Green Alternatives
clean, cost effective transportaion
By Emily Lance
Experts are predicting $4 per gallon for Colorado gas prices this summer.
With these rising numbers, some people are making drastic changes to avoid the pump.
Electric cars, although not widely commercial, are gaining the interest of independent engineers around the country because of the positive impact they have on the environment and drivers’ wallets. Due to the inability of electric cars to meet Federal Motor Vehicle standards and regulations, companies and dealers aren’t able to mass produce and sell these cars yet.
The cost of charging the electric vehicle (EV) is about 8 cents//kWh (kilowatt hour). A kilowatt hour is 1 kilowatt of energy used per hour. So the 25 miles driven on a gallon of gasoline would be only 40 cents with an EV compared to the $3 per gallon cost on a conventional car.
The monetary savings are not the only benefits of EVs. Environmentally, electric vehicles are far superior producing no tailpipe emissions or carbon dioxide.
It’s Electric
Brian Gray and Jonathan Reynolds, CSU alumni, bought “The Prospector,” a gasoline powered 1987 Subaru to convert the car into an electric machine.
The two mechanical engineering graduates took the project on after exploring many other options to save gas.
“We are both inquisitive people and I have tried other alternative green options like vegetable oil, biodiesel and bicycles are of course an earth friendly option,” Gray said.
After reading online articles and blog notes about electric vehicles (EV) Reynolds began to investigate.
“(The engine conversion) has been done before, but usually it is one guy in his garage,” Gray said.
Reynolds and Gray completely removed the gasoline engine and will replace it with an electric motor that runs from a set of rechargeable batteries. The batteries can be recharged from any outlet and an extension chord. An overnight charge will yield about 40 to 60 miles of driving. The Subaru will be only be used for local, around town driving.
“The car by no means will be fast,” Gray said.
Aside from the purchase of the car itself, the cost of this conversion can range from $3,000 to $10,000 depending on the desired performance of the vehicle.
“The electric vehicle is more efficient than a gas motor,” Reynolds said. “Most people commute very short distances on a daily basis and the car with be sufficient for that drive. We expect the car to have the acceleration of a Volkswagen bug.”
Gray and Reynolds ordered the electric motor and will begin the project in a couple of weeks.
“Then we hope to do it for others in the future,” Reynolds said.
Find out more information about JaB EV (Jonathan and Brian Electric Vehicles) at www.jabev.com
Hybrid
As technology and demand increase for an alternative, low-cost form of transportation, Hybrid vehicles are becoming more available and affordable.
Any vehicle that produces power from a combination of two different sources is a hybrid. Hybrid vehicles are powered by a combination of gasoline and electric motors.
Although Hybrid vehicles can initially cost more than conventional gasoline-powered cars, the electric engine increases gas mileage by 20-50 miles per gallon making the Hybrid models increasingly popular.
Don’t have the money to convert your engine to electric or buy a hybrid, but still want to save money on gas?
Here are a few suggestions:
-Look for alternatives. Bus, bike or carpool to your next destination. Fort Collins’ Transfort and bike maps can be found on the city’s website at http://www.ci.fort-collins.co.us/.
-Keep your car in top condition. Get a tune up by airing up the tires, changing the air filter, having regular oil changes and using a fuel injector cleaner occasionally.
-Slow down. Going the speed limit should yield the best gas mileage. Tests have shown that aggressive driving decrease gas mileage by almost 31%.
-Cruise. Using cruise control on the highway will help the back and forth surge of the gas pedal.
-Find shelter. Keeping your car in the garage can help maintain a stable temperature, decreasing a need for air conditioning and a defroster that suck up gas.
-Down shift. Manual transmissions are generally more fuel efficient than automatic.
-Shop around. Websites like www.gasbuddy.com provide drivers with a list of gas prices in your area.
-Lighten the load. If there are any unnecessary items in your car, take them out to reduce air resistance.
For more tips to save gas visit http://www.howtoadvice.com/savinggas.
http://www.epa.gov/OMS/consumer/17-tips.pdf