The Car of Light concept from designer Jong Won Lee is driven by the sun. A solar panel on top of the car powers the electric motor. The exterior design takes cues from the motion of waves on a river surface. On the inside it’s lit by a purple haze…

When the second generation smart fortwo electric drive comes stateside this fall, I’m predicting that there won’t be enough to go around. The first batch of the 2011 models—250 total—will be available for four-year leases of $599 a month.  80% of the smart electrics will go corporate, the rest will be available for individuals. The [...]

Here’s the facts: With an estimated 900 million vehicles on the road world wide and an expected 1.5 billion on the road worldwide by 2030, In addition road transport accounts for 18% of all carbon emissions, while all forms of transportation account for 24% of the total. To respond to this environmental challenge, MICHELIN employs [...]

My closing line in the other day’s post was, “So, what’s sexy about all of this?” I’ll say it right out…sustainability is sexy…the more we know about the environment and how we can take steps to improve our quality of life, the more intelligent we are. Is that sexy? Yes! Below, some facts about MICHELIN [...]

Rio from the top of Sugar Loaf Mountain-photo by Holly Just returned from Rio for Michelin’s Challenge Bibendum, their 10th worldwide conference centered around sustainable road mobility. The Challenge, started in 1998, brings world players together including auto companies, equipment suppliers, energy providers and research centers with common goals; Reduce energy consumption of vehicles Protect [...]

(last of 3 installments) Nissan Americas, the company headquarters in Nashville, Tennessee, is moving towards the future with innovative technology. A nod to energy efficiency: The air-conditioning vents are on the floor because it is more effective for air-conditioning to flow up rather than go down. A quiet environment: The building uses what is called [...]

Ford Fusion Hybrid I’ll open this article with this thought, “Geez, I wish I had bought more Ford stock a few months back!” When Consumer Reports chooses the Ford Fusion Hybrid as their top-rated domestic sedan you gotta’ think that times are changing. “Essentially tied with the Toyota Camry Hybrid, the Fusion Hybrid achieved an [...]

Nissan’s LEAF is slated for launch in late 2010. For more info on this visit: nissan-zeroemission.com and twitter.com/NissanEVs

Waterfalls in Lexus plant help trap airborne particles The 2010 Lexus HS 250h has all the elements one would expect from a hybrid luxury car including 35 mpg city/34 mpg hwy and a SULEV rating that claims 70 percent fewer smog-forming emissions than conventional vehicles. All sounds good. But, what actually goes in to creating [...]

Occasionally I hit upon a story that has emotional appeal. This one is about rebirth; creating jobs, rebuilding a plant that was falling down and building fuel-friendly green cars. It started with a significant investment by Texas billionaire T. Boone Pickens, the San Diego based car maker V-Vehicle Co. and a retired GM plant in [...]