transport

When former programme manager for the Rooivalk Helicopter Kobus Meiring moved onto his next project, the Southern African Large Telescope in the Western Cape, he looked up at the stars and saw the future. Meiring must have realised that the future was green, so in 2005 he co-founded Optimal Energy with former military experimental test pilot Mike Lombard, mechanical engineer Jian Swiegers, electronic engineer Gerhard Swart and aeronautical engineer Ratilal Rowji. Together they set about creating Africa's first zero-emission six-seater multi-purpose electric vehicle with support from the Department of Science & Technology's Innovation Fund and the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC).

The Daily Commute is a brand new web 2.0 global carpooling solution. It works wherever Google Maps has street directories, and allows people to instantly contact prospective rides safely and anonymously through text messages.

Chrysler has announced that it is working on an electric powered version of its Voyager MPV, which could be put into commercial production as early as 2010. The model will most likely be based on the ecoVoyager concept, first seen at this years Detroit Motor Show. Details are limited at this stage, but it seems that the zero-emission car will have a 300-mile range - pretty impressive for an MPV capable of carrying an entire family and their luggage.

Bob Dinneen, President and CEO, Renewable Fuels Assocation, is interviewed about criticisms that biofuels, such as ethanol, are driving up world food prices. He also addresses industry efforts to shift to cellulosic ethanol and to create a wider US ethanol fueling infrastructure.

Gas at $4 a gallon, oil heading for $200 a barrel and sales in SUVs on a downward trajectory...

This can only mean the end of the road for the SUV!

Commuting by car in Brisbane shows almost tripling of travel time during peak hours and 30% more fuel used leading to an even larger carbon footprint than regular car travel.

With a major review looming (see RFA for more info), I've taken a little look at the biofuels debate. Biofuels are marred by uncertainty and debate. The only inevitability seems to be that the decision made will be bad!

A ranking of the largest 50 US cities -- and which are best and worst prepared for expensive gasoline prices!

COLONIE -- Albany International Airport and the Capital District Transportation Authority will join in a test program to try out cleaner-running hydrogen vehicles as part of their fleets...

Anti-Heathrow expansion activists were out and about at the weekend keeping up the pressure on the government to think again about plans for a third runway at Heathrow Airport. This time they took to the streets - literally - to get the message across, using a new method called 'clean grafitti'.

Jim Press, Vice Chairman of Chrysler, reckons the new Dodge Ram is "kind to the environment"... what acomplete load of claptrap!

The Twitter social networking service often kicks off great discussions, including one about carbon footprints and corporate travel between Craig Cmehil and Alan Wood. This has been tidied up as a guest post for greenmonk, to illustrate the great grassroots conversations about economic greening occuring on social networks. It is well worth a read...

Eco-friendly transportation just got a new name: The VeloDisco. And besides being careful of the environment, as the name auggests, the commute promises oodles of fun. This art vehicle was the central point of attraction at Burning Man 2007.

Weren't the roads much quieter when we were kids? Yes they were and here's the proof.

So, you think concept cars that run on alternative fuels are thing of the future?...Well that´s not entirely true, at least not for Honda.

The hydrogen fuel cell is the holy grail of greener motoring and Honda has got there first

In Nottingham, the Council are proposing to tax businesses for their car parking spaces, but is this 'green tax' being used to help expand public transport or is it just another way to get money into the government's coffers?

The Volvo Group announces plans to produce seven demonstration trucks that use varying forms of alternative fuels. Volvo officials say they created the vehicles to help curb European statistics that indicate cargo transportation contributes an estimated 4 to 5 percent of all global carbon-dioxide emissions. The seven Volvo FM trucks, which were unveiled in Stockholm on Aug. 29, are equipped with 9-liter diesel engines.

Take a look at the commutes of women from all around the world and see how your daily rush hour compares!