the alternative personal transportation thread
Here's the referenced post:
http://www.climatecentral.org/news/a-roadmap-to-climate-friendly-cars-2013-16318
And here's the rebuttal, at least for CO drivers (CO being a dirty base-grid state):
http://www.xcelenergy.com/Save_Money_&_Energy/Residential/Renewable_Energy_Programs/Windsource_for_Electric_Vehicles_-_CO
We do a similar thing in WA, paying $12 extra per bill to offset our whole household energy use with wind.
http://www.climatecentral.org/news/a-roadmap-to-climate-friendly-cars-2013-16318
And here's the rebuttal, at least for CO drivers (CO being a dirty base-grid state):
http://www.xcelenergy.com/Save_Money_&_Energy/Residential/Renewable_Energy_Programs/Windsource_for_Electric_Vehicles_-_CO
We do a similar thing in WA, paying $12 extra per bill to offset our whole household energy use with wind.
Now that's change I can believe in.
Passivhaus is the way to go...
http://www.fastcoexist.com/3025359/sorry-buying-a-prius-wont-help-with-climate-change
http://www.fastcoexist.com/3025359/sorry-buying-a-prius-wont-help-with-climate-change
But EVs *do* help recovering Catholics assuage their guilt. Which is important... 
That comparison i
Great journalism. That comparison is about as relevant as comparing Honda Civic sales with BMW M3 sales.
Expensive economy EV sales beat really expensive high performance EV sales.
But BMW!!!!
I found the 56% drop in sales year over for Tesla to be more telling than "More people buying anything than Model S" comparison as well.
Wish the States would do something like this so I could get a subsidy for a new DH bike
http://efficientgov.com/blog/2014/09/04/subsidizing-biking-cut-car-use/
http://efficientgov.com/blog/2014/09/04/subsidizing-biking-cut-car-use/
http://insideevs.com/august-2014-plug-electric-vehicle-sales-report-card/
Drop was likely artifactual due to production line shutting down for Model X switchover (and boosting throughput). Check back after September numbers hit.
In other news, it looks like Toyota may run out of new RAV4 EVs to sell before my wife's LEAF lease is up. If we don't end up buying a house in the spring and rent another year then I might try to snap up one of the last new ones to import to Colorado. If we end up buying a house I will feel poor and will stall and look for a used one in July.
A 2014 update to the Union of Concerned Scientists' MPGghg map, which shows the equivalent MPG of a BEV charged off of the regional grid:
Relevant to the above is that I think I signed up for Xcel Energy's Windsource program, effectively greening up the Rocky Mountain region's dirty power. I know I called them and signed up for it, but I don't see it marked clearly on my bill.
Relevant to the above is that I think I signed up for Xcel Energy's Windsource program, effectively greening up the Rocky Mountain region's dirty power. I know I called them and signed up for it, but I don't see it marked clearly on my bill.
ugh, why? their TDi's get nearly identical mileage with a much longer range
http://jalopnik.com/tesla-model-s-p85d-this-is-it-and-i-went-for-a-ride-1644637002
Wow. The Hellcat tickles my fancy but this really amazes me.
691 hp. Dual motor AWD with torque vectoring. 0-60 mph in 3.2 sec. Oh, and it can pretty much drive itself, too.
Wow. The Hellcat tickles my fancy but this really amazes me.
691 hp. Dual motor AWD with torque vectoring. 0-60 mph in 3.2 sec. Oh, and it can pretty much drive itself, too.
I'm not really a car race afficionado. so it's not clear who was in the wrong. It seems like the guy in the lead couldn't see the guy behind him, and the guy behind him hadn't really established his "ownership" (if you will) of the inside line. Seems like the douche moves in 4x where if you don't get the hole shot, you gun for the inside line of a berm, and hope that in taking out the leader, you stand yourself up and carry on...
I still want one, though....
Tesla announces real lease program (as opposed to their previous in-house half-assed offering). I ruminate on the vehicle's cost, and link to the C&D article from which I grabbed my numbers.
https://plus.google.com/u/0/+ToshiClark/posts/6iZSZ2tJfTx
Cliffs Notes: Expensive cars, whether electric or not, are still expensive when you calculate their depreciation in the hard light of day. I came to a figure of $777/month in depreciation for the base 60 kWh Model S.
https://plus.google.com/u/0/+ToshiClark/posts/6iZSZ2tJfTx
Cliffs Notes: Expensive cars, whether electric or not, are still expensive when you calculate their depreciation in the hard light of day. I came to a figure of $777/month in depreciation for the base 60 kWh Model S.
So when does Tesla start offering Certified PreOwned with warranty?
Not bad I would love that engine gearing in my Volvo. My brother just ordered a 2015 Audi A6 with a 190HP diesel which I already thought sounded pretty good but 268 that is another level.
Toshi's landcruiser save the earth
http://www.nbcnews.com/science/environment/your-all-electric-vehicle-may-not-be-so-green-study-n268961
http://www.nbcnews.com/science/environment/your-all-electric-vehicle-may-not-be-so-green-study-n268961
Here's the PNAS study itself for the curious: http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2014/12/10/1406853111.full.pdf
I'd say the summaries I've seen in the popular press are not quite on target. Here's a quote from the paper itself, emphasis mine:
>>>>>
We find that, in some cases, such as for EVs powered
by natural gas or WWS, considering air quality impacts alongside
climate impacts increases the apparent environmental benefit of
the alternative fuel relative to gasoline; in both cases (EVs from
natural gas; EVs from WWS), the air pollution benefits relative
to gasoline are larger than the climate-related benefits. Other
fuels, such as corn ethanol [the climate impact of which is unclear
(32)], are more damaging than conventional vehicles when
air pollution impacts are considered alone or when air pollution
and climate impacts are considered together. The difference
between the least- and most-polluting electricity generation
options for EVs increases almost sixfold when air pollution
damages are considered alongside climate impacts, instead of
when climate impacts are considered alone. Our findings thus
reinforce the benefit of pairing EVs with clean electricity.
I'd say the summaries I've seen in the popular press are not quite on target. Here's a quote from the paper itself, emphasis mine:
>>>>>
We find that, in some cases, such as for EVs powered
by natural gas or WWS, considering air quality impacts alongside
climate impacts increases the apparent environmental benefit of
the alternative fuel relative to gasoline; in both cases (EVs from
natural gas; EVs from WWS), the air pollution benefits relative
to gasoline are larger than the climate-related benefits. Other
fuels, such as corn ethanol [the climate impact of which is unclear
(32)], are more damaging than conventional vehicles when
air pollution impacts are considered alone or when air pollution
and climate impacts are considered together. The difference
between the least- and most-polluting electricity generation
options for EVs increases almost sixfold when air pollution
damages are considered alongside climate impacts, instead of
when climate impacts are considered alone. Our findings thus
reinforce the benefit of pairing EVs with clean electricity.
Interesting new car from Europe, I'll be interested to see how much traction it gets. 
http://blog.xposethereal.com/salt-water-powered-car-gets-european-approval-yes-its-real.html
http://blog.xposethereal.com/salt-water-powered-car-gets-european-approval-yes-its-real.html
Gas for $1.55 in Northern Colorado. Alternative transportation temporarily on hold while we all drive our dino-juice-guzzlers around a lot more for a little while.