The energy company serving Philadelphia with electrical power is going to use its own product to run some of its vehicles. The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that Peco Energy Co. is buying and modifying about 20 Ford F550 utility trucks to plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV). The move is part of a bigger, nationwide U.S. Department of Energy pilot program: The …
$300 Mil in Stimulus Bucks Stimulates Alternative Fuels
Nearly $300 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act… aka the “Stimulus Bill”… funds are being handed out by the U.S. Department of Energy to replace or change more than 9,000 vehicles so they will burn alternative fuels and/or make them more fuel efficient, as well as establish nearly 550 alternative refueling stations across the U.S.. Energy Secretary Steven Chu …
ZAP Secures $25 Million in Funding for EVs
ZAP, a company leading the way in electric vehicle (EV) development, announced that it has secured $25 million in new financing with Cathaya Capital, L.P. Ultimately the investment will be managed by its affiliate partner Better World International who is developing EV charging infrastructure. ZAP will use a portion of the funding to pursue longer-term contract production and assembly commitments, …
NREL – Launches Mobile Alternative Fueling Station Locator
Drivers now can take a popular tool on the road thanks to the staff at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). The Mobile Alternative Fueling Station Locator (MAFSL) helps on-the-go drivers find the five closest biodiesel, electricity, E85 (ethanol), hydrogen, natural gas, and propane fueling sites using any mobile device with Internet access. Before launching the device, NREL said that …
Feds to Give $2.4 Bil for Battery-Powered Vehicles
Federal grants totaling $2.4 billion will be handed out for the development of fuel-saving, battery-powered vehicles. CNN reports President Barack Obama made the announcement at an RV plant in Elkhart County, Indiana: “For too long, we’ve failed to invest in this kind of innovative work, even as countries like China and Japan were racing ahead,” he said. “With these investments, …
The Great Electric Vehicle Race
Year after year Portland is named the county’s most sustainable city. Well, yesterday, San Fransisco, tired of its runner-up status, challenged Portland to The Great Electric Vehicle Race. San Fransisco Mayor Gavin Newsom threw down the gauntlet and Portland Mayor Sam Adams declared a war. It looks like they’re off to the races. The challenge is being hosted by Gas …
Rebate Program Encouraged Alt Fuels & Use
A recently exhausted rebate program in California is being credited with helping the state really increase its use of alternative fuels in vehicles. From its inception in February 2008 to its end this past April, the Fueling Alternatives program handed out $2.6 million to encourage consumers to buy alternative fuel vehicles. And this article from the San Diego (CA) Daily …
Oil Company Launches Battery-Powered Car
In what could be considered a paradox, an oil company has a car that won’t need any non-renewable petroleum. This article from the Gas2.0.org Web site says ExxonMobil is introducing the Maya 300, a lithium-ion battery powered car that can drive up to 120 miles on one charge… but looks and feels like a gasoline-powered car: The Maya 300 was …
Ohio State Students Win EcoCAR Competition
A team of students from Ohio State University are in the lead after the first phase of the three-year EcoCar: the NeXt Challenge that took place last week in Toronto, Canada. The actual challenge was to convert a Saturn VUE into an electric vehicle with increased fuel economy and lower tailpipe emissions. The team from Ohio State utilized a battery …
Five Steps to Becoming an EcoDriver
Summer is officially here and with it summer driving season (and high gas price season). As people pack their bags and head to the gas station to fill up for summer vacation, EcoDriving USA, a campaign from the Auto Alliance, is encouraging people to become “EcoDrivers.” EcoDrivingUSA claims that practicing “green driving” produces the highest miles per gallon, regardless of …