The biggest problem with driving an electric vehicle (EV) is not driving from home to work. It’s the long trips and vacations that scare people – beyond the EV’s range of 75-150 miles per charge. They need a network of charging stations, like gas stations, placed along highway routes for all the popular destinations. And …
Continue reading “Tesla announces network of free charging stations powered by solar energy”
The plug-in epidemic is spreading: Electric cars now primary vehicles Nine out of 10 owners said plug-in vehicles represent their primary ride — though almost all had a second, conventional car, according to a survey with more than 1,400 respondents released this month. Monthly mileage averaged about 800 — the equivalent of almost 10,000 miles a year. …
Continue reading “Majority of owners use electric vehicle as primary car”
Not only do electric cars threaten all those gas stations on every corner, but also the auto-mechanics and car parts stores: Mechanic worries that electric-car brakes will ruin his business Joe Ferrer says that brakes are easily 35 to 40 percent of his total business. Replacing rotors, calipers, and pads keeps his shop humming. But on …
Continue reading “Electric-car brakes last 3x longer than conventional – threatening auto mechanics”
This is an amazing journey Across Africa, Asia, South/North America, including North Korea and Cuba! Watch it, you won’t be disappointed. Back in 1989, as the Berlin Wall fell, Gunther Holtorf and his wife Christine set out on what was meant to be an 18-month tour of Africa in their Mercedes Benz G …
Continue reading “The most travelled man on Earth…ever – Gunther Holtorf’s 23-year journey”
Pulled from the London 2012 Olympics Sustainability report (pdf): If everyone lived as we do in the UK we would need three planets. Our unsustainable lifestyles have meant that for the last 30 years we have been ‘eating into the Earth’s capital’ rather than ‘living off its interest’. The promotion of sustainable development has become one of the …
The real question is who will pay for internet access in our cars. Will this be another charge on our cell phone or cable bill, like getting 3G on an iPad is? “Intel claims that the connected car is the third-fastest growing technological device, following smartphones and tablets. For a car maker that offers …
Japan’s Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry will soon embark on a project to realize an “autopilot system” for automatic driving, a system for guiding motor vehicles on expressways without human assistance. The system is expected to contribute significantly to such goals as alleviating drivers’ fatigue, preventing road accidents and easing traffic congestion. It would be for vehicles …
Continue reading “Japanese government begins plans for driverless driving by 2020”
Owning a plug-in electric car means a new way to fuel. The convenience of charging at home can reduce or even eliminate your trips to the gas station, but it also comes with choices. Get a lower rate We offer 2 rate plans specifically designed for people with electric cars. These plans provide lower …
Continue reading “Getting your home ready for an electric vehicle (EV)”
If you’ve ever had to slam on the brakes to prevent an accident, you know that the time it takes to get your foot to that pedal can seem like an eternity. Now, German researchers aim to cut that reaction time by getting drivers’ brain waves to help stop the car. Their findings appear in …
Continue reading “Our brains can brake a car faster than our feet”
They were a couple of auto mechanics with a pronounced Boston brogue and, improbably, degrees from MIT. They hadn’t a clue how to perform on radio, much less public radio. So Tom and Ray Magliozzi just decided to have a good time. The result was “Car Talk,” which shattered the perception that public radio is …
Continue reading “Click and Clack to retire – NPR’s Car Talk – final show this Fall”