An outline of the bill, hand-scribbled by Rep. Oberstar. (image via Blueprint America)
America’s “happy motoring” days are over; now is the time for a “transformational” transportation policy. On this point, the Obama Administration and Representative Jim Oberstar agree.
However, while the Administration seems content to Read the full story on TreeHugger
“Akbil knows the value of your kuru?” (the Turkish equivalent of pennies), says this ad from Istanbul’s transit agency. Photo via ?ETT.
Besides holding more than 12 times as many inhabitants and being way, way bigger, I like to tell people, Istanbul is a lot like my hometown of San Francisco — geographically, at least. From my neighborhood on the city’s European side, I can look across the sparkling waters of the Bosphorus to the industrial shipyards and, above, the greener, more residential hills of the Asian side, a view reminiscent in many ways of that from San Francisco to the Port of O…Read the full story on TreeHugger
Nissan drew back the curtain today on its ambitious all-electric LEAF. Along with a small parade of international journalists, I’ve been in Yokohama for the past three days meeting with executives, getting technology briefings, and driving the electric platform. Although we had been given a chance to see the LEAF with our own eyes the day before, we went camera-less and all images were embargoed until this morning when, at Nissan’s glimmering new super-green headquarters, the car was revealed. It was driven onstage by Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn and other notables, including the former …Read the full story on TreeHugger
photo: Mike via flickr
It’s only been a short while that you could actually participate in the Cash for Clunkers program — four days in fact — but response was so overwhelming that the program has already depleted its $1 billion budget, Raw Story reports:
…Read the full story on TreeHugger
image: Solar Sailor Holdings
I have to say that usually when I hear about a solar-powered boat I’m a bit skeptical — often the solar power is just used for lighting or other equipment and not propulsion — but not so with Kong Kong’s four new solar-powered ferries. Solar power will supply three-quarters of their power, with liquid petroleum gas supplying the remainder. Read the full story on TreeHugger
No backpack or panniers, but somewhere a pearl-handled revolver.
Urban cycling, which at TreeHugger we wholeheartedly support, is not without its large and small dangers, and for women, the top two perceived or real ones beyond falling or crashing would seem to be catcalls, and the possibility of being accosted. The first daring woman to circle the globe (or at least major parts of it) o…Read the full story on TreeHugger
Last year, Enviu, the innovators in sustainability based in Rotterdam (NL), launched the Hybrid Tuktuk Battle. The challenge was to design a system to make one million auto-rickshaws in India and other developing countries hybrid, in order to improve the living conditions of millions of drivers and their families, and drastically reduce the CO2 emissions. This month the grand prize went to the HAN’ds On Eco Tuk, a Tuktuk with LPG direct injection designed by the stude…Read the full story on TreeHugger
Image: Coda
Do I Smell a Future Bailout?
Coda Automotive is very ambitious: It plans to launch a $45,000 (before the $7,500 tax credit) Chinese-built electric sedan next year and claims that it will be the most affordable electric car at the time. But to get there it needs cash, which is why it just raised $24 million in a series B round of financing, with one of the main investors being the (in)famous former treasury secretary Henry “Hank” Paulson. Mr. Paulson also joined Coda’s advisory board. Aside from his cash, what will he contribute to the company?…Read the full story on TreeHugger
Photo: Toyota
Should have Better MPG Than Prius
There’s a new kind of arms race on the road, except that this one doesn’t involve bigger vehicles and more horsepower. Instead, the goal is to make hybrids with higher MPG and/or lower prices. The cheaper-than-the-Prius Honda Insight was the first salvo, even outselling the Prius in Japan in February, and coming down the pipeline is the even cheaper Read the full story on TreeHugger
Toyota Might Not Make a Yaris-Based Hybrid After All… For Now
Thursday, July 30th, 2009Photo: Toyota
Broken Dreams
Like many of our commenters, I was very excited when Reuters reported that Toyota was readying a Yaris-based low-cost hybrid. Finally a full hybrid that is also small and inexpensive! But UK-based Autocar is reporting that a source at Toyota denies this (more details below…Read the full story on TreeHugger
Tags: Autocar, Broken Dreams, Business & Politics, Cars & Transportation, Commenters, hybrid, hybrid cars, japan, Photo, Reuters, Science & Technology, Toyota, Toyota Yaris, Transportation
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