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.
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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.
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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.
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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.”
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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
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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.
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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.
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So you have just gone in for the latest conversion kit to renovate your car into an eco friendly vehicle. Or you might be among the lucky ones who have just purchased a brand new green car. There is no doubt that you are helping the earth with your decision that will reduce the amount of carbon dioxide pollution. Surely the insurance companies too will help you by offering lower insurance rates for your eco friendly cars. Be prepared for a shock, for recent research has shown that it costs nearly 100% more to insure a green car, compared to insuring normal cars.
In fact one can find comparison charts on may sites on the Internet that will testify how costly it is to get a green car insured. While it is laudable to go in for green car insurance, you need to weight the pros and cons before you make up your mind and finalize the insurance deal. All said and done, there are some insurance agents, though they are a minority, who do offer lower premiums to owners of green cars. They believe that they too should play their part to help those who are helping the world to overcome pollution caused by normal cars. I guess this is a PR-reason, but who cares, as long as you get your discount, no?
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Johnson Controls is known to auto makers as a tier 1 supplier of car parts. The company shows off in the Detroit Auto Show the re3 Concept which is a preview of what else they can offer.
The goal of the concept car is to create a smart driving environment in more efficient vehicles that have lighter bodies and good engine fuel economics. With the re3, Johnson Controls eyes all green bases and is sure to hit a run.
The tag re3 actually means re-think, re-new, and re-spond. The car draws a new picture of what small cars should be like in the future. Through innovative engineering the re3 Concept aims to deliver an overall experience of comfort and sustained appeal with the consumers.
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The grant was a chunk from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act which has an allotted fund of $2.4 billion.
