Automobiles

Green drivers sleep a little cheaper

Kimpton Hotels has decided to start rewarding the owners -- and, more importantly, renters -- of green cars by offering discounts on its hotel stays. The program is called the "Green Road Warrior Package" and is currently available in Boston, New York, and Washinton D.C.

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Kimpton has a list of 15 hybrid models that qualify for the discount, which lasts until September. So as you eye your summer dream vacation and rising gas prices, rent a green car and count on saving a little on your hotel stay.

Via: Treehugger .

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France's Auto Eco-Labels

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Starting this week France will start posting eco labels that will be indicate the CO2 emissions per kilometer for each car.

As France’s environment minister, Nelly Olin, said, “We must avoid a drift towards cars that are too big for our towns, too polluting, like in other countries."

Hopefully Olin hasn't visited our hometown, where soccer moms drive Hummers to go grab a gallon of milk at the grocery store. And we really hope Olin doesn't know that we've currently made a sport out of watching college girls try to parallel-park the SUVs that their daddies bought them.

A matching "energy label" will also become compulsory for French homes starting in July.

Via: Greenbiz .

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NASCAR for Ecogeeks

Let's just say it: the Shell Eco-Marathon -- the finals of which are this weekend in Nagaro, France -- is simply adorable. Competitors toodle up in cars that look like they're designed by the Pixar team and compete with the cartoonish dream of getting great mileage.{mosimage}

That's right -- the only goal is to drive as far as possible using the least amount of energy.

And this isn't just a biodiesel fiesta. Teams can use any conventionally available energy source, including petrol, diesel, propane, solar, electric, hydrogen or biomass.

255 teams from 20 countries are revving up to compete -- 163 are using gasoline, 21 are using diesel, 19 will use propane and the remaining 52 will use alternative materials. The results have been fairly astounding in the past -- in 2003 a French team achieved fuel consumption of 10,705 miles per gallon.

Via: Treehugger .

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50 mpg to 100 mpg in 2 Strokes - Scuderi Air-Hybrid

Hank Green

The Scuderi Group has recently gained a lot of publicity with its “Air-Hybrid” engine that can double the fuel effciency of a car and decrease toxic emissions by as much as 80%.

The engine is a 'hybrid' in that it extracts energy that is normally lost, stores that energy, and then reuses it. The energy that is normally lost is airpressure, and it is stored for only an extremely brief moment before being forced into a combustion cylinder. The increased air pressure in the combustion cylinder effectively super-charges the engine cycle. The fuel burns hotter and more fully, and the Air-Hybrid engine is able to use more of that energy.

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The engine is remarkably simple and very efficient. We're looking forward to seeing these things in mass-market cars.

Great story on these things at AutoBlog, I found it via GizMag .

For more information see this video on how the Scuderi Air-Hybrid Engine works.

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Free parking for hybrids

Dave Burdick

Just another should-you-go-hybrid? story from SmartMoney.com. As usual, the {mosimage}answer to the headline's question isn't in the text. Instead, they list seven ways that you can save cash by buying a hybrid car.

Seven ways in addition to buying less gas, that is.

Anyway, here's my favorite part:

"Several major cities — including Los Angeles, Salt Lake City and Albuquerque — offer free metered parking for hybrids. Other cities are considering similar measures. Free parking doesn't mean you can't be ticketed, however, so abide by the meter restrictions — no hogging that prime space all day in a two-hour spot. You'll also need to register your car. Albuquerque asks residents to register with the city's parking office, and place an identification sticker in the vehicle window.

"Hybrid owners can also save on parking permits. Baltimore is offering discounted passes at 15 of its parking garages. At the garage on St. Paul Street, for example, you'll pay only $100 for a monthly pass, compared with $185 for regular vehicles. That's a savings of 46%. In Westchester, N.Y., hybrid owners get free parking at two commuter lots. Passes normally cost $75."

Get more of the financial side of buying a hybrid in the full article.

And before you buy your hybrid to get free parking, check with your city's specific rules for this type of thing -- I read complaints on a Prius message forum that San Jose's law, for example, may require that you buy your hybrid car in San Jose to qualify.

That is a clever way to get more people behind passing that sort of bill, though -- suddenly you've got all of the greenies united with the car dealerships on it.

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Green drivers sleep a little cheaper

France's Auto Eco-Labels

NASCAR for Ecogeeks

50 mpg to 100 mpg in 2 Strokes - Scuderi Air-Hybrid

Free parking for hybrids

Are you an EcoGeek?

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