from Leigh Kelley, BlueRidgeNow

You’re a first responder, and you’re not sure how to safely approach the hybrid vehicle at your wreck scene to rescue the driver who is trapped inside.

Read the rest at this link.

A UK firm called RE Hydrogen has invented a hydrogen compressor that is 30-percent the cost of others on the market. This means that not only can the compressors be smaller but the complimentary electrolyzers can be smaller and less costly as well.

According to The Engineer, “Small-scale hydrogen production is a potential way to capture and store energy from renewable sources and provide fuel for hydrogen-powered vehicles in place of large-scale infrastructure, as well as for industrial usage.

“RE Hydrogen has already developed an electrolyser that operates at up to 5KW at atmospheric pressure and is more than 90 per cent cheaper than most conventional models. Its latest compressor is designed to increase pressure from 1 to 350 bar in a single step.”

Read more here.

The way the little commuter, which seats two, works is to remove the doors and instead have the car hinged at the center so that it rises upwards while folding the wheels inwards:

This means the car can park three to a normal car’s parking space, all in a line.  The same design allows passengers to get into the car through the hinged top, which opens without folding the car.  The car can fold with passengers inside, however, allowing it to be parked in its super-compact form.

The Hiriko is electric with a small motor in each wheel hub.  Steering, braking, and suspension are independent on each wheel, giving it the ability to be modular for repairs and replacements.

If the cars are built and successfully tested, they will go to market, MIT researchers hope, with a price tag at or under $12,500 USD.

The company has thought of everything.  Most of its vehicles are plug-in scooters, but one model, the Neon, is aimed towards apartment dwellers who may not have an outdoor outlet for charging.  It’s battery can be removed easily and charged independently in the person’s home.  The battery pack weighs about 22 pounds and is made to be easily totable as well as plug-and-play with the scooter and its charger.

In the works are future models that will have on-board small engines for recharging on the go (sort of a Volt-style range-extended hybrid).

The company is doing a lot to make scooters “cool” and useful.  For a certain market of people, that’s definitely a good thing.

In brief: Revealed in Japan at an auto show, the TES-ERA is an electric sport coupe concept from Toyota’s Engineering Society.

Vehicle in the news

Make/Model: TES-ERA Sports EV Concept
Manufacturer: Toyota Engineering Society

The word

The one-off concept is a showcase of crowd-sourced style, Toyota’s electricvehicle engineering prowess, and futuristic interior design for tomorrow’s drivers.

The drive train is based on the Lexus Group’s RX plug-in hybrid, though the TES-ERA is a full electric. Using twin motors and a 15.7kWh li-ion battery pack, the concept puts out 174hp (128kW) and has an urban range of 80km or a race track range of 50km.

The exterior design was created by a Japanese gradeschool class which came up with the Milky Way concept and deep blue coloring. The car’s gullwings and frame are from the popular Toyota Sera, produced in the 1990s for the Japanese market.

The interior is simple and white, with smooth lines and little fanfare. It’s dominated by three touch screens mounted across the dashboard. These provide all of the car’s controls for everything but steering and acceleration/braking. Each screen is connected to the others so displays can be customized and moved across one another as those in the cabin wish.

And so …

While this is a pure concept that is not likely to see production, it is a self-contained vehicle that has seen testing on the track.

Photo credits: Toyota ES

A group of Japanese students at Osaka Sangyo University took it upon themselves to build a hydrogen car and unveiled it in Tokyo last Friday. They didn’t have the usual support system in place in which to do this.

According to the Mainichi Daily News, “This is the first successful fuel cell electric vehicle project in Japan not backed by a major car company.

Read more at this link.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has closed its investigation into the Chevy Volt fires citing no evidence and the company’s fixing the problem voluntarily.

The following is GM’s statement regarding the closing of the NHTSA investigation.

NHTSA’s decision to close their investigation is consistent with the results of our internal testing and assessment.  The engineering enhancements that GM announced January 5, 2012 will provide additional protection for the battery minimizing the risk of a post-crash fire in the days and weeks after a severe crash and rollover.

The voluntary action that GM is taking is intended to make a safe vehicle even safer.  In fact, the Volt has earned top safety ratings from key 3rd party organizations and is a Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

GM is proud of the technological innovation the Volt represents.  We appreciate the confidence our Volt customers continued to provide during the investigation. Our overriding commitment will always be to provide our customers with the best ownership experience and peace of mind in the industry and we’re focused on delivering that every day.

The LMP B12/69EV will have 850 horsepower pushing its wheels and be capable of speeds over 200 miles per hour.  Lithium Nanophosphate battery cells from A123 Systems will provide power to the motors mounted in each wheel of the car.  Those motors will be axial flux Oxford YASAs.  The transmission normally found in a Le Mans racer will be gone and the space used for batteries instead – the batteries will run along the center line of the car’s body, providing low-centered weight stability.

In looks, the car will appear as any other LMP until the body is lifted by mechanics.  Unlike other LMPs, of course, while the B12/69EV is on the track, it won’t make any loud engine noises either.

The Lola Group hopes to have the prototype on the track for next season’s events.

The 208 achieves average CO₂ emissions of 34 g/km lower than the 207. Its latest generation engine technology and the use of the e-HDi micro-hybrid Stop & Start System on virtually all versions, add to the vehicle’s improvements in terms of weight reduction and aerodynamics. With five models, four of which are equipped with the new generation Stop & Start System (e-HDi), the diesel range starts at 87g/km of CO₂ (delivering fuel economy of 69 mpg US or 3.4 L/100km) and doesn’t exceed 99 g CO₂/km.

The 208 also introduces a new range of 3-cylinder gasoline engines, 1.0- and 1.2-liter VTi, starting at 99 g/km of CO₂ (and delivering 54.7 mpg US or 4.3 L/100km).

New generation of 3-cylinder engines. A new stage in the PSA Peugeot Citroën Group’s downsizing strategy, this new generation of engine block delivers a reduction of fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions, while offering a good level of performance for the entry-level versions.

Designed by the PSA Group and produced at its Trémery factory in France, the 1.0 l and 1.2 l VTi versions will allow the 208 to offer gasoline versions at 99 g/km and 104 g/km of CO₂.

These normally aspirated indirect injection engines have respective maximum powers of 50 and 60 kW (68 and 82 hp) at 6,000 rpm and a maximum torque of 95 and 118 N·m (70 and 87 lb-ft ) at 3,000 and 2,750 rpm respectively.

This block is designed to be both very compact and light, with an aluminium alloy cylinder block and cylinder head, the exhaust manifold integrated in the cylinder head. It also benefits from technological features such as the variable valve timing system (VVT) on the inlet and exhaust camshafts or the variable capacity oil pump.

The Group invested €717 million (US$908 million) in the 3-cylinder gasoline engine project, launched in early 2008, of which €460 million (US$583 million) was for research and development. In all, 52 patents have been filed and 1,200 engineers and technicians have been involved. A total of €257 million (US$325 million) was allocated for capital spending projects in eastern France, mainly at the Trémery plant in Moselle, eastern France.

In the start-up phase since September 2011, the new EB engine will be produced at Trémery. The project has a potential annual production capacity of 640,000 engines. Brought on stream in 1979, Trémery is the world’s leading diesel engine production facility with a total output of 35 million units.

In a second phase, the new engines designed in France will be produced in Latin America and China to meet local needs and will represent a key asset for the Group’s international expansion.

Extended e-HDI diesel range. The 208 will benefit from the e-HDi technology—launched on the 508 and the new 308 in 2011 (earlier post)—on 4 of its 5 diesel power trains. This new generation Stop&Start system reduces fuel consumption and emissions of CO₂ by up to 15% in town, while stopping of the engine and almost instantaneously restarting without any noise or vibration.

The e-HDI system is uses Valeo’s second-generation Starter-Alternator Reversible System (StARS). (Earlier post.) StARS combines the alternator and starter functions. As a starter, it starts the engine instantly and silently using the alternator belt. This allows the machine to start the engine silently and without vibrations in less than 0.4 seconds, before immediately switching to alternator mode.

The StARS starter alternator is a synchronous machine using three-phase current. The rectification of the alternator current to battery current (AC/DC) is realized with field-effect transistors instead of diodes, which gives an excellent efficiency at >77% (VDA measurement), or 10 points higher than a traditional alternator and thus allows additional fuel savings, independently from the engine stop phases.

The starter-alternator is driven by the front-end accessory belt. A reversible tensioner allows power to be transmitted in both directions, depending on whether the StARS starter alternator is working as a starter or an alternator.

Tata Nano CNG concept is a bi-fuel compressed natural gas Nano which uses a new system the company has developed to allow smart on-demand switching between CNG and gasoline as needed.  Software controls fuel strategy to maximize efficiency based on usage and availability.  The Nano CNG has a 93 mile NG range and a 233 mile gasoline range and is virtually identical to its gasoline counterpart in terms of size, interior space, etc.

The Tata Indigo Manza Hybrid concept is a 1.05L DiCOR diesel engine mated to a 45kW electric traction motor.  It functions as both a series and parallel hybrid drive train, depending on need, with three modes: all electric, gas-electric, and all-gasoline.  The vehicle utilizes high speed cranking with stop-start, regenerative braking, and a short-range battery electric operation.  At highway speeds, it goes to all-gas mode, cruising to save fuel while the motors work as regenerative brakes on downhill and slow-downs for coasting, recharging the batteries.  The Indigo Manza also has a roof-mounted solar panel for battery charging while parked.

The Tata Starbus Fuel Cell Concept is a 30-seat bus concept developed in cooperation and support of the Government of India’s Department of Scientific and Industrial Research under its Technology Development & Demonstration Programme.  The bus’ fuel cell stack puts out peak power of 85kW to its lithium-ion battery pack and two rear-mounted motors totaling 185kW propel the bus with 1,050Nm or 774lb-ft or torque.  Maximum speed is 70km/h, suitable for city/urban applications.

The Tata Magic IRIS CNG is a small public transit vehicle similar to a minivan taxi and meant as a “last mile” public transport vehicle.  It uses a 611cc 12.8hp CNG engine and a 5-speed gearbox to move through urban and city traffic at low speeds.  It’s CNG engine includes several of the hardware and software upgrades seen in the Nano CNG (above).

Overall, some very cool concepts in alt-fuel from Tata!