by Reena Daruwalla, guest writer for Nancy Hayssen.com

Though I live in India’ half way around the world from the United States, I know quite a bit about Oprah Winfrey who, to my mind is one of the inspiring Americans. This is for many reasons; she is a true Rags to Riches story, because she is a triumphant member of a historically underprivileged community and because she has constantly reinvented herself in a manner that is truly remarkable. What I find also very remarkable is her journey to good health and her struggle with an eating disorder. She has also shared her story with people, thereby inspiring literally millions the world over.

Paradigm Shift in Perceptions

People are no longer content to buy the latest gas guzzler on the market. When people want to by a vehicle, they consider several things: fuel efficiency, size of vehicle, emission levels, etc. And this is not just because of the price of gas, it is also because people are more conscious of their responsibility to the environment; their carbon footprint and how their choices affect their environment. Some interesting reads, indicating this paradigm shift:

http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2008/autos/0805/gallery.hot_selling_ca...
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=a6GhF.jHZ_Us&refe...

ZAP Acquires Interest in Electric Wheel Motor Company

http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/marketwire/0402511.htm:
June 02, 2008: 06:00 AM EST

Electric transportation pioneer ZAP (OTCBB: ZAAP) announced today that
it has acquired an ownership interest in an electric motor company to
develop and manufacture a new line of wheel motors for future vehicle
developments and global distribution.

Under the agreement, ZAP is collaborating and investing in the
development of a line of wheel motors for various types of electric
vehicles, from an electric bike or scooter to an electric car. ZAP and
its partner have also agreed to work together on the optimum process
for manufacturing all motors and controllers. ZAP has been granted
exclusive rights to the wheel motors under the agreement for
international distribution.

"So many have focused on batteries as a way to improve the performance
of electric vehicles, but wheel motors are truly a giant leap
forward," said Gary Starr, who manages product development for ZAP.
"Today's ZAP wheel motor vehicles can nearly double the range of
similar vehicles we brought to market ten years ago."

ZAP and their partner expect to increase the power, performance and
efficiency of wheel motors through the use of a proprietary,
brushless, multi-pole wheel-motor technology. ZAP is developing a 7000-
watt wheel motor for larger vehicle applications.

ZAP was one of the first electric vehicle companies to market wheel
motor powered vehicles with its ZAPPY3 electric scooter, which uses a
350-watt motor. Last year, ZAP introduced the Zapino scooter with its
3000-watt wheel motor, which ZAP says is one of the most powerful
systems available on the market today.

Wheel motors can significantly increase the power-to-weight ratio of
electric drivetrains. Having motors built into the wheels decreases
the weight, eliminates the transmission, and saves space inside the
vehicle for more battery capacity and features. Eliminating a chain or
belt transmission increases the efficiency and can result in less
noise, vibration and overall maintenance.

Alias in the News

Alias in the news:

3-wheelers in the news. February 2008 - Zap Alias Created by Zap, the Zap Alias is a new electric 3-wheeler capable of 156 mph (251 kmh) and 0 - 60 mph in 5.7 seconds Powered by two water cooled electric engines that drive the front two wheels and with a total weight of 733kg (1,612lbs), the engines are able to generate up to 321 bhp and 557 lb/ft (756 Nm) of torque. This stylish 2-seater is able to achieve up to 100 miles on a full charge whilst emitting zero pollutions. As the project also saw Lotus involved the handling is expected to be very good. Zap are based in California (USA) and the vehicle is set to go on sale there in 2009 at a cost of around $32,500 (£15,500). Reservations for the Zap Alias are currently being taken via the Zap web site.

New York Commuters Turning to Electric Bikes

This article reports how rising gas prices have compelled people to look to alternatives to gas guzzlers:

"NEW YORK (CBS) � Spending over $4 a gallon for gas has most of us fuming, so many commuters are seeking alternatives. But step aside hybrid cars; commuters are now going two wheeling. New Yorkers are turning to battery assisted bicycles for their daily commute, and the benefits are significant.

Barbara Roberts, a senior financial advisor, commutes daily from her Tarrytown home to her Midtown office by train. But looking to lighten her carbon footprint, she now leaves her car at home.

Roberts has left her gas-guzzler behind for commuting. She tells CBS 2 how she used to fill up twice a week. Now, she tells CBS 2, she fills up once every two weeks, thanks to her new two wheel commute.

Roberts is like many other consumer conscious commuters these days, opting for a gas buster: a battery assisted bike to get her to the train and beyond.

On a tour of her very hilly town, she shows how it's a breeze to navigate, thanks to her E-Zee bike, capable of reaching 15 mph. She gets charged once a month, and she always finds a parking spot at the train station.

NYCE wheels in Manhattan is seeing more two wheel converts every day. The Upper East Side bike shop is the largest U.S. retailer of electric bikes, which run from $1,100 to $2,200.

"It's really starting to blow up and there are a lot more people interested," said Charlie Allen.

Allen, who works at the bike shop, says just as gas prices have skyrocketed from $2 and change a year ago to $4 today, so has the interest in their bikes for getting around town.

"$4 gallon gas prices have really hurt a lot of people. They are searching for safe, healthy alternatives," said Allen.

Helping people save on gas isn't the only benefit from purchasing an E-Zee bike. The benefits are environmental as well. Experts say emissions from cars dwarf that of power plants. By using a bicycle to commute to and from work, four days a week, you can save over 100 gallons of gas a year. Roberts estimates she spends just $1 to charge and use her electric bike for an entire month of use."

ZAP and Coca Cola

The Coca-Cola Company and alternative transportation pioneer ZAP (OTC BB:ZAAP.OB) announced a project to use 30 of its compact trucks for a new beverage distribution system in Montevideo, Uruguay.

Coca-Cola is rolling out a new distribution model in Montevideo, Uruguay with US alternative transportation company ZAP (www.zapworld.com). Larger delivery vans will transfer Coca-Cola shipments into 30 small, efficient ZAP trucks for delivery into areas where larger vehicles are challenged by parking shortages, traffic congestion and air pollution.

Officials from Coca-Cola subsidiary Montevideo Refrescos SRL (Monresa) and ZAP say that they are testing new efficient motors as part of the project, and if it is successful, they might expand to large cities around the world where rising gas prices, traffic congestion, pollution and parking shortages restrict the use of large delivery trucks. Officials say that the new distribution model using these trucks averages about one-fifth the fuel consumption of the former model.

"We want to create an alternative way for goods and services to be transported in urban areas," said ZAP Director of International Affairs Fernando Cancela. "Urban deliveries are becoming more and more challenging with traffic congestion and parking shortages. These ZAP Xebras will help Coca-Cola create a new distribution system that will be better for our cities as well as for their bottom line."

Recently Coca-Cola announced a pledge to the environment as part of its policy of corporate social responsibility. As a beverage company, they will focus on three areas of great impact: water use; packaging; and energy use and climate protection. Jorge Apesetche, Distribution Manager for Monresa (Uruguay) says this project with ZAP is the kind of initiative Coca-Cola wants to make to do their part.

"Our commitment is not just good corporate responsibility; it's good business," said Apesetche. "The bottom line is that our business depends on the health and sustainability of our planet and the natural resources that we all share. ZAP Xebras will help improve our distribution operations, save money, time and the environment."

Coca-Cola subsidiary Monresa has received the initial order for 30 ZAP Xebras and is now placing them into service delivering beverages throughout Montevideo, the capital of Uruguay. The ZAP Xebras will be incorporated into a mobile distribution hub model where larger delivery trucks would no longer be used throughout the city, but would transfer beverages into ZAP trucks at distribution hubs. Modified with enclosed, lockable beds, the ZAP Xebras will navigate the more narrow, inner-city streets, making deliveries to smaller retail locations. Because the ZAP trucks will operate more easily in this environment, officials from Coca-Cola say their drivers can deliver vehicles and collect payment at the same time, whereas collections were not practical with the larger trucks.

Coca-Cola's distribution model is similar to the one used recently by United Parcel Service (UPS) in Northern California where a fleet of 42 ZAP trucks and sedans were used to expand small parcel deliveries during peak holiday demand. UPS delivery vans transferred smaller packages to a locked storage unit, then a Xebra transports the packages into dense urban and residential areas where parking and traffic are easier for the smaller vehicles.

ZAP is expanding the distribution for the Xebra worldwide as part of a strategic partnership with Shandong Jindalu vehicle company of China. ZAP is now distributing the cars and trucks designed for city-speed transportation. ZAP recently formed a joint venture with one of China's newest car companies, Youngman Automotive Group, to manufacture electric and hybrid cars, buses and trucks.

Converting a Chrysler to an EV

This post talks about an innovative conversion made by a student turning a regular gas guzzler into a plug in EV. Apparently more and more people are waking up to the fact that EVs are the vehicles of the future.

"On Friday, Sai Sankar, a graduate engineering student at FDU, demonstrated his EXPEV1, the first prototype of an all-electric-vehicle conversion system developed at the university.

For his prototype, Sankar used a 1994 Chrysler Voyager Minivan. After installing the system, the minivan can travel up to 55 mph, carry a payload of 800 pounds, and has a range of 20 to 25 miles. The best part: the conversion, which uses off-the-shelf technology configured in an innovative way, costs less than $6000."

Good news this!