Make Your Own Electric Car: How Hard Can It Be?

As a huge fan of Top Gear, (The UK version, which is the only version worth watching) I of course saw the episode where the hosts attempted to create a homemade electric car. Quite frankly it was one of the best Top Gear episodes ever! Seeing as I have a blog dedicated to green driving I thought it would be fitting to post this episode on the site for all to see. Who knows maybe some of you will become inspired and build one for yourselves!
This is taken from Season 14 Episode 2 of Top Gear

Enjoy the videos!

Short version:

Hypermiling 101: Part 2

Other Hints and Rules

Hills: There is no one good rule for hills. Hills can be tricky depending on where they are, your speed, and traffic conditions. On the highway, for instance, constant speed is usually the best option. You might burn a little bit more going up, but you’ll burn less coming down. On hills with heavy traffic or signals, try coasting to a stop. Keep in mind that your speed drops off very quickly as compared to flat ground when doing this, so try not to get stuck half way up then have to hit the gas again. It’s a lot easier to maintain momentum than it is to get going again, so it’s better to have a bit too much speed and have to brake at the top than to have too little.

Turns: This might sound like I’m trying to get you to treat the road like a racecourse, but I’m not. Next time you go to make a turn at speed, say on a green arrow, get a sense of how fast you’re going. Obviously you don’t want to crash, squeal the wheels, or make the ride uncomfortable, but the next time you take the same turn, try slowing down just a bit less. Even 1 or 2 miles per hour difference will, over time, save you money. Keep in mind that every turn is different, so what works for one turn might not work for the next. read more

Hypermiling 101

Hypermiling: Getting Started part 1
(The following is part one of a two part guide to hypermiling)

With today's gas prices approaching 4 or 5 dollars a gallon, most people assume there really isn’t much they can do, so they waste their money by selling their old car and buying a new, more efficient one. Trouble is, we are still in a recession and most people don’t have that kind of liquidity at the moment. The solution is very easy: Hypermile.

The idea behind hypermiling is simple: Go as far as possible on a single tank of gas while getting to your destinations in roughly the same time frame as before. Many folks think you have to have some new-age hybrid to successfully hypermile, but they’re wrong. Anyone can do it with any vehicle out there. The key is to not waste energy. read more

part 2

E85 Flex Fuel Vehicles: What are they, How they work, and Why they are great.

 E85 Flex Fuel Vehicles 101


Many of you might have seen vehicles, particularly SUVs, that say Flex-Fuel on the back but don't know what it means or how it works. Here is a great article explaining any questions that you might have.

"Ethanol advocates emphasize that using E85 results in decreased reliance on imported oil, reduced environmental pollution, and a lower negative impact on the public's health. Lampert adds that ethanol is 100-percent renewable and non-carcinogenic. At the same time, production is 100-percent domestic. "Absolutely without doubt," the use of ethanol enhances America's energy security, says DaimlerChrysler spokesperson Nick Cappa. "Also, it helps farmers. " more