Alternative . Renewable . Energy

50 ways to improve your gas mileage

Looking for a way to squeeze more distance from your tank of gas? Here's a great list of gas-saving tips.

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GM says RIP to SUV

This post is brought to you by  Curt Rosengren ~ Passion Catalyst TM   "Love your work. Change your world."

Once upon a time those gasoline-slurping SUV's fairly flew out of the auto dealerships, but with gas prices hovering at $4.00 a gallon, people are looking at the big ol' gas hogs and thinking, "Just say no."

Which, if you happen to be a major auto manufacturer that has relied on those gas hogs for a big chunk of your revenue, poses a bit of a problem.

Today GM announced that it was deep-sixing its longstanding love affair with the SUV, as described in this Wired article.

The company's announcement that it is embracing compact cars, shutting down four truck plants and possibly even dumping Hummer shows GM -- and, by extension, Detroit -- realizes fuel prices aren't coming down and SUVs are a dead-end. It's a fundamental change of direction for the world's largest automaker, which has for more than 10 years counted on pickups and SUVs to provide the bulk of its sales -- and profits -- while all but ceding the passenger car market to Japan and Europe.

Oh sure, it doesn't take the existing SUV's off the road (though gas prices are taking care of some of that), but hey, progress is progress. And unless you happen to work in one of the truck plants GM is shutting down, this is excellent news.

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White Zombie electric car dominates gas-powered dragsters

This post is brought to you by  Curt Rosengren ~ Passion Catalyst TM   "Love your work. Change your world."

I've never been a big fan of motor sports, but here's a story that makes me want to jump in my car, drive down I-5 to Portland, Oregon, and cheer on the White Zombie.

On a recent Friday night at the Portland International Raceway, John Wayland scanned the dragsters, looking for an opponent for his geeky looking 1972 Datsun sedan. Finally, he challenged the owner of a souped-up 2005 Corvette, the hottest-looking car at the track, to a quarter-mile race.

When the starting light flashed, the Datsun, known as White Zombie, shot silently past the Corvette and kept widening the lead as the two cars faded into the distance. "Oh man, right off the [starting] line he had me," said the Corvette's owner, Robert Akers, shaking his head.

Electric cars are typically known for their fuel efficiency and environmental bona fides, not for their speed and muscle. But Mr. Wayland, 47 years old, is changing that, and has become something of a hero to a small group of hot rodders dedicated to humiliating gasoline-powered cars. The night White Zombie beat the Corvette, it also trounced two other "gassers," as Mr. Wayland calls them -- a blue BMW and a bright orange 1964 Pontiac Tempest.

Check out the video that goes with the article. Just looking at it, you wouldn't think the White Zombie would strike fear into the hearts of drivers of souped up muscle cars. In fact, it looks like it has no business being on the track...until it gets the green light.

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