Submitted by FelixKramer on Mon, 03/23/2009 - 4:16pm
Convert Millions of Gas Guzzlers Already on the Road to Plug In
About the Author
Felix Kramer is an entrepreneur and lifelong environmentalist. Concentrating on innovative ideas, events and businesses in energy and technology, he builds ambitious and "first-ever" projects and companies. He's been a journalist, Congressional speech-writer, run an energy conservation non-profit, pioneered in desktop publishing and wrote the first book on that business. He became one of the first online marketers in 1994. In 1997 he started and in 2001 sold eConstructors, a small Internet company. In 2002 he founded the non-profit California Cars Initiative http://www.CalCars.org to put plug-in hybrid vehicles on the map by technology demonstrations, advocacy and buyers demand. In April 2006 he became the world's first non-technical consumer owner of a plug-in hybrid. He says, "I envision millions of plug-in cars, charged off-peak, providing distributed storage for a power grid fueled by increasingly renewable sources. Local travel will be electric, and low-carbon biofuels or larger batteries will provide range extension. This is a great way to significantly reduce both greenhouse gases and use of imported oil." A Cornell graduate, he lives with his wife and son in Silicon Valley.
About This Video
The short video explains a strategy for how to have a rapid impact on two great challenges that result from our dependence on fossil fuels: reducing greenhouse gases and increasing energy security. It's produced by CalCars.org, the non-profit that helped spark the interest in plug-in hybrids. It explains how we can't simply wait for new plug-in cars from automakers -- they won't and can't deliver quickly enough. The answer, surprisingly, is found in the hundreds of millions of vehicles already on the road. CalCars explains how to do something few yet think is possible or achievable. More details at http://www.calcars.org/ice-conversions.html . It's a joint production with Sustainability Media http://www.sustainabilitymedia.com
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10 comments for "Convert Millions of Gas Guzzlers Already on the Road to Plug In".
1. Converting as many of our
Converting as many of our current vehicles as possible can become a giant business opportunity. And it presents us with a global choice. We can wait for new efficient vehicles to slowly replace our gas guzzling fleet. This means that for over a decade, we will see mainly symbolic effects on the global challenges we aim to address.
2. Electric Vehicle Festival
Great video Felix! Tell all your electric vehicle conversion friends to meet us at the 1st Annual Electric Vehicle Festival at Hollywood Park, CA on August 1st, 2009. More info will be posted on www.ElectricVehicleFestival.com
3. Great Idea
I think this is a really great idea, but what would be the cost to the consumer? Would the cost of retrofitting your car eventually 'pay for itself' in the money you would save on gas? If so, how long would that take for a typical car? This is definitely an idea worth pursuing.
4. design
The stupidest thing we do is drive an automobile everyday. There are 260 million running around on our roads and streets . The NOISE, the choking fumes from the exhaust, the attitudes of drivers, the filth, the crime, the stress from having to be constantly alert and the insanity of building walkways for pedestrians alongside of roads shows that we have become mindless and quite absurd about living in a healthy way on this planet.
Fuel efficiency be darned. It won't relieve congestion,deaths and injuries from the use of these destructive items.
The social costs are estimated at $3 Trillion for the use of these weapons of mass destruction.
Who is responsible? Auto companies, governments, Madison Avenue and hoodwinked consumers.
We need to redesign our cities to function without cars.
5. convert gas powered to electric
its a great idea. dont know the details, but would love to. can we get some more info on this? imagine some of the stimulas $$ being used in such a way... might actually stimulate.
6. Retrofitting your car
I hear lots of talk about this, but where can one actually get it done, and how much will it cost. It wouldn't take much to sell this idea, if the price is right...
any suggestions?
7. Discussion of Poulsen Hybrid concept?
Since we have left it too late to build the number of PHEVs needed in the time frame required, yes we should have a separate crash program to convert and thereby redeem the existing fleet. Poulsen Hybrids has an interesting concept that uses externally applied pancake electric motors to the rear wheels of existing vehicles. This would seem to be a quick and practical way to hybridize a vehicle - compared to modifications of the internal drivetrain. It permits regen braking and the battery pack can be customized to the vehicle's available space and desired range (and replaced with improved batteries as they become available).
I'd be interested in hearing a discussion of this particular strategy.
8. Convert existing cars
This is such an intuitive idea, and praise CalCars for supporting it. When you compare the impact of buying a new car versus converting the existing cars to being more fuel efficient, you don't need a calculator to know that conversion is going to reduce our carbon footprint faster. When you add the employment possibilities for supporting these conversions, it can do a lot to help our economy. Some of the new ideas coming out, can be made a reality by allowing conversions, and having our governments support them, rather than making regulations that limit the few to control the change.
I would love to see this message reach a larger audience.
9. Convert to Electric
I have to use a truck to pull horses from on place to another in a trailer. I would love it if I could ever dream of one day owning a vehicle that would be electric AND be strong enough to get the job done! I'm all for pursuing this. Hope we can see more of this on T.V. Everyone should have the opportunity to know about the possibilities.
10. Convert the guzzlers
Nice idea. Let's do it.