On Tuesday Chrysler debuted prototypes for three production class electric vehicles: a Dodge Grand Caravan (minivan), a Dodge Viper (sportscar), and a Jeep Grand Cherokee. This is a surprising unveiling that will bring Chrysler to the front of the green auto race.
For more info click here.
The advantages of electric vehicles aren’t limited to just being inexpensive and better for the environment. As you will see in this video, electric vehicles have the potential to outperform top-of-the-line sports cars.
Electric vehicle technology isn’t just about changing how we fuel our cars, it’s a paradigm shift in the way cars are built and function.
Electric vehicles are quieter, cleaner and cheaper to operate than their gas-powered siblings.
How much cheaper?
Consider $1.00 can power our Electric Mopeds for 500 miles. That same $1.00 used on a gas moped will only get you 20 miles! I hate to do the math for you but that’s 50 times more efficient.
Electric vehicles are more simple to fix and thus more reliable.
The main parts of an electric vehicle are the battery and the motor. Gas-powered vehicles require a fuel pump, fuel injector, carburretor, muffler, oil pump, pistons, catalytic converter, etc (you get the idea).
Electricity can come from numerous renewable energy sources including wind and solar, thus reducing environmental pollutants.
In addition to all of this, electric vehicles can use the existing electric grid and do not require the development of a new, expensive energy infrastructure (as is needed for hydrogen technology).
Many people may visit Google’s website today to find that the page has been turned completely black! Google is doing this “as a gesture to raise awareness of a worldwide energy conservation effort called Earth Hour.” This is a great example of how businesses can do their part to help better the planet. Earth Hour promotes the idea of the global community turning off their lights for one hour once a year to save energy. Last year when Sydney became the first city to participate in Earth Hour, the reduction in green house gas they achieved was the equivalent of taking 48,616 cars of the road for a day. This year 20 major cities participating this year including Copenhagen, Tel Aviv, Chicago, Atlanta, and Dubai. Earth Hour is also supported by over 2100 Corporations and celebrities such as Nelly Furtado and music group Fall Out Boy. I truly hope Earth Hour continues to grow more successful, one can imagine the potential for increased coordination to allow more frequent Earth Hours. Imagine major cities around the world reducing green house gas emissions to the equivalent of taking over 50,000 cars off the road on a monthly or even weekly basis.
Campus Bike LLC, owned and operated out of Iowa, hopes to establish itself as a burgeoning example of the bright future in electric transport and strives to fulfill the vision of a more environmentally friendly vehicle.
With the weather warming up here in Ames, it’s time to start getting things ready for the spring and summer seasons. It won’t be long before the snow is gone and the streets will be perfect for riding. Right now I want to mention two things: the first is that we are looking for student volunteers who are interested in working with us. It will definitely be worth the effort, so if you want to read more about the kind of skill sets we are looking for, you can check out the “join our team” page on the main part of our website. My last point before I sign off is to keep checking back with us as spring gets closer. We want to give Iowa State students the opportunity to try out our bikes and see how great they are, so we will be having some test drive sessions in the future. That’s all for now, stay tuned!
Happy New Year!
Today I picked up an article from The Energy Blog (which I enjoy reading regularly), it’s about an article in the January 2008 issue of Scientific American called “A Solar Grand Slam” which explains a plan that could eliminate US dependence on foreign oil and slash greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
It’s amazing the advances solar technology has made over the past decade and the potential it has for the future. Whether or not this plan becomes a reality, we can’t predict. As we all know we can’t rely on fossil fuels forever, and personally I’m not fond of nuclear energy. I truly hope that something along the lines of this plan gets put in motion.
Click here for the original article.
Campus Bike took a break to gather itself in this world concerned with a major changing of the guard.
With New Year’s coming up and many new changes taking place in 2008, we need to understand where we may go someday. With fossil fuels proving too slow for any sort of massive advancements in cleanliness and huge advances in science happening almost every year, we as a race are merely a step away from a Mars landing.
Which begs the question, if we can put a man on the moon or even Mars, can we change the way we power our machines?
Certain entities declared guns, iPod, illegal drugs, video games, TV, radio, and the Internet as “something that’ll never catch on”. iPod sales are at an all time high, the video game industry eclipses Hollywood’s earnings in America alone, etc. Every innovation that challenges the status quo deserves a little bit of enmity.
The oil companies know that oil won’t be around forever, but electricity will. It’s renewable. It is neither created nor destroyed; you can’t argue with the laws of physics.
We here at Campus Bike wish to induce an electrical charge in your brain that gives you the incentive to view the alternatives to petroleum based fuels as viable and not just a pipe-dream. We would also like to wish you well in these times of festivity and cheer. Whatever the nationality, oil is a necessary evil but only for now. Whatever effect we are having on the climate can be modified and lessened just by consuming fewer materials. Since electricity is just a charge of energy, nothing is really burnt or polluted.
Enjoy yourself this season and keep us at Campus Bike in mind should the need for affordable and efficient transport be desirable. We wish the world the best!
Campus Bike LLC, owned and operated out of Iowa, hopes to establish itself as a burgeoning example of the bright future in electric transport and strives to fulfill the vision of a more environmentally friendly vehicle.
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