Let’s face it, American’s love their cars. In the 60’s and 70’s the roads rumbled with muscle cars whose engines roared as they traveled down the highway. Then in the 80’s, we raced toward sleek sports cars that were light and fast. In the 90’s we embraced our economic boom with a mass adoption of the SUV and the Hummer was born . And then we made a change.
Thanks to new innovative designs and ambitious car manufactures, hybrid and electric vehicles (EV) were created. Manufacturers like Toyota set out to create a line of cars that had the lowest emissions possible. Welcome to the world the Prius. Lucky for car lovers, that meant we were also seeing a big jump in gas efficiency. Some hybrids and EVs can get up to 50mpg which is a far cry from 12mpg that Hummers get. EVs also get the added benefit of using commuter lanes with a single occupant.
The changes in the car industry haven’t stopped with increased fuel efficiency. Just a few weeks ago Ford announced the first solar powered car at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES). The Ford C-Max solar energi concept car aims to allow drivers to bypass charging stations. Fully charged, the car can travel for about 21 miles on the energy that the sun provides. While consumers will still need to use gas to get them further during the day, we are one step closer to cutting our ties to fossil fuel.
In addition to the headway that Ford has made, Tesla has created a car that averages 29 miles for every hour it’s charged. Tesla has also created fastest charging stationswith their Supercharger. There are 32 charging stations between New York City and Los Angeles, making road tripping with your Tesla totally doable. Granted you’ll be adding an extra 800 miles to your trip, but who’s counting when you and your mates are Karaoking it up to your favorite tunes.
Roads are also looking pretty bright for car lovers. Not only are manufactures stepping up their game with electric cars, but roads are also being upgraded. In Sandpoint, Idaho there’s a stretch of road made of highly durable solar panels. This test roadcould be the future for power grids for communities. There are about 48,000 miles of roads in the US interstate system, alone. Can you image how much power a solar road could produce? The Netherlands are also had at work developing a road system that will be able to charge your car when you drive on it. The wireless electric vehicle charging system is shooting for a 2018 release date.
We’re pretty excited by all of the creative changes that transportation visionaries are developing. In fact here’s a fun little fact, Ford has stated that 30% of their EV customers have solar panels on their home or will be purchasing it in the near future. It seems that we American’s not only love our cars but, we’re also addicted to the savings that solar power creates.
