Transportation News

James Bond Easter Egg Hidden In The Tesla Model S

Mar 4, 2015: The latest Easter egg found on the Tesla Model S may just be the best one yet. Most people familiar with Tesla already recognize that its CEO, Elon Musk, is not your conventional auto manufacturer president. He makes exorbitant predictions, curses during interviews and refuses to follow traditional sales methods. And, it turns out, he […] The post James Bond Easter Egg Hidden In The Tesla Model S appeared first on HybridCars.com.

Goodyear: Charging Your EV Through Its Tires

Mar 4, 2015: Goodyear has presented a concept tire at the 85th Geneva International Motor Showthat is aimed at helping electric vehicles charge their batteries. Known at the BHO3, this concept tire offers the possibility of charging the batteries of electric cars by transforming the heat generated by the rolling tire into electrical energy. Goodyear explained the BHO3 […] The post Goodyear: Charging Your EV Through Its Tires appeared first on HybridCars.com.

Aston Martin Rethinks The GT Into An EV

Mar 4, 2015: British luxury carmaker Aston Martin presented the DBX Concept EV at the 85th Geneva International Motor Show. Designed to challenge the current idea of what a luxury GT entry should be, this ev concept sits higher off the ground, incorporates all-wheel drive and gives clues to future design directions the brand may take. “The DBX […] The post Aston Martin Rethinks The GT Into An EV appeared first on HybridCars.com.

Koenigsegg Builds Exotic Insanely Fast Regera Plug-in Hybrid

Mar 4, 2015: At the Geneva car show, Swedish carmaker Koenigsegg is giving the world a look at is new supercar: the 2016 Regera. The Regera is the latest addition to the current hypercar trend: insanely potent exotics driven by a hybrid powertrain. It’s a class that caters to the fortunate and affluent few that want unrestrained muscle […] The post Koenigsegg Builds Exotic Insanely Fast Regera Plug-in Hybrid appeared first on HybridCars.com.

$8.7M in FY 2015 funding available from USDA and DOE for bioenergy feedstocks, biofuels and bio-based products

Mar 3, 2015: The US Department Agriculture in collaboration with the Energy Department announced that up to $8.7 million in funding in fiscal year 2015 will be made available through the Biomass Research and Development Initiative (BRDI) to support feedstock development, biofuels and...

Is Tesla’s Model 3 Affecting Us As Profoundly As Did Ford’s Model T?

Mar 3, 2015: If mind-boggling growth projected in the next five years happens as planned, Tesla’s pivotal $35,000, 200-mile-range Model 3 may the most important and society changing electric car of all time – that no one has yet seen. Anticipated for years, a bit late to the party at this point, when a pre-production prototype is finally […] The post Is Tesla’s Model 3 Affecting Us As Profoundly As Did Ford’s Model T? appeared first on HybridCars.com.

Formula E Gets Official Anthem, But We Think It Can Do Better

Mar 3, 2015: Originally posted on EV Obsession The FIA-endorsed Formula E series already has so much going for it, including big name racers and sponsors, as well as a globetrotting schedule in some of the world’s oldest and biggest cities. Now, it also has a theme song, thanks to former 80s Spanish singing sensation Nacho Cano, who The post Formula E Gets Official Anthem, But We Think It Can Do Better appeared first on Gas 2.

DOE to award up to $35M to advance fuel cell and hydrogen technologies; fuel cell range extenders

Mar 3, 2015: The US Department of Energy (DOE) announced (DOE-FOA-0001224) up to $35 million in available funding to advance fuel cell and hydrogen technologies, and to enable early adoption of fuel cell applications, such as light duty fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs)....

Koenigsegg Regera Reigns With 1,500 Horsepower

Mar 3, 2015: 1,500 is the most important number to come out of the Geneva Auto Show, as that’s how much horsepower the Koenigsegg Regera plug-in hybrid supercar makes. Three electric motors, smartphone enabled doors, and a twin-turbo V8 are just a few of the features that make this the mightiest “megacar” in the world right now. Based The post Koenigsegg Regera Reigns With 1,500 Horsepower appeared first on Gas 2.

Ad promoting cycling to work looks very familiar

Mar 3, 2015: It "references the iconic Volkswagen ad campaign from the 1960s" and nails it.

Electric assisted cargo bike RAIOOO is stylish & pragmatic (Video)

Mar 3, 2015: Coming metal with wood and cork, this prototype lets city dwellers get about their daily errands easily and reliably.

Toyota to begin sales of Mirai fuel cell vehicle in Europe by September

Mar 3, 2015: At the Geneva motor show, Toyota announced that it would begin sales of the new Mirai fuel cell vehicle (earlier post) in Europe by September. Sales of the FCV began in Japan last December. European launch markets in 2015 will...

Shanghai OnStar and China Mobile partner on 4G LTE telematics service; debuting in a Cadillac this year

Mar 3, 2015: Shanghai OnStar is joining forces with China Mobile, the world’s largest wireless telecom carrier, for the launch of 4G LTE telematics service across China. The new service will debut in a Cadillac model from Shanghai GM this year. The strategic...

UQM Technologies receives initial purchase order for its new fuel cell compressor system from Ballard

Mar 3, 2015: UQM Technologies Inc. has received its first fuel cell compressor module purchase order from Ballard Power Systems. These compressor modules are an integral component of hydrogen powered fuel cell vehicles. In February, UQM took over the fuel cell compressor module...

Total invests in cellulosic sugar producer Renmatix; joint development agreement

Mar 3, 2015: Renmatix, a producer of cellulosic sugars, announced an investment from the New Energies Division of Total, as well as the signature of a joint development agreement (JDA) between Total and Renmatix. Under the agreement, Renmatix and Total will utilize Renmatix’s...

Aston Martin DBX Concept Is The Electric GT Car Of The Future

Mar 3, 2015: British automaker Aston Martin is best known for being Jame Bond’s car of choice, and massive V12 engines like the one in its just-revealed Vulcan supercar. The Aston Martin DBX Concept is an entirely different beast from the cars we’ve come to expect from the niche luxury automaker, ditching typical large-displacement combustion engine for an The post Aston Martin DBX Concept Is The Electric GT Car Of The Future appeared first on Gas 2.

Ford Reportedly To Reveal Its Own Chevy Bolt EV Competitor This Year

Mar 3, 2015: When we wrote a couple weeks ago saying electric car makers will need to step up to the new 200-mile/mid-$30,000 benchmark due by 2017, little did we know how soon Ford would reportedly show it too agrees. According to Automobile magazine, Ford will be the fourth EV maker to offer a 200-plug-mile range EV ostensibly […] The post Ford Reportedly To Reveal Its Own Chevy Bolt EV Competitor This Year appeared first on HybridCars.com.

It Was Steady As She Goes For February Leaf and Volt Sales

Mar 3, 2015: Nissan recorded 1,198 Leaf sales last month, Chevrolet recorded 693 Volt sales and this in a shorter sales month would be a case of steady as she goes. The month prior, Nissan broke an 18-month streak of setting records and came plummeting down 65 percent from December to 1,017 sales and 14.5 percent down year […] The post It Was Steady As She Goes For February Leaf and Volt Sales appeared first on HybridCars.com.

Mercedes-Benz unveils V-Class concept plug-in hybrid MPV at Geneva; 78 mpg US

Mar 3, 2015: At the Geneva International Motor Show, Mercedes-Benz unveiled the Concept V‑ision e: a plug-in hybrid concept version of its V-Class MPV (earlier post). The plug-in hybrid van utilizes the same advanced drive system as in the new Mercedes-Benz C 350...

Could The Tesla P85D Go 200+ MPH?

Mar 3, 2015: When people talk sports cars, arguments tend to center around two main factors; top speed, and acceleration. The Tesla Model S P85D can accelerate from 0 to 60 MPH in just 3.1 seconds, but while it technically has more than enough power to reach 200 MPH, it is electronically limited to just 155. But if The post Could The Tesla P85D Go 200+ MPH? appeared first on Gas 2.

The Lexus LF-SA Is A Tiny, Techie Concept

Mar 3, 2015: Once upon a time, the size of your car typically correlated with your financial standing; the wealthier you were, the bigger your automobile. That’s still true to a point today, though the democratization of the automobile means anybody can drive a Cadillac…as long as its 125+ years old. These days less really is more, and The post The Lexus LF-SA Is A Tiny, Techie Concept appeared first on Gas 2.

Lygos completes first pilot-scale production of malonic acid from renewable resources at Berkeley Lab’s ABPDU

Mar 3, 2015: Lygos, Inc. (earlier post) has successfully achieved pilot scale production of malonic acid from sugar via a fermentation pathway using engineered microbes. Lygos’ novel manufacturing technology decreases CO2 emissions, eliminates toxic inputs and could replace the existing petroleum production process...

BASF launches new Acrodur binder for automotive lightweight composites

Mar 3, 2015: BASF is launching a new binder: Acrodur Power 2750 X. The product is designed for the production of natural fiber composites for automotive lightweight applications such as interior car door panels or shelves. As a low-emission alternative to formaldehyde-based reactive...

UPS accelerates use of ORION routing optimization software; reducing 100M miles driven annually at full deployment

Mar 3, 2015: UPS expects its ORION (On-Road Integrated Optimization and Navigation) routing system (earlier post) to reduce the distance driven by its drivers by 100 million miles annually when fully implemented in 2016. The company is accelerating its implementation to complete all...

Laser Ignition Boosts Efficiency 27%

Mar 3, 2015: Engineers at Princeton Optronics say they have figured out a way to use lasers in place of spark plugs in internal combustion engines. Why is that important? Because using lasers increases efficiency by a whopping 27%. All that extra efficiency means more power and lower emissions, too. Every time the world declares the internal combustion engine The post Laser Ignition Boosts Efficiency 27% appeared first on Gas 2.

Samsung and SEAT enter connectivity partnership

Mar 3, 2015: Samsung and SEAT have signed an agreement to develop technological solutions to provide total connectivity across SEAT’s range of models. The agreement will take shape in the coming months with the launch of a new SEAT model line-up equipped to...

XL Hybrids XL3 powertrain technology now available on diesel commercial van

Mar 3, 2015: XL Hybrids, Inc. announced its XL3 Hybrid Electric Drive System is now available on the Reach commercial van from Isuzu and Utilimaster. This marks the first diesel-powered vehicle with the XL3 powertrain. (Earlier post.) The retrofitted XL3 Hybrid Electric Drive...

ChargePoint ranks US metro areas for EV friendliness; SF Bay Area still on top

Mar 3, 2015: ChargePoint—the world’s largest electric vehicle (EV) charging network—released a list of the top 10 friendliest metropolitan areas in the US for EV drivers. The San Francisco Bay Area (including San Francisco, Oakland and San Jose) led the nation, followed by...

Green Cars in 2015 (Infographic)

Mar 3, 2015: Electric Cars | Hybrid Cars | TransportationConsidering a green car? These days it makes a lot of sense but there are so many options; electric, hybrid, hydrogen and even solar. One day soon we’ll all be driving one, so how do we choose? And if we don’t have a green car, what can you we do to help the environment in […]…

Volkswagen introduces the Sport Coupé Concept GTE PHEV at Geneva; 118 mpg US

Mar 3, 2015: Volkswagen is unveiling the Sport Coupé Concept GTE plug-in hybrid at the 2015 Geneva International Motor Show, ushering in a new and progressive Volkswagen brand design language. “Evolution and revolution come together in the Sport Coupé Concept GTE. This concept...

VW Presents PHEV Sport Coupé Concept GTE

Mar 3, 2015: Volkswagen will reveal the plug-in hybrid Sport Coupé Concept GTE at the 2015 Geneva International Motor Show. The concept combines a new design language for the brand with different directions Volkswagen intends to take its plug-in hybrid powertrains, identified with the GTE designation. “This breathtakingly dynamic coupé is unlike any other to appear in this […] The post VW Presents PHEV Sport Coupé Concept GTE appeared first on HybridCars.com.

Volvo V60 D5 Twin Engine Special Edition Now Available

Mar 3, 2015: Volvo is launching a second diesel-hybrid version of one of its station wagon, the V60 D5 Twin Engine. Volvo Cars has unveiled the D5 Twin Engine Special Edition of its V60 Twin Engine plug-in hybrid. The original is known as the V60 D6 Twin Engine. The Swedish company explained this new car has been designed […] The post Volvo V60 D5 Twin Engine Special Edition Now Available appeared first on HybridCars.com.

Toyota Begins Mirai Production With Two-Year Order Backlog

Mar 3, 2015: Production on the hydrogen-powered Toyota Mirai has begun, but some buyers may have to wait two years before receiving their orders. Akio Toyoda, president of Toyota Motor Corp., intentionally picked Feb. 24 as the day to begin production. It was on this day five years ago that the company went before a U.S. congressional panel […] The post Toyota Begins Mirai Production With Two-Year Order Backlog appeared first on HybridCars.com.

Audi introduces Q7 e-tron quattro diesel PHEV SUV at Geneva; 138 mpg US

Mar 2, 2015: Audi introduced the Q7 e-tron quattro plug-in hybrid (earlier post) at the Geneva show. The Q7 e‑tron quattro is Audi’s second vehicle featuring a plug‑in hybrid drive system, and the first diesel plug-in hybrid with quattro drive in its segment....

Volkswagen Group invested €11.5B (US$12.9B) in R&D in 2014; ongoing focus on electromobility and digitalization of vehicles

Mar 2, 2015: The Volkswagen Group invested €11.5 billion in research and development last year, more than ever before and more than any other company worldwide. Speaking on the eve of the Geneva International Motor Show, Prof. Dr. Martin Winterkorn, CEO of Volkswagen...

Tesla now has 2,000 Superchargers, which have powered 86 million electric miles!

Mar 2, 2015: They reached 100 stations in April 2014. Talk about fast growth!

Volvo Cars unveils new V60 D5 Twin Engine Special Edition diesel PHEV in Geneva

Mar 2, 2015: Volvo Cars has unveiled a D5 Twin Engine Special Edition of its V60 Twin Engine plug-in hybrid, which went on sale in 2012. (Earlier post.) The V60 D5 Twin Engine will deliver 120 kW (161 hp) via the combustion engine...

Magna MILA Plus Concept Will Debut At Geneva

Mar 2, 2015: Magna International is one of those behind the scenes companies that builds stuff for the automotive industry worldwide but never gets to see its name in lights. The Austria-based company is content to be a sub-contractor, making mechanical and electronic components for others. There are rumors Apple has approached Magna to build its upcoming electric The post Magna MILA Plus Concept Will Debut At Geneva appeared first on Gas 2.

Ford expands Smart Mobility projects with connected e-bike study

Mar 2, 2015: Ford Motor Company is expanding its global Ford Smart Mobility plan (earlier post) with a new experiment to study how connected electric bicycles can work seamlessly with cars and public transport to deliver faster and easier daily commutes and help...

Qualcomm adds Snapdragon X12 and X5 LTE modems to Automotive Solutions portfolio

Mar 2, 2015: Qualcomm Incorporated subsidiary Qualcomm Technologies has added the Qualcomm Snapdragon X12 LTE modem (9x40) and Qualcomm Snapdragon X5 LTE modem (9x28) to Snapdragon Automotive Solutions to support connectivity across all tiers of the automotive industry. The Snapdragon X12 LTE modem...

Availability of Fairchild PowerTrench MOSFETs for automotive in high-power TO-Leadless package; power electronics and motors

Mar 2, 2015: Fairchild , a leading global supplier of high-performance power semiconductor solutions, announced the availability of its next generation PowerTrench MOSFETs for automotive applications in the high-power TO-Leadless (TO-LL) package (JEDEC MO-299). The innovative TO-LL technology offers an extremely low package...

BMW presents “Vehicular Small Cell” at Mobile World Congress; first mobile femtocell for optimized in-car connectivity

Mar 2, 2015: At the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, the BMW Group, peiker acustic GmbH & Co. KG and Nash Technologies GmbH are presenting the “Vehicular Small Cell” research project, which aims to improve mobile reception in vehicles. The Vehicular Small Cell...

Rice graphene aerogel catalyst doped with boron and nitrogen outperform platinum in fuel cell ORR

Mar 2, 2015: Graphene nanoribbons formed into a three-dimensional aerogel and doped with boron and nitrogen (3D BNC NRs) exhibit the highest onset and half-wave potentials among the reported metal-free catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in alkaline fuel cells, and show...

The ELF could replace a car for a lot of people

Mar 2, 2015: Snow might shut down Raleigh-Durham but this trike just keeps going.

More Tesla Model X Spy Pics

Mar 2, 2015: Tesla Suv out for a ride on 280, aka the test track. pic.twitter.com/HFoN56FRis — John Donnelly (@JKDmobile) February 27, 2015 According to Elon Musk, the Tesla Model X won’t be revealed in full until the electric automaker is ready to start taking orders. That’s because there are supposedly new features that haven’t been mentioned to The post More Tesla Model X Spy Pics appeared first on Gas 2.

Hyperloop Test Track Construction Begins Next Year

Mar 2, 2015: America has fallen far behind the rest of the world when it comes to high-speed rail…but what if we just skipped bullet trains and went straight for vacuum tubes? Elon Musk’s idea of an 800 MPH hyperloop has taken off with a devoted team and, beginning next year, a five-mile test track to see if The post Hyperloop Test Track Construction Begins Next Year appeared first on Gas 2.

Freescale introduces new vision microprocessor targeting autonomous driving

Mar 2, 2015: Freescale Semiconductor has introduced the S32V vision microprocessor—the first automotive vision system-on-chip (SoC) with the requisite reliability, safety and security measures to automate and ‘co-pilot’ a self-aware car, the company said. Leveraging a number of automotive-grade technologies, the S32V moves...

Warm-Up Lap: The Sound Of A Million Dollar Electric Supercar

Mar 2, 2015: Just eight examples 1,088 horsepower Rimac Concept_One have been built since early 2013,, and only 80 more will be built at a cool $1 million each. So what does a million-dollar electric car sound like at full-throttle? A lot cooler than you might think, actually. Though it’s brief clip, it’s one of the few where The post Warm-Up Lap: The Sound Of A Million Dollar Electric Supercar appeared first on Gas 2.

Lux Research: the $40,000, 200-mile-range EV is the biggest coming growth opportunity for energy storage in transportation

Mar 2, 2015: Analysis by Lux Research suggests that the market space represented by the emerging lower-cost, 200-mile-range EV will be the biggest coming growth opportunity in electric storage for transportation. By 2020, this new EV battleground should account for $5 billion or...

HHI develops its own reliquefaction and gas management system for fueling LNG carriers

Mar 2, 2015: Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. (HHI), the world’s biggest shipbuilder and a marine engine manufacturer, has independently developed the HHI Gas Management System for re-liquefying boil off gas (BOG) from a membrane LNG containment tank to use it as fuel...