The technology driving clean transportation is rapidly evolving, so much so that it’s hard to keep track. That’s why a transportation nonprofit focused on cleantech has launched a new online tool called The Zero-Emission Technology Inventory to help cities and businesses know exactly what’s available in the world of electric vehicles.
CALSTART, based in Pasadena, California, made this tool after hearing from business leaders and city managers that they were having trouble figuring out what kinds of electric vehicles were on offer now or coming in the near future. Presumably, some are buying gas-powered vehicles because they think they have no other option, which is understandable. Five years ago it was almost impossible for anyone to imagine an electric garbage truck. Nowadays, electric garbage trucks are slowly making their way into cities.
The new tool is pretty simple: You just pick the vehicle you are looking for, and the part of the world you are in, and it gives you a list of the models on offer, with links to the companies making them. It saves a lot of time that would otherwise be spent on internet searches. This tool removes the objection that the right electric vehicles simply aren’t available when businesses and governments shop for their fleets. Of course, there are other considerations, like price, but there’s a tool for that, too.