Transportation

Public Transportation

Mon, 24 May 2010 20:56:00 GMT

One of the most sustainable and economical means of transportation in public transportation. The Sonoma County transit system is a great way to get around, check out all the schedules here.

Santa Rosa Bus Schedule

Santa Rosa Bus Map

Petaluma Bus Schedule

Northern Rohnert Park Bus Schedule

Rohnert Park/Cototi Bus Schedule

Occidental, Sebastopol, Santa Rosa Bus Schedule

Hybrid Cars

Thu, 02 Apr 2009 17:11:00 GMT

By definition, a hybrid vehicle uses more than one source of power to move around. Currently, all commercially available hybrid cars are gasoline-electric hybrids. But there are different types of hybrid cars - ;full, assist, and mild hybrids - that work in different ways to achieve various goals with varying environmental benefits and effects. Key differences between varieties of hybrids are defined by the differences in their drive trains; there are also cost differences between the different systems. Following is a primer that will bring up to speed.

Full Hybrids / Strong Hybrids
The defining characteristic of these cars is that they can run on either just the gasoline engine, or just the electric motor. They can also run on a combination of both. Examples of full hybrids are the Toyota Prius, Ford Escape Hybrid, and Nissan.

Assist Hybrids / Power Assist Hybrids
These cannot run on the electric motor alone. The electric motor is used as a way to "boost" the gasoline engine, as well as to allow regenerative braking and stop-start capabilities. Examples of assist hybrids: Honda Civic Hybrid, Saturn Aura Hybrid.

Mild Hybrids
Mild Hybrids have drive trains similar to regular cars, with beefed up starter motors that allow them to turn off the engine to save gas (while stopped at a red light, for example) and to restart the engine very quickly when needed. An example of mild hybrid is the Chevy Silverado Hybrid.

Hybrid gas-electric cars really aren't that complicated. Add an electric motor and rechargeable batteries to the conventional gas engine—and see your efficiency increase by as much as 50 percent. The onboard computer does all the hard work of switching between gas and electric power.

Electric Cars

Thu, 03 Mar 2011 22:32:00 GMT

An electric car is powered by an electric motor instead of a gasoline engine. The electric motor gets energy from a controller, which regulates the amount of power—based on the driver’s use of an accelerator pedal. The electric car (also known as electric vehicle or EV) uses energy stored in its rechargeable batteries, which are recharged by common household electricity. Examples of electric cars: Nissan LEAF, Tesla Roadster, Ford Focus Electric (end of 2011). Accenture forecasts 1.5 million electric vehicles in the United States by 2015.

Note:
Unlike a hybrid car—which is fueled by gasoline and uses a
battery and motor to improve efficiency—an electric car is
powered exclusively by electricity.

Best Hybrid Cars

Thu, 03 Mar 2011 22:27:00 GMT

Below is a quick comparison of some of the most popular hybrid cars on the market today.

Sedans

Toyota Prius (2011)

starts at $23,810
51 mpg (city)/ 48 mpg (hwy)
4-cylinders
electric horsepower: 80 bhp
fuel capacity: 11.9 gal.
emissions rating: AT-PZEV

Honda Insight (2011)

starts at $22,240
40 mpg (city)/ 43 mpg (hwy)
4-cylinders
electric horsepower: 13 bhp
fuel capacity: 10.6
emissions rating: Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle II

SUVs

Ford Escape Hybrid (2011)

starts at $30,045
34 mpg (city)/ 31 mpg (hwy)
4-cylinders
fuel capacity: 15.1 gal.
emmisions rating: AT-PZEV

Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid (2011)

starts at $50,735
20mpg (city)/ 23 mpg (hwy)
4-cylinders
fuel capacity: 24 gal.
emissions rating: SULEV

Plug-in Hybrids

Thu, 03 Mar 2011 21:16:00 GMT

A plug-in hybrid is similar to a conventional hybrid vehicle—both use a gasoline engine as well as an electric motor. However, a plug-in hybrid uses larger battery packs that can be recharged by connecting to common household electricity. Plug-in hybrids can be driven for long distances—from a few miles to as much as 40 miles—without using any gasoline. A plug-in hybrid can obtain about twice the fuel economy of a conventional hybrid. Examples of Plug-In Hybrids: Chevrolet Volt, Ford Escape Plug-In Hybrid (to be released in 2012).

Ethanol Cars & Vehicles

Thu, 02 Apr 2009 17:39:00 GMT

Ethanol is a renewable fuel that comes from agricultural feedstock's, and thus can be produced domestically. Using ethanol—particularly E85, an 85-percent blend of ethanol—also results in less pollution, reducing smog-forming emissions by as much as 50 percent relative to gasoline. E85-powered vehicles contribute to global warming, although experts disagree about just how much greenhouse gas is emitted by using ethanol.

Things to consider about E85 Cars:
*Higher Price
*Ethanol can be more expensive than gasoline, depending on where you live.
*Less Energy
*Regardless of the price you pay for ethanol, it contains less energy than gasoline. This means that your car won’t go as far on a gallon of E85, and your fuel economy will decrease by 20-30 percent.
*Lack of Availability
*E85 is widely available only in the Midwest. The Department of Energy lists nearly 2,000 1,000 E85 stations in the United States, but most of those are in two states: Minnesota and Illinois. Other areas, even populous ones, have little E85 infrastructure.

Fuel Efficient Small Car

Thu, 02 Apr 2009 17:28:00 GMT

When thinking about saving money at the pumps or reducing emissions at the tailpipe, size matters. Bigger vehicles weigh more than smaller ones—and vehicle weight is the single biggest determinant for fuel efficiency. A heavier vehicle needs more power, and thus uses more fuel to accelerate.

Biodiesel

Thu, 02 Apr 2009 17:24:00 GMT

Biodiesel:
Biodiesel is an alternative fuel used in diesel engines. Biodiesel, in its pure form, is not made from petroleum; instead, all or part of it is derived from plant oils or animal fats. In the United States, most commercial biodiesel is made from soybean oil, while in Europe, rapeseed (canola) oil is more commonly used. Biodiesel can be made from virgin oil, or from used cooking oil recycled from restaurants and food processing operations. It is also a renewable fuel; to make more, we just grow more of the crop needed. It can be produced domestically, displacing imported petroleum. Biodiesel should not be confused with straight vegetable oil, which is untreated oil that some people use as fuel in their modified diesel cars. Biodiesel is a more standardized product that can be used in most diesel engines without any modifications. Like conventional diesel fuel, biodiesel can only be used in diesel engines; today’s hybrids with their spark-ignition, gasoline engines cannot burn biodiesel.
A diesel vehicle uses an engine that has a different combustion cycle than a gasoline engine. In a diesel, air is drawn into the cylinder and compressed first without fuel present.
Diesel vehicles attain better fuel economy than their gasoline counterparts. This fuel economy advantage is enhanced by the fact that a gallon of diesel fuel contains about 10 percent more energy than a gallon of gasoline.

Diesel Benefits
• Higher fuel economy
• Diesel engines last longer, and fetch higher resale values
• Diesel engines can be run on biofuel (biodiesel)
• Diesels provide greater torque; great for rapid acceleration and towing
• Driving range on a tank is longer

Diesel Drawbacks
• Diesel fuel is more expensive in the US (In Europe, it’s taxed less heavily.)
• Few models are available with a diesel engine
• Particulate matter and NOx emissions are higher
• Diesel vehicles are usually more expensive, although “clean diesel” carries purchase incentives
• Diesel availability is more limited; there are fewer diesel pumps