Friday, December 19, 2008

UPS Begins to use Pedal Power and Hydraulic Hybrid Trucks

In the New Yorl Times' Green Inc Blog there is this interesting article about UPS now using pedal transportation to make deliveries for the Christmas season along with Hydraulic Hybrid Trucks: http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/12/19/latest-ups-fuel-saving-strategies-leg-muscles-and-hydraulics/ I do think this is a good idea - fortunately, in South Asia, bicycles are used by Postal services quite well. But the idea of hydraulic hybrid trucks is very interesting to say the least. It does look like a technology that could be used by the various van manufacturers in India on their vehicles without all that much difficulty - just check the Youtube video at the link.

But, better yet, amid a flurry of new car introductions especially in India (all small ones and none that is a gas guzzler, fortunately) I received this e-mail from Optimal energy Ltd in South Africa telling me how the Indian auto industry still hasn;t got its act together: http://www.optimalenergy.co.za/ Their Joule Electric Vans are perfect vehicles for an Indian manufacturer to manufacture under license. Now haven't I been saying that about the APtera car as well . . .

Somehow, I am a borderline pessimist about the country that I was born in, these days..

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