- Air Pod, Three-Wheel Car (GadgetReview.com)
- Provides a short video of the car that runs off of compressed air. Cost is around $10,000. Goes up to 48 mph and over 100 miles per air charge. Invented by Guy Negre. 07-12
- Carver One Leaning, Three-Wheel Car (YouTube.com)
- Provides a short video of the car. Costs about $45,000. 06-12
- Honda Scoot Coupe, Three-Wheel Car (CountyImports.com)
- Provides a short video of the car. Costs about $7,000 and is not fully enclosed. Goes up to 45 mph and is not designed for highway usage. 07-12
- Hypercar Demonstrated (Autoblog.com)
- "The Hypercar is a 100 MPG SUV concept that achieves such high a MPG number by reducing waste. RMI designed the SUV to be built with light carbon fiber for example. Amory Lovins 're-invented' carbon fiber with FiberForge which aims to be the highest volume composite process in the world.' "
According to the video, less than 10% of the energy in fuel is used to move the driver forward; the rest of the energy goes toward air conditioning, system inefficiencies, and other waste. By making a car lighter, more aerodynamic, and fuel efficient, the car may get more than 100 mpg...according to the video.
- Moto Mojo, Three-Wheel Car (GadgetReview.com)
- Provides a short video of the car. Cost is around $6,500. Goes up to 60 mph. 07-12
- Wildfire, Three-Wheel Car (GadgetReview.com)
- Provides a short video of the car. Cost is around $6,500. Goes up to 55 mph. 07-12
- -02-04-06 Reality Check on President's Oil Reduction Plan (Christian Science Monitor)
- "With Americans concerned about rising gasoline prices and dependence on imported oil, the president wants to cut 75 percent of US oil imports from the region by 2025 - and he provided a new energy plan to help do it."
"A bipartisan proposal in Congress - the 'Vehicle and Fuel Choices for American Security Act' - advocates a 7-million-barrel cut over 20 years, nearly double Bush's proposal and eliminating the need for any Middle Eastern oil." 02-06
- Air-Powered Car in the U.S. Planned for 2010 (CNN News)
- "You've heard of hybrids, electric cars and vehicles that can run on vegetable oil. But of all the contenders in the quest to produce the ultimate fuel-efficient car, this could be the first one to let you say, 'fill it up with air.' " 08-08
- Air-Powered Car in the U.S. Planned for 2010 (PopularMechanics.com)
- "Zero Pollution Motors (ZPM) confirmed to PopularMechanics.com on Thursday that it expects to produce the world’s first air-powered car for the United States by late 2009 or early 2010. As the U.S. licensee for Luxembourg-based MDI, which developed the Air Car as a compression-based alternative to the internal combustion engine, ZPM has attained rights to build the first of several modular plants, which are likely to begin manufacturing in the Northeast and grow for regional production around the country, at a clip of up to 10,000 Air Cars per year." 06-08
- Automotive X Prize (PopularMechanics.com)
- "PM's expert car editors have watched this $10 million competition from the beginning, test driving some of the most fuel-efficient cars in the world, following the first teams to sign up—even sponsoring one. Now, as gas prices soar and the AXP entry pool officially opens, we take a detailed look at the most promising startups. These are the innovators we believe at this point have a very real shot at winning the X Prize—and developing a mass-market 100-mpg vehicle. (We'll examine some of the race's unsung heroes soon.) Adhering to the X Prize Foundation's rules, we analyzed all 64 entrants thus far based on six factors—technological feasibility, fuel economy, design, performance, price and production reality. The result is the most comprehensive, up-to-date scouting report on the field for the ultimate car of tomorrow." 06-08
- Compare Cars by MPG (FuelEconomy.gov)
- Provides a comparison of vehicles their miles per gallon rating by EPA so consumers can select "green" cars.
- Consumer Reports Recommends Cars for 2009 (CNN News)
- "Good reliability alone doesn't mean Consumer Reports recommends a given model, though. To earn a recommendation, a vehicle also needs to do well in the magazine's performance tests and earn good scores in government and insurance industry crash tests." 10-09
- Getting There Without Your SUV (CNN news)
- "If you drive a big SUV or pickup truck, you're probably trying to think of ways to save fuel, or -- gasp -- getting rid of that big vehicle and driving a fuel-efficient sedan or coupe."
"But you probably bought that truck for a reason -- you need to carry people and or lots of stuff. Don't despair. There are options if you decide to ditch the behemoth." 09-08
- Hypermiling (MotherJones.com)
- "on a midsummer saturday in a sprawling wisconsin parking lot, about a dozen people are milling about a candy-apple red Honda Insight. They're watching Wayne Gerdes prepare for his run in Hybridfest's mpg Challenge, a 20-mile race through the streets of Madison. Wayne is the odds-on favorite to win the challenge, in which drivers compete to push the automotive limits not of speed and power—a desire those gathered here consider old-fashioned and wasteful—but for the unsexy title of Most Fuel-Efficient Driver in the World." 06-08
- Volkswagen's Diesel Polo--In Europe (PopularMechanics.com)
- "The Polo gets 60 to 70-plus mpg. And it’s really fun to drive. It’s got a good bit of turbo lag, so you need to keep the revs up for serious power, but once the turbo kicks in, acceleration is frisky. And the lag makes the car feel faster than it actually is. I didn’t wring it out, but over the course of a short cruise through the suburbs, it felt like a car I could gladly live with day in, day out. Fun to drive, just enough room for a family, and frugal as all get out. In Europe, the Polo sells for less than $20,000." 06-08
- Windows Up or Down? (Bankrate.com)
- "Automotive engineers have all the fun."
"Or maybe not. During the test, one engineer shot around the track with the air cranked up. A second had the windows down. An unlucky third test driver was assigned to what turned out to be the most-fuel efficient way to travel: Driving with the windows up and the air conditioner switched off." 8-05
- World's Cheapest Car (Time.com)
- "A lot is riding on the the world's cheapest car. In the words of Ratan Tata, chairman of the company behind the upstart econobox, India's "People's Car" will be a "safe, affordable, all weather vehicle for a family which is today traveling on a two wheeler." The entry level model is ticketed at just over $2,500 — or the equivalent of 100,000 rupees or one Lakh — a revolutionary price where the average lower middle class income is $200 a month. (For comparison's sake, in the early 1970s, Honda introduced affordable, good quality Civics at about $2,200, which adjusted for inflation would now be nearly $10,500.) It could well be one of the most important cars ever designed." 01-08
- -Fuel Cell Cars (Awesome Library)
- Provides a summary of options for current and near future transportation that avoids pollution, yet is convenient, uses inexpensive fuel, and is safe. 6-01
- 2008 Cars (AutomobileMag.com)
- Provides articles on cars expected to be available in 2008 and beyond. 07-07
- A Review of the Volt (New York Times)
- "Here’s what really got me, though: on the dashboard, alongside the gauge that measures the battery life, the Volt has another gauge that calculates the vehicle’s miles per gallon. During the two-hour drive to Southampton, I used two gallons of gas, a quarter of the tank. Thus, when I drove into the driveway, it read 50 miles per gallon."
"The next day, after the overnight charge, I didn’t use any gas. After driving around 30 miles in the morning, I recharged it for a few hours while I puttered around the house. (It takes 10 hours to fully recharge, unless you buy a special 240-volt recharging unit.) That gave the battery 10 miles, more than enough to get me where I needed to go that evening on battery power alone. Before I knew it, my miles per gallon for that tankful of gas had hit 80. By the next day it had topped 100. I soon found myself obsessed with increasing my miles per gallon — and avoiding having to buy more gas." 06-11
- Autos - Fuel Efficiency (U.S. Department of Energy - www.fueleconomy.gov)
- Describes the fuel economy of cars. 8-01
- Autos - Liquid Nitrogen Power (University of Washington)
- Provides the design for a car powered by liquid nitrogen, considered a much more environmental friendly source of energy than electric or gasoline power.
- Autos - Made of Wood (Alternative Autos)
- Describes the development of a very aerodynamic car made of wood, the Tryane II. Includes pictures. 6-01
- Autos - Microcars (Microcar.org)
- Lists all known very small cars in alphabetical order, by make. Also provides information for buying and selling microcars. 6-01
- Autos - The Least Polluting Models (GreenCars.com)
- Provides a list of the 12 best automobiles for low pollution levels. 08-08
- Autos - Thermophotvoltaic Prototype (Vehicle Research Institute)
- Describes a prototype vehicle that burns methane as a fuel to create infrared heat, which in turn powers photovoltaic cells, which in turn generate electricity to power the car. The cells are considered to be 200 times more efficient than solar photovoltaic cells. The power source is expected to be very clean burning and quiet. 6-01
- Autos - Tips to Improve Fuel Efficiency (U.S. Department of Energy - www.fueleconomy.gov)
- Provides tips to improve fuel efficiency of cars. 5-01
- Best Hybrid Cars (Autobytel.com)
- "There are many cars that get 40 MPG on the Highway or in the City. But there are only 5 cars that have a combined fuel economy rating of 40 MPG or more. And you guessed it; they are all hybrids." 01-12
- Best MPG SUVs (Autobytel.com)
- "Hybrid powertrains, available in sedans and small cars for the past several years, will soon be widely available in SUVs. Ford was the first to introduce such a vehicle to the market, the Ford Escape Hybrid, but others are close behind." 12-06
- Buying a Car With Good Fuel Economy (Edmunds.com)
- Discusses the most fuel-efficient cars and trucks of 2006. 01-07
- Cars That Get Over 40 MPG (MSN News)
- "According to a recent study from Jato Dynamics, a leading provider of automotive business intelligence, U.S. cars emit 85 percent more carbon dioxide and consume twice as much fuel as European and Japanese cars. The average year-to-date fuel consumption figure for cars, minivans and SUVs in the U.S. market stands at 22.6 mpg, compared with 40.3 mpg in Europe and 40.6 mpg in Japan." 01-12
- Cars of the Near Future (MSNBC News)
- "Power could be produced by the 1.0-liter, three-cylinder gasoline engine that serves as the Volt’s on-board generator. It could also come from the 110-volt wall outlet in your garage, which will charge the lithium ion battery pack enough to let you drive 20 miles to work and 20 miles back again. That is far enough for 80 percent of Americans to get to work and back on pure electric power, the company [GM] said." 01-07
- Chevy Volt Tops Consumer Ratings (CBS News)
- "The electric Chevrolet Volt may be prompting worries about battery fires after crashes, but the people who already own Volts love them. Volt topped all models in the owner satisfaction survey released today by Consumer Reports."
"A whopping 93 percent of Volt owners said they would definitely buy the car again, edging out sporty contenders Dodge Challenger and Porsche 911, each with a 91 percent buy-again rating." 12-11
- Compare Four Small Wagons (Edmunds.com)
- Compare the Ford Focus, Chrysler PT Cruiser, Chevrolet HHR, and Mazda3. 01-07
- Comparing Mid-Size Family Cars Under $21,000 With Good Fuel Economy (Edmunds.com)
- Compares the Hyundai Sonata, Toyota Camry, Mazda6, and the Nissan Altima. All cars are rated by EPA for at least 24 mpg in the city and 30 mpg on the highway. All have an invoice price between $17,000 and $21,000. 01-07
- Congress Rewards Huge Gas Guzzlers (ABC News)
- Thanks to a generous tax credit, Karl Wizinsky is driving a very large vehicle these days — a 2002 Ford Excursion."
"Congress recently passed a tax bill, as proposed in President Bush's economic stimulus plan, that offers a $100,000 tax credit for business owners who purchase any vehicle weighing 6,000 pounds or more when fully loaded." 3-05
- Early Look at Possible 2009 Prius (Popular Mechanics.com)
- "Toyota may be the first to market with a plug-in hybrid electric (PHEV) vehicle. Today, we were briefed on Toyota’s future hybrid and alternative fuel plans." 07-07
- Energy and Oil: Kerry (Issue2000.org)
- "I support updating CAFE standards to 36 miles per gallon by 2015. This proposal will reduce America's dependence on oil by saving 2 million barrels of oil per day -- almost as much as we currently import from the Persian Gulf. It will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, smog and ozone pollution."
"We have to encourage the use of hybrid vehicles and invest in research and development. We have to set a goal by 2020 that 20 percent of our energy will come from renewable fuels. I am going to create an energy efficient trust fund to look for news sources of energy and we are going to create tens of thousands of jobs doing that. We can't drill our way out of this."
"We only have 3% of the world's oil reserves. There is no physical way for the US to drill its way out of this problem. We have to invent our way out of this problem. The sooner that we commit America to the science & discovery of renewable alternatives, the better off America will be, the better our health will be, the more effective our economy would be, the better our national security will be, and the better world citizen we will be. We need to commit ourselves to energy independence now." 2-04
- Fuel Economy According to Users (FuelEconomy.gov)
- Reports actual MPG from users. 12-05
- Fuel Economy and Muscle (USNews.com)
- "Looking for a car that can stretch that $3 gas—and has some get-up-and-go?" You're in luck. The U.S. News Muscle Per Gallon Index rates more than 400 passenger car models according to a combination of gas mileage and horsepower." 05-07
- Fuel Efficiency or Economy of Autos (FuelEconomy.gov)
- Provides fuel efficiency ratings and comparisons among cars and other vehicles. 10-07
- Green Car Guide (Edmunds.com)
- Provides articles on fuel efficiency for cars. 07-07
- Hybrid, Diesel, and Gas Comparison (MSN News)
- Compares cars on "payback" for use of alternate fuels. 9-05
- Hypercars (Hypercars.com)
- "The term Hypercar was coined by the Rocky Mountain Institute to refer to ultra-modern, extremely-efficient cars which offer outstandingly clean, safe and economical high performance."
- Low-Resistance Tires (GreenCarCongress.com)
- "Adding such a device (picture to the right) and slightly oversized, low rolling-resistance Michelin Energy MXV4 S8 tires to his 2003 VW Beetle TDI diesel resulted in an average 58.8 mpg in extended, high-speed highway driving." 12-06
- Low-Resistance Tires (GreenSeal.org)
- Provides results of evaluations on rolling resistance and performance for top-rated tires. 11-07
- Low-Resistance Tires (HybridCars.com)
- "Most of the hybrid vehicles use some sort of low rolling resistance tire. Sometimes these tires are called 'low mu.' 'Mu' is the Greek letter (used by engineers) as the symbol for “tire friction to the road surface.”
"While the low resistance tires will help with mileage, there have been some complaints from hybrid owners that they did not like the way the tires handle on the road. As a result, Toyota has backed off from using the lower resistance tires and has settled with a better handling tire." 12-06
- Low-Resistance Tires (TireRack.com)
- "During stop-and-go city driving, it's estimated that overcoming inertia is responsible for about 35% of the vehicle's resistance. Driveline friction is about 45%; air drag is about 5% and tire rolling resistance is about 15%." 11-07
- Most Fuel-Efficient Cars (MSN News)
- "Electric cars are still very much a niche category, but a growing one, with the addition of the Mitsubishi i-MiEV to the fleet that was born last year. For shorter trips, or folks who can charge up at work, electric cars are a great option, and federal tax incentives will knock up to $7,500 off the purchase price (check for state incentives, too). Among 2012 electric cars, the new i-MiEV leads the pack both for fuel-efficiency and cost, and ranks as the most fuel-efficient car of the year." 01-12
- New Fuel Efficiency or Economy of Autos (FuelEconomy.gov)
- Provides the new government (EPA) fuel efficiency ratings among cars and other vehicles. 10-07
- New Laser Spark Plugs May Increase Car Efficiency (FastCompany.com)
- "Laser-powered spark plugs may be one way to incrementally clean up our dirty cars before the government finally forces us to get clean from our gasoline-powered addiction." 04-11
- Reducing the Use of Gasoline (Oregonian - Yaden and Durning)
- Suggests ways that the use of gasoline can be reduced. "Feebates are point-of-purchase incentives. Consumers pay a fee when buying vehicles with low gas mileage and collect rebates for buying more efficient ones. Such a program could quickly push the market toward more economic designs. With the nation's automobile fuel efficiency at a 20-year low, this is an especially important step." 2-02
- SUV or Minivan? (MSNBC.com)
- "But beneath their glossy new veneers, minivans are still about transporting large groups of children and groceries — and with typically better fuel economy than comparably sized SUVs and pickups. This might explain why, as gas prices go up, SUVs and pickups are on the slide, while minivan sales are holding steady." 6-05
- Search Autos by Specifications (TheAutoChannel.com)
- "This exclusive patent-pending tool is the only way to instantly rank vehicles by price, dimensions, capacities, performance, and other criteria. Don't rely on misinformation or no information when deciding which vehicle to buy, lease, or recommend." 10-10
- Smart ForTwo Promised in 2008 (PopularMechanics.com)
- "These small-on-the-outside, large-on-the-inside rides, designed by Daimler (Mercedes-Benz), have been a hit in Europe for almost 10 years and will start rolling onto United States streets in January. The Smart Fortwo (as in for two passengers) will create a new, sub “B” car class in the U.S. market. It’s a vehicle specifically designed to comfortably and efficiently transport its occupants through the worst areas of urban congestion. The micro-size dimensions make it over 2 ft. shorter than a Mini Cooper. And at just over 5 ft. across, the Fortwo sits as wide as it does tall. You can park this Smart widthwise across a conventional parking space."
"And since the Smart revs relatively high at freeway speeds, economy appears to plummet in proportion to speed more quickly than on some small cars. But drive, ahem, smart, and you’ll get 40 mpg in the city and 45 on the highway." 11-07
- Spending Less on Gasoline (ABC News)
- Suggests how to spend less on gas. 04-06
- Tata Sells 200,000 Cars--Before Production (Time.com)
- "Six weeks after the $2,000 Nano formally debuted in Mumbai, Tata Motors announced this week that it had taken pre-paid orders for 203,000 vehicles during a special 16-day booking period that ended April 25." 05-09
- Teen Gets 200 MPG in Car (KCTV)
- "It doesn't really look like there's a lot to his 1994 Geo Metro. But, when he bought it, he pulled out the gas engine and replaced it with an electric forklift engine he bought on eBay." 05-12
- The Battery Challenge for Energy-Efficient Vehicles (Christian Science Monitor)
- "Can you imagine this scenario: An American automaker leapfrogs its Japanese competitors with a gasoline-electric hybrid that gets 150 miles to the gallon and can travel 40 miles on battery power alone?"
"General Motors set out that possibility when it unveiled on Sunday the Chevy Volt, a concept car with a much larger electric motor than today's Toyota Prius." 01-07
- Two-Wheel Transporter - Segway Ginger Description (Time.com)
- Describes how the electric, two-wheel personal transporter works. "Not only does it have no brakes, it also has no engine, no throttle, no gearshift and no steering wheel. And it can carry the average rider for a full day, nonstop, on only five cents' worth of electricity." The device is expected to be available commercially toward the end of 2002 and is expected to sell for around 3,000 dollars. It is designed to replace an auto for short trips. The device stays upright due to gyros. 11-01
- Two-Wheel Transporter - Segway Ginger Picture (HowStuffWorks.com)
- Provides details of how an electric, two-wheel personal transporter works. The device is expected to be available commercially toward the end of 2002 and is expected to sell for around 3,000 dollars. It is designed to replace an auto for short trips. The device stays upright due to gyros. 11-01
- Ultracapacitors Claimed to Improve Electric Mileage (AutoBlogGreen.com)
- "ZENN is claiming that drivers will be able to charge up their cars in five minutes and get a five-hundred-mile range." 01-07
- Car Sharing (CarSharing.net)
- "Car Sharing provides flexible wheels for an urban lifestyle. It's instant-access to a network of cars throughout the city, 24 hours-a-day, paying-per-trip, without commitment or inconvenience." 12-02
- Hypercar Materials (Fiberforge.com)
- Provides composite materials for cars to improve fuel efficiency without increasing cost.