Chrysler was seriously involved in designing high technology for electric cars and test marketing an electric minivan. However, the merger with Daimler all but stopped the efforts Chrysler was making in the electric drive development. Chrysler did make an electric concept van in 1992 the Electric Power Inter-Urban Commuter or EPIC for short. The EPIC concept had nickel iron batteries.

Chrysler was also trying to create a viable 4door mid size electric vehicle through a program they called Destiny. It used light weight materials and an AC induction motor. It turned out not to be a viable option so they tried other approaches.

Since the mid 1990’s Chrysler has sold more than 35,000 low speed GEM neighborhood electric vehicles worldwide. The GEM is not a full function vehicle and is suited for specific uses. Its top speed is 25mph and allowed only on streets with speed limits of 35mph or less.

Now that Chrysler is no longer part of DaimlerChrysler they have renewed their efforts to develop and market electric cars. They recently unveiled three electric drive concept vehicles. They include an all electric Dodge sports car and a range extended electric version of the Jeep Wrangler and Chrysler Town & Country minivan. All of these vehicles use lithium-ion batteries. Chrysler has said that they will move beyond the concept stage and will market one of these vehicles in 2

E85 is considered an alternative fuel and Gasohol or E10 is not considered an alternative fuel. This is because Gasohol only has 10% Ethanol and 90% gasoline. Ethanol can be produced from domestic feedstock and does not have to be imported like petroleum. If Ethanol was used by millions of vehicles it could make a dramatic impact on the United States dependence on imported oil. Another benefit is that it is a renewable biofuel that has modest reductions of harmful emissions.

A FFV is a flexible fuel vehicle which automakers developed so a vehicle can be run on E85, gasoline or a combination of the two. The reason for this is because there is a limited availability of E85 at gas stations. The FFV’s first came out in the 1990’s, however most of these models have never had E85 in their fuel tanks. This is because even though the number of E85 filling stations is increasing there are still very few places where you can get this alternative fuel.

Usually you will not notice any difference when you are operating a vehicle on E85 instead of gasoline. Ethanol produces less energy than gasoline but has a higher octane rating. Currently, E85 is more expensive than gasoline because of the added expense of blending it with gasoline. These are just a few facts you should know if you are considering using E85 as an alternative fuel.

The Green Car Journal has chosen the 2010 Audi A3 TDI for the prestigious title of the Green Car Journal’s 2010 Green Car of the Year. For the second year in a row a clean diesel has taken top honors in the annual award program. Last year the award went to the VW Jetta TDI.

The competition for top honors was tough and among a lineup of stellar vehicles including three hybrids and a clean diesel. The other green cars that were contenders included the Honda Insight Hybrid, the Mercury Milan Hybrid and the Toyota Prius. The other clean diesel in the running for the award was the VW Golf TDI.

The judges of this year’s award liked the rakish styling and 42 mpg highway fuel efficiency of the Audi A3 TDI. This vehicle has a 50% improvement over the A3 gasoline model and has relatively low CO2 emissions. This model is also approved by Audi for operation on up to B5 biodiesel fuel.

The Audi A3 is an entry level luxury car that has a variety of distinctive features, including 17 inch alloy wheels, LED daytime running lights and a sporty appearance. The Audi A3 looks like a hatchback; however, the EPA officially classified it as a small station wagon. Audi on the other hand describes it as Sportback. No matter what it is called, the Audi A3 TDI is a fuel efficient and low emissions winner of the 2010 Green Car on the Year award.

Aggressive driving and flooring the gas pedal not only wastes fuel it also emits hazardous emissions into the air. Try to be looking ahead and anticipating stops you will have to make. That way you can coast as much as possible, which save fuel and wear and tear on your brakes. If you drive ten miles over the speed limit you can lower your fuel economy by almost 10%. Try to avoid rush hour stop and go traffic if possible. This type of driving burns gas and increases smog pollution in the air.

If your vehicle has an overdrive gear you should use it when you are at cruising speeds. If you are driving a manual transmission you should try to shift up as soon as possible. If you run in a higher gear you will get better fuel mileage and it will save wear and tear on your engine. Another thing to remember is to use your air conditioning sparingly to save fuel.

You should check your tire pressure often. They should be inflated to the manufacturers recommended pressure. You can find the tire pressure in your owner’s manual or it is usually printed inside the door frame. It is estimated that for every three pounds your tires are below the recommended pressure you lose about 1 percent in fuel economy. Tires that are under deflated can also be a safety hazard and cause wear and tear on your tires.

You can drive greener and save fuel at the same time by changing your driving habits and keeping your vehicle maintained.

These programs offer cash and other types of incentives for making an effort to promote commuting greener. More companies are starting to see the benefits of making use of the Commuter Choice Programs. The government programs offer workers tax free transit or vanpool benefits that can go up to $100 per month. Another option is employees can give up their parking space and receive up to an additional $175 per month.

The employees of the companies offering these programs can use the money to commute using a variety of methods. They can carpool, bicycle or walk. If you carpool with someone and take turns driving you will both save money and wear and tear on your vehicles.

Some companies have come up with some clever ideas to promote “Get There With Clean Air.” One company offers free walking shoes. If the employee walks to work the company will by them running shoes. Another company gives its employees an extra hour of comp time for every 5 days they carpool or vanpool to work. They also have permission to dress casually at work. Another type of program a company uses is to have monthly drawing for prizes to those who participate in the program. Some of the prizes include extra time off and other items.

The Commuter Choice Programs helps to cut down on air pollution and also helps to reduce traffic congestion. These programs are a great way to conserve energy and fuel.

There are many green choices to choose from today. If you are considering a new vehicle you will want to find the one that is the most environment friendly for your needs and budget. You can look at the various models and compare their green scores. When you choose a green car you are helping to reduce air pollution.

The more consumers that purchase environmentally friendly vehicles the more the auto industry will take notice. This will make the auto manufacturers continue to make the effort to build and redesign more fuel efficient and lower emission vehicles. The economic downturn and the highest fuel prices in history influenced the vehicles that were purchased. Compact vehicle sales were at a all time high.

As time goes on there will also be more alternative fuel and flex fuel automobiles available. As of now the automakers are concentrating on making gas efficient vehicles. However, there has been an increase in vehicles that are flexible fuel vehicles (FFVs). There has been a renewed interest in ethanol being used instead of oil. There has been a substantial increase in the number of fueling stations that offer ethanol. However, it still isn’t widely available across the United States.

Every day the consumer has more options and choices when it comes to buying a vehicle that is fuel efficient and environmentally friendly. The more green cars put onto the highways and streets the more we as a society are erasing out footprint on the ecosystem.

However, there is good news for the consumers in all of this turmoil. The auto industry is making fuel economy their top priority. The automakers have been spurred on by the high gas prices and the need to compete with the Japanese and European auto manufacturers. This has also led to the availability of a wider range of green vehicles to choose from.

Hybrid and small fuel efficient cars are being mass produced. The automakers are also starting to design efficiency technologies into most all of the new vehicles and redesigned models. This year consumers were introduced to the first “clean diesels.” Mercedes Benz, Volkswagen and BMW released diesel SUVs and cars that are lower in emissions.

Due to all of the latest technology and innovations, new vehicles produced today contribute less harmful emissions into the environment. The auto manufacturers have introduced a variety of innovative designs to the engines and transmissions. They have also tweaked the body design and are using lighter materials to improve the fuel economy of their vehicles.

Even makers of high performance sports cars, such as Porsche are making improvements in their vehicles to lower fuel consumption. The Porsche 911, which has a direct injection gasoline engine, has reduced fuel consumption by 13%. The auto industry is trying to make vehicles that combine fuel economy with better performance. This is good news for consumers who are in the market for a new vehicle.

It is wise to keep in mind that even though a vehicle may have a lower price than another one, doesn’t mean that it is the better value. The value of an eco-friendly vehicle is a combination of fuel consumption, the price, safety and reliability. The value is also about what features and warranties come with the vehicle. The trick is to find the least expensive eco-friendly vehicle that offers the most value for you.

The number one thing most people will be looking at besides the price of the vehicle will be the fuel economy. There are a lot of choices out there that get great gas mileage and also have lower emissions. Another thing to consider is the safety of the vehicle and what safety features are available and come standard such as ABS brakes, airbags and stability control.

Reliability of a car is very important after you have had it for awhile. It is hard to gauge the reliability of a new car until you have had it long enough to know what its weaknesses and strengths are. You can check on the reliability by doing some research on the make or model of eco-friendly vehicle you are interested in purchasing. You can look at reviews and also another good source is Consumer Reports.

These are just some things to keep in mind when you are looking for the perfect eco-friendly car to fit your needs.

The hybrid vehicle is the most well know name in eco-friendly cars. The number of choices in types and brands of hybrid vehicles has increased substantially. Most auto manufacturers have recognized the popularity of hybrid vehicles and most of them have started producing a least one line of hybrid cars or SUV’s. The reason for their popularity is that most of them offer great mileage and emit less harmful emissions. They look the same as a conventional vehicle and run on gasoline.

There have also been advancements in alternative fuels besides traditional gasoline. Biodiesel is blend of traditional diesel and vegetable oil. Bio-diesel gives off lower emissions and most every existing diesel engine has the capability of using bio-diesel. It is also possible to switch back and forth between biodiesel and regular diesel. When you are using biodiesel you have to change your oil filter more often.

Ethanol is another fuel choice and is a corn and wheat based fuel additive. Ethanol increases the octane in your fuel while decreasing the emissions. It is also cheaper than traditional gasoline. However, the gas stations that offer ethanol are limited. There has been an increase in the number of places you can find this fuel. As this fuel option catches on it will be more readily available.

Eco-friendly technology and choices are improving every day. The hybrid technology is making it better for our environment and allowing use to save fuel at the same time.

A hybrid vehicle will run cleaner than a gas powered vehicle. This makes a hybrid car more environmentally friendly than the traditional gas engine because they have lower emissions. The standard warranty on a hybrid vehicle system is 8 years. You may be able to receive tax reductions or credits for owning and driving a hybrid vehicle.

If you drive in stop and go traffic, such as in the city, you will get a big benefit from driving a hybrid vehicle. You will get noticeably higher gas mileage than with a traditional vehicle. If enough people start driving hybrids our nation’s fuel consumption will drop, which in turn will lower gas prices.

On the other hand, if most of your driving is at high speeds on the highways and interstates you will not see a big difference in gas mileage. Since hybrids are becoming more popular and in higher demand there may be waiting lists for particular models. Hybrids have been coming down in price since they were first introduced. However, you will still pay more for a hybrid compared to the price of a conventional vehicle. Hybrids are the type of vehicle everyone currently wants to have and this make for higher prices, making them expensive to purchase.

Like any vehicle, a hybrid has good points and bad. Overall, a hybrid vehicle will save you fuel in the long run and will help to make the environment cleaner.