Future Cars News

Tata First Among Major Carmakers to Enter X Prize

vic — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 03:16:09 +0000

Tata Motors, India’s biggest car manufacturer, has become the world’s first major car maker to enter the $10 million Progressive Automotive X-Prize, with plans to enter one car in the mainstream category (electric-hybrid) and one in the alternative category (microcar). Tata joins about 70 other teams, which include entries ranging from musician Neil Young [...]

Airbus to Fly Fuel Cell A320 in Berlin

vic — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 03:10:58 +0000

European aircraft manufacturer Airbus will be displaying its A320 research aircraft, which features An onboard hydrogen fuel cell, at this year’s International Berlin Airshow (ILA). The craft, known as the A320 Fuel Cell Demonstrator, has performed a number of successful flight tests in preparation for the ILA. The craft’s on-board fuel cell delivers [...]

London Taxis Going Green for Olympics

vic — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 03:05:25 +0000

When Olympians want to get around London in 2012, they may be able to hail one of the most advanced taxis in the world. Thanks to a collaboration between hydrogen fuel cell developer Intelligent Energy, Lotus Engineering Limited, London Taxis International (LTI) and TRW Conekt, there are plans to have a fleet of classic London taxis [...]

Cell Phones Powered By Hydrogen Fuel Cells

vic — Fri, 30 May 2008 03:05:35 +0000

French researchers at the Atomic Energy Commission (CEW) announced the development of a hydrogen fuel cell that backs up power for cell phones. The fuel cell gets its hydrogen from a cartridge no bigger than a cigarette lighter, which is being developed by the famous pen maker Bic. Ideally, the fuel cell is meant [...]

Zap Sales Soar Along With Oil Prices

vic — Wed, 28 May 2008 03:05:42 +0000

Soaring oil prices are bad news for most consumers, especially those who drive gasoline-powered cars and cringe each time they stop at the pump to fill up. However, those prices have been good news for the alternative fuel vehicle market, in particular for Northern California-based electric car maker ZAP, which announced recently that backlog [...]

Green Grand Prix Attracts Record Field

vic — Mon, 26 May 2008 03:00:01 +0000

This year’s 2008 Green Grand Prix of Watkins Glen, New York, attracted a record field for the event—46 vehicles, powered by every imaginable alternative engine and fuel, including hydrogen fuel cells, flex-fuel, wood chips, liquid propane, biodiesel, vegetable oil and more. Former art teacher and car nut Bob Gillespie dreamed up the Green Grand [...]

Demolished Town Rebuilding Green

vic — Fri, 23 May 2008 03:00:09 +0000

Greensburg, Kansas, about 100 miles west of Wichita, is making the proverbial lemonade from its lemons, and gaining big-time recognition and resources in the process. Last year Greensburg was utterly demolished by a brutal tornado, to the extent that President Bush saw fit to make a trip to the town of no more than [...]

First Tesla Store to Open for Business

vic — Wed, 21 May 2008 03:00:17 +0000

According to a piece published in the International Herald Tribune, Tesla Motors is set to open the first of a number of projected ‘stores’ during the first two weeks of May. The first, which will serve as the company’s flagship store, will be located in Westwood, near the campus of the University of California in Los [...]

Hybrid “Hy-Bird” to Fly Around World

vic — Fri, 16 May 2008 02:50:41 +0000

Powered only by solar energy and hydrogen, the zero-carbon Hy-Bird is a developmental aircraft designed by France-based high tech firm LISA Airplanes, which claims the craft will become the “first all-electric powered airplane on the market.” As a promotional tool, the company intends to fly the Hy-Bird around the world using only hydrogen [...]

Bentley Goes Green…Sort Of

vic — Wed, 14 May 2008 02:50:49 +0000

It’s a start at least. This week the super-luxury automaker displayed the so-called “Greenpower”—a one-seat, one-wheel drive electric vehicle designed, engineered and built by apprentices that work at its Crewe, England factory. The Greenpower, armed with Michelin low resistence tires and fixed carbon-fiber suspension wishbones, reaches a maximum speed of 40 mph, emits no emissions, and [...]