Photo: New Flyer

What's the Difference Between CNG and Diesel?
The Board of the New York Metropolitan Transit Authority (the "MTA") has awarded New Flyer of America a contract for up to 475 buses. The contract is for 135 40-foot compressed natural gas ("CNG") heavy-duty transit buses with options for up to an additional 340 CNG buses.

bitefight via Torontoist

Quote of the Day from David Suzuki in the Georgia Strait:

Technological developments [such as electric cars etc.] are welcome, but maybe it's time we started rethinking our car culture as whole.

Photo: Flickr, CC

Should Access for Regular Hybrids be Phased Out?
In California, vehicles that meet certain fuel economy and tailpipe emission criteria are granted special access to the high occupancy vehicle lanes (HOV, aka the carpool lane).

Image credit: Fully Charged

Robert Llewellyn has been busy once again.

Photo: GM

Hopefully It'll Have More Commercial Success than BYD EVs
China will be one of the initial markets to get the Chevy Volt PHEV, and today GM is announcing that the first drivable Volt has landed in the Middle Kingdom. "GM has made a long-term commitment to bringing our industry-leading technology to China," said Kevin Wale, President and Managing Director of the GM China Group.

Nissan LEAF batteries.

Photo: GM

A Significant Drop Predicted
It's all about supply and demand: According to Hideo Takeshita, an analyst at the Institute of Information Technology Ltd. in Tokyo, the price of lithium-ion batteries could drop by about 19% in 2010, while another analyst, Shiro Mikoshiba of Nomura Holdings, said that the worsening oversupply may push prices down as much as 25%.

Roads in Residential Areas Should be Safe for All
In residential areas, lowering the speed limit for cars not only reduces the number of accidents, injuries and deaths, but it also revitalises the neighborhood by encouraging more people to walk and bike. When people feel safe on the streets, they use greener forms of transportation more often.

Image: EPA

Making Guzzlers Stand Out Even More
One way to nudge people into making better decisions is to make it easier to compare different products and services. There are still many people out there who have no idea if 16 MPG is a good or bad, but if they saw a big red "D" on a sticker, they might be tempted to find a vehicle with a better grade.

Image: Google Maps

276 Extra Miles Per Year on Average
According to a study by British insurer Sheilas' Wheels (watch out for the bright pink website), men waste about £2,000 in fuel over their lifetime because they won't ask for directions when they are lost, leading to an average of 276 extra miles being driven per year.