Fact-finding
Some good weekend reading.
This isn’t directly related to cars, but it’s a very relevant subject for anyone who’s interested in the environment. For many years now Dr. Albert Bartlett has been giving lectures on the effects of compounding (or exponential) growth on the environment and on resource security.
The link below is a transcript of one of his lectures, […]
SA vehicles to get standardised fuel consumption figures … hold the applause
So, from 1 July 2008 every new passenger car sold will have to sport a fuel economy info sheet in the showroom. As part of the Department of Minerals and Energy’s (DME) Energy Efficiency Accord, all new cars, SUV’s and MPV’s (apparently not light commercials…) will need to undergo standardised fuel economy testing to ensure […]
The business of green transport is making headlines
We all know that going green is big business. Big enough, in fact, to reach the pages of business newspapers every week - if not every day. In the Tuesday 17 June edition of Business Day, a double page spread focussing on international company news had no fewer than four reports on international companies meddling […]
General Motors is going green (really!), according to CEO Wagoner
2010 is not only a big year for global sports (South Africa hosts the Soccer World Cup), but also for the automotive world. Big changes are planned for the US motor industry, with planned launches of small cars – the Ford Fiesta and a string of Fiats (mist likely the 500) – on the cards. […]
Why Paul McCartney dislikes his free Lexus LS600h
Beatle Sir Paul McCartney is seen as quite a green fellow. In fact, he has done so much for the promotion of green motoring that Lexus decided to give him a brand spanking new LS600h – for free. This luxury sedan is not yet available in South Africa, but will set you back around £84,000 […]
$10 million prize for 100mpg (42.5km/litre) automobile
The X-Prize Foundation, a non-profit organisation partnered with Google and Adobe Systems amongst others, is offering a $10 million prize to the first company that can design, build and commercialise a viable and efficient vehicle that can get 100 miles per gallon (mpg), or about 42.5km per litre. This venture even has the backing of Hummer-loving […]
Hybrid / hydrogen drive does not signal death of manual transmission!
Take a look at the hybrids currently on sale in the world, from Toyota, Honda, General Motors (in the US only) and Ford, as well as concept hydrogen powered cars. Almost all are equipped with automatic transmissions, most of which are of the continuous variable transmission (CVT) kind found locally in a few Audi’s and […]
GreenCars’ response to Business Day article on Toyota Prius sales
In response to a Business Day front page article entitled “High-octane SA eschews green Prius” (16 May 2008), GreenCars’ Christie Viljoen submitted a letter to the editor (published on 20 May 2008) in response to claims that the Prius’ less-than-desirable sales were due to South Africans’ love for speed (i.e. high-octane fuel). A more correct […]
Food vs. Fuel – a summary in the South African context
The two questions behind viable biofuel production have always been: Can we make it and can we sell it? At present, the answer is a double YES! Tremendous technological developments, both in producing the fuels and developing applications therefore, as well as global oil prices heading above $100 for a barrel, this is the time […]
Diesels: losing green cred?
Thanks to the good fuel economy (and consequent lower CO2 emissions) of modern diesel cars, there’s been a lot of optimism about the role of diesel vehicles in reducing anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. However, a recent testimony provided by five scientists before the US House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform might put a serious […]
