By Carl Vogel
I have always had a passion for the environment and mechanical things. My interests flowed from running a small organic farm for three years then ramped up to clean alternative energies. They all just seemed to flow together: clean foods, clean living and clean energy.
When I founded Vogelbilt Corporation, my goal and mission as I set forth was to advance alternative fuels, sources of energy and alternative-fueled vehicles. Electric vehicles (EVs) come with many benefits, providing the driver with a clean, quiet and zero-emissions vehicle. Efficiency and cost to operate an electric vehicle are a fraction of the cost of an internal combustion engine—no tune-ups or oil changes.
Vehicles today are 15 to 20 percent efficient, where electric vehicles are 85 to 90 percent efficient. Your car is wasting 80 to 85 percent of its energy to heat and friction. You are literally “burning” 85 percent of your hard-earned money.
Charging your EV is simple and can come from a number of sources such as solar and wind, making it truly a green, non-polluting vehicle. Even if your EV is plugged into the main grid, emissions from power plants are very low and controlled at one source. Hundreds of thousands of fossil-fueled vehicles leaking fluids, not running properly and producing high emissions, can not be easily controlled only once a year with an inspection.
I personally have an electric lawn tractor, motorcycle and biodiesel truck that I use every day. I attend and promote events for alternate vehicles and fuels, bringing along my vehicles for display. It is one thing to read about these vehicles and hear about them on TV. However, when you can actually see them and touch them in person, it’s a different story. They become real to people.
I designed and built one of the first full-sized electric motorcycles back in 1997, and later built an electronic motorcycle for Australian pioneer and TV personality Shaun Murphy’s show, Cool Fuel Road Trip, a series based on traveling about 16,000 miles of the United States in all forms of alternative-fueled vehicles. The key to Shaun’s success? His show was funny, and most importantly, it was very educational. His show centered on real people, real vehicles and real energy solutions happening today—not fiction, but right now.
Today the public and the world community have frightening concerns regarding our energy usage and our impact on the environment and the world. When fuel prices hit $5 per gallon, it left a mark. It can, and will, happen again one day. Fossil fuel is finite and we will run out one day. Seeing shows on TV with alternate fuels and vehicles, learning about these technologies and options, however small, offers us the knowledge and choice to make a difference.
Change is happening now. The technology is here. We can start making a difference today. I believe if we all work together, help to educate and create a better understanding of our choices, we can move forward to a greener and healthier future.