Sometimes it takes an energy crisis to make us realize the value of old technology. As oil prices soar, tall wind-powered ships are looking like an increasingly viable alternative.
Filed under: Hybrid, Manufacturing/Plants, MPG, Toyota, USA
Click above for more high-res shots of the 2007 Toyota Prius Touring
The numbers for last year's combined fleet fuel efficiency for all automakers in the United States has been tallied. The winner? Um, Lotus. But, they don't really count. Too small. For manufacturers that actually offer a full line of automobiles, Toyota with 29.69 mpg just barely edged out the likes of Honda, which posted 29.49, and Hyundai with 29.37. All those Prius hybrid sales surely helped push Toyota to the top this year. Not surprisingly, the Detroit 3 didn't even come close with 25.16 from GM and 25.15 from Ford. DaimlerChrysler propped up the rear with a dismal 23.97 average figure.
Toyota has no plans to give up the mileage crown. In fact, the Japanese giant will increase capacity of its upcoming third-gen Prius sedan by an astonishing 70-percent at the Tsutsumi factory in Japan, allowing for the production of 480,000 hybrid sedans per year. For 2010, Toyota plans to bring its Mississippi plant online, which will further serve to increase capacity. We have a feeling that it'll have little trouble selling every one it manufacturers.
[Sources: NHTSA (.pdf link), Automotive News - sub. req'd]
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Shares of GT Solar stock fell by 15 percent on the second day of trading. The Merrimack, N.H., company calls itself one of the largest suppliers of silicon photovoltaic solar equipment.
Its stock, under the ticker symbol SOLR on the NASDAQ market, was priced at $16.50 per share …
Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Legislation and Policy, USA
If the California Air Resources Board (CARB) passes the legislation that it is currently considering, getting your hands on a PHEV conversion, like the one recently created by Hymotion, might be a bit more difficult. Whether or not this is a bad thing depends on your point of view. Those looking to add a plug-in module to their Prius in order to use as little gas as possible might be paying a few more bucks for the conversion, as the pending legislation would force the manufacturer to go through the same rigorous certification process that new cars must pass. Of course, this could be an expensive proposition and could keep some contenders completely out of the market. The benefit, as some see it, would be that owners would be sure that their newly-converted plug-ins would meet all current emissions standards, something which may not necessarily be the case otherwise. Added peace-of-mind would come from forcing the manufacturers to offer a standard , something the legislation would also require. Another requirement which has seen some opposition is the mandate of a maximum four-hour charge time and a specific branded charger.
Those with an interest in following the legislation can click here. CARB is currently accepting comments from the public regarding the pending legislation. If you feel strongly about the subject, you can make your voice heard by clicking here for CARB's contact information.
[Source: Greentech Media]
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In what is purported to be the largest investment in clean, renewable energy in US History, Texas has been given preliminary approval for a $4.9 billion plan to build transmission lines to carry wind power from West Texas to urban areas such as Dallas.
(Credit: Aptera)
Aptera Motors, the electric car start-up that on Wednesday nabbed funding from Google.org, announced Thursday that it has secured $24 million in a series C round.
The Carlsbad, Calif., company aims to spend the funds on its manufacturing center in nearby Vista.
Aptera has set the end …
The European Union has made a stand toward nations that kill seals using inhumane methods-- like Canada.
A Turkish man according to one article has successfully predicted an earthquake by studying the behavior of ants in his home. This article reports on the story and also a research study that serendiptiously was able to examine the question of whether or not ants can help predict earthquakes.
Filed under: Green Culture, Green Daily, USA
Every year, thousands descend upon the suburbs of Detroit for an event in late August known as the Woodward Dream Cruise. While past events have had just a little greenery, overall the event could be described as a carbon nightmare and has drawn ire from some nearby residents. Considering that the vehicles which will be taking part in the cruise represent the history of the automobile in America and the event only takes place once a year, we are not ready to condemn it just yet, though far more area pollutants are likely emitted on that day than most others. To try and appease some of the more eco-friendly car fans out there, the 2008 Dream Cruise will run alongside the first-ever green-themed NextCruise. Nine automakers will be present in nearby Pleasant Ridge, showing off their most eco-friendly concepts and future cars. Some vehicles will even be available for participants to drive. We'll be in the area that weekend, perhaps we'll be able to check out some of the festivities for ourselves. The press release is pasted after the break.
[Source: NextCruise]
Continue reading NextCruise green event will run alongside Woodward Dream Cruise
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Filed under: Food, Health, Home
While planning that coveted green kitchen redesign, you might want pay extra close attention to what kind of counter tops you choose. I know, all the design magazines out there show kitchens decked out with those easy-to-clean, indestructible granite counters -- but there's a catch. Aside from the extremely energy-intensive extraction and transportation process that this stone goes through on the way to your kitchen, it might also be radioactive. Seriously.Experts maintain that its exceedingly rare to find a counter that poses any serious health risks. Still, with the ballooning popularity of the stone, and the many exotic locations that the stone is coming from, it's hard for anyone to keep track of which stones contain which levels of radioactive materials like uranium, thorium or even potassium. According to the EPA, they've been getting swarmed with questions about the safety of granite. They recommend taking action if radon measurements exceed 4 picocuries, one woman's counter top in New Jersey was emitting 100 picocuries -- one of the more extreme cases.
[via Treehugger]
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