Tesla is fairly new in the automotive industry, as the Roadster is actually the first car they ever released. However, they do have another on the way. The Tesla Model S Hatchback is a completely revamped hatchback sedan, designed to be devoid of the same body design and materials as the Roadster. This car not only has more of a family friendly approach with specs and design but with the $49,900 base price as well. The base model will include a smaller size Lithium battery pack that rates about 160 miles per charge, but larger battery packs are available as upgrades that increase mileage to 230 or 300 miles. The Model S tops out at 130 MPH and can accelerate from 0-60 in 4.8 seconds (sport model) or 0-60 in 5.6 seconds (standard model). The downside is that Tesla will not begin widescale production on the Model S until sometime in 2011.

E-85, or Ethanol alcohol in the form of fuel, is an alternative source of energy that is already available. Most average drivers are not aware that around 6 million cars already on the road can run on E-85 as a fuel source. These types of vehicles are called “flex-fuel” autos, meaning they can run on a fuel mixture of 85% E-85 and 15% gasoline. However, there is one very big setback. An auto using E-85 at this current point in time costs more money than an automobile running on gasoline. This is due to the fact that E-85 produces less energy than gasoline, meaning a car running on E-85 will get fewer miles per gallon. The current cost of E-85 is pretty close to the average gas prices as mentioned before. Another big problem is that E-85 fueling stations are not as abundant and are only prominent in the northern corn-growing states such as Iowa, Illinois, and Minnesota. They are not generally found at all in the southern states where corn is harder to grow.

Pros of running an auto on E-85 fuel are: the dependency of imported petroleum will drop around 85% if most drivers switch to a flex-fuel auto, meaning less money will go overseas; consumers will not have to pay a premium for a flexible fuel model; and the fuel source is completely renewable. Adversely, some cons of running an auto on E-85 fuel are: fewer miles per gallon; there is a chance that global food supply could be affected negatively; and the environmental hazards of burning E-85 are still unknown.

E-85 prices will come down over time, however, if the fuel source is more widely adopted.  If we all do our part in purchasing flex-fuel autos, our total dependency on foreign petroleum and oil will drop a considerable amount.

The joint solution will enable Fleet Managers to accurately measure and report the carbon emissions of their fleet of vehicles. The partnership is a result of a growing demand for environmentally focused solutions and an anticipated requirement in the market for information on a company’s impact on the environment and compliance with future industry requirements.

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