| Solar
and Electric Bicycles, Scooters and LEV's |
| Solar Scooter
Full Scooter Plans from Don
Article on the scooter in Tree Hugger with some additional
pictures:
http://www.treehugger.com
Updated: Don reports on the status of the scooter after
three seasons of heavy commuting use.
Don's scooter has a full article in the Aug/Sept 2007 Home Power
Magazine.
|
 A solar scooter
by Don Dunklee. Street legal, affordable and dependable.
Thanks to Don for making the plans available!
|
| Accelerated
Composites Aptera
Unfortunately, Aptera did not make it and went of business in
December of 2011. Hopefully someone else will pick up the
concept.
Maybe not -- Aptera's assets
have been purchased by a China company...
Wikipedia has some historic information on Aptera...
http://apteramotors.com/
More
from AutoBlogGreen on Aptera...
|
 The Accelerated Composites Aptera will be
produced as an all electric and as a plug in hybrid. Seating for
two adults + an infant seat behind. Zero to 60 in 10 secs, top
speed around 85 mph. Drag coefficient of 0.05., weight 850 lbs,
range 120 miles(?).
While it is licensed as a motorcycle, they have put a lot of
emphasis on safety including air bags and front, side, and
rollover protection. 
Their goal is to offer the EV version in late 2008 and the hybrid
version in late 2009 -- prices projected to start at $27K.
Pretty exciting vehicle. Update: some delays, but
it they have paid reservations for 5000+ vehicles. Initially
only available in California. Mid 2010?
|
| Light Electric Vehicles
(LEV)
http://www.electric-bikes.com
This is a good place to start looking for a small efficient
electric vehicle.
|
 A great site for unbiased
information on light electric vehicles, which includes electric
bicycles, scooters, 1 person cars, motorcycles,
... Lots of good, practical electric transportation. Even some
DIY kits. |
| BugE
http://blueskydsn.com/BugE_Concept.html
Owner's manual:
blueskydsn.com/BugE_Owners_Manual_1.5.pdf
NEW: Nap
Pepin's BugE based advanced homemade EV -- 56 watt-hr/mile:
http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/...
and,
http://www.evalbum.com/1810
|
 A very nice and efficient little three
wheel,
one passenger, electric vehicle with some weather protection.
Offered as a kit for about $4000.
Range around 30 miles.
Top speed around 50 mph.
Powered by 4 12 volt lead-acid batteries. Empty weight 385 lbs.
Small luggage compartment at front.
Uses about 170 watt-hours per mile -- nearly 10 times the
efficiency of a typical gasoline car. Could be charged via a
solar PV array at home.
Lots of detail on the website. Parts available individually.
|
| Meyers
No-More-Gas
http://www.myersmotors.com/index.html
|
 These three wheel electric vehicles are
kind of a cross between a motorcycle and car.
One person, 75mph top speed, 30 mile range, heater, power windows,
licensed as a motorcycle, safety features, ...
2 cents per mile fuel cost.
|
|
Vectrix Electric Scooter
Vectrix did not make it.
|
 A electric scooter to be on sale in early
2007. Top speed 62 mph, 0-50 in 6.8 sec, up to 68 mile range.
Regenerative braking. It looks like a well thought out design that
is new from the bottom up.
The website has quite a bit of information, and also includes some
interesting planned projects, as in a hybrid version. About $8000. |
| SunETrike Solar Powered
Trike
www.solartrike.com/electricrecumbenttrike.html
|
 A solar and pedal powered trike kit.
170 watt solar panel/roof.
Can actually run directly off solar panel at 6 to 8mph without
pedaling. 12 to 14 mph with battery.
They sell plans and part kits for several different models.
(Thanks to Jerry for suggesting this)
|
| Solar Electric Bicycle
Project
http://www.gotwind.org
|
 An electrically assisted bike with
onboard 5 watt PV panel for solar charging.
|
| Kevins
Electric Bike with Solar Mud Guards
|
 Kevin built an electric. Maximum speed
is about 25mph, and the range is about 12 miles -- more if you pedal
some.
And, the PV panels double as mud guards. More
... |
| Terry's
Suitcase Solar Electric Scooter
http://www.thekpv.com
|
 Terry designed and built
this amazing little solar powered electric scooter that actually
folds up and fits inside a suitcase.
It weighs 44 lbs and has a 13 km range.
This is a one of a kind prototype. Terry has a unique plan going to
fund a follow-on version of the scooter that involves giving away
the first prototype to some lucky person -- see his site for
details. |
| Green
Wheel -- A new electric bike design from MIT
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29259226/
|
 A nice simple new electric
bike design from MIT. The motor and lithium ion batteries are all
packaged in the hub.
The handle bar mounted throttle connects to the hub via Bluetooth.
Said to be good for 20 miles with you pedaling some to help. |
Drive and EV and Never Buy
Gas Again,
Moore
Mother Earth News
Finding Mother
Earth News articles...
|
 An overview article on small electric vehicles from
the Mother Earth News, April/May 06 |
| SUNN - Solar Powered Car Kit
http://www.sunnev.com/proto.htm
Kit Info:
http://www.sunnev.com/
|
 A two person, 25 mph, 12 mile range
Neighborhood Electric Vehicle.
Solar panel on the hood for charging the battery.
Plans and a parts kit are to be available in the spring of 07.
|
| "Moonbeam" -- a DIY 100+mpg
car
Moonbeam car
|
 Homemade car made from motorcycles and a
lot of time and thought.
Quite a bit of information on building it.
|
| Motorhome Bike
http://bikeportland.org
From Bike Portland and Treehugger
|
 Brian's amazing homemade motorhome bike.
"Amazingly, the guy claims to have ridden this
contraption all over the U.S. and down to Mexico"
|
|
NYCE Wheels -- Electric Bike Conversion Kit
Reviews...
|
 Reviews of electric bike
conversion kits. |
|
EV Album
http://www.evalbum.com/
|
 The EV Album has detailed descriptions of quite few
electric cars and motorcycles (not to mention a snow blower or
two).
|
| Ecomodder
http://ecomodder.com/
|
The Ecomodder site has user submitted projects ranging from
simple tips and mods to some very ambitious projects. Lots of
detail on some of them. Lots of interesting material.
"Welcome to EcoModder.com, an automotive
community where performance is judged by fuel economy rather
than power and speed. EcoModders employ a combination of
vehicle mods, driving techniques, and common sense to squeeze
every penny out of the pumps."
|
| Transportation
that Works in Disasters
|
 Having a way to get around in a natural
disaster in which the very delicate infrastructure for getting
gasoline to us is disrupted is a nice extra benefit of owning a
solar powered electric scooter or bike.
Details...
|
| Dog Powered Scooter
http://www.dogpoweredscooter.com/
|
 Yes, I can just see my dog doing this -- not. |
| Electric
Cars |
| Electric Cars: A Definitive
Guide
www.hybridcars.com/electric-car#up-and-coming
|
 A new online guide to all known electric
cars from the folks at HybridCars.com
A really helpful rundown on what's available or soon to be
available.
|
New
Electric Section for www.FuelEconomy.gov...
|
 www.FuelEconomy.gov
has added a new section on electric cars. It gives good comparison
data on electrics that are already out there, and also has section
on New and Upcoming Electric Vehicles.
I think they overstate the environmental benefits for the US, and
that its good to also see
this study..., but there is a lot of good information in the
new section. |
|
Electric Forum
http://www.electricforum.com/
|
 Good site with lots of information
and news on electric cars and electric car conversions.
Electric car forum with lots of particiapation.
|
Solar
Today -- Efficient Cars Roundup 2014-15...
|
 This is the seventh
annual roundup of efficient cars by Solar Today. Very good
tabulated data that does a really good job of showing both energy
use and CO2 emissions in this complicated world of electrics,
hybrids, and plug in hybrids. Best job of summarizing the whole
picture I have seen. |
|
How do electric car CO2
emissions compare to gasoline powered cars?
Is Electricity A Clean Energy Source?...
|
 This article compares
the CO2 emissions for electric vehicles to gasoline powered
vehicles. It includes the emissions associated with the generation
of the electricity.
How the comparison comes out depends a lot on how clean the
source of your electricity is. For electricity produced by coal,
an EV is equivalent roughly to a 30 mpg gasoline powered card, for
NG its 54 mpg and for wind its 3900 mpg.
|
| Nissan
LEAF EV
http://www.greencarcongress.com/...
http://www.autobloggreen.com/...
NEW
Latest on the Leaf -- price to be around $33K with rebates
bringing it down to about $25K...
More on the Leaf battery pack...
|
 Nissan has announced that the new LEAF
pure electric car will be available in the US in late 2010.
Carries 5 people, range 100 miles, top speed 90 mph. 24 KWH
li-Ion battery pack. 90 KW synchronous AC motor.
Quick charge to 80% in half an hour.
|
| Mitsubishi
i MiEV
http://www.autobloggreen.com/ ...
Fun video driving the iMiEV...
|
 Mitsubishi's electric car version of the
i MiEV.
4 passenger, 80 mph top speed, and 80 mile range.
"Ride comfort is surprisingly good"
330 volt Li-Ion battery system charges in 7 hours, but a half
hour quick charge is being pursued.
To be sold in Japan in 2009 along with the existing gas powered
version.
|
|
Accelerated Composites Aptera
Unfortunately the Aptera did not make it
|
The Accelerated Composites Aptera will be
produced as an all electric and as a plug in hybrid. Seating for
two adults + an infant seat behind. Zero to 60 in 10 secs, top
speed around 85 mph. Drag coefficient of 0.05., weight 850 lbs,
range 120 miles(?).
While it is licensed as a motorcycle, they have put a lot of
emphasis on safety including air bags and front, side, and
rollover protection.
Their goal is to offer the EV version in late 2008 and the hybrid
version in late 2009 -- prices projected to start at $27K.
Pretty exciting vehicle.
|
| The Buddy
Small electric car from Norway
http://www.elbilnorge.no ...
|
 A small electric car that is
currently available and (I'm told) popular in Norway and a number of
other countries.
3 people, crumple zones, regenerative braking, and trunk capacity
of "8 bags of groceries". Also accepts "varying battery
technologies".
More models coming. Top speed 90 kph.
An email response to a question about US availability said "not
likely" because of the way the Buddy would be classified in the
US. (thanks to Der for suggesting this)
|
| EV Resources
|
 A
list of EV and EV conversion resources, clubs, suppliers, ... |
Solar Electricity at
Home...,
Kevin Johnson
How to get articles from
Home Power ...
|
 Home Power
magazine article, issue 117.
This is quite an amazing story. Kevin details how his family has 1)
cut their transportation energy use to about 5 KWH per day by using
an electric vehicle conversion, and 2) their home electricity use to
about 5 KWH per day through conservation.
All of this energy is supplied by all of this energy is supplied by
a 2.9 KW grid tied PV system. |
Why We Need Electric Cars,
Steve Heckeroth,
Mother Earth News
Finding Mother
Earth News articles...
|
 Mother Earth News, Oct/Nov
2006, issue 218.
Good article on electric cars -- makes a good case for electric
vehicles and plug in hybrids. Shows that even with electric cars
and plug in hybrids charged from the largely fossil fuel powered
electric grid that a significant reduction in green house gases
results. |
| Tesla Motors-- high performance EV sedans...
http://www.autobloggreen.com/...
|
 Tesla, the maker of the
Tesla Roadster (just below), announced the details on the coming
sedan model.
Seats up to 5 adults + 2 children, ranges from 160 to 300 miles
depending on battery pack, zero to 60 mph in 6 seconds, and a price
just under $50K (including $7K fed rebate).
Production by Q4, 2011 -- start saving! |
|
|
 The amazing 2 seater
electric sports car that does 0 to 60 mph in 3.9 seconds, and has a
range of 220 miles.
A bit out of my price range, but nice to see what can be done.
The first few have been delivered. |
Electric
Car Future? Fix the Grid First,
Chris Ellis
http://www.hybridcars.com/fuels/electric-car-future-fix-grid-first-27623.html
|
 This is not such good news
for people in the US (like me) who want to reduce carbon emissions
by buying an electric vehicle. It may be more effective in the near
term to work harder on cleaning up fossil fueled vehicles. |
EV
Conversions
Converting a gas engine car to an EV is entirely feasible
simpler than many would think. There are kits available that make
the job even more straightforward. |
| How Stuff Works -- Electric
Cars
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/electric-car.htm
|
 A good getting started
article on electric cars and electric car conversions.
Goes through an actual conversion as an example.
|
| The Electric Vehicle Association of Greater
Washington DC...
Build and EV:
http://www.evadc.org/build_an_ev.html
|
 Good information on
converting a gas powered car to an EV. Includes some material on
selecting the right kind of 'donor" car, and on doing the actual
conversion.
Its not as detailed as some of the materials below, but its a good
overview of the whole process.
The site also has some current news on EV developments.
|
| Jerry's Electric Car
Conversion
http://jerryrig.com/convert/
and,
http://www.evconvert.com/
|
 Very well done personal site
on converting a gas powered Mazda car to run on electricity.
The description is very detailed and covers all the design and build
issues encountered in detail.
If you want a feel for what's involved in a conversion, this is the
one. |
|
Electric Forum
http://www.electricforum.com/
|
Good site with lots of information
and news on electric cars and electric car conversions.
Electric car forum with lots of particiapation.
|
| Building
a Low Cost EV in 1 Week
http://www.rowetel.com/blog/?page_id=17
|
 This is a very
professionally done converstion of a Daihatsu Charade done by a
group of EV conversion friends in only 3 days!
The three videos give a good feel for what's involved in the full
EV conversion process, and the site provides quite a bit of
information in the form of drawings, and a whole raft of links to
useful EV conversion information.
|
| DIY
Electric Car
http://www.diyelectriccar.com/
|
 DIY Electric Car is a very
active forum and discussion sites that primarely deals with EV
conversions. Very hands on, lots of real projects.
Looks like a very good place to learn the details on conversions and
get expert advice. |
| EV
Calculator from EVConvert
http://www.evconvert.com/tools/evcalc/
|
 To my untrained eye, this
looks like a very useful calculator for designing EV conversions.
It has a whole inventory of actual donor cars,
motors, controllers, ... You put a car together from these
choices, and it then reports the performance for the car you
assembled. |
| Build Your Own Electric
Vehicle, Bob Brant, TAB Books, 1994
|
 Quite a good book on
converting an existing car or truck to electric operation.
My reaction after reading this was that it looks a lot more
straightforward and practical than I thought it would be. Part of
this is due to the inherent simplicity of electric cars compared to
gas engine cars.
The book provides quite a bit of design information, as well as a
detailed how-to on the actual conversion. |
| Chevy S10
Conversion from EV Help
http://evhelp.com/S10_Conversion.htm
|
 Quite a bit of detail on
converting a Chevy S10 pickup to an electric vehicle, as well as a
couple years of operating history.
Other useful material on the site that is dedicated to helping
with EV conversions.
|
Born to be Wired,
Kelly Davidson,
Home Power Magazine issue 122
How to get articles from
Home Power ...
|
 A nice detailed
description of the conversion of a 2001 GMC pickup to full electric
operation.
Covers the tradeoffs on range, battery capacity, vehicle choice, and
provides a bit of detail on the actual conversion process.
|
| Solar
Van UK
http://www.solarvan.co.uk/index.htm
|
  An interesting and advanced
EV conversion of a van.
The conversion uses an AC motor and is power by Lithium batteries.
Picture at right shows battery installation under a raised floor.
A fair bit of detail on the design and construction (if you look
for it).
|
| EV
Album
http://www.evalbum.com/
|
 Descriptions of 1402 EV
conversions ranging from skateboards, through bikes, to cars and
trucks of all types -- even a few boats.
A page of technical data on each conversion, and in some cases,
pointers to websites that give more detail. |
| Drive Electric -- Shockwave Motors...
|
 Information on electric car
conversions. |
Solar Car Anatomy,
Nelson Kruschandl
www.speedace.info/solar_car_anatomy.htm
|
 Some fairly
detailed material on designing a car that is powered solely from
solar energy by onboard PV cells.
There is quite a bit more information on the site on electric
cars and solar cars.
|
| Electric
Drag Racing
www.opb.org/programs/ofg/segments/view/1686
|
 A fun and interesting video
on the "White Zombie" -- a 1972 Datsun sedan converted into a 300 hp
electric car.
|
| SEE
ALSO the suppliers list for EV conversions .. |
 SEE
ALSO the suppliers list for EV conversions .. |
| Gas
Powered Scooters |
Scooters
www.Vespa.com
http://powersports.honda.com/scooters/
(many more brands out there)
Articles on popularity of scooters:
AP
Article
Survey
|
 At
50 to 100 mpg scooter sales are picking up a lot. Looks like fun.
Vespa "S" ...
|
| Vetter
Streamlined Motorcycles
http://www.craigvetter.com/
The Last Vetter Fairing ...
|
 A really interesting website
by Craig Vetter on the development of efficient motorcycles through
streamlining and on human powered vehicles.
His current project is a practical motorcycle that gets 120 mpg
under real highway conditions and is comfortable to ride.
I really like the cardboard prototype. |
| CNG Powered Cars |
New Federal Incentives Could
Put CNG Vehicles on the Map
New Incentives for CNG cars...
|
 It
looks like the federal government is getting serious about
encouraging the development of cars that run on CNG (Compressed
Natural Gas).
They will be offering substantial subsidies/credits to both
manufacturers and car buyers. And, incentives for people providing
CNG refueling stations. |
The Honda Civic GX CNG
Fueled Car
Honda
website for the GX... |
 Honda currently
makes the only available CNG fueled car. It has a quite respectable
5.6 tons of CO2 emissions per year, gets 28 mpg (equivalent), and
has yearly fuel costs lower than a Prius.
You can find the details at FuelEconomy.gov...
The new incentives for CNG cars should make this a much more
attractive choice -- and make T. Boone Pickens very happy. |
Green
Car Reference Sites
These sites offer the best information I have
been able to find on finding and buying a green, efficient car. |
|
The Fuel Economy Guide
From www.FuelEconomy.gov
Fuel
Economy Guide...
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/printGuides.shtml
|
 This
very handy guide provides the mpg numbers of basically all the cars
available in the US -- now also includes electric cars. Very handy.
The www.FuelEconomy.gov
site provides more in depth data on each car including cabin
volumes, emissions, range, fuel costs, ... |
| Fuel Economy dot Gov
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/
NEW: The 2012 Fuel Economy Guide is out...
|
Very informative site. Fuel economy data on all models. Some
info on the various green and fuel efficient technologies.
The "side-by-side" comparison tool is very handy for comparing
mpg, cost, carbon, interior size, ... for multiple cars.
|
Hybrid
Cars dot Com
Selecting an efficient car:
www.HybridCars.com
Excellent Gas Mileage Impact Calculator:
http://hybridcars.com/calculator/index.php
|
 An excellent calculator to
compare conventional cars to hybrids. Give gasoline savings, and
green house gas emissions reduction.
Sample: Ford Explorer to Toyota
Prius
This site covers all cars, not just hybrids.
Note: HybridCars.com recently
changed the organization of their website, and it has become an
easy to use tool to find the best cars within the class of car you
are shopping for.
|
| Plugin
Cars
http://www.plugincars.com/
A list
of all the current electric offerings...
|
 A new website started by the folks who do
HybridCars.com that concentrates on electric and plug in hybrid
cars.
|
| Latest EPA Fuel Economy
Guide
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/feg2000.htm
|
 EPA fuel economy for all models. A good way to
compare cars on fuel use.
Mid-size cars show a range of 12 to 55 mpg! |
| Top 100 Green Cars
Top 100
"Green Center" home page
|
A quick way to browse the 100 most green cars, as rated by
Environmental Defense. The green rating depends mostly on fuel
economy, but takes a number of other factors into account.
|
| AutoBlog
Green
http://www.autobloggreen.com/
|
 The Auto Blog Green has become my favorite source
for what's going on in the world of more fuel efficient and green
cars.
Covers the whole range of developments, and is very timely with a
high volume of new material.
Sign up for their email news to keep up on what's new in green
cars.
|
Does It Pay to Drive a
Hybrid?
Andy Kerr
Home Power Magazine article
How to get articles from
Home Power ...
To download the spreadsheet:
HP Promised Files - Hybrid Spreadsheet
(this is not available right now as the reorgainize their site)
|
 This is a very good Home Power article by Andy Kerr
that goes over the factors that determine what the economic payoff
for YOU will be in buying a hybrid car.
You can download the spreadsheet that goes with the article to
determine the payoff for buying a hybrid for your particular
case.
Most of the analyses out there on hybrid payoffs make a whole set of
assumptions that are likely not right for you. |
| Ecomodder
http://ecomodder.com/
|
The Ecomodder site has user submitted projects ranging from
simple tips and mods to some very ambitious projects. Lots of
detail on some of them. Lots of interesting material.
"Welcome to EcoModder.com, an automotive
community where performance is judged by fuel economy rather
than power and speed. EcoModders employ a combination of
vehicle mods, driving techniques, and common sense to squeeze
every penny out of the pumps."
|
PV and EV -- My
Solar-Electric House and Car
Mark Jensen
Home Power Magazine Article, Issue 113
How to get articles
from Home Power ...
|
 Good Home Power article. Mark describes the large PV
system that runs his house, as well as keeping his Toyota RAV 4 EV
(Electrical Vehicle) charged.
These EV's are no longer offered by Toyota, and after reading the
article, one wonders why? |
| Green Car Congress
http://www.greencarcongress.com/topics.html
|
 The latest news on fuel
cells, hybrids, engines, BioDiesel, fuel efficient cars, ...
Well organized and up to date.
|
Efficient
Cars You Can Buy Now
This is a small sampling of efficient
cars now in production that stand out (to me) -- not by any means
an exhaustive list -- just ones I've heard good things about or
that seem interesting.
See the Green Car Reference Sites
section above for more complete information on selecting an
efficient car.
See also the Concept Cars section for
some near term offerings. |
|
Third Generation Prius (2010)
This is a bit out of date in that the 4th generation Prius is due
out prety soon -- rumored that it will get about 55 mpg.
Information on the new Prius...
First driving numbers...
Details on solar roof...
|
Impressions and numbers starting to come in on the 3rd
Generation 2010 Prius.
My overall impression is that it has some useful improvements in
functionality and performance, while at the same time providing a
small improvement in fuel economy.
Note: we bought a 2010 gen 3 Prius to replace our gen 2, and have
been quite happy with it.
|
| Toyota Prius (Gen 1 and 2)
Prius Websites & Info:
Forum: http://priusonline.com/
Zillions of Prius Links:
http://techno-fandom.org
|
 The Prius with its near 50 mpg and very
roomy interior for 4 adults, has been the most successful hybrid,
and has basically put hybrids on the map. Over 1 million of Prius
produced.
I'm probably a bit biased on this, since we own one.
|
| John's
Prius Site
http://john1701a.com/
|
 I don't think it would be an exaggeration
to say that John loves his Prius (all three of them).
This is an amazing collection of Prius material for all three
generations.
|
|
Using your Prius (and other Hybrids) as backup generator to power
you house
Very
simple emergency power from Hybrid car...
From
APRS ...
The ConVerdant Prius generator...
One from off the shelf parts...
And
another...
|
 Some schemes that allow your Prius to
power your house during power outages.
More out there if you Google for it.
|
| 10,000
Miles in the Jelly Bean car (now over 100K
miles)
Gary
(Updated 7/2007 -- 40,000 miles and 100F)
(Updated 5/31, 2008 -- 55,000 miles)
(Updated 5/10, 2010 -- 94,000 miles)
(Updated 9/2, 2010 -- 100K miles and $10,400 in savings)
October, 2010 -- The final update...
|
 A quick report on life with our Prius.
In our attempt to cut our total energy use and CO2 emissions in Half of the 24 energy
saving projects we did, the Prius was the single most effective
project.
|
| Costs of Owning hybrids vs non-hybrids over
100,000 miles
|
These are my thoughts and some
comparision data on the cost of owning a hybrid vs a non-hybrid car
(or SUV) over a 100,000 mile period. It compares various 2010
offerings and includes both initial price and fuel costs over the
first 100,000 miles.
One result -- driving an efficient vehicle instead of a full
sized SUV or truck can save $30,000 and neark 50 tons of CO2
emissions over 100,000 miles.
|
Guy's
Chevy Volt
www.arttec.net/Chevy_Volt/index.htm |
 This is Guy Marsden's page on his solar
charged Chevy Volt.
Lots of in depth information on the Volt.
Guy tracks EV vs gas operation and also the fraction of the Volt
charging that is done with their own PV array -- all very
interesting.
If you have not seen Guy's site, there is a ton of good renewable
energy project information on it. |
| GM
Volt Electric Car
http://www.chevrolet.com/electriccar/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_Volt
http://www.evworld.com
A site dedicated to ongoing news on the Chevy Volt: http://www.gm-volt.com/
|
 The Chevy Volt is an electric car with
an all electric drive train, but has an onboard IC engine to charge
the batteries on longer trips.
It has a range of about 40 miles before the gas engine is needed.
The charge for the first 40 miles comes from the grid.
Price is about $40K, but it qualifies for an about $8K rebate.
Interesting article on Chevy Volt battery
longevity ... |
Chevy Volt Owner Says He'll Soon Be
Driving For 'Free'...
From HybridCars.com |
 This is an
interesting and detailed story about Jason King's PV charged Chevy Volt. Jason lives in Maui where both gasoline and
electricity are expensive.
He is off-grid and has added enough capacity to his PV system so
that he can charge the Volt using his own PV for his daily drive.
Quite and interesting story. |
| New
Honda Insight Hybrid
A good detailed description of the new Honda Insight from
AutoBlogGreen:
http://www.autobloggreen.com/
...
|
 This is Honda's answer to the success of
the Prius.
This is a designed from the ground up hybrid that is that Honda
is expecting to capture a lot of the Hybrid market -- starting
price is said to be $18,500.
The link gives the first detailed description of the car,
including a road test -- looks very promising.
|
| Ford
Fusion Hybrid
www.autobloggreen.com ...
|
 The just out Ford Fusion Hybrid gets 41
city/36 hwy.
The Fusion hybrid is reported by reviewers to be roomy, comfortable,
and quiet.
Ford Fusion hybrid tops 80 mpg, 1,000 miles with 1/3 of a tank
left...
|
| Honda Civic Natural Gas
Honda
GX (runs on NG) ...
|
 Honda makes a natural gas
version of the Civic that gets good mileage, is very clean, and
costs very little to operate (NG is much cheaper than gas).
EPA mileage 24/36 equivalent on NG -- the price of NG is
equivalent to gasoline at $1.50 a gallon. Very low emissions.
Range is only 170 miles, and CNG tank cuts trunk volume in half.
|
| Honda Civic Hybrid
Civic Hybrid ...
Wikipedia entry ...
|
 EPA 40/45 mpg.
Well proven hybrid package.
A new Honda hybrid design is due out soon -- this will be a new
model that is designed as hybrid from the ground up (like the
Prius). |
Fiat
500 -- efficient, clean, safe, cheap, and cute
Green Car Congress on the 500 ...
AutoblogGreen on the 500 ...
Fun story on another Fiat...
Potential Diesel Model...
|
 Fiat 500 gets 50 mpg, 5 star rating on
Europe's crash test.
Cost 10,000 Euros.
Voted "European Car of the year 2008".
Available in the US? I suppose not.
|
| Honda Fit
Wikipedia entry
...
Some info on the 2009 model -- now available:
http://www.hybridcars.com/...
|
EPA mileage of 28/34 with a price around $13K.
Gets very good reviews from numerous places.
"agile handling, zippy performance, and
impressive practicality. A four-door hatchback, the Fit is
amazingly comfortable, given its dimensions, even in the back
seats."
|
| Ford Focus
Ford Focus ...
Also, the Ford Fusion Hybrid... 41 mpg
|
 EPA mileage 24/35.
Gets good reviews. |
| CalCars.org -- Plug in
Hybrids
http://www.calcars.org/
A video from Science Channel on Plug In Prius:
http://www.youtube.com
(for high bandwidth connection)
Update on the plug in Prius from Toyota...
|
 A group working on developing the plug in
hybrid -- a hybrid that plugs into the grid (or PV) at night to
extend its range on batteries.
The video gives a good overall description of the concept.
A question one might ask is do plug in hybrids result in lower
GHG emissions when you include the GHGs from the grid electricity
used to charge them?
Here is a report:
http://www.epri-reports.org/
To me, it looks like the answer is that there is no real emissions
saving until we get a cleaner electric grid. Of course, you can
always charge from your own solar electric rig.
Here is another report on the same subject from Eric Williams at
Duke University ...
|
| The Obivo "Trybrid"
GizMag
Article
|
 Small Brazilian car that may be imported
to US in 2006. Runs on gasoline or alcohol with electric hybrid
drive.
High performance and prices starting at $14K are claimed. |
| ZENN (Zero Emissions - No
Noise Car)
2015 - Zenn is no longer making electric cars
More pictures of the Zenn
|
 Zero emission, low speed
electric car.
Top speed 25mph, range 40 miles. Driven by 72 VDC, 5hp electric
motor.
More pictures of the Zenn taken at the
Livingston, MT Sustainability Fair
|
| The "It" electric car
http://www.itiselectric.com/
|
 A low speed electric car with a range of
about 30 miles. Operates for about $7 per month. |
| The Bruce Weiner MicroCar
Museum
http://www.microcarmuseum.com/index.html
|
 Fascinating collection of Micro Cars.
These very small and efficient cars were developed in Europe in the
rebuilding times after world war II.
Many on display in Madison, GA |
| Peel
P-50 -- World's Smallest Car
http://news.cnet.com/...
|
 A very amusing BBC video about the Peel
P-50 -- the world's smallest car.
50 cc engine, 130 lbs empty weight, 3 wheels, 1 door, no reverse.
|
| 1989
Geo Metro
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geo_Metro
http://www.fueleconomy.gov
http://www.carsurvey.org/review_24325.html
http://everything2.com
A nice one ...
Comments on the 3 Geo Metros he
owned from Chris...
|
 I've seen several comments in discussion
forums in which people recalled getting 50mpg in Geo Metros nearly
20 years ago, and wondering why we seem to be having such a hard
time doing as well today.
I tried looking up info on the Metro -- these are the best of the
links I found. Its kind of a mixed story. I'd be interested in
hearing from Metro owners.
From Jonathan:
"I owned a Geo Metro with the 1.0L 3 cylinder
engine, and 5 speed manual transmission. I think it was a 92
model. It didn’t have much pep and couldn’t go over 80 mph
floored. It did get 48-49 mpg consistently."
From Jerimiah:
"I drive a 1993 Metro that I modified a bit. I just broke my
previous records for fuel economy with it; my last tank of fuel
was 648 miles on 9.75 gallons - 66.5 mpg. That was 55 mph
interstate driving."
Full details on
Jerimiah's Metro and its mods... |
| Clean
Diesels Vs Hybrids...
|
 The link provides help in comparing
diesels to hybrids or pure gasoline cars from the point of view of
mpg, greenhouse gas pollution, and air pollution.
Bottom line is that while diesels have improved on all counts,
they are still significantly worse in greenhouse gas and general
air pollution.
|
| Toxic Batteries in Hybrids?
Details...
|
Many of the efficient cars listed in the
section are hybrids. The hybrids use batteries with some toxic
material content -- is this going to
cause an environmental problem? |
| Concept
Cars and Prototypes |
| Mitsubishi Concept PX-MEIV... |
 An interesting concept plug in hybrid
that offers very good efficiency and 4WD. |
| VW XL1
Concept Car
Overview on AutoBlogGreen...
Some nice pictures on AutoBlog...
|
 The Volkswagon XL1 concept car is one of
the VW one-liter series --cars intended to go 100km on 1 liter of
gas (about 260 mpg!).
The car seats 2 side by side, uses a carbon fiber body and many
other advanced features to keep the weight down to 1750 lbs. It
has a drag coefficient of only 0.186 and a frontal area about
2/3rds of a VW Golf.
It is also a plug in hybrid with an electric range 22 miles.
Wow!
|
Toyota
FT-Bh 112 mpg Concept Car
www.hybridcars.com/news/toyota-takes-wraps-112-mpg-f... |
 An article from
HybridCars.com on the Toyota concept car the FT-Bh. The car uses a
new design Atkinson cycle engine and Li batteries with low weight
achieved through careful use of materials.
|
| New Honda Hybrid
http://www.autobloggreen.com/ ...
No longer a concept -- you can buy one at your neighborhood Honda
dealer
|
 This is Honda's answer to
the success of the Prius.
This is a designed from the ground up hybrid that is that Honda
is expecting to capture a lot of the Hybrid market -- starting
price is said to be $18,500.
|
| Toyota 1/x Concept Car
http://www.greencarcongress.com/...
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2008/...
|
 This is a concept car showing what Toyota
thinks it can achieve when a hybrid power plant is combined a very
light weight design in the future.
It uses carbon composite construction and weighs only 926 lbs!
The gas engine is only 500 cc. Same interior space as a Prius.
Estimated EPA mileage is just over 90 mpg.
Batteries can also be charged from grid. |
| Single
Seat Volkswagen
www.altenergymag.com/...
US News Article...
|
 This single seat car that VW is working
on would get 250+ mpg, top speed 75 mph. It can travel over 400
miles on its 1.7 gallon fuel tank! Weighs 660 lbs.
This car is powered by gasoline only, and its 250 mpg is not one of
the phony plug in hybrid mileage ratings that does not include
fossil fuel burned to make electricity -- its an honest 250 mpg --
amazing.
Said to be ready to go on sale in Shanghai in 2010. |
| Honda
Clarity Fuel Cell Car -- drive report
http://www.autobloggreen.com/ ...
This is quite a detailed report on the Honda Hydrogen fuel cell
car and a drive in it from AutoblogGreen.
Honda Clarity Website:
http://automobiles.honda.com/fcx-clarity/
NEW
Home Energy Station -- make Hydrogen at your home for the FCX...
|
 This is Honda's very serious
go at a fuel cell car. It is designed from the ground up as a fuel
cell car. Plans call for introducing the car in limited numbers as
lease vehicles in southern California in 2008.
The specs make it sound like a practical, usable, high efficiency
car -- the biggest problem being the availability of Hydrogen (and
cost?).
The "Home Energy Station" is interesting -- A home station that
makes Hydrogen from NG, and uses waste heat for space heating. Its
puzzling that this only achieves a "30% reduction in CO2 compared to
home with IC engine car and electric heat"? Seems like it should do
much better? |
Toyota iQ
City Car
http://www.greencarcongress.com ...
From Tree Hugger ...
Crash test...
|
 Toyota's innovative iQ city car carries 3
adults and a child. Very compact (10ft long). Presumably very good
efficiency -- maybe 54 mpg in the European rating.
More details coming in early Oct of 08 at Paris auto show.
To be in production by late 2008. Toyota has talked about a hybrid
model later. |
| VW Polo Diesel -- 71 mpg, 87
g/km CO2
http://www.autobloggreen.com/...
|
 All new Polo concept car that is due to
come to US in couple years.
Claim is 71 mpg and 87 gm/km of CO2.
This would make the most fuel efficient 5 passenger car on the
road.
|
| Electric
MINI -- The MINI E
On AutoBlogGreen:
Introduction ...
Powerplant ...
|
 BMW is building 500 of these electrically
powered MINIs.
They should be little hot rods with the equivalent of 200 peak HP.
Powered by Li batteries and an advanced AC power plant -- said to
have about 150 mile range.
They will be leased ($850?/mo) in selected locations, including east
coast and west coast cities. BMW is doing this to get real world
experience with electric vehicles. |
| Saturn Vue Green Line will
offer 2-mode and plug-in hybrid technology
http://www.autobloggreen.com
|
 GM has committed to introducing several
new hybrid cars over the next couple years, including the first
production plug-in hybrid. The plug-in will have an about 10 mile
all electric range.
Finally some signs of life from Detroit. |
| Prius PlugIn Hybrid
www.hybridcars.com...
|
 Toyota announces a plug-in
hybrid version of the Prius.
Specs are a bit underwhelming (10 mile electric range), but maybe
helpful to some.
A question one might ask is do plug in hybrids result in lower
GHG emissions when you include the GHGs from the grid electricity
used to charge them?
Here is a report:
http://www.epri-reports.org/
To me, it looks like the answer is that there is no real emissions
saving until we get a cleaner electric grid. Of course, you can
always charge from your own solar electric rig.
|
|
Think Electric Car
The Think went out of business in 2011
To be offered in the US:
www.hybridcars.com/...
A drive in the Think...
Larger, faster 2011 model:
The Energy Blog ...
The sleek version:
www.autobloggreen.com/ ...
|
 A Norwegian electric city
car -- soon to be in production.
2 or 4 person capacity, air bags, heating and AC, power steering,
regenerative braking, ABS, ...
Range 120 miles, top speed 62 mph, weight 3000 lbs, Li-ion or sodium
batteries.
The company also has some unique ideas on how the car and batteries
are to be sold and marketed.
The 2nd two links are for follow on models. |
| Venture
Tilting Two Seater
"Flying the Road"
www.flytheroad.com/index.html
http://www.autobloggreen.com/...
|
 This three wheeler leans into turns
depending on the lateral g force. The back two wheels and power
plant stay flat on the ground as the rest of the body tilts. It is
to be offered as both a pure EV as well as a series hybrid. 100 mph
top speed. EV has 120 mile range. Target price is around $20K.
I have to say that the video makes it appear to be a very fun car to
drive. Kind of a cross between a motorcycle and a car with an
outstanding view of the scenery. |
|
Diesel-Hybrid Pickup Coming to US,
From Treehugger
Mahindra has dropped this pickup for the US
|
 A diesel-hybrid pickup to be
introduced in 2010 with the potential for 40 mpg.
From Mahindra.
Not sure I quite believe this, but their tractors have a good
reputation.
|
| The AIRPod Compressed Air Three Wheeler...
|
 A one person three wheel
car that runs on compressed air from ZeroPollutionMotors.
Designed for urban use. Target price is about $8000.
|
Wind-to-Wheel
Energy Assessment,
Patrick Mazza and Roel Hammerschlag,
Institute for Lifecycle Environmental Assessment
Wind-to-Wheel paper...
|
 This very interesting paper
compares the range achieved by identical cars using 4 energy storage
technologies -- battery, compressed air, and Hydrogen powered fuel
cells.
Batteries appear to be the clear winner from this point of view.
(Thanks to Ron for finding this) |
| Determining
EPA fuel rating for plug-ins is difficult
New York Times Article ...
|
 New York Times article on what the EPA is
going through to try to come up with the EPA gas mileage that will
go on the window sticker for the Chevy Volt.
Complex because the Volt runs 40 miles on electricity in the
batteries with no gasoline use, and after that runs on electricity
produced by the onboard IC engine.
I would also like to see CO2 emissions on the window sticker,
including the CO2 from the grid electricity used for battery
charging.
|
| MIT's pint-sized car engine
promises high efficiency, lost cost -- Ethanol empowers little
engine that could
Massachusetts Institute of Technology news
office...
|
Article from MIT Tech Talk on a gasoline
engine that uses direct injection of Ethanol to suppress knocking
under high power demand situations.
Claim is that this allows a much smaller, higher compression,
turbo charged gas engine to power a car, with injection of Ethanol
only when high power is demanded. The claim is that this could
reduce fuel consumption by 30%, which is comparable to hybrids,
but at a much lower cost.
|
| Scuderi Engine -- Potential air hybrid...
|
 A new engine design that
separates compression and combustion into separate paired
cylinders. This may offer some advantages in efficiency (claim is
that a 30mpg car becomes 40 mpg car), and the possibility of a
compressed air hybrid at a lower cost. |
Israeli
Microturbine-Based Range-Extended Electric Vehicle
From the Green Car Congress
www.greencarcongress.com/...
|
 An Israeli start-up is working on a range
extended electric vehicle (REEV) that uses a small gas turbine for
charging the batteries.
This type of vehicle is electrically propelled, but an onboard
generator is used when the batteries can't provide enough range --
this means no need for a lengthy charging stop on long trips.
It is claimed that the gas turbine may use as little as half the
fuel of an IC engine for battery charging. |
| PML's In-Wheel Motor,
Plug-in Hybrid Mini
http://www.greencarcongress.com
|
 A new hybrid technology
testbed.
Motors in wheels, 21 KWH lithium-polymer battery pack, 200 mile
range as electric, 930 mile range as gas hybrid. Zero to 62 mph in
5 seconds. 250cc engine. Traction control and anti-skid built into
each wheel. 80 mpg? |
The UltraCommuter -- 500 mpg
2 seat car,
University of Queensland
Description from Green Car Congress
|
 A 2 seat "UltraCommuter" car
from the University of Queensland. It is a hybrid, and has 2.5 m^2
of PV panels as well as a compressed natural gas tank that runs a
10KW generator to provide power when the batteries have been
exhausted. Claimed fuel economy is 0.44 liters per 100km (535 mpg).
“This is a real car designed for today’s Australian conditions
using current technology,” he said. “Our goal is to have a fully
operational prototype on the road later this year.” |
| Taiwan
Solar Car Prototype
www.taipeitimes.com/ ...
|
 Solar powered, Lithium
Polymer battery prototype. Weighs 250 kg, top speed 7 km/hr, and 3
hr run time.
"The battery can be charged with just a few hours
sunlight and can power the car for three hours."
Expected to be available "this year".
|
| UBC 3100 mpg car
www.physorg.com/news70040977.html
|
 Winner (by a wide margin) of the SAE Super Mileage Contest 3145
miles per US gallon!
“We
achieved this level of efficiency by optimizing many aspects
of the vehicle design, including: aerodynamics, light-weight
construction, a small displacement engine (54 cc), and
conservative driving habits,” says Team Captain Kevin Li.
|
| Peugeot -- 69 mpg Diesel
Hybrid
www.greencarcongress.com
NEW update on the Peugeot diesel
hybrid:
http://autoweb.com.au ...
|
 Fairly
detailed article on prototype Peugeot hybrid diesel.
Sounds great, but unfortunately not available until 2010. |
| Loremo debuts 150 mpg
concept car in Geneva
From AutoBlog
Loremo Concept Car
|
 Up to 150 mpg on this low drag, light weight diesel.
Price projected to be $13K to $18K. Production not scheduled to
start until 2009. |
| Bob -- A Motor Home for the Greenhouse Gas Age?...
www.andrewmaynard.com.au/BOB01.html
|
  I've often wondered if there is a way
for people who like RVing to be able to keep doing it in a way
that is responsible given our greenhouse gas and climate change
problems. Well, here is one concept that might work. Not much
detail, but an interesting idea.
Also, have a look at our fuel efficient ProMaster
van conversion camper...
|
X-Prize
The X-Prize Foundation is offering a 10 million dollar prize for
practical 100 mpg car. |
| Summary of Auto X-Prize
material on Autoblog Green
X-Prize article and video summary ...
Current standings...
|
The Auto X-Prize offers a $10 million
prize for a car that can get 100 mpg. The emphasis is on a
practical car that meets real consumer needs, and meets current
safety requirements -- not on concept vehicles.
This summary of Auto X-Prize material on Autoblog Green provides a
lot of useful material. |
| Edison's
Very Light Car
http://www.edison2.com/
|
 One of only two entries remaining in the
4 passenger, 200 mile range mainstream class. The car is 800 lbs,
255 cc IC engine, 100+ mph, 1.2 lateral g on the skid pad, and 600+
mile range.
The website brings up a number of interesting issues, including
why the car is not a hybrid. There is also a good blog attached
to the site.
|
| Kinetic Vehicles X-Prize 100
mpg entry
http://www.kineticvehicles.com/
|
 This site describes the entry from
Kinetic Vehicles for the X-Prize. It is a very low cost and simple
approach using mostly off the shelf parts. Their aim is a simple,
practical, and inexpensive car that achieves 100 mpg.
In contrast to most of the X-Prize entries this is an "open
source" entry with all of the details on how they are going about
the design/build available on the website -- right down to
detailed parts lists. |
|
Commercial Vehicles |
| GTB-40
Hybrid Bus
www.fishercoachworks.com/vehicles.html
|
 The GTB40 buses from Fisher Coach are
about twice as fuel efficient as conventional buses. There is an
all electric version powered by batteries, and a range extended
version that uses a CNG powered generator to charge batteries. The
busses are about 1/3 rd lighter than conventional buses due to a
stainless steel unibody design. |
| Reducing
Drag on Big Trucks
http://www.part20.eu/en/
http://www.part20.eu/en/news/
From Alternate Energy News...
|
 This group of universities,
manufacturers, and shippers is working on improving the aerodynamics
of large trucks with the aim of reducing fuel consumption by 20%.
They have come up with a number of practical looking drag
reducing changes. The boat tail fairing alone (pictured to left)
reduces drag by 7.5%.
These changes save both fuel and emissions -- seems like a deal
that truckers could get behind and without a lot of whining.
|
| Mercedes-Benz
Actros -- an efficient big rig
http://www.autobloggreen.com/...
|
 This 40 ton Mercedes Benz Actros big rig
managed 12.4 mpg with a 25 ton payload. This was on a test track at
50 mph, but still pretty amazing considering that a lot of these big
rigs only get 5 mpg.
Lots of interesting material on factors effecting big rig mpg and
CO2 emissions in the article.
|
| London Plans for Hybrid Bus
Expansion
www.treehugger.com
|
 London plans to
convert its entire fleet of 8000 buses to diesel hybrids by 2012.
The diesel hybrids generate 40% less CO2. |
| Hybrid School Buses
http://www.hybridschoolbus.org/
Hybrid Drivetrain Maker:
http://www.enovasystems.com/
|
 "11 states are first in the
nation to receive hybrid school buses"
"40 percent increase in fuel efficiency"
So, maybe city buses, garbage trucks, ... are coming?
|
HST
(Highly Sophisticated Transporter)
Kioko Muthui
http://akmuthui.synthasite.com/
HST brochure/specs... (4.5MB pdf)
|
 A. K. Muthui's concept for a cost and
fuel efficient, high capacity, long haul highway truck.
"With reference to contemporary trucks, the HST
would feature extraordinary fuel efficiency, a significantly
improved driving experience, a higher level of active and
passive safety, and enhanced environmental and infrastructural
considerations."
|
| Efficient
Driving |
| GasSavers -- Helping you
Save at the Pump
www.GasSavers.org
The "Top Ten Vehicles" section is quite
interesting.
|
 An active forum on saving
gas:
"GasSavers is a community of fuel economy
enthusiasts. Our typical member does not own a hybrid. Our
typical member is like you: With a normal vehicle and a desire
to increase the fuel economy of that vehicle."
(Thanks to Ben at www.crxmpg.com for suggesting this.)
|
| Hypermiling
CBS hypermiling story
http://www.cbsnews.com/ ...
Hypermiling website:
http://www.cleanmpg.com/
|
 Hypermiling is a set of
driving techniques that can be used on any car to dramatically
increase gas mileage.
The CBS video covers an "ordinary" driver and a hypermiling
driver using identical cars on a trip from Chicago to New York.
|
| Modifications
to Improve Efficiency |
| Choosing
Low Rolling Resistance Tires
www.hybridcars.com/...
|
 Good article at HybridCars.com on low
rolling resistance tires and how to choose a good one. Includes
real world testing. |
| CalCars.org -- Plug in
Hybrids
http://www.calcars.org/
A video from Science Channel on Plug In Prius:
http://www.youtube.com
(for high bandwidth connection)
Update on the plug in Prius from Toyota...
|
A group working on developing the plug in
hybrid -- a hybrid that plugs into the grid (or PV) at night to
extend its range on batteries.
The video gives a good overall description of the concept.
A question one might ask is do plug in hybrids result in lower
GHG emissions when you include the GHGs from the grid electricity
used to charge them?
Here is a report:
http://www.epri-reports.org/
To me, it looks like the answer is that there is no real emissions
saving until we get a cleaner electric grid. Of course, you can
always charge from your own solar electric rig.
|
| PV Enhanced Prius
Lapp Renewables Ltd.
www.greencarcongress.com
www.lapprenewables.com/hybrid%20project.html
(this link may have gone dead)
|
 The
conventional wisdom is that cars use energy at such a high rate that
tacking a few PV panels on top would not be of much use.
Lapp has found that if you start with an efficient car, that you can
indeed make a worthwhile improvement. The (admittedly non-optimum)
prototype achieves a 10% improvement in mileage, and the potential
for an about 33% improvement is discussed. |
Rebuilding
a Hybrid Vehicle Battery Pack,
Michael Lamb
How to get articles from
Home Power ...
|
 Home Power Magazine article, issue 137,
June 2010.
Michael gives a very detailed how-to on refurbishing the NiMH
battery pack from a Honda Civic hybrid.
While this is not for everyone, it appears to be surprisingly doable
-- if a bit time consuming.
The incentive is that the cost of a new battery pack is $3000+ and
the total cost of the rebuild (including buying a charger) was $380. |
| Car
Fuel Conversions |
| EERE Alternative Fuels &
Advanced Vehicles Data Center
http://www.eere.energy.gov/afdc/
|
 New EERE
website to bring together resources on alternative fuel vehicles.
Includes basic info on alternative fuels, index to publications,
data on alternative fuel use, incentives programs by state, and lots
of alternative fuel resources (although not a lot of the best ones
from the point of view of Do-It-yourselfers). |
| VW
Jetta Conversion to Vegetable Oil
Jeff
|
 Jeff describes
his conversion of a 1998 VW Jetta Diesel to burn straight vegetable
oil. VERY detailed.
Thank you Jeff!
|
| Mike Pelly's biodiesel method
http://journeytoforever.org/biodiesel_mike.html
http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel_library.html
Part of the Journey to Forever site:
http://journeytoforever.org
|
 Nice clear
explanation of how to make biodiesel, and some of the chemistry
behind it.
The Journey To Forever site is very interesting, with a good
collection of information on biofuels and many other fine
projects.
|
| Do-It-Yourself Automotive
LPG Conversion
http://www.wps.com/LPG/LPG-book-final.html
So, is an LPG conversion a way to 1) save some money, 2) reduce
greenhouse gas emissions -- all without spending a lot of money on
a new car, an expensive conversion, or the hassle of making
Biodiesel? Any thoughts on this? -- Gary
|
 Pretty detailed account of
conversion of a Rambler to burn LPG. Includes some of the mechanics
of the conversion, plus driving experiences, finding fuel, ...
LPG is a lower carbon fuel than gasoline, and will reduce
greenhouse gas emissions -- and maybe save you some money. It is
also appears to be a relatively simple conversion, and fuel is
widely available.
|
| See Also -- the
BioFuels page |
|
| Aircraft |
|
Electra One Solar
http://www.pc-aero.de/
|
 PC-Aero makes the
Electra One Solar, a single passenger, solar powered, carbon
composite airplane with a maximum range of 1000 km and a cruise
speed of 140 km/hr (88 mph).
About half of the power in flight comes from solar cells mounted
on the surface of the airplane. Empty weight is only 100 kg.
Pretty amazing.
|
| Aeros airships...
From Av Week...
|
 Something like a tenth of our oil goes
into aircraft transporting people and cargo. Maybe its time to
think about aircraft that use less fuel? |
| Solar/Wind
Boats |
| Electric Boats
www.mindspring.com/~jimkerr1/sebebts.htm
|
 Jim Kerr's extensive collection of
information on electric and solar electric boats. Lots of good,
first hand information on this site.
Introduction to electric boats and solar boats, and links to a
number references, suppliers, clubs, ... for electric boat
information.
|
|
The Biggest Solar Electric Boat this Side of
the Mississippi
Steve Cooper
How to get articles from
Home Power ...
|
 Home Power Magazine article,
issue 57
Interesting article on using solar PV to provide auxiliary power
on a 30 ft sailboat.
|
| Econogics Electric Boat
Page
http://www.econogics.com/ev/evboats.htm
http://www.econogics.com/ev/evboatlinks.htm
|
 Information
on electric and solar charged boats, plus an extensive set of
links.
|
|
Kite
Sails for Boats Reduce Fuel Use...
|
 Sky sails are basically large kites that
can be used to reduce the fuel consumption of ships.
Under good conditions, fuel savings can be 50%, with annual
savings of 10 t 30%.
Operation is largely autotmatic.
|
| Electric
Boats and Plans |
| The
Loon Solar Electric Boat
YouTube
Video on the Loon Solar Boat...
http://www.tamarackelectricboats.com/
|
 This is a commercially available
overnight cruiser for a family. It has an 8 hour cruising range at
full charge.
PV panels on the overhead sun shade provide about half the power
for a full day cruise.
|
| Duckworks Electron
www.duckworksbbs.com/...
|
 An interesting write-up on this 18 ft
Cuddy Cabin Electric Cruiser from Duckworks. |
| Chesapeake Marine Designs
http://www.cmdboats.com/elec.htm
|
 Several electrical and hybrid models from
15 ft to 40 ft. |
| Glen-L Plans and Kits
http://www.glen-l.com/
|
 Plans for several electric/solar boats. |
| Efficient and Solar RVs, Campers, and
Trailers |
| Small,
Simple, Efficient RAM ProMaster DIY Camper Van Conversion |
 This is our in progress
project to convert a RAM ProMaster cargo van into a smal, simple,
and efficient camper van.
This is a work in progess, and any comments or suggestions for
improvements would be appreciated.
All the details
here...
|
| DIY
Composting Toilet for RV... |
 This is Gordon's
homemade composting toilet for his RV. It is simple to build and
only costs a few dollars.
Gordon passes on detailed instructions on how to build and use
the composting toilet, and observations from their many years of
using this and other composting toilets.
|
| Section
on Composting Toilets for RV's... |
 A new
section covering DIY and commercial composting toilets for RV or
other small spaces. Lots of good detail. |
| Solar
Powered DIY RV Evaporative Cooler... |
 Tom's home made
evaporative cooler for his RV.
The system uses fans to blow outside air through a porous wet
cooling pad. Evaporation of water in the cooling pad cools the
air, dropping the temperature by as much as 25 F.
The compact unit contains a water reservoir, water pump, aspen
cooling pad, and circulation fans as shown in the diagram.
It runs on 12 volt DC power and is powered by the RV's solar
panel and battery -- pretty cool :)
Tom uses this to cool his RV without having to use grid power,
but it could be adapted for all sorts of cooling applications,
including emergency cooling when the power grid is down.
|
| Solar
Trailers and Mobile Workshops |
|
Portable Solar-Powered Workshop
Jon Haeme
www.HomePower.com
Search Home Power article archives for issue
47, and order it.
|
 Home Power
Magazine article, issue 47
Article on a complete, PV powered, workshop in a trailer.
|
|
90 Solar Powered Portable Workshop
.www.HomePower.com
Search Home Power article archives for issue
90, and order it.
|
 Home Power Magazine article,
issue 90
Interesting article on a portable, PV powered
workshop in a trailer. Uses one 120W PV panel, 2 Trojan T105
batteries, and an 1800 watt inverter to power a wide variety of
tools. System cost $2600.
|
| Solar
Tractors and Mowers |
|
Solar Garden Helper Machine
Details on the solar
garden helper machine...
|
 This is Randy's pretty amazing solar
powered garden helper machine. It makes chores like planting,
weeding, and picking a lot easier on the back.
Its made from 1 inch steel tubing bent and welded by Randy, and
uses a geared down drive from an electric wheelchair. Its
electrically powered with 4 golfcart batteries that are charged
with two 80 watt onboard PV panels.
Details on the solar
garden helper machine...
|
|
Our Elec-Trak Tractor Project
-- Using an Elec-Trak to Power Your House in Power Outages,
-- Charging the Elec-Trak from a Grid-Tie PV System
All the details...
|
 This is a very detailed account of our project to
recondition an Elec-Trak tractor. All the fascinating
details on scraping and painting, ...
It also covers using the Elec-Trak battery pack to power the house
in emergencies AND a way to charge the pack from our grid-tied PV
array.
All the details...
|
ElecTrack electric tractors ....
Mark Frerking
Pictures of Mark's latest
Elec-Track project...
|
 This
article by Mark describes in detail a line of electric
tractors and riding mowers offered by GE and others a few years ago.
These are fully electric, use no gas, and make no pollution. They
could even be charged with a PV array. The fact that many made back
in the 70's are still working is testament to their rugged design
and construction.
It boggles the mind that nothing equivalent is offered today.
Thanks very much to Mark for providing this. |
My
Elec-Traks
www.myelec-traks.com/
|
 This is just an
amazing collection of Elec-Trak tractors, mowers and attachments
restored to beautiful shape by George.
Also, manuals, brochures, information, and history on the ElecTrack
tractors. |
The Elec-Trak Owners Club
www.elec-trak.com/
|
 Lots
of helpful information and a place to get questions answered on the
Elec-Trak garden tractors. |
| A sampling of commercial
electric riding mowers
Some new commercial electric riding mowers are becoming
available.
(Thanks to Mark for suggesting these)
|
|
Converting an Allis-Chalmers
"G" Cultivating Tractor into an Electric Vehicle,
A USDA Funded SARE Grant
www.flyingbeet.com/electricg
|
 Detailed instructions on
converting an Allis-Chalmers "G" tractor for solar electric
operation.
Covers both the tractor conversion and a charging station. The
author uses two of these converted tractors day in and day out. |
Lonnie's
Electric Walk Behind Tractor
www.thegreensmachines.com/
|
 Lonnie
sells plans for his design for a walk behind electric tractor. The
tractor appears to be quite flexible and does jobs like garden
plowing and cultivating, snow plowing, mowing, moving dirt etc. with
the front loader, and general hauling stuff around. The tractor
batteries and inverter also serve as an emergency or portable source
of 100 volt AC power.
Lonnie sells a set of detailed plans for $80. There are a number of
videos on his site showing the tractor in action. I'd like to hear
from anyone who uses the plans to build a tractor. |
|
David Goes Electric
Bruce Johnson
How
to get articles from Home Power ...
Search for Issue 53
|
 Home Power
Magazine article, issue 53
Interesting article on converting a walk behind gas tractor to
electric power on a budget.
|
| Lee's
Solar Lawn Mower
Details ...
Lee adds a solar charger...
Update -- Lee
adds self-propulsion...
|
 Lee describes
in detail how he converted a Troy-Bilt gas mower deck into a clean,
battery power, electric lawn mower that will soon be solar charged.
|
| Converting
A Gas Lawn Mower To Solar Charged Electric Power, Guy Marsden
http://www.arttec.net/Solar_Mower/index.html
Potential cheap source for
electric lawnmower motors ... (updated
September 16, 2008)
|
 Guy shows in detail how he
converted a noisy polluting gas mower into a solar charged electric
mower.
Guy's website has a wealth of information on solar space and
water heating, conservation, ...
All projects described in excellent how-to detail.
|
| The
EcoRider -- Converting a Gas Riding Mower to Electric
http://ecorenovator.org/...
To see all the blog entries on the conversion, search for
"EcoRider"
See also this EcoRenovator forum entry...
|
 This is an ongoing
conversion of a riding gas mower to and electric mower.
|
Solar Charged Lawnmower
From Appropedia.org
www.appropedia.org/Solar_Charged_Lawnmower
Potential cheap source for
electric lawnmower motors ...
|
 Appropedia article describes
converting a gas mower to a solar electric motor.
Provides some useful information for any project that needs a
fair amount of power (1 hp) run from solar electricity.
|
Solaris
Solar Mower
http://www.solarispowerproducts.com/index.htm |
 This is a
commercially available electric mower with an option for solar
charging. The mower is a 19 or 21 inch, self propelled, and is said
to be capable of 7000+ sqft on one charge.
Available mostly in Canada, but may be more available in the US soon
-- about $500 to $600
Dan has purchased one, and will be reporting on how it works out
(good so far) on
Dan's site ... |
