RideLust

Atlanta traffic on a Sunday afternoon. Image: flickr user AirBeagle

We all know that gasoline prices are up, since the news media rarely goes a day without reminding us. Despite the fact that gas is edging on $4.00 per gallon (and will probably blast clean through that ceiling by Memorial Day), demand really hasn’t changed significantly from last year. Sure, we’re using less in 2011 than we did in 2010, but overall consumption in the United States is down by just 2 percent. As you’d expect, some cities use a lot more gas than others, regardless of the price. Below, in ascending order, is a list of the 10 U.S. cities with the highest gasoline consumption, as researched by the Center for Neighborhood Technology. Read on to see if your hometown made the list. Read More…

If you’re into motorcycles then you’ll remember that about ten years ago we began to see a shift in the types of bikes found in urban environments. Harley Davidson’s and hipster Ducati’s were all the rage, until that is, someone got smart and decided that enduros were actually the better way to go for bouncing over city potholes. Bikes like Honda’s XR650L and Kawaski’s KLR650 were now ditching their off-road tires in favor of nice street wheels clad with sticky rubber. The long travel suspension and upright riding positions made these the perfect machines for blitzing through tight city streets and bouncing over potholes. Now it seems that a California bike company called Zero Motorcycles has introduced a bike called the Zero S. It’s a bitchin’ looking enduro, but one that comes with a catch (and a cord). You see this sucker is electric.
Read More…

Typical German speed limits: 50 kph in town, 100 kph outside of town and 130 kph on the Autobahn. Image: Arroww

The myth of unrestricted motoring bliss on Germany’s Autobahn is just that: a myth. Most sections have posted limits, and even the sought-after “end of limit” sections are often crowded with traffic. There’s even a recommended speed limit of 130 kilometers per hour (about 81 mph) on unrestricted sections; sure, you can go as fast as you want, but expect to be charged with the equivalent of reckless driving if you have an accident. Based on recent election results in the German state of Baden-Württemburg, there’s more bad news on the horizon: motorists in this southwestern state will soon be facing an enforced speed limit of 120 kilometers per hour, or about 74 miles per hour. Read More…

What if all gas and diesel cars had to be scrapped? Image: IFCAR

If family history is any indicator, that chance that I’ll still be alive in 2050 is roughly on par with the chance of Charlie Sheen finding Jesus and becoming a Southern Baptist revival preacher. I’m good with that, which is why I try to enjoy the time I’ve got here as much as possible. If the latest rumor out of the EU has merit, it gives me one more reason to consume as much fossil fuel as I can over the next 39 years. Autoblog, via Autoblog.nl, reports that the EU will ban all fossil-fueled vehicles from European cities by 2050. A detailed plan is scheduled to be released later this week, but it allegedly calls for a 50% reduction in fossil fuel vehicle traffic as soon as 2030. In typical EU fashion, I suspect they’ll simply tax gas, diesel and parking to the point where only the rich can afford to drive, while the rest of us are “encouraged” to take mass transit. Read More…

Audi's A3 TDI: ja, bitte. Image: Audi

I hate to be Captain Bringdown, but conventional wisdom says that gas prices are only going to go up as summer approaches. In past years, they’ve gone up at Easter, but dropped prior to the inevitable Memorial Day price spike. Given what’s going on in the MIddle East, combined with rising demand for autos in India and China, we may not see any price decreases this year. If you’re shopping for a new car, chances are good that fuel economy is a major concern, and may even be the reason why you’re looking for a new car in the first place. Read More…

An oil refinery burns in Ichihara. Image: Cranky5

The unimaginable scale of devastation in Japan has brought a temporary halt to production of Japanese automobiles. Mazda has announced a temporary shutdown of their Hiroshima and Hofu plants through the night shift on March 16, with further announcements on production expected on March 17. Honda is suspending production at most of their Japanese facilities through March 20, and an announcements are expected from Nissan and Toyota today. Although the bulk of Japan’s auto industry lies south of the most heavily damaged areas, the massive damage to the country’s infrastructure will impact the delivery of parts to automakers as well as the delivery of completed vehicles to ports. The Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry has ordered rolling power blackouts to conserve electricity, and it may be some time before we fully understand the extent of the disaster’s impact on the world’s economy. Read More…

Will passengers have to catch busses on the fly? Image: Jon Bennett

I’d have to rank London as one of my all time favorite cities, since it’s like Manhattan with more people and worse air. More street crime, too, in recent years, which the police can’t seem to get a handle on. They blame it on addicts, who apparently have more rights to roll tourists and residents than victims do to protect themselves; since the city can’t fix that problem, it’s easier for them to address the pollution issue. The latest plan from Mayor Boris Johnson involves targeting motorists who leave their car idling when stopped which creates both noise pollution and air pollution. When the rules go into effect, drivers who leave their vehicle running while stopped will face fines of up to $193 for their offense. Read More…

Good news for those of us who drive cars built before 2007: despite the best efforts of the EPA (and the ethanol lobby), you won’t be finding E15 fuel at your local gas-and-go any time soon. The U.S. House voted 286 to 135 to prevent the Environmental Protection Agency from allowing the distribution of E15 fuel. E15 fuel contains 15% ethanol, and there are concerns over the product’s effect on older fuel system components, as well as the fuel systems of outdoor power equipment. E10, which contains 10% ethanol, is safe for use in all types of vehicles and is widely available. Initially, E15 wasn’t even supposed to be used in pre-2007 vehicles, but the EPA granted a waiver to push back the date of manufacture to 2001. Industry organizations, including the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute and the Specialty Equipment Market Association urged Congress to block the resolution, claiming that insufficient research was done on E15’s effects, especially on engines used infrequently . Read More…

Every year the American Council For An Energy Efficient Economy releases a list of the twelve “greenest” vehicles of the current model year. Unlike other studies, which look at tailpipe emissions and fuel economy only, the ACEEE report examines a multitude of factors, including fuel economy, the energy impact of producing the vehicle, the environmental impact of creating or recycling vehicle components (including EV batteries) and upstream emissions produced by generating electricity for EV charging. With that in mind, their list for 2011 might surprise you, because it isn’t limited to EVs and plug-in hybrids. Read on to see what cars made the cut. Read More…

Announcing that you’ve just invented synthetic fuel that produces zero carbon emissions and costs just $1.50 a gallon is a great way to get oil company commandos to burn down your house. But that’s just what a company in the U.K. has done. Cella Energy, an advanced materials lab, says it can turn hydrogen into a fuel that’ll free the world from grasp of fossil fuels. Read More…