7. E-Flex
The car of the future will be powered by hydrogen. No, wait, ethanol. No, electric batteries. Though the automobile is clearly at a crossroads, no one knows exactly which clean technology will succeed the gasoline-powered engine. That’s why General Motors’ E-Flex system is smart. Introduced early this year on its concept electric car, the Chevrolet Volt, the E-Flex platform can be adapted to run on an electric battery, a hydrogen fuel cell, ethanol or standard gasoline. That gives GM the flexibility to adapt to what lies ahead.
8. Congestion Pricing
Whether it’s water, energy or Hannah Montana tickets, the best way to encourage efficient use of a commodity is by putting the right price on it. Ditto for driving. Cities around the world — including London and Singapore — have adopted congestion pricing, which seeks to reduce car use by charging drivers to use the most heavily trafficked inner urban streets. Car-loving America has avoided the policy, until this year, when New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced that he would bring congestion pricing to the most gridlocked area in America: Manhattan. Bloomberg’s plan, part of a long-term sustainability blueprint for the city called PlaNYC, would charge cars $6 to enter the busiest parts of Manhattan between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. on a weekday. If he pulls it off, congestion pricing could help cut carbon dioxide levels and New York’s sky-high asthma rates — and perhaps more importantly, show other American cities the way to go.
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