A guide to Green Driving

Posted in Sustainable Transportation

Motorists can help keep the planet green without having to stop driving their cars and here are a few things drivers can do to make a green impact rather than an environmentally negative impact while driving.

The first consideration is to remove any unnecessary weight from the car, such as a roof rack, which can cause wind drag. If the rack cannot be detached for whatever reason then all bulky items that are not needed, like golf clubs or tools, should be removed immediately. The lighter the car the less drag and therefore less fuel will be needed to run it. Also if possible keep sunroofs and windows closed and use the air conditioner as little as possible to avoid making the engine work harder.

The choice of a new car can also make a big impact on the environment and the green conscious buyer will do some research and discover which are the most fuel efficient cars and/or which cars have an electric motor that switches on to accelerate the engine and is recharged when the car is driving. Continue reading “A guide to Green Driving” →

Choosing the Right Fuel for your Car

Posted in Electric Cars

When you are buying new car, you will have the choice between petrol and diesel. This can be difficult as the prices and fuel efficiency differ as well as the environmental implications. However, now that electric, hybrid and hydrogen powered cars are becoming more affordable, even on the second hand market, you will have these to think about as well. In order to help you to choose Motorparks who are a used Honda Jazz retailer have come up with some information about each of them.

Electric Cars

Electric cars have just started to get really popular but many people do not realise that they originated in 1928 when a car powered by an electric motor was invented by Anyos Jedlik. By 1891 William Morrison had invented an electric vehicle that could carry up to half a dozen passengers. However, due to the increase in popularity of diesel and petrol they did not really take off. However in 1996 an electric car called the GM EV1 was made and this could travel between 70 and 90 mph and this is when the market took off again. Major brands came up with their own models such as the Smart Car in 2000 and Tesla in 2003 and with the improvements in battery storage by 2008 a Tesla Roaster could manage 245 miles on one charge. The Nissan Leaf was then released and Ford Focus Electric, so there were plenty to choose from. Continue reading “Choosing the Right Fuel for your Car” →

Getting a grip on grey fleets

Posted in CarsTagged

If you’re in a business which requires employees to be on the road at times, in order to conduct their work, there is a chance that you will be responsible for grey fleet drivers. In some businesses, employers require their employees to use their own vehicle for working purposes.

What are grey fleets?

Grey fleets are vehicles that are used by a company but are not owned by the company. As a result, a grey fleet driver may be someone who uses a vehicle that was purchased via an employee ownership scheme, gets behind the wheel of a privately rented vehicle or simply uses a vehicle that is privately owned by the employee themselves.

When grey fleet vehicles are used, the employer will usually cover the costs that occur such as fuel – or this could be paid in return with a cash allowance.

The legal aspects

The Health and Safety at Work etc Act of 1974 should be studied when an employer is considering using a grey fleet. This is because the act underlines that it is the requirement of employers to ensure the health and safety of all employees while at work, so far as it is reasonably practicable. It also stresses that employers and employees have a responsibility whenever they are engaging in work-related driving activities to ensure they are never putting others at risk. Continue reading “Getting a grip on grey fleets” →

Dangers of Tiredness When Driving

Posted in CarsTagged

GEM Motoring Assist who are a road safety and breakdown organisation have been warning about the dangers of being tired when driving. Many people take long car journeys this time of year to go on holiday and there can be dangers with this. One of these dangers is getting too tired and falling asleep at the wheel. This was explained by Neil Worth, a road safety officer for GEM who said that tiredness can be a big factor in many traffic accidents. Drivers respond more slowly if they are tired and this can be a big problem. He advises that not only should drivers be well rested before they start but they should also have regular breaks in their journey. He explained that young male drivers, truck drivers, company car drivers and shift workers are more at risk of having a collision related to tiredness. Join Car Leasing Specialist Rosedale Leasing as they explore this issue!

Fortunately the Highway Code has a list of ways to reduce your risk of being involved in such an incident. These include planning the journey properly and taking a 15 minute break every two hours or every 100 miles. Avoiding medications which cause fatigue and avoiding certain times of the day and night when accidents are more likely. These include early hours of the morning particularly when driving to or from an airport for a flight. They also advise overnight stops for really long road trips. It is also important to avoid alcohol and if you have had very little sleep then consider stopping overnight or for a nap rather than risk driving when overtired.

The Future of Alternative fuels

Posted in Hybrid

Can we make fuel that is inexpensive and won’t harm the environment? Energy and oil companies, entrepreneurs and researches all are busily engaged in the quest for tomorrow’s clean fuel. No single solution, no magic bullet exists to solve the problem. Instead, industry and vehicles in times to come will probable by powered by a variety of different sustainable energy sources. Check out this great infographic below from Motorparks. It covers a lot of interesting facts like Electric engines and their evolution as well as Hydrogen Engines!