June 6, 2008 by Rob.

I was reading Toyota’s shamelessly self-promoting blog and decided to check out the Drive Smarter Challenge.  It’s got some simple tips that you’ve probably seen a zillion times (tire pressure, drive friendly, combine trips) and an estimate of $ saved by following the tips.  I’m not sure how they computed the savings - they did not ask my average miles driven or price of gas.  I guess it’s all based on my car’s EPA MPG.

Tip: here are some things that you can do that create REAL SAVINGs:

1. car pool (cuts your fuel use in 1/2 or better)
2. don’t buy a new car just to save gas (driving an old car is more sustainable)
3. telecommute 1 day a week (that’s a 20% reduction)
4. avoid rush hour (idle engines burn gas)
5. slow down on the highway (yes, Jimmy Carter was right about 55 MPH)
6. drive, don’t fly.  (air travel uses more gas per mile)

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June 6, 2008 by Rob.

I’ve been subjected to way too much hype about the Ronn Motors “super car.”  Sorry, but being from Austin does not make you an automatic friend - you’ve got to have a little bit of credibility.  Sadly, the hype around this ICE powered kit car has been attracting trolls to AustinEV.  It’s NOT electric.  It’s NOT fuel cell.  It’s barely an “alternative fuel.”

So what are they doing?  They have a kit (available after market)  that generates hydrogen gas from water using electricity from the ICE’s alternator.  Then they mix the H2 into fuel to improve the combustion and output of the engine.  Not revolutionary.  They package the kit with other kit parts into a roof-less coupe.

Yawn.  I’m so not interested.

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