Responsible Fundraising

Interesting approach to energy generation/collection. The force created from vehicles driving over a device generates electricity.

http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/04/29/dragon-power-station-makes-electricity-from-traffic/

There are some interesting remarks in the comments, though, about it actually making the vehicles that drive over it less efficient. That energy needs to come from somewhere… The comments do discuss the possibility of installing it in areas where speed needs to be scrubbed anyways.

On this blog, we often touch on fuel efficiency and ways to increase it (see exhibit 1, 2, 3, etc.). Maybe we spend a little too much time thinking about it, but the if you want to see people that take obsessing over fuel economy to new levels, visit the following links.

http://www.hypermiling.com/ and http://www.hypermiling.com/phpBB3/index.php

http://ecomodder.com/forum/EM-hypermiling-driving-tips-ecodriving.php

http://www.ecodrive.org/

The first three links are to groups and websites that cover “hypermiling”. Hypermiling is all about eaking the last bit of fuel efficiency out of your car by various means. These methods can include gadgets that accurately measure your fuel consumption, driving methods, and even modifying your car to raise your mpg number.

The third link is to a website describing “ecodriving”, a set of guidelines that can be followed to increase your fuel efficiency. The term has caught on in Europe. It is very similar to hypermiling, but is more of an institution with consultants and wide acceptance.

For an interesting and fairly humorous look at the concepts of eco-driving, check out this video from Top Gear of a fuel efficiency comparison between a Toyota Prius driven at full throttle versus an M3.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLgwiQwGRcU&hl=en&fs=1]

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBXK4EE7Lg8&hl=en&fs=1]

Found on the Autopia Blog: http://blog.wired.com/cars/2008/02/wipers-stereo-p.html

Some more news on Electric Cars:

http://blog.wired.com/cars/2008/05/renault-will-br.html

http://blog.wired.com/cars/2008/06/bob-lutz-drives.html

A bit of criticism for EV’s:

http://fourwheeldrift.wordpress.com/2008/06/30/current-electric-carsand-why-we-dont-drive-em/

Trailer for a movie about a cross country trip in a veggie oil fueled 1981 Mercedes. Includes interviews with celebrities like Morgan Freeman, Yoko Ono, Tommy Chong, and Noam Chomsky.

[vodpod id=Groupvideo.1511343&w=425&h=350&fv=m%3D23661357%26type%3Dvideo%26a%3D0]

What better way to follow up a Volkswagen post than with another Volkswagen post? It’s “news” because it happened back in March.  At the Geneva Motor Show, Volkswagen unveiled a “Dual-Fuel” Passat that can either be run on natural gas or conventional gasoline. It is still a prototype, but it provides flexibility with regards to fuel supply. And if run only on natural gas, it reduces emissions compared to regular gasoline.

http://www.greencarcongress.com/2008/03/vw-introduces-d.html