AutoblogGreen

ACORE 2008: Thomas Friedman destroys his own argument, calls out GM's greenwashing

Sebastian Blanco — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 19:53:00 EST

Filed under: Emerging Technologies, AutoblogGreen Exclusive, Green Daily

Following James Woolsey at today's American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE) Phase II Renewable Energy National Policy Forum, New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman gave the keynote address. Now, Friedman has some good ideas sometimes (and drops the ball at others), but his presentation today just made it clear that he's not always the smartest guy in the room.

Friedman started by giving us a preview of an upcoming Sunday column (so keep it under your hat) where he's been thinking about Tom Brokaw's book "The Greatest Generation" and how his generation will be seen by those that follow. Will they become bubble generation? Will a kid today write a book about "how my parents saved themselves from their mistakes by charging it to my VISA card"? The world's troubles have been on his mind of late - he did just write Hot, Flat and Crowded after all - and his talk was a retelling of that book's main points.

Friedman is really, really good at rhetoric and public speaking. He knows when to slam the book shut for dramatic effect, when to throw in an "Oh, shit!" to get your attention, when to pause and look at the crowd (like Woolsey's speech, ACORE will be streaming Friedman's talk here and/or here within 48 hours). But, for me, his talk fell apart halfway through. I'll explain why after the jump.

Continue reading ACORE 2008: Thomas Friedman destroys his own argument, calls out GM's greenwashing

ACORE 2008: Thomas Friedman destroys his own argument, calls out GM's greenwashing originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 04 Dec 2008 19:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EDTA 2008: GM shows off EcoCar Saturn Vue

Sebastian Blanco — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 15:10:00 EST

Filed under: Emerging Technologies, EV/Plug-in, GM, EDTA Conference

click above image for a high-resolution gallery of the GM EcoCar

Last year, at the end of the Challenge X, GM announced the EcoCar competition for engineering students at universities in North America to rework a GM vehicle to be better and cleaner. The Challenge X teams worked on Chevrolet Equinoxes, but the EcoCar students will all be re-engineering Saturn Vues. In this first year of the competition, the teams are doing the theoretical design work, including life cycle analysis and mechanical, electrical and control work. Starting in June 2010, when Year 2 kicks off, the teams will get their mule vehicles and get to apply their strategies - whether they're pure electric, hydrogen, hybrid or PHEV. The EcoCar Vue on display here at the EDTA show in Washington, DC, then, isn't any different under the hood, it's just all fancy and decorated on the outside. More details on the EcoCar challenge here and here.

Gallery: EDTA 2008: GM's EcoCar

EDTA 2008: GM shows off EcoCar Saturn Vue originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 03 Dec 2008 15:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Michelin teams up with CITIC Guoan Mengguli Corp. for EVs

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 10:21:00 EST

Filed under: Emerging Technologies, EV/Plug-in, European Union, China

Click above for more shots of the Michelin Active Wheel and the Ventire Volage

When one thinks of Michelin, the first thing that often pops up, after the Michelin Man of course, is tires. A tire's design can have a tremendous impact on any given car's performance, both in the traditional sense and for its fuel efficiency. To wit, all the best green cars come equipped with special low rolling resistance tires fitted as standard equipment. Michelin is looking to branch further out into the rolling bits of our future automobiles, and that includes the electric drivetrain. The French tire-maker rolled out its Active Wheel technology earlier this year at the Paris Motor Show on the Venturi Volage.

A total of eight motors are used by Michelin to control a standard automobile that's been equipped with its Active Wheel technology. With so much going on with the rolling stock, Michelin is looking to outside suppliers for help on the rest of the EV architecture and has therefore begun collaborating with CITIC Guoan Mengguli Corp. in China. Already, the two companies have a working prototype built atop a Lifan 520 sedan that can reach 87 mph and go for up to 81 miles before needing a recharge of its lithium ion batteries. The dynamic duo believes it can have the system ready for OEMs by the end of the year. We're not sure if that means in one month or at the end of '09, but we'll keep a close eye on the partnership for further details.

Gallery: Venturi Volage

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]

Michelin teams up with CITIC Guoan Mengguli Corp. for EVs originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 02 Dec 2008 10:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Smartlet electric car charging stations take one more step to nationwide availability

Sebastian Blanco — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 18:01:00 EST

Filed under: Emerging Technologies, EV/Plug-in

It takes more then cool new cars to move America to a nation of electric cars. Coulomb Technologies, the company behind the "Smartlet" charging stations, announced today that its resellers can now be found in 28 states. Public charging stations like the Smartlets are key pieces of an EV infrastructure, since there are about five times as many vehicles in the US as there are garages (247 million cars vs. 53 million garages). Coulomb's chargers are designed to (one day) work with vehicles from GM, Toyota, Ford, Mercedes, BMW and Nissan. Coulomb Technologies will be in DC this week for the EDTA show, and we'll get some more information on the reseller program there. For now, there's some background details on Coulomb's plans here.

[Source: Coulomb Technologies]

Continue reading Smartlet electric car charging stations take one more step to nationwide availability

Smartlet electric car charging stations take one more step to nationwide availability originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 01 Dec 2008 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Time's 50 Best Inventions of 2008 includes assorted greenery

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 15:01:00 EST

Filed under: Emerging Technologies, Chevrolet, Tesla Motors, On Two Wheels

Click above image for a high-res gallery of the Peraves MonoTracer

Time Magazine has released its annual list of the Top 50 Inventions of the Year, and the 2008 edition features a good deal of green automotive technology. In fact, the Tesla Roadster has managed to snag the second spot on the list, with the Chevy Volt nabbing slot 7. Of course, you can't actually go out and buy yourself a Chevy Volt quite yet, so while we agree it is a praiseworthy invention, perhaps it should really be on next year's list.

Number 11 on Time's list is a biofuel currently being developed by researchers at Arizona State University that uses algae for its base. Smog-eating cement shows up at number 37 and an innovative enclosed two-wheeled vehicle called the Peraves MonoTracer grabs slot 41. That's pretty cool, and its BMW motorcycle engine will offer plenty of performance along with relatively high fuel efficiency. The last vehicle of interest to us greenies is the Aptera, which props up the end at number 46, which we think may be a bit too low for an amazing invention such as this. Oh well, we could always make our own list. Wait a second...

Gallery: Peraves MonoTracer

[Source: Time]

Time's 50 Best Inventions of 2008 includes assorted greenery originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Sat, 29 Nov 2008 15:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ten green automotive things we're thankful for

Sam Abuelsamid — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 18:34:00 EST

Filed under: Diesel, Emerging Technologies, Etc., Ethanol, EV/Plug-in, Green Culture, Hybrid, MPG, Lightweight

It's been a very good year for green car related news. In the past year, hundreds of thousands of people have lost homes and jobs. Here at AutoblogGreen we churn out words, photographs and videos every day of every week and we're grateful that you keep coming back to check out what we have to say, even when you berate some of us (OK, that would be me!) when you disagree with our (OK, my) opinions. No doubt we all have some strongly-held opinions about how best to address the issues of energy independence and the environment. As long as you keep coming back we'll keep writing, and sometimes we'll be on the same side of the fence and sometimes not. Sebastian, Jeremy, Xavier, Domenick and I, along with the rest of the ABG crew, all consider ourselves very fortunate to be given the opportunity to do this. But there's more to be thankful for, as you can see in our latest Top Ten list. Let's get on with it so you have something else to criticize me for.

Honorable mention: Chris Paine, director of Who Killed the Electric Car? As a film, Paine's documentary wasn't the greatest motion picture of all time. It did however, re-ignite the debate over plug-in vehicles and in part prompted many of the world's automakers to re-start EV development. It also got many more people interested in the green car discussion, and for that he deserves a special mention. Now, on with the show...

Ten green automotive things we're thankful for originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 27 Nov 2008 18:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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KTM files patent for hybrid-powered 2WD motorcycle

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 15:10:00 EST

Filed under: Emerging Technologies, EV/Plug-in, On Two Wheels

Click above for more patent drawings of the KTM 2WD hybrid motorcycle

Hot on the heels of KTM's first Zero Emissions Motorcycle, which is currently being fast-tracked to production in as little as 24 months, we find new patent filings from the Austrian company of a 2WD hybrid motorcycle. This is a unique design, with an internal combustion engine powering the rear wheel through a conventional transmission. A single electric motor handles the starting roles and sends power to the front wheel. Under braking, that motor acts as a generator, recapturing spent energy. There have been a few two-wheel drive motorcycles on the market, most notably from Rokon, though that machine isn't at all comparable with the KTM patents. More in line with the Austrian idea are the Christini mechanical system and Yamaha's experimental 2-Trac hydraulic technology. Still, we'd favor the electric approach if possible, not just for its green ideals but also because the instant torque and energy recapture technology is a real performance advantage.

Gallery: KTM 2WD electric hybrid patents

[Source: Dealer News]

KTM files patent for hybrid-powered 2WD motorcycle originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 26 Nov 2008 15:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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More details on Honda's color-changing Ecological Drive Assist System

Sebastian Blanco — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 15:19:00 EST

Filed under: Emerging Technologies, Hybrid, MPG, Honda, Green Daily, Japan

We got our first look at Honda's Ecological Drive Assist System in LA last week. Now, Honda has released images of the Japanese Insight's EDAS which shows us the color-changing speedometer background that is used in the system's guidance function. If the color behind the number is green, you're driving efficiently. Get a little sloppy, and a bit of blue appears. When you're driving in the least economical fashion, the whole screen turns blue. While this should be easy to understand on the road, if sure messes up that "blue is the new green" thing the Europeans are doing.

The Japan version of the Insight will also be able to integrate with the optional Honda HDD InterNavi System. When combined with this system, the EDAS can give more advice on how to enhance fuel economy while driving, specifically by looking through a driver's history and suggesting driver-specific changes. Look for the new Insight with EDAS in the spring of 2009.

Gallery: Honda Ecological Drive Assist System

[Source: Honda]

Continue reading More details on Honda's color-changing Ecological Drive Assist System

More details on Honda's color-changing Ecological Drive Assist System originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 25 Nov 2008 15:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LA 2008: Honda shows off Insight's Eco Assist dashboard

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 07:58:00 EST

Filed under: Emerging Technologies, Hybrid, Honda, LA Auto Show

Click above for more shots of the Honda Insight Eco Assist dashboard

Honda joins Ford in the green dash race with its latest piece of clever technology, the Eco Assist dashboard, which the automaker has revealed here in LA and will come with the 2009 Insight hybrid. There's an ECON button on the dash that increases fuel efficiency by changing settings on the CVT transmission and air conditioning unit and by increasing regenerative braking capabilities and a more aggressive anti-idling algorithm.

The Insight's new dash will also change colors between shades of green and blue to tell the driver how they're driving. There is also an an "economy scoring function" that keeps track of the way the car is driven and gives eco-scores to the pilot. Ford has taken a similar approach with its new Fusion hybrid, which will be equipped with an LCD gauge cluster called SmartGauge[TM] with EcoGuide.

Gallery: LA 2008: Honda Insight Eco Assist

[Source: Honda]

Continue reading LA 2008: Honda shows off Insight's Eco Assist dashboard

LA 2008: Honda shows off Insight's Eco Assist dashboard originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 21 Nov 2008 07:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LA 2008: Hyundai rolls out HED-5 i-Mode for first time on U.S. soil

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 20:34:00 EST

Filed under: Emerging Technologies, Hyundai, LA Auto Show

Click above for high-res image gallery of Hyundai HED-5 i-Mode

We first saw Hyundai's rolling CUV shapeship, the HED-5 i-Mode, back in Geneva, but today at the LA Auto Show is the first time the Korean automaker has shown the car in the States. New to the crossover is a 2.0L gasoline direct injection (GDI) engine that Hyundai plans to roll out in production machines shortly. The new Theta Turbo GDI engine puts out 286 horsepower, which is very impressive for such a small powerplant. Hyundai puts its direct injection and turbo technology to good effect and combines these new features with its Continuously Variable Valve Timing (CVVT) to allow for a 15-20 percent fuel economy increase compared with a standard 2.0L four-banger. Expect to see this new engine make its way into a production car sometime in 2010.

According to Hyundai, a new six-seat production CUV will hit the market in 2010 that's inspired by the HED-5. Of course, don't expect to see its far-out future-spec interior make it production, but the GDI engine and general look is a lock.

Gallery: LA 2008: Hyundai HED-5 i-Mode

Continue reading LA 2008: Hyundai rolls out HED-5 i-Mode for first time on U.S. soil

LA 2008: Hyundai rolls out HED-5 i-Mode for first time on U.S. soil originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 19 Nov 2008 20:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota Auris gets stop/start in U.K., introduces Optimal Drive

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 08:57:00 EST

Filed under: Diesel, Emerging Technologies, MPG, Toyota, European Union, UK

Click above for more images of the Toyota Auris with Optimal Drive

Stop/start technology is finally gaining some real traction, especially in fuel-starved Europe where petrol is really expensive. When the engine isn't needed to power the vehicle, it shuts down in lieu of idling away, which is a definite boon for efficiency and especially in urban settings. Toyota is entering the anti-idle arena with its Auris, which sees the technology applied to its 1.3-liter diesel engine. So equipped, the Auris emits 135g/km of CO₂ while improving mileage to 48.7 mpg in the EU combined cycle (about 40 mph U.S.) when mated to the standard six speed manual transmission.

Toyota calls its new system Optimal Drive. Like the firm's Hybrid Synergy Drive, which debuted on the seminal Prius, expect the Japanese giant to begin rolling out its Optimal Drive technology to more models, including the upcoming iQ microcar, which will be doing battle with smart's micro-hybrid fortwo.

Gallery: Toyota Auris Optimal Drive

[Source: Toyota]

Continue reading Toyota Auris gets stop/start in U.K., introduces Optimal Drive

Toyota Auris gets stop/start in U.K., introduces Optimal Drive originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 19 Nov 2008 08:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First 22 officially registered X-Prize teams announced

Sam Abuelsamid — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 04:34:00 EST

Filed under: Emerging Technologies, Etc., EV/Plug-in, Hybrid

The crew at the Automotive X-Prize are still plugging away at making the $10 million prize competition a reality beginning in 2009. Here at the Los Angeles Auto Show, they have announced the first 22 officially registered teams for the competition. While most of the competitors fall into the category of independents, there are a few names you might recognize. Among those are Tata Motors, Aptera, MDI and Zap. Tata is entering a battery-powered version of the Nano and a hybrid version of the Indica. MDI will be trotting out its compressed air powered car and Zap will go for the gold with its 3-wheeled Alias. Of the entrants so far, eleven are in the mainstream class with the rest going for the alternative class. Teams can still enter until early 2009. After that the competitors will go on the road to a series of cities for the actual competition. The list of cities that will play host to the X-Prize will be announced in early 2009. Details after the jump.

[Source: Automotive x-Prize]

Continue reading First 22 officially registered X-Prize teams announced

First 22 officially registered X-Prize teams announced originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 19 Nov 2008 04:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A tale of two ethanol companies: Coskata's up and Mascoma's down

Sebastian Blanco — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 17:44:00 EST

Filed under: Emerging Technologies, Ethanol, GM

Sugar cane photo by 91RS. Licensed under Creative Commons license 2.0.

The two ethanol companies that GM has invested in, Coskata and Mascoma, must be making the automaker proud and frustrated this week, as they have very different news to report. Coskata's got some potentially good news: U.S. Sugar might be the next to try and commercialize the plasma/gassification ethanol production process with a plant in Florida. The Florida plant makes sense for U.S. Sugar because the company can use leftover sugar cane material to make the biofuel and because Florida has set its own ethanol mandate. Coskata already has a pilot plant agreement with the Westinghouse Plasma Center and another commercial partner in ICM.

Meanwhile, over at Mascoma, the news is a bit less positive: CNET is reporting that the company is "shedding staff," which in a small company like Mascoma means between 5 and 10 positions are now history.

[Source: Coskata, CNET]

Continue reading A tale of two ethanol companies: Coskata's up and Mascoma's down

A tale of two ethanol companies: Coskata's up and Mascoma's down originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 18 Nov 2008 17:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Michigan governor meets with Shai Agassi and Better Place in Israel

Sebastian Blanco — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 14:02:00 EST

Filed under: Emerging Technologies, EV/Plug-in, Green Daily, Middle East, Better Place

Click to enlarge

Michigan's Governor, Jennifer Granholm, is currently on an overseas trip to try and boost Michigan's economy. It's a trip she's cut in half from its scheduled length because of the automaker bailout discussion here in America. Still, while she was in Israel, Granholm took a peek at the Better Place model and met with Better Place's CEO, Shai Agassi. Australia, Israel and Denmark are officially on board with Better Place, and San Francisco and Japan are on the short list of potential new locations. Will Michigan join them? On her blog, Granholm wrote, "We talked about future partnerships that might be viable for Michigan, and in Michigan, we know that new energy means new jobs." Read into that what you will.

Gallery: Jennifer Granholm visits Better Place

[Source: Better Place, Jennifer Granholm]

Michigan governor meets with Shai Agassi and Better Place in Israel originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 18 Nov 2008 14:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Voting opens for X Prize's "Crazy Green Idea" videos

Sebastian Blanco — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 11:01:00 EST

Filed under: Emerging Technologies, Green Daily, Automotive X-Prize

click then scroll down to watch videos

Back in September, the X Prize Foundation asked: "What's Your Crazy Green Idea?" 133 people answered the question with a video entry and the top three ideas - as selected by the Foundation - are now accepting your vote for the shot at a $25,000 award. The three videos are titled: "The Energy Independence X PRIZE," "The Capacitor Challenge," "Energy X-Prize: Reduce Home Energy Usage."

The only one that hits directly on green car technology is the capacitor one, but there were a lot of transportation-related submissions in the 133 entrants. Some people even wanted to look into time travel, but there won't be a Doc and Marty X Prize any time soon. Voting is open until November 30 and you can watch all three videos after the jump.

[Source: X Prize]

Continue reading Voting opens for X Prize's "Crazy Green Idea" videos

Voting opens for X Prize's "Crazy Green Idea" videos originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 18 Nov 2008 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Will the battery in your plug-in hybrid only last 25,000 miles?

Domenick Yoney — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 12:57:00 EST

Filed under: Emerging Technologies, EV/Plug-in, LA Auto Show, USA

The lithium ion batteries being used for plug-in hybrids such as the Chevy Volt are easily the single most expensive part of the car and now, AFS Trinity is claiming that they will only last 25,000 miles before needing to be replaced. The company has its own plug-in hybrid technology and claims their batteries can last 150,000 miles and avoids this rapid deterioration because of ultracapacitors they employ that act as an energy buffer. They will be showing off their "Extreme Hybrid" prototypes and making further details available across the street from the LAConvention Center, since the LA Auto Show will kick off this week without them. AFS Trinity stakes its claim on an independent study conducted by Mobile Power Solutions.

So is it true? We haven't seen the study for ourselves yet, though we are curious to read what exactly was tested and how. We feel, however, it is probably pretty safe to assume this claim is as dubious as their 150 Mpge assertion. These batteries have been used in electric cars and plug-in hybrid conversions for some time now without mention of such a disastrously short life span. As well, GM have been targeting 150,000 miles / 10 years as the minimum requirement for its lithium ion packs. Stay tuned for more details as they emerge. Press release after the break.

Gallery: Detroit 2008: AFS Trinity XH-250 and XH-150

[Source: AFS Trinity]

Continue reading Will the battery in your plug-in hybrid only last 25,000 miles?

Will the battery in your plug-in hybrid only last 25,000 miles? originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 17 Nov 2008 12:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Economic woes slow down the Pickens Plan West Texas wind farm

Sebastian Blanco — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 11:13:00 EST

Filed under: Emerging Technologies, Etc., Green Daily

Photo by foxtwo. Licensed under Creative Commons license 2.0.

The tumbling economy has certainly taken its toll on automakers, ethanol producers and everyone else, pretty much. Why should T. Boone Pickens escape the downfall? He hasn't. The huge west Texas wind farm that is part of T. Boone Pickens's new energy Plan has been delayed and now probaly won't be ready by 2011. According to CNET the delay is because the farm is "having trouble getting financing because of the credit crunch." Sheesh, if a billionaire can't get a loan, then we're all screwed. The good news, if you're in favor of the Plan, is that Pickens called this a temporary setback. While Pickens made the announcement at the Forbes Energy Conference this past week, when he also made completely positive appearance on the Daily Show. Watch it after the jump.

Gallery: Wind Farms

[Source: Sustainable Business, CNET]

Continue reading Economic woes slow down the Pickens Plan West Texas wind farm

Economic woes slow down the Pickens Plan West Texas wind farm originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Sat, 15 Nov 2008 11:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PopSci's Best of What's New highlights green tech

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 09:02:00 EST

Filed under: Emerging Technologies

Looking back at the year that was, what struck your fancy? The editors at Popular Science have dug deep into the automotive world of technology and come up with their choices for the Best of What's New special section. Not surprisingly, green technology advancements make up a large portion of the mag's list, including Ford's upcoming line of EcoBoost engines, the Honda FCX Clarity hydrogen car, and Ford's capless fuel filler. Interestingly, though, the EcoBoost series of powerplants have yet to see the light of day in 2008 models, though we're expecting to see them relatively soon. Also, the FCX Clarity is most definitely a technological marvel, but it costs about as much as a ride to the moon and is only available to a select few individuals in California at the moment. That leaves us with the capless fuel filler, which is indeed available on real models in 2008. Dubbed Direct Fill System, the capless filler reduces evaporative emissions, but it's not without potential problems.

[Source: Popular Science]

PopSci's Best of What's New highlights green tech originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Sat, 15 Nov 2008 09:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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H2Roma: PSA lays out green car future strategy

Sebastian Blanco — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 13:38:00 EST

Filed under: Diesel, Emerging Technologies, EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, PSA, Citroen, Peugeot, Green Daily

Citroën and Peugeot have been putting out small, efficient vehicles for many years. At this weekend's H2Roma, the PSA group will talk about the green vehicles it hopes to bring to market in the future. H2Roma is an annual sustainable mobility and the PSA group's press release announcing its participation (pasted in full after the jump) gives us a compact rundown on how the companies will make future cars even cleaner. Check out the list:

Continued improvement of gasoline and diesel powered internal combustion engines
Second generation micro-hybrid technology on all cars by 2010
Full diesel hybrid technology in 2011
Preparation for the future Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV)

They just get better as you move down the list, don't they? Lots of potential problems to actually achieving these goals, but the diesel hybrid goal is the one I'm most excited about for my new car. Too bad we probably won't see diesel hybrids in the U.S. anytime soon.

Gallery: Peugeot 308

Gallery: New Look Citroen C4

[Source: PSA Peugeot Citroen]

Continue reading H2Roma: PSA lays out green car future strategy

H2Roma: PSA lays out green car future strategy originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 14 Nov 2008 13:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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X Prize Chevy Blazer is back, now with regenerative shocks

Sebastian Blanco — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 10:25:00 EST

Filed under: Emerging Technologies, Green Culture, Green Daily, Automotive X-Prize

Back at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show, we talked with Jim Stansbury, the founder and CEO of the Physics Lab of Lake Havasu, about his company's slightly quixotic quest to modify a Chevy Blazer so it wins the Progressive Auto X Prize. Stansbury and his crew are now also operating as Regen EV Shocks because of a new addition to the Blazer: hydraulic shocks that generate electricity while driving. It works on the computer, as you can see in this flash demo, but just how much energy the truck can gain from these is something that'll be proved by the numbers on the road. Speaking of which, Stansbury told AutoblogGreen that the system might produce around 5-10 kW/hr. I asked if speed bumps would produce more energy and he set me straight on that account. Read all of his response after the jump.

Gallery: X Prize Chevy Blazer

[Source: Jim Stansbury / Regen EV Shocks]

Continue reading X Prize Chevy Blazer is back, now with regenerative shocks

X Prize Chevy Blazer is back, now with regenerative shocks originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 14 Nov 2008 10:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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