Stats:
"all electric-not a hybrid. zero emissions. no gas required."
"range-about 100 miles a charge."
"time to charge from 50% to 100%-about 5 hours"
"size- two seats, plus plenty of room for your groceries and gear."
"price- 32,995 plus freight and options. also qualifies for tax credits."
the future is taking place right in St. Pete - at Suncoast!
^^we even went for a test drive! (well, Sam did)
"Before I rode in this car, my basic concerns about electric cars was that they might be slow, or you'd know the difference. When I got to ride in it, there was no noise, and we literally sped right off the lot. The other thing that you'd be amazed to know is that the Wheego looks small, but just like the mini cooper or smart car, they're a little roomier than you might think." -Sam
This is Public Health.
Our group took a trip across the bay to St. Petersburg to visit the only 100 percent electric car dealership on Florida’s west coast, Suncoast Electric Vehicles. We decided to tackle the problem of air pollution right where it starts, auto emissions. We were given the opportunity to meet with some of the dealer agents who provided us with information about all their products. They carried everything from fully electric cars to work trucks; some of us even had the chance to go for a test drive! We, of course, placed our sticker on their flagship two-seater, the Wheego. We visited the dealership because electric cars are the solution to the urban air pollution problem. Urban air pollution is a major public health issue in much of the industrialized world. Air pollution can lead to asthma, lung cancer, heart disease, and even shorten a person’s lifespan one to two years. In cities like Los Angeles and Mexico City, smog levels are so high that on many days advisories are made for residents to remain indoors. Air pollution not only affects your health, but also your quality of life. Electric vehicles aim to greatly reduce air pollution and reduce dependence on foreign oil. Other electric cars coming to age include the Tesla - an all electric sports car and more familiar ones like the Nissan Leaf and Chevy Volt (not fully electric, from what I can tell). There are also many other off the wall brands that are emerging such as the Aptera.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pVxovQVT5c
ReplyDelete(the noise in the movie are the tires squeaking, this thing literally makes no noise!)
With gasoline prices climbing into $3 per gallon, people are looking for more efficient means of transportation. These electric cars are great for delivering high gas mileage independent of fossil fuels, and do not emit any harmful emmisions. A typical car exhaust contains nitrogen oxides, reactive hydrocarbons, and many other chemicals that are detrimental to a community's health; these health hazards are diminished with electric cars. Electric vehicles are a great component to the public health concerns of our community. It ensures that there will be less air pollution as a result from vehicles, and promotes a mindset that doesn't rely on fossil fuels.
ReplyDeleteWith gasoline prices climbing into $3 per gallon, people are looking for more efficient means of transportation. These electric cars are great for delivering high gas mileage independent of fossil fuels, and do not emit any harmful emmisions. A typical car exhaust contains nitrogen oxides, reactive hydrocarbons, and many other chemicals that are detrimental to a community's health; these health hazards are diminished with electric cars. Electric vehicles are a great component to the public health concerns of our community. It ensures that there will be less air pollution as a result from vehicles, and promotes a mindset that doesn't rely on fossil fuels.
ReplyDeleteThis is great! We emit far too many emissions and it is taking a toll on the planet. According to the EPA website, the annual emissions released by the average car are as follows: 77.lb of hydrocarbons,575lb of carbon monoxide, 38.2lb of oxides of nitrogen, 11,450lb of carbon dioxide, and use 581 gallons of gasoline. These numbers are astonishing and are especially remarkable when you think about the number of cars on the road. We need to move towards efficiency and one motivator to do so is the increase in gas prices; how much longer can we sustain this? It is taking a toll on our lives and the environment, which is why we should start now. As far as public health is concerned, electric cars are steps in the right direction.
ReplyDeleteI always thought having 100% electric vehicles would be great due to all the health factors associated with the emissions from cars nowadays. I have a family member who has developed asthma over the years from living in California. California is said to be one of the top cities with a high level of ozone/smog which can cause asthma in children and teenagers. It would be great if these electric vehicles could be more cost effective and be widely available to everyone in the country. Furthermore, if these cars were available in higher quantities it could potentially help to reduce smog which is not in any way beneficial to our health.
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of all electric cars. I hope the price of this two-seater goes down as more competitors make all electric cars. I really want electric cars to be realistic for families. Since the Wheego only fits two plus cargo this would not be ideal for families or anyone transporting children (because children must sit in the back of the vehicle until the reach a certain weight and age).
ReplyDeleteYou guys are correct in your assessment that cars like the Chevy Volt are not fully electric; however, they go a long way to help with gas mileage. Interestingly, there is also an emerging market for All-Electric motorcycles.
ReplyDeleteOne thing to remember, though, is that while there are no harmful emissions coming from the car itself that the electricity is coming from somewhere. "Zero Emissions" is itself a sort of misnomer, since these emissions are instead moved to power plants. Local companies such as TECO and Progress Energy have recently been building and renovating their plants to use Natural Gas and Oil instead of coal, but this is not the case everywhere in the United States. Coal-Fired plants release dangerous chemicals into the air which have the potential to cause cancers, respiratory diseases and other nasty bugs! In fact, according to an environmental impact study conducted by one of my professors the chances of cancer dropped nearly 90% (!!) for East Tampa after renovations performed by TECO on an older power plant.
This was a very great idea because many people ignore that car emission also contribute to poor health. Even walking around campus, when a car passes you the car emissions bother me so I have to hold me breath. If we can get more people to follow the better example of using an eco-friendly automobile, it would really help those who are suffering from those effects. The problem is, the cars are expensive but if it were to become a trend, the price wouldn't be as bad.
ReplyDeleteThis is a really nice placement of Public Health, and I definitely agree with the whole idea of cleaner fuel. Cutting out the fumes and volatile nature of gasoline would do well on air pollution and messy maintenance. I'm quite sure we have the technology to make electric cars a norm for everyone, but the profit generated from oil makes switching between the two seem unnecessary. We'll be scraping around the bucket before we go all Asimov. Shame.
ReplyDeleteI really liked the post because as a college student gas prices are killing my paycheck. Right now I drive a V8 suv because thats the only car I could have for now and driving home to school and work is a lot of gas specially now that gas prices are rising to over $3 a gallon. I liked the idea of an electric car because of fewer emissions and no gas but my concern is that I wouldn't be able to fit a carseat in the car, if I decide to drive out of state or maybe even to miami I wouldnt be able to get half way there before I would have to plug in the car in for 5 hours. Another thought was I wouldnt be paying for gas anymore but electricity has to come from somewhere which means it would drive my electric bill up.
ReplyDeleteHello,
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