The Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme reports the launch of the United Nations Environment Programme ZERO-race. The ZERO-race pits various electric vehicles in an 80-day race across Europe, Asian and North America. Included in the four-vehicle line-up is a Vectrix scooter. While the company may struggle with glimmers of hope, a German team hopes to take one around the world to promote zero-emissions alternatives. Only one of the vehicles has four wheels so it seems that traditional cages are the odd man out in this ‘sprint’. Maybe an electric MP3 could enter next time around. Any Vectrix riders out there supplying their steed with solar go juice?
2 thoughts on “A Vectrix Participates In Zero-Emissions Race Around The World”
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Gosh, I wonder if I will ever live to see the day when the world recognizes that electric vehicles are not green, but greenwash?. No, the Vectrix/LEAF/whatever doesn’t emit anything, but the coal-burning power plant that generates the electricity sure as hell does! And large numbers of electric vehicles will increase the demand for electricity significantly. And since no electric grid on earth is prepared to deal with large numbers of electric vehicles, what’s going to happen, exactly?
The FIM article describes how the electrical charging input will be measured and offset from a designated solar power plant injecting an equivalent amount into the grid. We can’t separate the charging points on the grid, but the spirit of accounting for such concerns is being addressed.
I like stink-wheel two strokes, recognize the need for people to understand that the lubricant in their 4 stroke engines gets burned somewhere and am very concerned about the environmental impact of the discarded technology and batteries from electric and hybrid vehicles. But I don’t think electric vehicles can be all painted as not green. There are problems with the transition. I just think that the change from using portable, energy dense, but non-renewable gasoline to something that is renewable needs to start somewhere. Any other ideas?