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09
Aug
Tips and tricks of Going Green on the Highways
There are many ways to go green. You can gradually replace items with fuel economy cars or go all electric and just cut out the middle man. Balch Logistics exposes the real savings.
Replace old with the new or go all electric?
By replacing an old pick-up truck that guzzles 10 mpg of gas with a new automobile that consumes 20 mpg, saves 5 gallons in gas consumption every 100 miles VS. replacing a low efficiency vehicle with an electric car and save approximately one gallon every 100 miles. The latter substitute doesn’t have as much fuel savings, but either method is better than driving the old pick-up truck.
Coal and gas are the culprits, but vary per state.
Electric cars are created equal, but the states where they operate are not. Carbon emissions vary significantly across state lines with factors like the overall size of state, available fuels, types of businesses, climate, and population density. California ranks number one as the most fuel efficient state due to the strict state policies and the large populace who value plug-in cars. The population of California drives more electric cars than five other U.S states combined. West Virginia ranks at the lowest which is also influenced by the large coal mining industry. In most cases, electric cars use less energy than combustion engines making them far more energy efficient no matter where they are driven. The bottom line is, the more electric plug-ins, the better carbon emissions.Solar-powered cars are cool to look at but decades away.
Solar power is another way to save energy, but the costs and surface area required to power an electric car is enormous. Photovoltaic solar panels have come a long way since 30 years ago, but the prices to operate are not yet at the levels of your local electric company. Sun powered cars are a ways away from main stream America. For now, the most sophisticated solar racers are unsafe, fragile, single-seat vehicles. In sunny states, however, charging a large array of electric cars with solar panels may be in the near future.
Air conditioning saves gas – sometimes.
Turning off the air conditioning may sound like an energy saving act, but not in all cases. If you let fresh-air in from open windows and drive below 30 or 40 mph than turning off your AC is the better way to ventilate. Press down on the gas pedal a little harder and the math changes. Driving 40 mph and above requires more energy due to wind resistance and car mass. Fighting gravity at highway speeds with the windows down takes more energy than to air-condition your car using its own devices. Thus enjoy the summer breezes around town but roll-up the windows on speedy roadways.
