Going Green with the Mainstream
On May 10th & 11th Going Green Magazine (www.goinggreenmagazine.org)put on their 3rd Going Green Expo in Burlington, Vermont. There was an eclectic variety of Eco-exhibitors. I was surprised at the number folks from the mainstream looking for information. People seem ready to make some major changes to their homes, work places and modes of transportation.
I was asked to help run their “Green Test Track and Auto Zone.” We were able to bring in a wide diversity of alternative powered automobiles. GM came up from NYC with their Equinox Fuel Cell Vehicle (www.chevrolet.com/fuelcell ) and also brought along a Malibu Hybrid and a Tahoe Hybrid. The Equinox generated a lot of interest and kept the GM folks busy answering questions. When they turned it on you would hear more of a gurgle, gurgle then the normal vroom, vroom of a gasoline powered engine. Folks got a kick out that, but were very skeptical that the country could provide the infrastructure to support the Hydrogen fuel.
Also on hand was a fellow who had installed a MagDrive Hydro-Gen© in his truck. (www.fuelfromh2o.com ) It’s a hybrid system in that a small hydrogen fuel system is added to the existing gasoline or diesel engine. I’m going to visit him in June and will write more about it then.
There was a Hybrid Camry, a Hybrid Highlander, and a converted Hybrid Prius Plug-in. The Plug-in got a lot of attention. Folks are excited about the extra 100 miles the lithium battery provides before the hybrid system takes over. Most folks had unrealistic expectations that the industry should be able to provide an affordable hybrid plug-in right away. But they were open to listening and getting educated to the reality of the time, energy and money the automotive industry is putting forth to creating the lithium battery. I don’t know if Vermonters are more apt to be DYI’ers, but the Greasecar Vegetable Oil Conversion System (www.greasecar.com ) that modifies diesel vehicles to run on straight vegetable oil was a big hit. If there was an exhibitor with a Greasecar Conversion Business, they would have made a lot of sales.
There were two electric vehicles. A Miles Electric Car and a Zap Electric Truck. The Zap Truck (www.zapworld.com ) was the hit of the party. People loved the affordability of it ($12,500) and that it went 40 mph for up to 25 miles per charge. Folks who lived and worked in the city felt that this little three wheeled truck would be a great second vehicle for their family. Buzzing around the test track, I had to agree that it is fun to drive and that the math is very attractive.
Then there was the Moonbeam
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This homemade Micro Car cost $2500 in parts and about 1000 labor hours to create. Gasoline powered it goes 40 mph and gets 85-105 mpg. It was so cute and way fun to drive, but I felt it would be too small to get around town on a daily basis.
Most folks were attracted to the low cost, low maintenance vehicles. They were all very concerned about fuel prices going up, very concerned about the mpg their vehicle was getting and were apologetic when I asked what they were driving.
Which alternative powered vehicle are you most interested in? Join the conversation and send us your comments!