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Yearly Archives: 2010
Honda To Release a Plug-In Hybrid in 2012
The Japanese car manufacturer Honda announced it will launch a plug-in hybrid car and one with full electric propulsion. These two models will be released in 2012, as part of the strategy to push themselves to the front of a race by global automakers to produce more energy-efficient vehicles.
Planar Energy's New Printing Process to Improve Solid-State Batteries
Orlando-based startup Planar Energy, a spin-off from the National Renewable Energy Laboratories (NREL), found a new method that could improve the lifetime and stability of batteries used in electric vehicles. The company has created a new printing process of solid-state lithium-ion batteries. Unlike liquid lithium-ion batteries, this process can be used to print solid-state batteries that offer three times more storage.
New Thermally Elastic Metal Alloy Increases the Efficiency of Air Conditioners
A team of researchers at the University of Maryland have recently created a new "thermally elastic" metal alloy that will significantly increase the efficiency of refrigeration systems and air conditioners by up to 175 percent. This way, it is expected that the U.S. carbon dioxide emissions will be reduced by 250 million metric tons per year.
Nissan Planning to Migrate Electric Car Technology from LEAF to 370z or Essence Coupe
Edmunds' Inside Line reports sources at Nissan say that the company will make a sports car based on the future Leaf, which hasn't even made its debut on the market.
Zephyr Solar Powered Airplane: Aloft For Two Weeks, Landing on Friday
Prototypes are always good if they can prove the weakest link between theory and practice. Then, the heavy industry can have the cake and make it ten times bigger, but the start and beauty of things is in the trial-and-error phase. Such is the case of Zephyr, a solar powered aircraft that took off more than seven days ago and is still aloft.
Fast-Forward Powered Pedals Should Help You Climb Hills Easier
The idea of modding my bike and making it electric excites me every time I think about it. I even wanted to buy one of those kits on from China a few weeks ago. Then, my wife reminded me that biking is not about going fast and sweatless, but rather about pedaling and enjoying the sports. I can hardly wait till she sees this... the "Fast-Forward Powered Pedals"
New Manufacturing Technology Promises to Improve CIGS Solar Cells' Efficiency
When it comes to power, everybody thinks about money and how we should make power-generating devices like solar cells become more efficient (read: more stuff for the same money and size). Thin film solar cells are yet another competitor to classic ones, and attract customers through the fact that they're thin, flexible and cheap. And they're also pretty inefficient (20% at most).
Batteries That Recharge When Shaken Unveiled by Brother Industries
Brother Industries Ltd recently developed a small generator that allows you to recharge it simply by shaking it. According to the company, the "vibration-powered generating battery" can replace AA and AAA batteries for devices like remote control or flashlights, that have an energy consumption of about 100 mW.
I Touched Porsche's First Electric Car Yesterday – The Carriage That Could Have Changed...
Well, I had read about it, seen it in pictures, been impressed moderately and intelectually, but never realized that the thing was real. It actually exists at the Technical Museum in Vienna, Austria, and I've just visited it. Yesterday. And only then I've realized that I was sitting near a car that made history. Built by the man himself...
Better Place: Electric Car Battery Swapping Service Envisioning Worldwide Expansion
You may have probably heard of Project Better Place before - it's the business led by Shai Agassi that imposes itself a truly hard to get goal: to make a network of battery swapping and charging stations for the not-so-distant electric cars.
