Electrics at this point
would appear bound for a niche market, hardly living up to President Obama’s
pledge to encourage their proliferation to about 1 million plug-ins on the road
by 2015. That prospect had gop.com’s research division saying: “Another
day, another broken promise from President Obama.” Fisker flounders And Frisker,
the manufacturer of the much-ballyhooed Karma and recipient of a half
billion-dollar U.S. Department of Energy loan, has announced layoffs after
issuing recalls in prior weeks of its more than 200 cars sold. For protection
of cars from ran and sun rays buy car cover form safety.
If this latest round of
news is any indication, the appetite for electric cars may prove more robust as
consumer options and infrastructure to keep the cars charged increase. Tesla
shines The sector remains unproved. Tesla, despite its evolution, continues to
lose money. But revenue is increasing. Chairman Elon Musk says in the company’s
8K report to shareholders that “net losses will continue as planned until
we reach volume sales of Model S in 2013.” The Model S is a high-end
family sedan built in Tesla’s Fremont, Calif. factory. The price is expected to
be somewhere north of $60,000. Musk says about 8,000 orders for the car have
been placed so far. It accelerates from 0-60 mph in about 4.5 seconds, which is
faster than my friend Al’s built-up 1977 Trans Am. of cnet.com.7
At least in California,
the cars have become more commonplace. The other morning as rain pelted me in
the health club parking lot, a Leaf quietly rolled past. The thing moved like
an oddly shaped ninja. And all lit up in the darkness, it even looked graceful.
Soundless electrics certainly would reduce road noise, until a Harley with
straight pipes pulls up alongside. Gas prices make a difference Gas prices,
which could push $5 per gallon this summer, may influence some buyers.
Oil-price.net reports oil per barrel prices above $100 for West Texas
Intermediate and its one-year forecast price climbing $20. That’s not a big
deal. Crude prices have hovered around the centennial mark for a couple years
now. But it’s the rapid rise nationally in gas prices in the first months of
the year that has some worried about what the summer holds. Summer is usually
when more people are on the road and prices increase at the pump. Ronald D.
White of the LA Times quotes analyst Brian L. Milne as saying the early
increase may point to higher prices later in the year. “There’s a chance
that the U.S. average tops $4 a gallon by June, with some parts of the country
approaching $5 a gallon,” Milne says. Nothing inspires change like price
increases. Of course, electric cars remain very expensive. Hydro Gene makes a
prediction Automotive enthusiast and hydrogen energy activist Gene Johnson says
as long as the price point for electric cars sits so far above the average
consumer’s means, the segment will remain somewhat exclusive. Johnson, a big
clean energy proponent in California’s San Joaquin Valley, offers a better
method — retrofits. He and some friends took a Toyota RAV4, removed its
gas-burning stock engine and replaced it with an electric drive train. They
sold it on eBay for more than $20,000, easily covering the retrofit cost with a
tidy profit. He says that’s the way to go.
He even goes so far as
saying Fresno would be a great place to start. Solar shoulders in At some
point, on-board solar may play a role in recharging electric cars. The
solar-powered Solar World GT started the U.S. leg of its round-the-world trek
at the University of California, Santa Barbara and plans to drive across the
country, according to gizmag.com. The car, a collaboration between solar panel
manufacturer Solar World, and Bochum University of Applied Sciences in Germany,
is hardly a production vehicle. But its sojourn may be the start of something.
The car and its team are to head to Florida, where the GT will be shipped
across the Atlantic Ocean to continue driving across Europe, Asia and Africa
and back to Darwin, Australia. Assuming the car returns, “it will set the
Guinness Record for the longest distance covered by a solar car —
approximately 34,000 kilometers, or 21,080 miles,” Ben Foxworthy writes.
Such accomplishments are but interesting footnotes. However, should solar
panels someday be incorporated cheaply into a car’s surface and still be
efficient enough to provide a continuous charge, there’s no stopping the
electric car.
About Safety of Self-Driving Cars
But, I’ve never been in a
car accident so does that make me better than them? Last time, the Associated
Press reported Google’s self-driving cars were involved in 11 minor crashes in
six years. Is that a lot? Not according to Google. They count it as a win that
their cars have driven 1 million automated miles of testing in the six years
they’ve been at it, and have only had these few fender benders. By comparison,
the human population crashes about 0.3 times for every 100,000 miles, (161,000
km) per driver according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Wait a second… So really, Google’s stats aren’t that much better at 0.6 per
100,000!
Because many non-fatal
crashes go unreported, so it’s very likely that point three crashes per 100,000
miles isn’t even accurate. On top of that, 94 percent of all crashes ever are
caused by human failure. We are the absolute worst at driving. Cell phone bans
don’t reduce crashes, drunk driving prohibitions, speed limits, and the like
don’t stop drivers crashing; instead fatalities are still in the tens of
thousands every year. In fact, for example according Discovery News, the reason
there were collisions with the self-driving cars at all was because of driver
error! Sources say the car has been rear-ended mostly, but it’s also been
sideswiped and hit by a car that ran a red light or stop sign. Since the crash
specifics are secret, we can’t be certain, but Google says the car was never at
fault, and eight of those crashes were on city streets.And private cars are
just the tip of the iceberg. We’re also going to be seeing autonomous vehicles
in the commercial space.The Bureau of Transportation Statistics estimates
commercial freight logged 3.3 trillion ton-miles in 2012, and trucks
represented 38 percent of that — or 1.3 trillion miles.
Aside from Google and
Daimler, Audi and Nissan have also developed self-driving cars. Tesla announced
the Model S will have autonomous features within a few months. So the future is
pretty much here. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration ranks
self-driving vehicles, and both the Google cars and the Inspiration Truck as
“Level 3” autonomous vehicles; unlike an airplane on autopilot. They
can travel autonomously, but quote “The driver is expected to be available
for occasional control… sufficiently comfortable transition time.” So
the car can’t just toss it to the driver when someone jumps in front… but
then who is at fault? If “driver” wasn’t actually driving, and Google
programmed the thing; what happens? At this point, no one knows. California,
Nevada, Michigan, Florida, and Washington, D.C are the only places that license
for self-driving cars, so far, and there are only 48 autonomous vehicles
registered in California; 23 of those are Google’s. In the end these laws are
still so new, and the technology isn’t entirely proven. Driving a million
autonomous miles is small compared to the trillions travelled by truck drivers
in the U.S. alone. What do you think? Are you looking forward to a future where
you never have to drive yourself? Are you also interested in car insurance?
Click link above to read more.
Accessorizing Your Sports Car: Best and Worst Ways
the wrong accessories can
turn even a new or used Porsche into a monstrosity. Read on for our list of the
five worst and best ways to accessorize a sports car. 5 Worst Ways to
Accessorize Your Sports Car 1.Bullet Stickers. You’re not Billy the Kid – don’t
try to pretend you’re an outlaw by slapping fake bullet decals on your used Audi.
2. Bumper Stickers Gone Wild. Friends don’t let friends plaster their sports
cars with bumper stickers, for two reasons: It’s tacky, and it ruins the resale
value. 3. Trailer Hitches in the shape of Testicles. Nothing screams “Zero
Dating Potential!” louder than a fake pair hanging from your back hitch.
4. Toys in Your Back Window. A row of stuffed animals in the backseat
automatically turns any sports car into a clown car. 5. Lights under the Car.
It’s the car you want people to notice, not the underlying asphalt. Placing
lights underneath your sports car will only distract other drivers and waste
energy. 5 Best Ways to Accessorize your Sports Car 1.Fog Lights for Safety.
Even luxury vehicles, such as used Porsche cars, often lack headlights that can
cut through a thick fog. Adding fog lights will make your ride safer and give
you more confidence as a driver. 2. Expressive Seat Covers. According to a 2005
study, Americans spend more than 100 hours commuting annually. Why not
embellish the zone that will support your rear end throughout those endless
hours on the road? No matter what sports team, cartoon character or animal
print catches your fancy, there’s sure to be a seat cover to match. Moreover,
seat covers can maintain your car’s resale value by protecting your seats from
spills and accidents. 3. Car Bra, AKA Front Mask. If you’ve ever taken a long
road trip, you know that insects can be a real pain in the hood. Protect your
used Audi or Porsche from road damage by strapping on a car bra. It’s much easier
to scrape bug carcasses off of a front mask than it is to restore a pristine
paint job. 4. Seat Belt Shoulder Pads. As she slides the soft, padded seatbelt
over her shoulder, your next lady passenger will certainly appreciate the
thoughtfulness you put into accessorizing your used Porsche. (Heck, even guys
can become irritated by the incessant rubbing of a seat belt.) 5. GPS
Navigation System. It’s always cool to know where you’re headed. If your used
Audi or Porsche didn’t come with a GPS system, adding one is a great way to
accessorize. Finally, remember that the best way to accessorize Porsche cars
and Audis alike is to choose gadgets that will help you live your ideal
lifestyle. A ski rack, for instance, would be a great accessory for a ski bum.
Cheap Auto Insurance Tips – High Rate Cars
There are certain models
and makes of vehicles that attract higher insurance rates than other. Many car
insurance companies place automobiles in two categories; these are the High
Risk Category and the Low Risk Category. Sport cars are categorized as high
risk. This is because they are specially built for speed and stunt motions.
They are also known for having the most cases of accidents and vehicle wreckage
occurrences. The age of the driver also plays a very important part when
calculating car insurance rates. A driver who is between 18 years old and 25
years old will definitely be categorized as high risk no mater the make and
model of the driven car. This age group has a higher record of reckless
driving, more accident and driving offense tickets. Let us consider cars like
the Ferrari and the Porsche. They are both sport cars and are built for high
speed. They are also very flashy and very expensive; in fact it is only the
rich that can afford them. These cars are placed as high risks by car insurance
companies so even if you elderly, you will pay more on your auto insurance
policy if you drive fast cars. Learn how to get the right cover for your
automobile. Compare rates from trusted car cover providers and choose the rate
that gives you your preferred coverage. Money should not always be your primary
concern when shopping for your ideal cover deal. Protecting your expensive car
ideally should be your utmost focus.
