. But, you should probably pick out a car before you go shopping and accessorizing for it, right? So, which car is better for you? I would recommend test-driving both of them (in order to help make a better decision, only, of course).
Car and Driver Contest Results
January 8, 2010
The Prius is a great fuel-saving vehicle, but it’s only as good as the person behind the wheel. While you probably fancy yourself a green driver, the Kiwi gas saver will save you hundreds of dollars and improve your Prius’ mileage. The Kiwi Gas Saver works almost like a game to help you avoid rapid acceleration, driving too fast, braking too heavily and frequently. The Kiwi plugs right into your vehicle’s diagnostic port (every car after 1996 has one), and will show you how much money you’re saving on gas costs compared to your last trip. Your daily goal is to earn the highest Kiwi Score possible. Just one more fancy piece of technology to an already technologically-advanced car.
November 1, 2009
One of the nice features that come with the 2010 Toyota Prius Solar Mounted Roof option is cabin temperature. While the 2010 Prius is one of the most affordable hybrid cars on the market, it has a lot of innovative features, and that’s one of the things that separates this vehicle from others. The solar mounted panels on the roof actually absorb the sun’s energy to power the electric fan that cools the cabin.
The electric fan is part of the Toyota Prius Solar Powered Ventilation System. If the hybrid is in direct sunlight, it will cool itself by running on energy that is stored in the solar panels. How this system works might be simple, but it’s a feature that can protect the interior from hot temperatures.
You can also enter the car without it being oven-hot during the summer months, unless you live where the temperature is always hot. The Toyota ventilation system will automatically turn on when the cabin temperature reaches 86 degrees. When it comes on, it will ventilate the vehicle using the outside air.
This also brings up another point to bring up about this solar technology. Toyota might be working on new innovative ways to use this technology to power other accessories for the Toyota Prius. The automaker has a test car already built with solar panels through its exterior, the same model that helped developed the current mounted solar roof. I wouldn’t be surprised if they were already developing ways to power interior lights, radio, power windows, and other accessories in future cars.
While there isn’t a way to fully power an electric hybrid car using solar technology, some automakers are already powering their factories and plants with this free energy. How it works exactly, I don’t quite know, but that is a major step that might be in the works for automobiles. One possible way is using a chemical that can react to the sun and produce energy.
Hybrid batteries are already using similar chemicals that can react with nickel and produce the same energy. This idea, or design, might be developed soon as car manufacturer’s race to compete with alternative energy vehicles. If solar panels can already power an electric fan for the 2010 Prius, the development process is halfway there.
Maybe a new hybrid car will come out soon that can offer energy efficient alternatives to power vehicle accessories. It would be a wise decision that could eventually lead to smaller gas engines to charge the hybrid battery. The 2010 Toyota Prius hybrid could be the perfect candidate for such development.
www.juicedhybrid.com
September 11, 2009
Are you sick and tired of scratches and door dings? Help protect your Prius with colored body side moldings.
They are made from PVC and extruded through quality engineered dies. The set is color-keyed and clear coated to match your Prius perfectly. They are easy to install in less than an hour.
Here are the instructions and measurements are included with every set of moldings.
1. LOCATION: (See Images Below)
Using masking tape, run the tape as seen in Diagram below from POINT A to POINT B. Press tape against the vehicle, making sure that the tape is straight from POINT A to POINT B.
2. CLEAN AND PREP:
For proper installation of Custom Body Side Molding, clean the surface where the molding is to be installed using the alcohol pads enclosed. Wipe off excess residue with a clean cloth. Apply PRO-BOND ADHESIVE PROMOTOR in the crush swab self-applicator. Squeeze the applicator until you feel the applicator “crush”. The applicator will become wet on the end and is ready for use. Quickly apply a thin coat of PRO-BOND below the masking tape line, no further than 1 ¼” below the tape. Be careful not to go lower than 1 ¼” because PRO-BOND could dull the paint surface. The light coat of PRO-BOND will dry quickly. Where cooler temperatures prevail, make sure the molding is at room temperature. The recommended metal surface temperature of the vehicle should be at least 75°F/24°C for proper installation. If the surface is cold, use a heat gun to warm before proceeding with installation.
3. INSTALLATION:
BEFORE STARTING, peel back 12” of the red liner, removing the rest of the liner as you install. DO NOT TOUCH THE EXPOSED ADHESIVE with your fingers as the installation is being done (NOTE: excess skin oil will affect adhesion).
Since these moldings have been pre-cut, start adhering moldings, front and rear with the angle cut edges first and the bullet side directed toward the appropriate wheel well adhered last.
APPLYING THE MOLDING using the bottom edge of the masking tape as your guide, peel the rest of the red liner as you go.
AFTER THE MOLDING has been installed, use a soft cloth and apply pressure along the entire length of the molding to insure proper adhesion. Remove masking tape and you will have an OEM style Custom Body Side Molding that will give you many years of protection.
August 31, 2009
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