Just when you thought the story about Hummers being more energy-efficient than Priuses had bitten the dust, it bounces back to life. CNW Marketing, the source of the story, just released an update of their analysis. Check out our response from last year.
There are now more than one million hybrid gas-electric vehicles on American roads. Many will celebrate reaching the milestone of one million hybrids zipping around on power from their rechargeable batteries—and burning a lot less petroleum. But some environmentally motivated car buyers are concerned about trading one problem for another.
A gallon of gasoline weighs just over 6 pounds. When burned, the carbon in it combines with oxygen from the air to produce nearly 20 pounds of carbon dioxide (CO2). By switching from a gas guzzler to a hybrid, you can literally save the earth a couple of tons of greenhouse gases.
The list of detrimental health effects from vehicle air pollution sounds like a little shop of horrors.
The European Commission has been considering a continental speed limit that could drastically cut emissions from driving, especially on roads like the Autobahn, where many stretches of road have no speed limit whatsoever. The move conjures memories of President Jimmy Carter calling for Americans to obey a 55-mph speed limit in the 1970s.
Even with the economy and the war in Iraq dominating the discourse surrounding the presidential elections, environmental concerns and energy policy could potentially become major issues by the end of the summer. The three candidates have all outlined major—yet vague—energy and transportation initiatives.
The vision of hundreds of thousands of electric cars buzzing along American highways and byways makes most utility companies downright giddy. It’s not just the opportunity sell a lot more electricity that gets them excited. “We think there’s a fundamental game-changer here. And that’s energy storage,” said Ed Kjaer, director of electric transportation at Southern California Edison. What will it take to get us there?
For the fifth consecutive year, Honda's natural gas-powered Civic GX took top honors as the greenest vehicle, according to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. The rest of the list of greenest cars is dominated by hybrids and small vehicles.
Two new studies cast doubt on the ecological benefits of biofuels. Researchers found that, when all relevant factors are considered, biofuels produce more greenhouse gas emissions than fossil fuels.
Learn the difference between NOx, a key ingredient in smog, and nitrous oxide (N2O), which is not a major pollutant from cars. A conversation about oxides of nitrogen is only slightly less painful than root canal surgery—unless you use nitrous oxide.
