A few days ago, Germany committed to $2 billion worth of construction of about 1,000 hydrogen refueling stations. A few months ago, London decided to build hydrogen refilling stations as well just in time for the 2012 Olympics. The problem is that outside California’s active hydrogen highway, there seems to be very little happening in terms of hydrogen infrastructure and the development of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles in the US.
In Israel, smallness is the theme. Israel researchers announce that they have come up with a way to store hydrogen without eating up too much space. Now, there’s no more need for super-insulated, bulky tanks which claim to be able to keep coffee warm for up to 28 days. The team of Israeli researchers found a way to keep hydrogen in glass filaments which are only slightly thicker than the human hair.
Read More »
When the Mazda2 subcompact was showcased during the auto show in Los Angeles back in 2009, spectators noticed that they cannot enter the car were locked and the windows were heavily tinted so journalists could not peep inside. Back then, the insides of the 2011 Mazda2 was not ready.
Recently the Japanese car manufacturer revealed the interiors of the Mazda2 through photos released to the members of the press.
The Mazda2 has an open and straightforward interior. Mazda responds to the demand of its core market which goes for better handling over flashy gimmicks and gadgets.
The designers of the Mazda2 want to convey a roomy and open interiors so they had to exert some effort to decrease the effects of the pillars that support the windshield.
The dominance of a piano black theme inside gives the Mazda2 a classy feel. The shapes of the different elements were also toned down to convey simplicity. The sides of the gauges were curved forward to give an illusion of bigger space. A little silver is use for contrast.
Read More »
A federal grant amounting to $32.5 million was awarded to East Penn Manufacturing, a small firm in Pennsylvania. This funding will be used for the developing and pushing for the Australian UltraBattery which is a technology that can be used for hybrid vehicles.
The grant was a chunk from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act which has an allotted fund of $2.4 billion.
The UltraBattery is a project of CSIRO or Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization based in Australia. The battery is capable of delivering more power with lower resistance compared to the latest known technology. This is achieved by forming a single unit using a super capacitor together with a battery made of lead acid.
The company was able to simplify the process of generating and storing power by combining the lead acid fuel cell and the super capacitor which traditionally has been implemented as separate units.
East Penn sees a big market in using this UltraBattery for powering hybrid vehicles which makes use of electric motors or which may utilize regenerative braking. The lifespan of the UltraBattery is also better than NIMH batteries used by some hybrid technologies.
The UltraBattery is expected to reduce costs, improve cycle life, and be more environment friendly since they are easier to recycle compared to Lithium Ion and NIMH batteries.
East Penn was licensed by Furukawa Battery Company to market UltraBattery in North America. The Japanese firm on the other hand got its permission from the Australian CSIRO.
The sales figures of Toyota hybrid vehicles in Japan and the rest of the globe are close to amazing as they lead the pack in the hybrid segment. What rolls out of their factories attracts consumers including the recently launched HS 250h under the Lexus badge. There is something blocking Toyota from really to fully bloom in the hybrid market, patent issues in the United states prevents them from importing some hybrid models.
It is up to the U.S. court to decide on a case filed by Paice LLC with the International Trade Commission in Washington, D.C. Paice claims that they own several patents to engines for hybrid vehicles. The complaint serves as a hurdle for importing Toyota models into the U.S. market. Vehicles like the Prius, Camry Hybrid, Highlander hybrid, and some hybrid units of Lexus might be banned if the court favors Paice.
In 2005, Paice edge on the legal battle that Toyota used Paice’s invention in making the drive trains for the RX400h of Lexus, Highlander, and Prius. The next trial in October will explore the infringement claims for the production of the Camry hybrid.
Read More »
About three years ago, the auto industry first heard of the split-type engine being 
developed by the Scuderi Group. It was a concept tahat aims to significantly improve the efficiency of the powertrains beneath the hoods of your everyday car.
The concept revolves around utilizing parallel cylinders to divide the four strokes of the engine cycle which can lead to reducing pumping losses.
Last week the engineering team of Scuderi went beyond computer simulation of the split-type engine and was able to fire up for the first time the prototype of the engine. Further testing is being conducted by the laboratory engineers to tune the engine to its optimal and efficient levels. The data of the study is shared to other experts in the industry under a non-disclosure deal.
The prototype which is a 1L naturally aspirated engine running on gasoline is said to have 80% fewer emission than the combustion engines we know today. The Scuderi Group is planning to fully develop the engine for hybrid use and turbo charged settings where fuel efficiency will be achieved at its highest.
Read More »
Ener1, the leading lithium-ion producer of the US, is contemplating the possibility of expansion as it teams up with ITOCHU Corporation. ITOCHU has played a major role in providing specialized equipment and materials to different lithium-ion manufacturers around the world.
Recently, the two partner companies have signed a MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) that sets the parameters of their relationship with each other. The MOU centers on Ener1’s entry into the Japanese market.
ITOCHU has established networks and partnerships with Japan’s automotive community. With this strategic partnership, Ener1’s entry into the new market should be smooth sailing.
This partnership also sets the floor for Ener1’s entry into Japan’s solar power market. This new niche provides further possibilities for Ener1’a already thriving business.
To date, Ener1 is the sole company capable of large-scale lithium-ion production in the United States. It produces enough batteries to support 1.17 megawatt hours of electricity every year. With an even stronger partnership with ITOCHU, Ener1 is looking at a 3.12 megawatt hours expansion this year.
Read More »
More and more green efforts have been done by different agencies and research groups. An addition to the growing list is the recent tie-up between Protéus, biotechnology company based in France, and Syngenta—a global agribusiness company. Their goal is to develop novel enzymes of high performance for the production of cellulosic biofuel.
How will this happen?
The system that Protéus uses is a specialized automated platform that screens protein expressions that are functional. 
This includes expression systems that are based on eukaryotes and prokaryotes. Another expression system that is cell-free is the Phenomics which is part of the platform.
With the progress of the systems they use, we can expect a continuous progress with the presence of enzymes. In the end, the outcome of these said systems will contribute to the better usage of cellulosic biofuels.
Dr. Ian Jepson, the Syngenta Head of Enzymes R&D, is confident about this tie-up. He said, “our strategy based on optimized enzymes holds tremendous potential for the creation of next generation biofuels. The collaboration with Proteus helps us to accelerate development by offering technology that complements our core skills in plant expression.”
Read More »
The manufacturer of REVA G-Wiz, GoinGreen, discloses the specs and price tags of the highly anticipated G-Wiz L-Ion. The G-Wiz L-ion will be the first car in mainstream market that is powered by Lithium-Ion battery.
The L-ion can run for 75 miles on a single full charge. GoinGreen will also build fast charge stations that can boost the battery power up to 90% in just an hour or give the car a full charge in 1.5 hours.
The L-ion derives its technology from the G-Wiz DNA and improved with new safety and performance technologies. Some of the notable features are:
- Improved ranged
- Beefed up acceleration
- Better charging efficiency that requires 20% less energy requirement per charge
- Decreased charging time on a normal duration of 6 hours
- Off-board fast charge capability
- Maintenance free batteries
Read More »
2008 saw a surge in the popularity of minicars and compacts, with 16,000 two-seat minicars imported to the US which did not satisfy the demands of the long list of buyers. Because of this small-is-more trend, many are now wondering whether the North American market is a ripe one for micro cars.
Mazda has recently redesigned the micro-mini AZ Wagon in Japan, offering more flexibity and room as well as better fuel efficiency. And thanks to a few tweaks and touches (which we see in the Custom Style rendition offered in Japan), the AZ Wagon has easily changed its image from being just cute to cool and comfortable.
Read More »
Italdesign Giugiaro will reveal its latest concept of a speedy but fuel-efficient hybrid car at the Geneva motor show.
Italdesign-Giugiaro S.p.a , commonly called Italdesign, is a famous automobile designer and is a highly-specialized engineering company that is located in Turin, Italy.
It was founded in the year 1968 with its first name as Studi Italiani Realizzazione Prototipi S.p.A that worked in collaboration with the Volkswagen. At present, the company is recognized for the famous works of its subordinate, the Giugiaro Design, the home of the renowned car designer Giorgetto Guigiaro.
Today, with their innovative concept, Italdesign revealed that the hybrid coupe is a two-seater and can achieve a top speed on the road at 186 miles per hour, or 300 kilometers per hour. It can also be accelerated from an amazing zero to 62 miles per hour in less than 4 seconds.
Read More »
