Wisdom In Action

Showing posts with label green cars. Show all posts

Friday, January 7, 2011

ADW Green Changing Format Soon - Intermediary Between Green Car Sellers and Buyers

With the dawning of the new year, ADW Green has been working on changes to its editorial structure, to be made in the next month or so. What you can expect to see is more focus on the issues, news, and concerns of those bringing green machines to the buying public – both retail and fleet. If you’re marketing and selling plug-in electric vehicles, hybrids, fuel cell vehicles, flexible fuel vehicles, natural gas and propane powered vehicles, clean diesel, and highly fuel efficient vehicles, questions come up that must be answered. Such as: How exactly does the $7,500 federal tax credit apply to me? Do I get a rebate check from the IRS? If the home charging station costs $2,500, is this amount included in my total purchase price and monthly payments? How many natural gas or ethanol/biodiesel filling stations can I expect to see in my neighborhood soon? A lot of questions to answer, and much for ADW Green to cover. Looking forward to it. And let me know if you have any questions, comments, or ideas to contribute - jon@automotivedigest.com.

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Smog or Greenhouse Gas Debate - What Difference Does it Make?

According to Greenwire... EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson said that her 40-year-old agency is battling a new problem: Americans are taking a healthy environment for granted. When EPA was created in 1970, Cleveland's Cuyahoga River was so polluted that it caught fire. Pittsburgh and Los Angeles were choking on smog on a daily basis. And the widespread use of DDT and other toxic chemicals was killing off bald eagles -- the very symbol of the United States. The nation's rivers aren't burning anymore, Jackson said. The air is clean enough that many people don't notice it. Struggling species have rebounded. But because younger people have no memories of those days, they might not realize why the agency was created in the first place, she said.

This got me thinking and ended up as part of my Letter from the Editor...

In the recently released Kelley Blue Book survey study on consumer’s lack of interest in buying electric vehicles, one particular response caught my eye. For those interested in alternative vehicle technology, 83% cited reduction in pollution, and 83% checked reduction in vehicle emissions as primary reasons. So what’s the difference between the two? To me, a simple definition would be: pollution = smog from the tailpipe; vehicle emissions = greenhouse gas or CO2 emissions (global warming). There’s a difference between the two.

There’s always debate about whether global warming and climate change are for real, and whether humanity could do anything to positively affect climate patterns. Whether or not that question can be answered, I do believe that air pollution is the core reason for bringing advanced clean technology to the auto industry. I’m reminded of being eight years old and going to the LA Zoo on a grammar school field trip when the smog was so thick, my eyes watered and my throat grew sore and thick. Today, even though there are more vehicles on LA freeways, the air pollution has been dramatically reduced and air quality improved. I’m all for that happening around the world and look forward to seeing green machines become a valid option for car shoppers.

Saturday, September 18, 2010

AutoWeek's Virtual Green Car Show Says Something

Crain Communications produces Automotive News, essentially the bible of the auto industry, and its weekly edition, AutoWeek. Not long ago, Automotive News held another green car OEM summit near Detroit, and is devoting more space to coverage of these vehicles and their technology.

AutoWeek will soon be hosting its first Virtual Green Car Show with exhibits in a digital hall featuring the latest on green power systems and new hybrid and electric vehicles, fuel cells, and diesels. The show will also provide attendees with access to experts for Q&A and opportunities to network with other green consumers.

The Crain publications tend to reflect the thinking of the Detroit auto industry, which has begrudgingly been infiltrated by foreign automakers, many of whom have set up shop in Detroit metro, California, Tennessee, etc. It's also taken a lot of forward motion for the publications to devote more space to green machines, but it is definitely happening. And these publications offer more rich details for how all this affects the automotive supply chain and dealer networks.