Norway's TH!NK City electric car coming to the United States
April 21, 2008
The Norwegians have a new electric car coming to the United States in 2009 that's got Clark very excited. It's called the TH!NK City and it gets 110 miles on a single charge and goes up to 65 mph. The cost? About 2 cents a mile! And it doesn't eat up foreign imported oil like a gas-engine vehicle.
In other news, a group of researchers in the lab have developed an easy way to take sugar and turn it into a power plant for a hydrogen-powered vehicle. This development is not ready for the mainstream yet, but it's in the works. There are a lot of promising advances that are going to take a while to materialize in the marketplace.
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CLARK'S TIP TOPICS
Find more consumer advice in Clark Howard's book, "Get Clark Smart" |
In the meantime, Clark wants to encourage you to look at offbeat transportation alternatives. Washington D.C. has launched a Smartbike program. You pay $40/year for access to bicycles that are strategically placed around town. Users have a code to unlock the bikes and lock them up again at the other end of their commute. It's almost like a Zipcar program for bikes!
Worried about getting too sweaty during your ride? Buy an electric bike for around $600 and it will be no sweat getting around. Clark knows this all sounds kooky, but we need to expand our minds and realize we're not sitting ducks for foreign-oil interests. Christa has long had a fascination with a bicycle that runs on a weed whacker motor. If you Google "weed whacker bicycle," you'll even find videos that detail how to convert your bike.
$2,500 car hits the Indian market!
Enterprise renting green cars at a premium
April 21, 2008
Are you willing to pay more for a car rental just to get a "green" automobile that's fuel efficient?
Enterprise Rent-A-Car -- the nation's largest car rental company -- is experimenting with 4 new offices in the Atlanta area offering fuel-efficient or hybrid vehicles at a premium price. Will people pay more for this at a time when we're experiencing record-high fuel prices?
Clark recalls that Budget mounted a similar experiment several years ago in Los Angeles when the Prius was very popular. That experiment was ultimately a failure. But gas was much cheaper at that point. Today, it could be a different story.
Enterprise could potentially make a lot of green by going green. Would you pay more? Share your comments and tell us!
Change your driving habits for better fuel economy
April 11, 2008
It used to be that weather was the topic of choice for small talk. But these days it's gas and the high prices at the pump. ... More
Auto insurers happy to cover teenagers -- with caveats
March 28, 2008
The Wall Street Journal's Personal Journal reports that a number of auto insurers are writing policies for brand-new teenage drivers for the first time in memory. Clark is stunned that Safeco, Nationwide, American Family and Fireman's Fund are among those doing this around the country -- with some conditions. ... More
Deciding to dump or keep an old gas guzzler
March 27, 2008
In Clark's TV work, he recently reported on a website that offers an interactive tool that should help the owners of old gas guzzlers. The site addresses that all-important question: Does it make sense to keep it or dump it and get a brand-new fuel-efficient vehicle? Before you play around with this tool, you should realize that the cost of a car is more than just the price of a gallon of gas or a barrel of oil. You have depreciation, maintenance, insurance, repairs and interest on the loan if you're not buying upfront. ... More
More recent Car Cost Tips from Clark:- Deciding to dump or keep an old gas guzzler
- Auto sales incentives are hot right now
- Consumer Reports picks best new and used cars
- Auto insurance rates poised to take a hike
- Compact vehicles may be a better deal than sub-compacts
- Clark's passion for alt-fuel vehicles undiminished
- Defining a certified used car
- $2,500 car hits the Indian market!
- Used cars will be a steal in 2008
- Clark's passion for alt-fuel vehicles undiminished
