New Green Vehicles

Plug-in Electric Car to Set a New World Record for Efficiency

2010-08-19T11:06:00.000-07:00

A team of students at DeLaSalle School in Kansas City, Mo., in collaboration with engineers at Bridgestone America’s Technical Center in Akron have recently developed a new plug-in electric car which has been successfully tested on Bridgestone’s Texas Proving Grounds.

Being based on the chassis of the 2000 Lola Indy Car, this electric vehicle features ultra light-weight aerodynamic body, dressed with Bridgestone Ecopia EP100 tires. The car is also based on electric propulsion.

During tests, DeLaSalle electric car managed to get the equivalent of a 300mpg fuel economy and according to the team, it could set a new world record for efficiency.

[Source: AutoMotto]

Tata Motors Launches Two Electric Cars in Britain

2010-08-18T11:18:00.000-07:00

Tata Motors, one of India's top auto-manufacturers wants to launch on the European market two of its electric vehicles, at the beginning of 2011.

These two cars are the "green" variants of the Indica Vista hatchback and Ace models, both equipped with electric motors. The cars will be first launched in England, and then in other Scandinavian countries like Norway, Denmark and Sweden.

Tata Motors has chosen the UK as the first destination for the new models due to its EV infrastructure and the incentives that will encourage sales. Tata Motors is also the manufacturer of the Nano model,the most affordable family car which costs about $ 2,000. Until now, the company hasn't made any announcement about an electric version of this model.

[Source: GreenLaunches]

Nissan to Develop a CO2 Neutral Island in Japan

2010-08-12T06:08:00.000-07:00

Nissan signed a deal with Kagoshima Prefecture in Japan to develop a CO2 neutral island. The project, called "Development of a CO2-Free Island," focuses in particular on promoting the use of electric vehicles and renewable energy in that area.

Nissan representatives say they hope that the vehicles that intend to develop to be used on this island. Yakushima is already a community model with low greenhouse gas-emissions, electricity on the island being produced by a hydroelectric plant.

Yakushima Island is covered by dense forests, composed mainly of Japanese cedar and make part of UNESCO World Heritage, with a protected area of 10,747 hectares.

London to Have Hydrogen Fuel Cell Powered Taxis by 2012

2010-08-11T06:18:00.000-07:00

According to Lotus, it is planning to build a fleet of hydrogen fuel cell powered taxis and by the end of 2012, these will be on London's roads. The company recently unveiled a prototype fuel cell hybrid London taxi at City Hall.

The main goal is to clean up the air quality, being much polluted by diesel fumes from buses and taxis. The prototype will be also capable to reach a top speed of about 80mph and has a range of 250miles. The best part of this zero-emission taxi is it can be fully recharged in just five minutes.

The Technology Strategy Board company has donated about £5.5 million in the hoping to have a clean capital. London will also have 5 hydrogen buses on its roads by the end of 2010.

[Source: Autocar]

China to Invest $15 Billion in Eco Vehicles

2010-08-10T06:10:00.000-07:00

China is planning to invest over the next ten years over 15 billion dollars in vehicles that are powered by alternative energy. "We expect to support measures such as subsidies, tax exemptions and preferential loans," said Yu Bing, automotive analyst at Ping An Securities Company.

Bing believes that the measures will attract customers to buy ecologic vehicles and thus the sales will be stimulated.

Manufacturers such as Toyota Motor, General Motors and BYD, funded by Warren Buffett, plans to increase production of vehicles powered by alternative energy sources to meet the demand from China, the world's largest automobile market.

Chinese state already subsidize the efficient car acquisition, to help reduce emissions. The authorities want that China to become world's largest market for vehicles powered by renewable energy by 2020.

China plans to increase by 2011 the annual production capacity of eco-friendly vehicles to 500,000 units in its efforts to reduce oil imports and pollution.

Honda to Launch Japan's Cheapest Hybrid Car

2010-08-09T07:32:00.000-07:00

According to Honda Motor Co., it will launch the Japan's cheapest hybrid vehicle, in the middle of October. Honda's "Fit" hybrid compact car will cost about 1.6 million yen, being much more cheaper than Honda Insight hybrid.

Powered by an electric motor and a 1.3-liter gasoline engine, Honda Fit will have the same fuel efficiency as Insight(around 30 km per liter). Unlike the conventional Fit gasoline vehicle, the hybrid edition will only be some 400,000 yen more expensive, by it guess that it worth.

By launching this low-end hybrid model, Honda hopes to leverage its sales and catch up with Toyota Motor Corp..

[Source: MDN]

Bio-Bug is Claimed to be UK’s First Poo-Powered car

2010-08-07T02:26:00.000-07:00

Who would have ever thought that one-day the cars will be powered by human waste. A team of British engineers has made a methane gas-powered car. Called “Bio-Bug”, the "green" car is claimed to be Britain’s first vehicle to run on methane gas and besides this its performance is not reduced.

The car's main source of power is the biogas, which is generated from human waste at a sewage plant. This eco-friendly car is a 2 litre VW Beetle convertible that was converted to be powered not only by conventional fuel, but also compressed methane gas.

According to the engineers, Bio-Bug uses unleaded petrol but when the the engine becomes hot, it immediately switches to methane.

Running about 5.3 miles per cubic meter of biogas, the car is able to reach a top speed of 114mph. The sewage collected from just 70 homes is enough to make this poo-powered car to travel 10,000 miles.

Toyota Prius Hybrid to be Produced in Thailand

2010-08-07T02:14:00.001-07:00

According to Toyota Motor officials, the company is planning to begin producing the Prius hybrid in Thailand, by the end of this year.

Toyota Prius, the car which use two power sources: an electric motor and a petrol engine has been launched in 1997, becoming the world's first mass-produced hybrid vehicle.

The company also said, the engines and batteries will be delivered from Japan and for the future, Toyota wants to export the hybrid cars from Thailand to Asian markets.

Over the years, Prius has become very popular in Japan,being the most-selling cars.