Needless to say, Hybrid cars are pretty expensive. Most people who don’t give a damn about being green would never think of getting one at all. Although hybrid cars’ sales have shot up tremendously, some people still find them quite expensive. Because of that, Ford introduced a new Hybrid vehicle called the Ford Micro Hybrid Fiesta.

The idea behind the creation of the Escape Hybrid is to manufacture hybrid cars without being too hard on the wallet. Basically, the Ford Micro Hybrid Fiesta can improve fuel economy by as much as five percent. Ford on the other hand claimed that it’s even possible to increase this number by 15 percent especially in stop-and-go traffic.

Right now, the Ford Micro Hybrid Fiesta is only at the research stage. There are still no plans of it being launched commercially. However, there’s a great chance that this hybrid vehicle can come up big in the future.

It takes so much dedication to keep your ride squeaky clean. When I was growing up, I remember by dad cleaning our car every week. He never missed a bit doing the whole thing. From the tires, pain job, and the windshield; the old man covered everything. Then again, times have changed and the things that we used to do cleaning our cars have the potential to affect our environment. Here are some things that you can do to my car washing more eco-friendly.

1. Washing in the Grass

This used to be one thing that everybody did in the past. However, doing this may cause the residue to flow to the drainage, which is directly connected to rivers, lakes, and streams. Instead of doing this, you can minimize the amount of water that you use. If you can’t help but to clean in the streets, be sure that you use environment-friendly cleaning solutions.

2.Go Green

As what I mentioned earlier, there are countless biodegradable cleaning products that don’t harm the environment when you clean your vehicle. If you can’t help yourself from using soap though, be sure that it is phosphate free.

3. Treat Your Ride

Commercial car washers treat the dirty water before being released to the environment. Aside from that, they have sophisticated machinery to monitor water usage. Although you may feel some ache in your budget, treating your ride to a commercial car wash saves you a lot of time and effort.

Ever since I started this blog, I have mentioned about electric cars 7 out of 10 times. I really think that electric vehicles are what we’re going to drive 50 years down the road. To work, electric vehicles rely on batteries and an electric motor that generate power. These days, the most effective batteries are the lithium-ion batteries because they last longer. Aside from that, they offer you more electric power compared to other varieties out there. If you think you already know all about lithium-ion batteries, then better read the rest of my post:

1. How They Work

Lithium-ion batteries move electrically-charged atoms from one electrode to another. For these batteries, they use cobalt or manganese for the positive electrodes and graphite for the negative. The ions then move to the lithium-based polymer gel that can be found inside the batteries.

2. Why They’re Effective

Lithium-ion batteries are lighter, more compact, and they store more electricity compared to their nickel-metal-hydride batteries. Since they weigh less, they take up less space in the vehicle and because of that, they don’t mess up with their speed. As a result, electric vehicles that use lithium-ion batteries are faster, have a bigger range, and more energy-efficient.

3.The Cons

Although not a new anymore, lithium-ion batteries are known to be unstable when charged. Because of that, they have a tendency to explode, causing it to short circuit or burst into flames. Aside from that, lithium-ion batteries decline when it comes to their charging ability. That means you still have to replace them after a certain period of time has elapsed.

Prior to the domination of weird-looking green cars of the 2000s, one of the most famous green cars years ago was the Ecostar EV from Ford. Born in 1992, the Ecostar EV was way ahead of its time when it comes to the green technology that it used.

An electric vehicle, the Ecostar EV looked like any other automobile out in the streets. The only thing that makes it different is its power source. Using a sodium-sulfur battery pack that is mounted beneath the floor pan, the Ecostar EV was a solid vehicle needless to say. When it comes to performance, it can go from 0-60 mph in 15 seconds while having a maximum driving range of 150 miles.

Meanwhile, the thing that really stands out about this vehicle is its 600-degree sodium-sulfur batteries. Basically, these batteries need to operate at this temperature in order to ignite a reaction between the sodium and sulfur molecules. The reaction results to electricity being produced, while kinetic energy was stored inside the batteries’ thick walls.

Although sodium-sulfur batteries had great potential, newer and better batteries were later invented. Because of that, the Ecostar EV faded in obscurity although it paved the way for other electric vehicles to come out years later.

I was more than excited when I first heard that Venturi Automobiles was finally unleashing the Fetish sports car. Though not yet the Tesla Roadster, its electric drivetrain and superior design made me an instant fan. Venturi is back with a vengeance today upon releasing the Eclectic. Primarily a down-to-earth version of the Fetish, the Eclectic is a solid vehicle to those who favor low-speed transportation.

Basically, the Eclectic is an electric vehicle that uses nickel-metal-hydride batteries for power. When every inch of it is already used up, you can simply charge these batteries through the on-board charger, roof-mounted solar panels, and a wind turbine. Although not necessarily a supercar, the Eclectic has a decent 22-horsepower motor and a 30 mph speed. Aside from that, it has a driving rang that can extend to 30 miles once the batteries are fully charged.

The best thing about this car is that it also uses solar power. Overall, it has a total of 27 square feet of solar cells that are installed on its roof. These solar cells can extend the Eclectic’s range to as much as four miles. Its wind turbine meanwhile can give as much as nine miles.

On a different note, the only thing not going for the Eclectic is its looks. Although it’s a solid vehicle as far as performance goes, it looks like a golf cart from afar unfortunately.

Sure, everybody knows that the future of automobile technology has finally arrived. Then again, nobody even told me that it’ll arrive this soon and this fast. Meanwhile, if you’ve already watched the movie “The Minority Report”, it’s safe to say that Venture Vehicles did a pretty good approximation of them by launching their newest model called the Electric VentureOne.

As far as looks are concerned, the Electric VentureOne doesn’t seem to come from our time. Technically classified as a motorcycle, the Electric VentureOne looks like both a motorcycle and car combined to me. Like some motorcycles, it only uses three wheels but like most cars, it’s closed so the passengers stay protected inside.

Basically, the Electric VentureOne was conceived way back in 1994. One of its best features is that it allows the passenger compartment and the front wheels to tilt by as much as 45 degrees. Because of that, the driver won’t have any trouble when cornering or when driving in slippery pavements. Apart from its futuristic looks, the Electric VentureOne is actually a hybrid vehicle. That’s because it uses a rear-mounted gasoline engine, which generates electricity thereby giving power to its electric motors. The electricity on the other hand is stored inside its lithium-ion batteries, which can be charged once emptied.

When it comes to performance, this 1,200-pound vehicle can go as fast as 100 mph, while being able to accelerate in just 6 seconds. Though it may be similar with motorcycles, the interior of the Electric VentureOne is very much like a car. Some of the regular car features that it has are the passenger restraints, driver’s airbag, rear bumper, engine shield, safety glass, and digital traction control.

When it comes to prices however, the Electric VentureOne might be slightly more expensive than regular cars because it’s pegged around 18000-23000 USD.

So I’ve been posting about electric vehicles for quite a while. This time around, I’ll be focusing on Guy Negre’s brainchild called the MDI. Years of failures simply can’t put this guy down and after attempting to sell his compressed-air cars everywhere, he finally hit the X-mark. Basically, Negre’s cars run on his patented compressed-air technology system. Fundamentally, it works by having the piston powered by compressed air.

Negre’s first model called the MiniCat can be powered by a single-energy compressed engine. That’s enough to give the MiniCat 25 horsepower and a top speed of 68 mph. Just like electric vehicles, compressed-air vehicles like the MiniCat has a limited range. The MiniCat is reportedly able to cover a 125-mile range and the best part is, you can refill gas in just a few minutes.

If you’re not content with its current range though, you can use its dual-energy feature that lets it use both fuel and diesel. In essence, that system makes the MiniCat more like a hybrid vehicle at the same time. So if you want to go somewhere farther than the city, you simply switch to dual mode to make it happen.

Think that cars are the only ones that are trudging the green route? Think again. Brammo Motorsports has just unveiled a motorcycle that uses green technology. To be more specific, it uses lithium-phosphate batteries to get its power. Aptly called the Enertia, this motorcycle is exclusively powered by batteries instead of fuel stored inside a fuel tank.

Basically, these lithium-phosphate batteries are good enough to last for more than three hours. Just like your regular motorcycle, it can go as fast as 50 mph and a driving range that extends to 45 miles. Unlike regular motorcycles that weigh quite a bit, the Enertia is only weighed down by batteries. The Enertia works by having its motor’s output shaft drives the rear wheel directly through the chain. This way, noise is minimized while the efficiency of the motor is maximized.

In addition to that, Enertia is also pretty safe because it uses phosphates as its cathodes for its batteries. As a result, you lessen short circuits from happening, while being able to withstand high temperatures. Brammo Motors currently sells the Enertia at 12,000 USD and so far, its sales are doing pretty well.

T3 Motion did it again. After successfully introducing the enigmatic Segway, it’s now back on track by launching CT3. Looking more like a motorcycle than a car, the CT3 is a low-speed vehicle that is built for personal commuting. Basically, the vehicle can go as fast as 45 mph and it’s powered by a two electric motors. All the power that it has is derived from its lithium-polymer batteries, which you can easily recharge.

Just like all vehicles from T3, the CT3 is all about giving you environment-friendly vehicles that don’t use gasoline at all. With an MPG rating of 100, the CT3 lets you drive over a 100 miles without having to recharge its heavy-duty batteries. When it comes to performance, the CT3 is equipped with all-wheel drive and full-front suspension system. Aside from that, its hydraulic disc brakes will let you stop on a dime without hearing noise at all.

I know green cars get smaller each time. They also become a lot more fuel efficient every year. However, Franco Sbarro of Switzerland had other things in mind when he designed the City Car. Although I’ve seen so many strange-looking cars in my life, the City Car can perhaps top the list.

Basically, the City Car has four wheels, one in front and in the rear, while the others can be found in the sides. For power, the City Car uses an electric motor that can generate as much as 20 kilowatts and it can go as fast as 30 mph. However, the vehicle also relies on an internal combustion engine that is able to give off 60 horsepower while boosting its speed to 80 mph. Overall, this strange-looking vehicle can cover as much as 370 mph and an MPG rating of 46.

The best part about the City Car is its design. With all of its wheels laid out in a diamond pattern, they are able to maneuver in 180-degree angles. That means you can turn 360 degrees in its vertical axis. In short, it gives you so many options as compared to your regular four-wheel vehicle when it comes to maneuverability.

On a different note, the City Car is 11.8-feet long and weighs just around 320 pounds, making Shaq even heavier than this thing. Despite its size though, it can unbelievably carry 5 people and a few extra pounds for your luggage. Equipped with lots of cameras, you won’t have any trouble dealing with the traffic with this kind of street rig. I’m pretty much blown away with its other features such as a cellphone, internet, digital TV, and a glut of communication accessories.