I have heard of nitrogen being used in place of oxygen in tires but never really thought twice about the concept until I received a press release detailing the “Ride on Nitrogen Initiative” that was created by an Ohio-based company, American Frame. Putting nitrogen in your tires increases gas mileage by between four and ten percent according to the Get Nitrogen Institute.

Environmental Impact
Increased gas mileage does have a direct effect on vehicle emissions and thus a direct effect on the environment. In addition, properly inflated tires also increase your gas mileage and according to the Get Nitrogen Institute (GNI), “Americans could save 3.7 billion gallons of fuel per year by maintaining proper tire inflation with nitrogen.”

Savings
The homepage of the GNI website has a savings calculator to help you determine what your savings would be by switching to nitrogen air. I input the following variables: 15,000 miles driven per year, $150 cost to replace a tire, $3.45 average gas price per gallon (it is what I paid today) and I used a 20 MPG rating. The calculator determined that I would save $103.50 per year in reduced fuel costs because of the improved mpg seen with nitrogen-filled tires and a $66.67 increased tire life savings for a total yearly savings of $170.17.

Tire Pressure Monitoring System and Manufacturer’s Warranty
A couple of questions come to mind when considering the switch to nitrogen – namely will my tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) continue to function as intended and will using nitrogen void the manufacturer’s warranty on the tire. Thankfully, the GNI has included the answer to these questions in their FAQ.

If your vehicle is equipped with a TPMS, the use of nitrogen will not affect the system in any way – if your TPMS light comes in when your tires are filled with nitrogen, it simply means that the tire is not properly inflated. Concerning the manufacturer’s warranty on the tires, the use of nitrogen does not void or otherwise affect the warranty.

If you are convinced that switching to nitrogen will help you in your green motoring endeavors, you can search for a nitrogen dealer near you on the GNI website. The results are currently restricted to those that reside in the United States and Canada.

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Filed Under: Autos, General

Well before the hybrid vehicles of today came onto the scene, there were people in the past using hybrid technology to develop new ideas. When we think of hybrids, we often think about today, but a lot can be learned when we look at yesterday.

1. In 1769, they were already thinking of how to build a better, more efficient vehicle. The steam powered motor carriage was made by Nicholas Cugnot.

2. In 1839, trendsetters sailed on the first electric boat, which used technology that would later help in the development of electric vehicles.

3. It may not have been debuted to the world, but records show that in 1897, the first hybrid car was built by Justus B. Entz. The car used an assisted electric motor as a power source.

4. In 1899, “Mixie” was built by Ferdinand Porsche. Mixie was one of the first hybrid vehicles shown to the world, even though it did not make it into mass production.

5. In the early 1900s, thousands of electric trucks and delivery vehicles were used

6. 1903 saw the beginning of the Krieger Hybrid, which was very similar to Mixie. It ran on a battery pack. Due to record keeping in the early 1900s, there is not an accurate gauge of gas mileage of this vehicle.

7. In 1905, hybrid technology was getting interesting. H. Piper filed for a patent for a gasoline engine-electric motor power train.

8. In 1914, a hybrid vehicle was developed that could get 70mpg, which would astound drivers today

9. In 1918, Woods Motor Vehicle Company started the production of their “dual power” vehicle in the United States.

10. The introduction of the Hybrid Buick Skylark cannot be forgotten. It hit the roads in 1972, driven by Victor Wouk.

By the time the Toyota Prius made it to the roads, it was actually the product of years of hard work. As hybrid technology grows, we cannot help but look back at what the people before us have offered to hybrid technology. If it hadn’t been for that Hybrid Buick Skylark, we might still be living in a gas guzzling world.

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Filed Under: Autos, electric vehicles

Think City has dubbed their EV, the urban electric car. This small and sporty little ride is fast (speeds up to 65 MPH), nice looking, long lasting (110 mile range while fully charged), and fuel efficient. Check out the standard (and optional) specs below on this car which originated with Ford, and then was sold off to the Norwegians. Currently in development, the Think City electric car, is slated to be available in the US in 2009. Also stop on by Gas 2.0 and check out the comments section of the post written on the Think City, in which commenters raise good questions.

Standard Equipment on The Think City

• 2 front airbags
• Disable key for passenger airbag
• ABS brakes
• Regenerative brakes
• Power steering
• Central locking
• 4kW electric heater
• Electric windows and mirrors
• 2 loudspeakers and aerial
• Mind Box (to be introduced during 2008)

Optional Equipment On The Think City

• Air conditioning
• Pre-heat timer
• Electrically heated windscreen
• Full length sunroof
• Radio CD
• Radio with MP3
• Radio CD with MP3, USB, Bluetooth
• Navigation & Multimedia System
• Winter tires
• Alloy wheels - set of 4
• Steel wheels - set of 4
• Roof rack
• 2 + 2 children seats (including 3-point seat belts)

The Think City electric car is set to debut in the US in 2009, with a retail price of under $25,000. What comments do the Think City EV spark in you? Share them below.

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Filed Under: Autos, Eco Friendly, Think City, electric cars, electric vehicles, ev

Going green in Hollywood means sporting a HOT eco friendly ride, among other goodies. Which celebs are driving around Tinseltown in electric, hydrogen, and/ or hybrid powered vehicles? See some below.

Gorgeous George Clooney - Drives a Tango 600 (a one seater electric vehicle)

Some of the cars are highly fuel efficient such as the Toyota Prius, while others just barely pass eco labeling. Then there is Cameron Diaz who not only has an eco friendly ride, but she goes one step further, she bought it used. (actually a few celebs have bought their green rides used)

[via - Forbes]

Some celebrities considerably boost their eco cred with the cars they choose to drive, driving around in an electric car is a trend right now, but one that will continue for the foreseeable future. They have all given up the big gas-guzzling SUV’s of yesteryear, and are embracing the planet-friendly autos of today.

Below are some hot celebrities who all drive green. Click the boxes to make bigger.

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Filed Under: Autos, Celebrities, Eco Friendly, Green, electric cars

AskPatty is a car blog written, run, and dedicated to women. They recently had a blog carnival up, and our green car blog, TGM, was nicely mentioned in it.

Blogger Brandy takes note of the post Amy wrote on the NEW! Mercedes BlueTech Hybrid due out (maybe) next year 2009. The BlueTech Hybrid by Mercedes is a first, as it combines two technologies with vision not yet available, both combined are innovative and yet to be seen in any vehicles let alone an SUV. Mercedes claims that the SUV Hybrid will make it to showrooms by 2009, but as of right now it is labeled a concept car.

Talk about fuel efficiency in an SUV, this baby if it comes to fruition, will blow the competition away, as it is expected to top 40 MPG. In comparison, eco friendly SUV’s in a similar class are only averaging about 25 MPG. The Mercedes GLK will be a sweet and fuel efficient ride!

The focus of the blog carnival at AskPatty was on gas prices, green cars, and fuel saving tips from the blog-o-sphere. Thanxs go to Brandy, for the mention.

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Filed Under: Autos, Eco Friendly, Fuel Efficient, Green, Mercedes

GM has been busy with several NEW eco fuel technologies, one such being the hydrogen powered Chevy Equinox.

The Chevy Equinox is a limited production vehicle which will be powered by hydrogen, batteries, and a fuel cell pack. If it sounds complicated, don’t worry, because it is. Essentially with the technologies in place, this SUV will produce zero emissions and no co2 greenhouse gases.

The fuel cell car has also recently won the prestigious “Green Car Vision Award” for its innovative and ambitious fuel conservation and efficiency vision and efforts. Beating out other heavyweights, including the hydrogen powered BMW Hydrogen 7.

After weighing the achievements and importance of these vehicles, jurors felt that one vehicle stood out as a natural leader in this pack: Chevrolet’s Equinox Fuel Cell. This advanced vehicle brings to the highway an efficient powerplant that offers zero emissions, no CO2 greenhouse gases, and highly efficient conversion of its fuel to motive power. It also benefits from 40 years of research and development, building upon the engineering of other high-profile prototypes that have come before it and achieving near seamless operation with its space-age powerplant and electro-mechanical systems. It feels familiar to drive, even as its powerplant works in ways that that are unfamiliar to most drivers.

This familiar feel is important. The Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell is part of an extensive demonstration program that will find 100 such vehicles being driven by consumers and fleets for three months at a time in California, New York City, and Washington DC. Their experience behind the wheel will advance the cause of hydrogen vehicles considerably.

The Equinox will be test driven by consumers on the road to further test its viability and marketability. There is no date set for mass production, or when one will come to a dealer near you. But rest assured Chevy is hard at work making this a near reality.

Wanna test drive one? take one for a test drive

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Filed Under: Autos, Chevy Equinox, Zero Emissions, chevy, fuel cell, gm, hydrogen

The very first solar powered bluetooth headset has arrived. It is by a company called Iqua and features bluetooth connectivity and all you need to power up is rays from the Sun.

Model: Iqua 603 SUN
Size: 48 L x 25 W x 12 H
Weight: 14g
TalkTime: Up to 12H
Standby Time: Infinite (in sunlight)
Battery Type: 3.7v/110mAh Lithium-Polymer
Operating Distance: 10 meters

It’s too bad the contest over at CellPhone 9 ended, as they had an Iqua Sun 603 giveaway. The lucky winner was announced just this past Monday. Congrats, Lori.

This headset should net you a good run, plus no batteries are required, and you can use both outdoor and indoor light for this solar powered headset. Grab one online at Iqua.

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Filed Under: Autos, Solar, drivers

Nissan is serious about taking the lead in next gen green vehicles. They have recently begun talk and negotiations with tech corp NEC, to mass produce and market LI-ON batteries.

This NEW partnership will allow Nissan to get closer to what it wants the most right now, which is to be the leader in the electric vehicles market. Nissan would like to make it to market first, over Honda and over irking eco minded competitor Toyota.

The Nissan-NEC venture, to be called Automotive Energy Supply Corp, is supplying the batteries Renault will use in the electric cars it’s building for Israel and Denmark. The governments of those two nations have rallied behind Silicon Valley startup Project Better Place and its plan to bring affordable EVs to the masses. Nissan is looking at a similar arrangement with the government of Japan’s Kanagawa Prefecture, which wants to develop an electric vehicle fleet and charging infrastructure. Getting a few thousand electric cars on the road before its rivals will give the joint venture a solid lead in the market.

This will certainly give Nissan a leg up in the electric vehicles sector. The Li-ION batteries will be mass produced, power up the next generation of plug-in hybrids and electric cars, PLUS they have been proven to out perform the current crop of Prius, nickel-metal hydride batteries. On average lasting more than 60,000 miles. In fact, Nissan and NEC are so confident in their new EV batteries, they plan to sell them to other manufacturers, as well. Production is ready to start at 13,000 batteries for next year, rising to 65,000 a year by end of 2011.

Toyota and Honda, no doubt, are not resting on their laurels. Let’s see how they compete.

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Filed Under: Autos, Eco Friendly, Green, Li Ion, electric cars, electric vehicles, ev, honda, nec, nissan, toyota, transportation

I must warn you this car is not pretty, but it is quite rare. ABC found on eBay Motors a rare EV, the 1980 AMC Hornet Electric Vehicle.

The manufacturer Solargen, has not been in existence since about the mid 80’s, when it went out of business, below is an excerpt from ABC, on what happened.

Solargen used lead-acid batteries to power small electric motors which replaced the classic inline six cylinder engines of AMC models like the Concord and Hornet. Apparently, the vehicles were only capable of about 30 miles or so of range and couldn’t quite reach highway speeds. Not surprisingly, therefore, the company didn’t last very long.

If you are a car collector, this is an interesting find. Below are some of the features of the AMC Wagon EV:

Engine Type - 2 Cylinders

Transmission - Automatic

Body Type - Wagon

Miles - 51 (since 1980)

Fuel Type - Electric

The 1980 AMC Electric Vehicle listed on eBay is going for $3,500 and as of this writing, there are no bids listed. Grab it while you still can.

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Filed Under: Autos, electric cars, electric vehicles, ev

A recent study from the Public Policy Institute of California is asserting that hands-free cellphone laws, such as the one taking effect in California on July 1st, will save 300 lives per year.

Based on data from municipalities, including the California Highway Patrol, this statistic is not an entirely accurate picture of possible or future road safety. Currently the results from the report above include guess-timates, based on information collected from accidents and mobile phone users, in states that have had the hands-free cell phone laws in effect for some time, such as Connecticut and New York.

Will hands-free phone laws make our roads safer?

According to Joe Kolko, who conducted the cell phone and accident study from PPIC, the answer is yes.

Kolko discovered that traffic deaths during bad weather fell 52 percent within six months of the laws’ taking effect. Fatalities on wet roads dropped 38 percent and rush-hour deaths fell 17 percent.

Data from New York, which enacted the nation’s first hands-free law in 2001, suggests the pattern holds up over the long haul. Four years after the law passed, traffic fatalities during lousy weather or on wet roads were down about 64 percent. Kolko assumed California would see similar declines and applied those figures to the number traffic fatalities in adverse conditions to arrive at 300 lives saved per year.

Clearly his guess-timates paint a picture of increased road safety.

But many questions remain such as, will drivers en masse adhere to these new laws? Should drivers be told by the government when and how to use their cell phones? When will better reporting take place to accurately record whether a cell phone triggered an accident?

I’m sure as time passes, all 50 states will have passed similar laws, and drivers will not be allowed to drive while on their cell phones. I especially feel that TWD (texting while driving) is a far more dangerous activity performed behind the wheel. Essentially while a driver is on a call, be it on a hands free device or not, distraction can and does occur, which brings me to my reader question.

Reader Question

Do you think that hands free devices will make for greater road safety?

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Filed Under: Autos