Autoblog Green http://www.autobloggreen.com Autoblog Green http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/%SiteURL%/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog Green http://www.autobloggreen.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Chris Shunk, Sam Abuelsamid and Dan RothThe podcast by the people who obsessively cover the auto industry.<![CDATA[It's Friday: Swedish automatic PHEV charging prod gets a big WTF? from us [w/VIDEO]]]>http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/11/06/its-friday-swedish-automatic-phev-charging-prod-gets-a-big-wtf/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/11/06/its-friday-swedish-automatic-phev-charging-prod-gets-a-big-wtf/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/11/06/its-friday-swedish-automatic-phev-charging-prod-gets-a-big-wtf/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Trinnovator - Click above to watch the videos after the break

Is it too harsh to say that the Trinnovator is a solution without a problem? At the very least, we don't think that a flexible, extendable prod coming out of the front bumper of a plug-in car and creepily finding its way into a grid of receptacles is the best way to recharge a vehicle. This is the method that the Swedish team behind the Trinnovator has come up with to make getting electrons into a PHEV or BEV somewhat automatic. It's kind of hard to explain, so we recommend just watching the video pasted after the jump.

A few immediate thoughts: real-life implementation of this system seems needlessly complicated. The receptacle grids would also have to be much wider (and maybe taller for trucks and SUVs) and installed all over the place - regular plugs make more sense, no? Plus, shouldn't there be prods on the back of the car, too? And what about parallel parking spots? We've used plug-in cars and it's really not that difficult to remember to plug in every night. If we're going to have automatic and easy recharging, we want to see wireless/witricity get real. Thanks to Anders J. for the tip! Watch the video after the jump.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading It's Friday: Swedish automatic PHEV charging prod gets a big WTF? from us [w/VIDEO]

It's Friday: Swedish automatic PHEV charging prod gets a big WTF? from us [w/VIDEO] originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>phevplug-inplug-in hybridPlug-inHybridplug-insswedentrinnovatorFri, 06 Nov 2009 11:38:00 EST<![CDATA[LA Auto Show Design Challenge entrants reveal Youthmobile 2030 designs]]>http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/11/05/la-auto-show-design-challenge-entrants-reveal-youthmobile-2030-d/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/11/05/la-auto-show-design-challenge-entrants-reveal-youthmobile-2030-d/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/11/05/la-auto-show-design-challenge-entrants-reveal-youthmobile-2030-d/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

Mazda Souga Concept from LA Design Challenge 2009 - Click above for high-res image gallery

This year's iteration of the annual Design Challenge at the LA Auto Show asks the question: How will a new generation of drivers age 16-23 - raised with cell phones, web cams and online communities - emotionally connect to the automobile in 2030? We don't know the answer either, but at least six designers from some of the world's top automakers decided to give it a go with their own ideas. if you thought the Aptera was futuristic, check these out.

First up are the eSpira and eOra from Audi, which are controlled by thought and by the minutest adjustments to the pilot's body. Next we have the General Motors Car Hero... yes, the name is borrowed from the popular Guitar Hero line of games and the car, as you might imagine, "turns driving into gaming." What happens when the inevitable "Game Over" comes at the end? Moving along, we come to the Honda Helix, a shape-shifting vehicle that borrows actual DNA from its owner. Yuck, we don't want to be a car, we want to drive a car.

Which brings us to the Mazda Souga, easily our favorite out of this crop of concepts. This vision for the future would have each owner design his own car for the low price of $2,000 while paying an additional monthly usage fee that also covers the price of electricity to power the Souga.

Nissan's vision for the future includes cars that get their power from an electrically-charged roadway called the GRID, and the vowel-challenged V2G UNLMTD is quickly hacked into an OFF-GRID transportation device by the next breed of young hackers. Lastly, we have the Toyota Link. According to Toyota, future college students will have nearly no income and will rely on mass transit vehicles like the Link that allow them to interact via their various social networks on their daily commutes. Sounds boring to us, but what do we know?

Be sure to check out all six designs in our high-res image gallery below and hit the jump for the official press release.



[Source: LA Design Challenge]

Continue reading LA Auto Show Design Challenge entrants reveal Youthmobile 2030 designs

LA Auto Show Design Challenge entrants reveal Youthmobile 2030 designs originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>audi eoraaudi espiraAudiEoraAudiEspiradesign challengedesign challenge 2009DesignChallengeDesignChallenge2009general motors car heroGeneralMotorsCarHerohonda helixHondaHelixLA Design challengeLA Design Challenge 2009LaDesignChallengeLaDesignChallenge2009mazda sougaMazdaSouganissan v2gnissan v2g unmltdNissanV2gNissanV2gUnmltdtoyota linkToyotaLinkThu, 05 Nov 2009 18:57:00 EST<![CDATA[Rendered racing fantasy: 1-Liter Racing surfs to the future]]>http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/11/04/rendered-racing-fantasy-1-liter-racing-surfs-to-the-fuutre/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/11/04/rendered-racing-fantasy-1-liter-racing-surfs-to-the-fuutre/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/11/04/rendered-racing-fantasy-1-liter-racing-surfs-to-the-fuutre/#commentsFiled under: , ,

One Liter Racing - Click above for high-res image gallery

We recently saw a rendering for the purely-speculative Audi Avatar, which was based on the outlandish vehicles seen in some futuristic racing video games. A new set of renderings takes the unreal racing game concept a bit further and imagines an entire league that uses hyper-efficient racing vehicles sprinting around a course while using just one liter of fuel. As we know from VW's 1-liter concept vehicle, in the right vehicle, a liter of fuel can take you quite a distance.

Designed by Moritz Martin, the 1 Liter Racing League would be run in unusual locations (think shallow water and beaches) in order to mimic "the effortless gliding of skim boards" on some patches of the course. The wheels can retract in order to "surf" over wet patches and the cars have "a rear wheel-mounted air nozzle for frictionless steering during slides." Check out the renderings in the gallery below.

Gallery: 1 Liter Racing League


[Source: One Liter Racing via Yanko Design]

Rendered racing fantasy: 1-Liter Racing surfs to the future originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1 liter racing1LiterRacingmoritz martinMoritzMartinone liter racingOneLiterRacingyanko designYankoDesignWed, 04 Nov 2009 14:53:00 EST<![CDATA[Turn those blister packs into fuel with the Envion oil generator]]>http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/11/03/turn-those-blister-packs-into-fuel-with-the-envion-oil-generator/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/11/03/turn-those-blister-packs-into-fuel-with-the-envion-oil-generator/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/11/03/turn-those-blister-packs-into-fuel-with-the-envion-oil-generator/#commentsFiled under: ,


It's no secret that we generate a phenomenal amount of garbage, especially here in the United States, and a lot of that trash consists of plastics. Plastics hit us in a number of ways. Most plastics are are produced, at least in part, from petroleum and the plastics don't decompose when put it in the ground. Now, there may finally be a solution that addresses both sides of that equation (one that doesn't consider the idea of using less plastic).

Envion has created an oil generator that consumes plastics and cracks them in a vacuum to produce light and medium oils. The process is claimed to be energy positive, with more energy available in the oil produced than it takes to crack the plastics. According to Envion, it costs about $10/barrel to generate the oil, considerably less than the current world price of crude.

A commercial unit can process 10,000 tons of plastic per year into 30,000-50,000 barrels of oil. A demonstrator is currently running at the Montgomery County Solid Waste Transfer Station in Derwood, Maryland.

[Source: PureGreenCars]

Turn those blister packs into fuel with the Envion oil generator originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>envionoilplasticplastic into oilPlasticIntoOilplasticsTue, 03 Nov 2009 18:02:00 EST<![CDATA[STUDY: Lots of local, green electricity possible for most of the U.S.]]>http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/11/03/study-local-green-electricity-possible-for-most-of-the-u-s/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/11/03/study-local-green-electricity-possible-for-most-of-the-u-s/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/11/03/study-local-green-electricity-possible-for-most-of-the-u-s/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,



One of the reasons that a vehicle powered by something other than gasoline is such a popular idea in the U.S. is that it helps us become less reliant on other countries for our transportation needs. To this end, biofuels and electric vehicles offer great potential to use local sources of energy in our vehicles. To get a handle on how much green electricity - wind, geothermal, solar, etc. - is available in the U.S., the Insitute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR) has conducted a study on renewable energy potential and came away with some amazing figures. The Energy Self-Reliant States study found that 31 states have the potential to produce more renewable energy in-state than they currently use and that another ten could make more than 75 of the amount. The state with the worst potential, Kentucky, could still meet 24 percent of its electricity needs using renewable energy.

The big problem with all of this potential is the cost of setting up the renewable energy production devices. Solar panels are not cheap, and wind farms have their own opponents. While no one expects Texas, for example, to make 533 percent more energy than it needs using renewable sources, ILSR shows that it's at least possible, and that should give hope to EV proponents (no more coal-powered grid!) and hydrogen vehicle fans (electrolyze water with green energy!) alike. Download the PDF of the study and see for yourself.

[Source: ISLR via Treehugger]

STUDY: Lots of local, green electricity possible for most of the U.S. originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>green electricityGreenElectricityilsrlocal self-relianceLocalSelf-reliancerenewable energyRenewableEnergysolarwindwind powerWindPowerTue, 03 Nov 2009 12:59:00 EST<![CDATA[GM awarded DOE money to research Shape Memory Alloy heat engines]]>http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/11/02/gm-awarded-doe-money-to-research-shape-memory-alloy-heat-engines/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/11/02/gm-awarded-doe-money-to-research-shape-memory-alloy-heat-engines/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/11/02/gm-awarded-doe-money-to-research-shape-memory-alloy-heat-engines/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


General Motors has been awarded $2.7 million by the Department of Energy to create a working prototype engine using Shape Memory Alloys (SMA). The idea is for the prototype to use SMA tech to capture heat energy from engine exhaust gasses via an electric generator and transfer that energy to recharge batteries for hybrids or electric vehicles.

SMA tech can also theoretically power electronic devices like power seats and windows in a standard gas- or diesel-powered car, perhaps even replacing the power-sapping alternator. The GM press release, which is pasted after the jump, doesn't go into much depth explaining how memory alloys work, but the basic principle is easy to understand.

"When you heat up a stretched SMA wire, it shrinks back to its pre-stretched length, and when it cools back down it becomes less stiff and can revert to the original shape" said Jan Aase, director of GM's Vehicle Development Research Laboratory. "A loop of this wire could be used to drive an electric generator to charge a battery."

While $2.7 million isn't a lot of coin in the realm of GM finances (the General seemed to shed about $2.7 million every ten minutes pre-bankruptcy) the grant was significant in that it was the only monies awarded by the DOE given to an automaker. GM is working with partners from outside the auto industry to make the concept a reality, a practice that the General says is imperative to get breakthroughs like this to market. No timetable was given as to when GM's SMA concept would see the light of day.

[Source: GM]

Continue reading GM awarded DOE money to research Shape Memory Alloy heat engines

GM awarded DOE money to research Shape Memory Alloy heat engines originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>department of energyDepartmentOfEnergyelectric generatorElectricGeneratorgeneral motorsGeneralMotorsgmhybridshape metal alloy heat enginesShapeMetalAlloyHeatEnginessmaMon, 02 Nov 2009 12:58:00 EST<![CDATA[Coming Soon to an Automobile Near You: Plastic engines?]]>http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/10/31/coming-soon-to-an-automobile-near-you-plastic-engines/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/10/31/coming-soon-to-an-automobile-near-you-plastic-engines/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/10/31/coming-soon-to-an-automobile-near-you-plastic-engines/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Automakers and consumers alike all want lighter cars. "Adding lightness" has a lot of desirable effects, most notably in overall fuel efficiency and performance. While numerous efforts have been made to reduce the weight of automobiles - including downsizing, subtracting unnecessary components and using lightweight alloys and carbon fiber for structural bits - one item that's awfully hard to lighten without dire consequences is the engine.

Well, perhaps that's not entirely true after all. Apparently, Matti Holtzberg, an engineer and president of Polimotor Research, successfully designed and built a working engine made almost entirely from plastic. Holtzberg created a motor based on the 88-horsepower powerplant from a Ford Pinto that reduced weight from 415 pounds to just 152 while putting out an impressive 300 horsepower.

Polimotor has reportedly partnered up with the Huntsman Corporation of Houston in an effort to get plastic engine components such as the block, cylinder heads, pistons and rods into mass production. While electric motors and high-tech batteries seem ready to take over in the coming decades as the power sources of choice, plastic engines could potentially still be used as lightweight range-extending powerplants. Intriguing, no?

[Source: New York Times via The Kneeslider]

Coming Soon to an Automobile Near You: Plastic engines? originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Sat, 31 Oct 2009 18:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>HuntsmanHuntsman CorporationHuntsmanCorporationmatti holtzbergMattiHoltzbergplasticplastic engineplastic enginesplastic motorplastic motorsPlasticEnginePlasticEnginesPlasticMotorPlasticMotorspolimotorSat, 31 Oct 2009 18:10:00 EST<![CDATA[REPORT: Bolivia will make its own lithium-ion batteries by 2018]]>http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/10/31/report-bolivia-will-make-its-own-lithium-ion-batteries-by-2018/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/10/31/report-bolivia-will-make-its-own-lithium-ion-batteries-by-2018/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/10/31/report-bolivia-will-make-its-own-lithium-ion-batteries-by-2018/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Asia and Michigan, watch out. It's a long-term goal, but Bolivia is looking to capitalize on its large in-ground lithium supply by producing li-ion batteries by 2018. While lithium might not ever be in short supply, Bolivia certainly has the advantage of not needing to import the valuable material. The country's deputy minister of Science and Technology, Roger Carvajal, said this week that the basic outline of the government strategy to commercialize the lithium deposits (estimated to be about half of the world's supply) have been decided on. They include making lithium carbonate on a commercial scale in 2013 and possibly an electric car factory after that.

[Source: Latin American Herald Tribune]

REPORT: Bolivia will make its own lithium-ion batteries by 2018 originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Sat, 31 Oct 2009 08:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>boliviali-ionLithium Ionlithium ion batterieslithium ion batteryLithium-IonLithiumIonLithiumIonBatteriesLithiumIonBatterySat, 31 Oct 2009 08:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Fanciful rendering of Audi Avatar shows what ultralights could be like in 2032]]>http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/10/28/fanciful-rendering-of-audi-avatar/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/10/28/fanciful-rendering-of-audi-avatar/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/10/28/fanciful-rendering-of-audi-avatar/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Audi Avatar Concept - Click above for high-res image gallery

There are a lot of fanciful renderings out there that try to imagine what kind of vehicles we'll be driving in the coming decades. The renderings from Yanko Design are some of the strangest, including the latest, the Audi Avatar Concept. The ultralight, three-seat Avatar is supposed to be reminiscent of the unreal vehicles from racing video games. The wheels are apparently hidden in the thin "legs." Oh, and it's purely electric, although we imagine there are some technical difficulties to work out before anyone can drive one. The 2032 Avatar is theoretically powered by four in-wheel motors and could reach 62 mph in 2.9 seconds and has a top speed of 224 mph. Click through the gallery to see what might be coming in 20+ years.

Gallery: Audi Avatar


[Source: Yanko Design]

Fanciful rendering of Audi Avatar shows what ultralights could be like in 2032 originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 15:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>audiaudi avatarAudiAvataravatarrenderingyanko designYankoDesignWed, 28 Oct 2009 15:02:00 EST<![CDATA[REPORT: Generation Y will "redefine" automotive market, trends green and big]]>http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/10/27/report-generation-y-will-redefine-automotive-market/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/10/27/report-generation-y-will-redefine-automotive-market/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/10/27/report-generation-y-will-redefine-automotive-market/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,



Were you born somewhere between 1976 and the early 1990s? Are you the child of a so-called Baby Boomer? If so, you, like me, are a member of Generation Y. So, what does that mean? Well, nothing really, but it's a convenient way to classify a large chunk of the American population... and we should all get used to hearing how marketers are targeting us as their current and future consumers.

Such is the case with a recent study from AutoPacific, which finds that Generation Y will "redefine" the automotive market. It seems our generation is "willing to embrace new brands, new technology and alternative powertrains." That means electric cars, hybrids and clean diesels. We're also likely to want lots of electronic gadgetry in our cars and we expect that all that computing power will improve fuel mileage and environmental friendliness. Oh, and we don't necessarily want small cars.

So, to recap, we want large cars with good fuel economy, lots of technology and without too big a price increase... No problem, right? Click past the break for the official press release.

[Source: AutoPacific]

Continue reading REPORT: Generation Y will "redefine" automotive market, trends green and big

REPORT: Generation Y will "redefine" automotive market, trends green and big originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>auto pacificAutoPacificgen ygeneration ygeneration y cargeneration y carsGenerationYGenerationYCarGenerationYCarsGenYTue, 27 Oct 2009 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[What's old is new again: VW developed auto start/stop, DI in 1980]]>http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/10/26/whats-old-is-new-again-vw-developing-auto-start-stop-di-in-19/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/10/26/whats-old-is-new-again-vw-developing-auto-start-stop-di-in-19/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/10/26/whats-old-is-new-again-vw-developing-auto-start-stop-di-in-19/#commentsFiled under: ,


The great risk in predicting the future is that the odds are great that you will be wrong. Every once in while, though, you nail the ideas almost dead on. For some amusement, it's always fun to go back and peruse old issues of magazines like Popular Science and Popular Mechanics to see what they predicted cars would look like in the next century (that would be the one we live in right now).

Way back in 1980, Volkswagen built a Golf-sized experimental car dubbed VW2000. The timing was off by a few years, but the good bits were remarkably close to where we are today. The VW2000 had a prototype automatic start stop system which is becoming increasingly common today. Unlike today's systems that mainly rely on a heavy duty conventional starter or integrated starter/generator, this concept used a flywheel based system.

The system adds a second clutch between the engine and flywheel in addition to the conventional unit between the clutch and gearbox. The new clutch would disengage when the car came to a stop, allowing the flywheel to continue spinning while the engine was off. Re-engaging the clutch would allow the flywheel to restart the engine. It's an interesting idea that we'll have to look into to see why it was never adopted. Another of the idea in the VW2000 was the adoption of direct injection for the diesel engine. That, of course, is pretty much universal now in diesels and rapidly becoming ubiquitous in gas engines too. Check out the full story in Google books where all many old issues of Popular Science have been scanned.

[Source: Popular Science]

What's old is new again: VW developed auto start/stop, DI in 1980 originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Mon, 26 Oct 2009 10:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>direct injecteddirect injected carsdirect injectionDirectInjectedDirectInjectedCarsDirectInjectiongoogle booksGoogleBooksvolkswagenvw2000Mon, 26 Oct 2009 10:53:00 EST<![CDATA[Volkswagen and Stanford to expand technology collaboration at "CARS"]]>http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/10/25/volkswagen-and-stanford-to-expand-technology-collaboration-at-ca/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/10/25/volkswagen-and-stanford-to-expand-technology-collaboration-at-ca/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/10/25/volkswagen-and-stanford-to-expand-technology-collaboration-at-ca/#commentsFiled under: ,



Volkswagen is no stranger to working with Stanford University, having collaborated with the Palo Alto school on the DARPA Grand Challenge competitions for autonomous vehicles. Volkswagen also already has a technology research facility in Palo Alto. The university and automaker are now opening a new Volkswagen Automotive Innovation Lab on campus as part of the school of engineering and calling it the Center for Automotive Research at Stanford, or CARS.

Stanford professor and engineering dean James Plummer and VW Group research directors Dr.-Ing. Franz-Josef Paefgen and Prof. Dr. Jürgen Leohold are inaugurating the new lab this weekend. The lab will do basic research on technologies that enhance safety, environmental friendliness and personal mobility.

The center will include labs and a workshop area for building prototypes as well as a test track. VW has already committed $2 million to the new facility and $2.25 million over the next three years for CARS at Stanford.

[Source: Volkswagen]

Continue reading Volkswagen and Stanford to expand technology collaboration at "CARS"

Volkswagen and Stanford to expand technology collaboration at "CARS" originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Sun, 25 Oct 2009 08:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>stanfordStanford Universitystanford-universityStanfordUniversityvolkswagenVolkswagen Automotive Innovation LabVolkswagenAutomotiveInnovationLabSun, 25 Oct 2009 08:52:00 EST<![CDATA[HFO-1234yf: Get used to hearing it]]>http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/10/24/hfo-1234yf-get-used-to-hearing-it/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/10/24/hfo-1234yf-get-used-to-hearing-it/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/10/24/hfo-1234yf-get-used-to-hearing-it/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



What the heck is HFO-1234yf? That's the name of a new refrigerant that's reportedly 350-times less damaging to the atmosphere than the current HFC-134a (or 1,1,1,2-Tetrafluoroethane, if you prefer). You may recall that today's refrigerant was actually put into widespread use back in the early 1990s as a replacement for the long-running R12 that was found to be collecting in and damaging our delicate ozone layer.

Well, it turns out that HFC-134a isn't as good a solution as hoped for. As such, the refrigerant has been banned in Europe beginning in 2011 and it seems likely the United States will follow suit. Enter HFO-1234yf, also known as 2,3,3,3-Tetrafluoropropene.

The new refrigerant was co-developed by DuPont and Honeywell and has already been approved for use in Japan and Europe for automotive air conditioners. Earlier this week, the United States EPA issued a proposal to approve a replacement for HFC-134a, and this new stuff is seen as a likely substitute.

[Source: EPA via Green Car Advisor]

HFO-1234yf: Get used to hearing it originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Sat, 24 Oct 2009 11:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>environmental protection agencyEnvironmentalProtectionAgencyepahfc-134aHFO 1234-yfhfo-1234yfHfo1234-yfr-134aR1200S HP2R1200sHp2refrigerantSat, 24 Oct 2009 11:43:00 EST<![CDATA[How can EEStor be valued at $1.5 billion?]]>http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/10/22/how-can-eestor-be-valued-at-1-5-billion/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/10/22/how-can-eestor-be-valued-at-1-5-billion/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/10/22/how-can-eestor-be-valued-at-1-5-billion/#commentsFiled under: , ,



We've long given up on waiting for announcements from EEStor (and, to a lesser degree, their partner ZENN) to come true. But, with the latest move by ZENN to drop their plans to launch the cityZENN high-speed electric car and will instead focus on becoming a supplier of ZENNergy Drive electric vehicle drivetrain components - ZENN's low-speed vehicles (pictured) have also been curtailed - the reality is that ZENN and EEStor are tied at the hip. As our friend Darryl Siry writes over at Autopia points out, the bond between these two companies means that speculative investors have raised EEStor's value to more than $1.5 billion. That's a huge chunk of change for a company that hasn't allowed independent media verification of its claims for the ultracapacitor technology that supposedly can move an electric car 300 miles on a charge and recharges quickly. Head on over to Autopia to see how ZENN's stock price is driving up the value of EEStor, but isn't shining a light on what is actually happening over there.

[Source: Autopia]

How can EEStor be valued at $1.5 billion? originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 10:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>EESeestoreestor hypeeestor rumoreestor ultracapacitoreestor zennEestorHypeEestorRumorEestorUltracapacitorEestorZennEESUZENNzenn eestorzenn electric vehiclezenn evZennEestorZennElectricVehicleZennEvThu, 22 Oct 2009 10:51:00 EST<![CDATA[VIDEO: Argonne National Lab developing Omnivorous Engine]]>http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/10/21/video-argonne-national-lab-developing-omnivorous-engine/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/10/21/video-argonne-national-lab-developing-omnivorous-engine/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/10/21/video-argonne-national-lab-developing-omnivorous-engine/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Click above to watch the video after the break

Gasoline, ethanol, methanol, butanol, natural gas... there are a ton of choices when deciding on what fuel is best suited for automotive use, and each of them offer at least some reason to recommend them over another. Which to choose? Here's a better question: What if you didn't have to choose just one fuel?

That's the goal of the so-called omnivorous engine. Not long ago, Lotus Engineering made headlines at the Geneva Motor Show when it showed off its flex-fuel Omnivore engine concept, and now word comes from the Argonne National Lab that it, too, is working on such a powerplant.

While there are already some engines capable of running on multiple spark ignited fuels, it's not an easy task to get one single powerplant to run with optimal efficiently on such a diverse range of products. In the case of Argonne's Omnivorous Engine, a sophisticated computer keeps track of what's being fed into the engine, and things like valve timing, fuel injection metering and compression ratio can be adjusted on the fly. Click past the break to watch a video introducing the project.

[Source: Green Car Advisor]

Continue reading VIDEO: Argonne National Lab developing Omnivorous Engine

VIDEO: Argonne National Lab developing Omnivorous Engine originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Wed, 21 Oct 2009 12:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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OnStar EV Lab - Click above for high-res image gallery

One of the features that GM is promoting with the Chevy Volt, due late next year, is a completely new level of connectivity for the plug-in hybrid. Well, completely new isn't quite right. The Volt will certainly communicate with the grid and with GM in new ways, but the underlying OnStar technology that will make all of this possible isn't new at all. It's a decade old, and the updates to the ninth-generation OnStar system that will be in the Volt would not be possible without years of testing and development. The system is also helping GM test the Volt and it came in handy during the recent eight-Volt, multi-state test drive. Read on after the jump to find out how OnStar xo's the Volt.

Gallery: OnStar EV Lab


Continue reading GM's OnStar EV Lab opens its doors, loves the Chevy Volt

GM's OnStar EV Lab opens its doors, loves the Chevy Volt originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 19:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The white stars on the map above could be used as the guidelines for a really fun road trip, if you're interested in learning as much as you can about the future of clean vehicles. From established companies (Tesla, Tata) to start-ups (Aptera) to high-school teams (West Philly EVX), these are the 43 qualified teams that have passed the Design Judging phase and will take part in the Progressive Insurance Automotive X Prize. Up next will be some tremendous photo opportunities when the cars enter the "formal vehicle challenges" in the spring.

The 43 teams come from 18 states and 10 countries and represent six different fuel types. The 43 teams will enter 53 vehicles in the Mainstream (28) and Alternative Classes (25). Originally, there were 111 teams in the running with 135 vehicles. The recent drop out rate has been notable, with vehicles like the LincVolt and HP2G deciding to focus on other pursuits.

Where and when the performance testing will start will be "announced shortly;" a final winners of the $10 million prize will be named next September, but it looks like not everyone is in the contest for the money.

[Source: Automotive X Prize]

Continue reading Auto X Prize announces 43 qualified teams still fighting for $10 million

Auto X Prize announces 43 qualified teams still fighting for $10 million originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 16:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tesla Roadster - Click above for high-res image gallery

Here are five technologies that "could change everything":

  • Advanced car batteries
  • Carbon capture and storage
  • Space-based solar power
  • Utility storage
  • Next-generation biofuels

This is the list culled by the Wall Street Journal, and we note that plug-in vehicles benefit/are tied to four of those five items. All five if you include things like the E85-capable range extender in the plug-in Chevy Volt.

Meanwhile, over at the Seattle Times, Tesla was named one of eight companies that are changing the world. Other companies on the list are working on technical, gadget-y advances (laser broadband streaming data at 1.25 gigabytes a second) and eco-advances (green building materials) and more.

What we take away from these lists is that people have a lot of hope that technology will save us. Somehow, someday. Just wait until a better widget comes along, then all will be well.

[Source: Seattle Times, Wall Street Journal]

Lists? Yeah, electric vehicles get on lists. Hopeful, hopeful lists originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 17:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biofuelbiofuelsplug in vehicleplug in vehiclesplug-inplug-in hybridplug-in vehicleplug-in vehiclesPlug-inHybridPlug-inVehiclePlug-inVehiclesPlugInVehiclePlugInVehiclestesla motorsTeslaMotorsMon, 19 Oct 2009 17:01:00 EST<![CDATA[ThinkWrap, Auto X Prize partner for "near-real time" race vehicle monitoring]]>http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/10/19/thinkwrap-auto-x-prize-partner-for-near-real-time-race-vehicl/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/10/19/thinkwrap-auto-x-prize-partner-for-near-real-time-race-vehicl/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/10/19/thinkwrap-auto-x-prize-partner-for-near-real-time-race-vehicl/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Got a favorite team in the Automotive X Prize? Once the road race portion of the AXP starts up (which is when, again?), we'll be able to follow the contest and specific vehicles online thanks to AXP's just-announced partnership with ThinkWrap. Vehicles will be monitored in "near-real time" thanks to a GPS-driven Google map "with interactive vehicle icons and virtual instrument displays," which we hope is more exciting than it sounds.

Scheduled to kick off in January, the new online portion of the AXP will also feature a social media network and team trackers along with the dashboard gadgets. The most interesting portion should be the ability to use the in-vehicle telemetry to "observe how vehicle technologies and driving styles affect important current and cumulative figures-of-merit such as fuel-economy, environmental impact, vehicle status, and more." If the AXP and ThinkWrap can make this contest engaging and data-rich, their effort to educate people about high-mileage vehicles will take a big leap forward.

Later today, the AXP will announce the teams that are "moving ahead" in the competition. Stay tuned.

[Source: Automotive X Prize]

Continue reading ThinkWrap, Auto X Prize partner for "near-real time" race vehicle monitoring

ThinkWrap, Auto X Prize partner for "near-real time" race vehicle monitoring originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 09:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>auto x prizeauto x-prizeautomotive x prizeAutomotiveXPrizeAutoX-prizeAutoXPrizeaxpthinkwrapMon, 19 Oct 2009 09:03:00 EST<![CDATA[Coskata's new Lighthouse cellulosic ethanol plant, in depth]]>http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/10/16/coskatas-new-lighthouse-cellulosic-ethanol-plant-in-depth/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/10/16/coskatas-new-lighthouse-cellulosic-ethanol-plant-in-depth/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/10/16/coskatas-new-lighthouse-cellulosic-ethanol-plant-in-depth/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Coskata Lighthouse Cellulosic Ethanol Plant - Click above for high-res image gallery

Coskata's newly-opened semi-commercial flex ethanol facility in Madison, Pennsylvania is as small as it can possibly be. Co-located at a Westinghouse facility that also in some fashion uses nuclear energy, the Lighthouse project, as it's called, is running 24/7 to turn wood chips into ethanol. It's also intended to show off just how far Coskata has come since emerging from stealth mode almost two years ago. Oh, and the plant can also be scaled up to fit the needs of cellulosic ethanol producers from coast to coast.

The Lighthouse plant follows the Horizon integrated processing plant that started in 2008 in Warrenville, Illinois and precedes the Flagship plant that is due for 2012 at a location somewhere in the Southeast U.S. that will be announced later. The location for the Flagship plant has been selected, but Coskata will not specify where it is exactly until it can talk more specifically about the financing arrangements involved for the 55-million-gallon-per-year plant that will use forest residue and other woody biomass. Coskata says the Flagship will be "the first commercially-viable, feedstock-flexible ethanol facility." Coskata has not taken any government money to date, but they may apply for DOE loan guarantees for the Flagship plant. Coskata will not expand the Madison Lighthouse facility. In fact, they're only located there as a guest and will leave when the contract is up. The facility is modular and will actually be dismantled and trucked to the Flagship location in the future.

What might this plant offer, both for partner GM and for the U.S.'s biofuel needs? Find out after the jump.

Gallery: Coskata Lighthouse Cellulosic Ethanol Plant


Photos copyright (C)2009 Sebastian Blanco / Weblogs, Inc.

Continue reading Coskata's new Lighthouse cellulosic ethanol plant, in depth

Coskata's new Lighthouse cellulosic ethanol plant, in depth originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Fri, 16 Oct 2009 19:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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