Clean Fleet Articles

The Promise of Electric Vehicles – Save Gas, Save the Planet Excerpt

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Tom Hanks has supported improving the environment for years both with words and actions such as driving electric vehicles. “I still have a Toyota RAV4 EV and never spent a penny on gasoline for it,” he said. Happy with his Toyota EV, he added a second electric car. Many other people are experimenting with conversions to electric. The most notable are hybrid owners. Hundreds own electric vehicles in this university town. The city’s parks and recreation department saves money using EVs that displace expensive gasoline cars and trucks. The university is a major user of electric vehicles.

SDG&E Charges 1,000 Electric Cars with Smart Grid

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San Diego Gas and Electric may be the world’s first utility to smart charge 1,000 electric cars through a smart grid. This electric utility, which services 3.4 million people, has been installing an extensive electric vehicle charging infrastructure, expanding its electricity generation to 33 percent renewable, and implementing a smart grid. In many ways, the three initiatives support each other. Over 200 Nissan LEAFs and Chevrolet Volts are charging by using the utilities smart grid.

Tesla’s Progress with Model S and 300-Mile Electric Car Range

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Tesla recent quarterly financial results show progress on several fronts. Over 1,650 customers are now driving the Tesla Roadster, the impressive electric car with a 240-mile range per charge. Customers have driven these 100-percent electric cars more than 11 million miles. The Model S Sedan is on track for completion and customer deliveries mid-2012. A much bigger market is expected for this premium sedan that starts at $57,400 and has an optional battery pack with that gives the car a 300-mile range. When Tesla begins delivery of the Model S, over 100,000 electric car customers will be driving their Nissan LEAF, Chevrolet Volt, Ford Focus Electric and other electric sedan competitors.

2011 Nissan Leaf

Chevrolet Volt and Nissan LEAF Electric Cars Earn Highest Safety Ratings

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The Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf earn the highest safety ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety in the first-ever U.S. crash test evaluations of plug-in electric cars. The milestone demonstrates that automakers are using the same safety engineering in new electric cars as they do in gasoline-powered vehicles.

Resistance is Futile – Save Gas, Save the Planet Excerpt

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Being aerodynamic and using low rolling resistance tires are reasons that the Toyota Prius achieves good fuel economy. When you buy your next vehicle, look for cars with better miles-per-gallon due to use of advanced powertrains. There are more than one hundred car models that offer over 40 miles per gallon. An increased number of these models are being made available in the United States. People are often surprised by the excellent safety of some lighter vehicles with excellent fuel economy.

Toyota RAV4 EV Test Drive with impressive Tesla Drive System

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In this test drive of the new Toyota RAV4 EV, this electric SUV beat a V8 gasoline pickup going up hill. Combine a mature Toyota RAV4 chassis and interior with a maturing Tesla electric drive and you have a premium electric vehicle in months not years. 31 of these prototype all-electric SUVs are now on the road and demonstrating 80 to 120 mile electric range.

14 Ways that Solar Power Costs will Decrease Sharply

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In this decade, installed solar will drop to half its current cost. Such cost reductions will take more than lower costs of silicon panels and thin-film. Process, policy, right size, right place, interconnects, hybrid systems, and market solutions are now key for cost reduction. With progress in these 14 areas solar costs will approach grid parity in more locations.

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