Eco-friendly electric cars

In compliance with Tufts' commitment to mitigate climate change, the university has recently collaborated with Zipcar, a shared vehicle program that rents fuel-efficient cars to universities for short-term use.

Toyota has collaborated with Tufts and Zipcar, donating four Rav 4 electric vehicles for use on the Medford/Somerville Campus. One of the donated vehicles has been allotted to the Tufts Security Department and one to Mail Services. The other two cars have been designated for use with the Zipcar program at Tufts. These electric vehicles began their rounds last week.

This past summer, Tufts announced its commitment to adopt the climate change prevention goals put forth by the Conference of New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers (NEG/ECP), a coalition of states and provinces working to facilitate sustainable development. The Climate Change prevention goals set by NEG/ECP require a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by the year 2010, leading up to an eventual reduction of between 75 and 80 percent. Tufts was the first New England University to accept these restriction goals.

Sarah Hammond Creighton, Project Manager for Tufts Institute of the Environment, views the efficiency and duration of electric cars positively.

"Electric cars last between 50 and 60 miles per charge and take about four hours to charge," Creighton said. "The great environmental benefit of electric vehicles is that they emit nothing when idling."

The Zipcar program strives to offer solutions to environmental and economic problems through the implementation of technology. Zipcar's mission statement reflects a progressive attitude: "Our user experience strives to elegantly combine the promise of the Internet with wireless communications and online communities. Our success is an example of how innovative businesses can harmonize business goals with the values of their customers and their communities."

Aside from participating in the Zipcar program, Tufts has also been considering purchasing compressed natural gas vehicles for the Tufts Police staff. The proposal is now being evaluated for cost-effectiveness, practicality, and environmental impact.

Creighton points out a potential problem with natural gas vehicles that must be considered and weighted prior to a purchase. "Natural gas vehicles emit mostly methane (CH4), which is a more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide (CO2)," she said.

However, natural gas vehicles typically reduce carbon monoxide (C0) emissions by 70% and nitrous oxides (NOX) emissions by 87% as compared to regular gasoline powered vehicles. This is significant, considering that standard on-road vehicles account for about 60% of all CO emissions and 31% of all NOX emissions.

CO and NOX emissions both have detrimental effects on human health; CO is poisonous to humans and NOX is a strong oxidizing agent that contributes to acid rain formation and damages delicate tissues in the eyes and respiratory passages.

So far, Zipcar services are available in Arlington, VA, Alexandria, VA, Boston, MA, Brookline, MA, Cambridge, MA, Somerville, MA, Princeton, NJ and Hoboken, NJ. Zipcar-like services can be found in 450 European cities.

According to research by Zipcar, each available Zipcar vehicle replaces between 7 and 10 privately owned cars, because people are likely to sell their old cars or refrain from purchasing new cars when they join the Zipcar program. As a result, newer cars with more current pollution abatement equipment replace older, dirtier vehicles.

Zipcar was founded in 1999 by Robin Chase and Antje Danielson, both entrepreneurs from Cambridge, Massachusetts. Their goal was "to make car reservation and access as hassle-free and seamless as using an ATM" (zipcar.com). On August 4, 2003, Governor Romney honored Zipcar with the Entrepreneurial Spirit Award, which recognizes individuals whose innovation strengthens the economy and community.

The first Zipcar vehicles hit the road in June 2000. Today there are thousands of Zipcar members along the Northeast Corridor; 7,000 members currently drive 250 Zipcar vehicles in Boston, New York, and Washington D.C.