Jorge Chapa | posted on October 21, 2008

Just in time for the Los Angeles Motor Show, BMW has released the first images of the all new fully electric Mini E! We’ve hinted at it before, and it was just a matter time before it was unveiled, complete with a 204hp fully electric engine, a regenerative braking system, and a range of 150 miles. …read full discussion

Jorge Chapa | posted on October 14, 2008

We recently covered the incredible XR3 DIY hybrid car, so it seemed only natural to follow up with an in-depth account of Kyle Dansie’s home-built electric motorcycle. The owner of ZEVUtah purchased a defunct old Kawasaki Ninja from eBay and transformed it into a slick solar-powered vehicle capable of hitting 55 mph with a 50 mile range. …read full discussion

Jorge Chapa | posted on October 8, 2008

This year’s Paris Motor Show has seen many major manufacturers making strident efforts towards smaller, more fuel efficient, and more environmentally sustainable vehicles. The Nissan Nuvu is just such a car, representing the type of vehicle that we will be driving within the next decade: one that is city-smart, compactand all-electric. …read full discussion

Jorge Chapa | posted on September 9, 2008

Who amongst us isn’t familiar with the 1960’s style utopian vision of the cars of the future?  From the Jetsons, to ‘Blade Runner’, to ‘Back to the Future’, the futuristic flying vehicle is part of our shared collective culture, and the dream of many an inventor. But maybe it turns out that the future of personal transportation is not really about the flying car. With the direction that things are moving in today with spiking energy prices and global warming, all signs point to a future of modesty and energy efficiency rather than wild dreams of hovercrafts.  For the last thirty years we’ve been thinking ‘big’ but maybe its finally time to start thinking small. …read full discussion

Katie Fehrenbacher | posted on September 8, 2008

What would a commuter carpooling service that actually tapped into the real-time transparency and flexibility of the Internet look like? Well, a lot like high-tech hitch-hiking, and possibly a lot more popular and effective at getting single occupancy vehicles out of morning traffic. At least that’s the idea behind Avego (Updated: formerly called Sharelift according to the DEMO info), a service officially being launched at the DEMO convention in San Diego on Monday. …read full discussion

Springwise | posted on July 25, 2008

We’ve seen (and written about) both green taxis and motorcycle taxis before, but never a combination of the two. Sure enough, though, one of our spotters recently came across an all-electric motorcycle service in France.

Citybird’s Electri-City operates a fleet of 15 Suzuki Burgman 650cc Executive scooters from its Paris-based headquarters, as well as a number of luxurious Honda Goldwings for use by members of its Citybird Club. All its Suzuki scooters are 100 percent electric, and emit just 125g CO2 per km—significantly less than most motorcycles and 50 to 70 percent less than traditional taxis, according to Climate Mundi. Taking it even further, though, Citybird works with Climate Mundi to offset those remaining emissions, along with those from its own administration. So, it also effectively negates the emissions from manufacturing all the motorcycles and gas it uses, as well as from making the supplies, furniture and computers used in its offices and its waste, energy facilities and movement of personnel.

Electri-City, which has made more than 54,000 trips since 2003, now has 160 companies under contract for its services. It also has partnerships with British Airways and TGV for airport transportation. Fares begin at EUR 25 within Paris, with subscriptions available offering discounts of up to 20 percent. Microphone-equipped helmets are included, as is protective gear in foul weather.

Motorcycle taxis already have an advantage in congested urban areas, but those benefits are multiplied many times over when the service is emissions-free. This one seems like a no-brainer—to be replicated in cities throughout the world!

Website: www.city-bird.com/_electricity
Contact: infos@city-bird.com

Spotted by: Matthew Cua

Mark Frauenfelder | posted on July 22, 2008

Chris Borroni-Bird is the director of Advanced Technology Vehicle Concepts at GM. He’s leading the effort at GM to make fuel cell vehicles, based on a “skateboard” style chassis called AUTOnomy that incorporates the fuel cell, motors and electronics control.

GMnext kindly invited me to visit with Dr. Borroni-Bird and have a discussion with him about “innovation, technology, energy, the environment, and their impact on the future of the automobile.” He’s a fascinating innovator with ideas that could change transportation around the world. I hope he succeeds.

Here are more videos from our conversation. (Note: GMnext compensated me for my video appearance.) Link Chris Borroni-Bird and Mark Frauenfelder in conversation (GM Next)

Best of the Green Web | posted on May 29, 2008

Well, Memorial Day threw off our mental clock this week, resulting in an inadvertent delay in posting the Wednesday Round-up. Similar to mail service or garbage pick-up, we’re collecting the greenest green stories from the Web one day later than usual this week and will return to our regular schedule next week… …read full discussion

Trend Hunter | posted on April 25, 2008

Bling on the attention! This crystal-covered bike will cause so many double takes, the rider had better be prepared to take responsibility for whiplash! Low-riders are focal points as they are, but imagine the stares you’d get riding around on this Swarovskied one!    

So, who would buy this 110,000 crystal covered bike? UK designer Ben Wilson must have imagined his potential customers. I picture someone that adores being the centre of attention, but also cares tremendously about the environment. While they’re willing to ditch their gas-guzzling car, they don’t want to limit getting around in luxury!

…read full discussion