Currently, most commercially available hydrogen is collected by reforming natural gas with steam. That means fossil fuels are still in the mix, which is a serious black mark against hydrogen use for fuel. While it’s possible to extract hydrogen from water, the process is rather energy intensive and isn’t yet commercially viable. Gerardine Botte of Ohio University believes she may have one possible solution. Instead of cracking hydrogen away from its tight bond in water, the University has demonstrated that it takes much less energy to extract hydrogen from urine, whether that’s synthetic urea or real, honest-to-goodness human urine. As the single most abundant waste on the planet, there’s certainly no shortage of urine in the world and, according to the Botte, this technology can be quickly and easily scaled up as a way to both generate hydrogen and help clean up sewage plants. Sounds like a win-win scenario to us. [Source: Chemistry World | Photo: estherase ] Filed under: Emerging Technologies , Etc. , Hydrogen , Green Daily Strange But True: Researchers extracing hydrogen from urine originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Sat, 04 Jul 2009 16:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Read  |  Permalink  |  Email this  |  Comments

2010 Honda Insight - Click above for high-res image gallery Initial strong sales of the 2010 Honda Insight slowed last month, but new models of the Toyota Prius and Ford Fusion helped give hybrids car sales in June 2009 a nine percent increase over last June. In the U.S., dealers sold 26,205 new hybrids in June, 49.6 of which (12,998 units) were Priuses. Compared to May, hybird sales were up two percent, according to data released by the automakers and complied by Green Car Advisor . This was the sixth month where hybrid increased in sales volumes. Potential reasons for the increase include the new models as well as rising gas prices (and the expectation thereof) and some uncommon hybrid sales incentives. Overall, sales were down for everyone but Subaru and Volvo compared to June 2008. Gallery: Ford Fusion hybrid [Source: Green Car Advisor ] Filed under: Hybrid , Ford , Honda , Subaru , Toyota , Volvo , Green Daily , USA Hybrid sale up despite another down month overall, Prius leads charge originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Sat, 04 Jul 2009 11:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Read  |  Permalink  |  Email this  |  Comments

Fisker Karma - Click above for high-res image gallery Considering the two fledgling automaker’s past history, it’s not terribly surprising that Henrik Fisker would want to distance his company from Tesla Motors. Recall that Fisker had originally been tasked with penning the design for the Tesla S electric sedan but later unveiled the Karma after being dismissed by the Silicon Valley automaker. There was a lawsuit , which was ruled in Fisker’s favor by an arbitration court. Speaking at a meeting of the Western Automotive Journalists Assoction, Fisker said, “The full-electric car [like the Tesla Roadster] is a niche market. Plug-in hybrids have a much bigger market.” Of course, not everyone agrees that PHEVs are the way to go . Fisker goes on to say that his company’s latest business plan will lead to profits at just 5,000 annual sales, though the goal remains 15,000 sales per year. What about the Chevy Volt, which uses a similar range-extended electric architecture as the Fisker Karma? Somewhat disparingly, Fisker suggests that GM’s future EV won’t really be competition for the Fisker, saying only, “It’s a Chevy.” He’s got a point, though, as the Volt is likely to cost about half what Fisker plans to ask for the Karma and surely won’t fit into the same luxury category as Fisker’s green machine. Gallery: Fisker Karma [Source: Hybrid Cars ] Filed under: EV/Plug-in , Hybrid Henrik Fisker distances his company from Tesla, GM originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 03 Jul 2009 19:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Read  |  Permalink  |  Email this  |  Comments

MINI E - click above for high-res image gallery The popularity of BMW’s MINI E test program in the United States has evidently prompted the company to expand production beyond the original 500 cars and add a smaller test fleet in Europe. The original plan, as announced last fall, was for 500 of the battery-powered MINIs to be made available in the U.S. and split between Southern California and the New York/New Jersey area. According to MINI USA spokeswoman Nathalie Bauters, there will be 450 of the cars in the U.S. with an additional 105 cars in Europe. Of the European fleet, 50 will go to the German capitol of Berlin, 40 to the British capitol in London and the last 15 will be used in and around Münich, hometown to BMW. That makes a total of 555 electric MINIs in a year-long (and controversial ) field test. In all likelihood we will be hearing something about the next phase of BMW’s electrification plans within the next 12 months, possibly at the LA Auto Show this fall where we first saw the MINI E last year . Gallery: MINI E [Source: BMW, Bigblogg.Motoring ] Filed under: EV/Plug-in , BMW , MINI BMW building more MINI Es for European testing originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 03 Jul 2009 18:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink  |  Email this  |  Comments

MINI E - click above for high-res image gallery BMW has gotten a lot of press (some bad ) for their MINI E project. Even though the all-electric car comes with a plug, the plug-in advocacy group Plug In America (PIA) has a problem with the way that the Bavarians might be able to get a lot of legislative good will without really putting EVs on the road for good. PIA released a statement (read it after the jump) that criticizes CARB’s loophole that could allow BMW to get as many Zero Emission Vehicle credits for the one-year lease of the electric cars as it would for a standard vehicle production program. PIA’s legislative director, Jay Friedland, said that, “CARB is allowing BMW to game the system by accruing the maximum number of ZEV credits with the least amount of effort.” Friedland said that lease-only programs are what led to the EV crush-fest in the 1990s, something that long-time PIA members still remember as a real slap in the face. PIA wants BMW to only get the credits if the MINI Es are also offered for sale. Another criticism of the lease program is that, according to CARB, when the June 30 deadline got closer and closer, BMW began: dumping dozens of cars into municipal fleets to be leased for only $10 a month, most recently pulling some of those vehicles from retail consumers who had been willing to pay full price and complied with the nearly 8-month process required to get one of the cars . Not long ago, we heard that the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department got a good deal on some MINI Es . CARB’s response was to say that it will look at its regulations next year and that “we’ve urged BMW to consider extending that one-year lease.” Undoubtedly, there will be more to come on this. Gallery: MINI E [Source: PIA, Reuters ] Continue reading Plug In America criticizes CARB loophole that could help BMW with its MINI E Filed under: EV/Plug-in , BMW , Legislation and Policy Plug In America criticizes CARB loophole that could help BMW with its MINI E originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 01 Jul 2009 19:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Read  |  Permalink  |  Email this  |  Comments

Hybrid transit buses using the GM-Allison Two-mode hybrid system are becoming fairly common in North America with several thousand now on the road. In the UK however, the two-mode buses are brand new, with the first four recently going into service in London. The two-mode hybrid transmissions are installed in Optare Tempo bus chassis that are being used as part of a hybrid test program in the British capitol. Several different hybrid systems are being evaluated by Transport for London. The two-mode hybrid is the basis of the system being used by General Motors in its full-size SUV and pickup trucks. The only difference (other than size) is that the light duty versions have a clutch system that provides up to four fixed gear ratios and direct mechanical drive for better highway efficiency. Since the buses typically operate at lower speeds, this isn’t needed. The buses use a 340 hp diesel engine and a nickel metal hydride battery pack. Gallery: London two-mode hybrid buses [Source: Allison] Continue reading Two-mode hybrid buses debut in the UK Filed under: Hybrid , UK Two-mode hybrid buses debut in the UK originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 01 Jul 2009 18:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink  |  Email this  |  Comments

Dean Kamen’s Stirling-powered hybrid scooter patents - Click above for image gallery We’ve known about Dean Kamen’s work on the Stirling engine for hybrid vehicle use since the inventor introduced the DEKA Revolt late last year. According to some recently-filed patent applications, though, it would seem that Kamen has lots more up his sleeve for the good ‘ol Stirling engine, including a possible hybrid scooter. According to Gizmag , Kamen is thought to be using a prototype scooter featuring the Stirling hybrid powertrain at his personal residence on an island a mile off the coast of Connecticut . From the patent drawings, we can see a that the Stirling engine is mounted at the rear of the bike while a rechargeable battery pack for the electric motor sits under the scooter’s floor. According to the report, Kamen has invested some $50 million into the development of the Stirling engine, though it’s unclear whether there are any possible production plans for this particular hybrid scooter. Gallery: Stirling-powered hybrid scooter patents [Source: Gizmag ] Filed under: Emerging Technologies , Hybrid , On Two Wheels , Green Daily Dean Kamen working on hybrid scooter with Stirling engine originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 01 Jul 2009 17:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Read  |  Permalink  |  Email this  |  Comments

General Motors, Ford, Chrysler, Honda and everyone else may not think there is much of a market for mainstream diesel vehicles in the United States, but Volkswagen would beg to differ. Since it launched its new generation diesels last fall in the Jetta and earlier this year in the Touareg, they have been selling like hotcakes with June being its best month yet. Last month was the best sales month to date for the Sportwagen with 1,982 sales, a whopping 81 percent of those were equipped with the 2.0-liter TDI four cylinder. Among the 8,431 Jetta sedans sold in June, 40 percent were also diesel powered. And while the Touareg followed most other SUVs with a 41 percent overall decline to only 330 units in June, 29 percent of those had the 3.0-liter V6 TDI engine. Rabbit sales were down 69 percent in June, but a redesigned Golf is arriving in September including a TDI and, if fuel prices keep climbing through the summer, it could get a huge sales spike as well. Gallery: In the AutoblogGreen Garage: 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI [Source: Volkswagen] Continue reading Diesels grab 81% of Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen sales in June Filed under: Diesel , Volkswagen Diesels grab 81% of Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen sales in June originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink  |  Email this  |  Comments

T3 Motion CT3 - Click above to enlarge T3 Motion , creators of the Segway-esque non-balancing T3 Series Electric Stand-up Vehicle for police and security use, has just issued a press release detailing its plans to launch a new three-wheeled electric vehicle called the CT3. The new vehicle is the first machine from T3 that was specifically designed for personal commuter use and is based on the company’s CT low-speed electric four-wheeled vehicle. Using a three-wheeled design should allow T3 Motion to classify the CT3 as a motorcycle in most states, which means it won’t necessarily need to be restricted to low-speed use as a Neighborhood Electric Vehicle , though the machine will be capped at a 45 mph top speed regardless. All three of the CT3’s wheels are powered by electric motors that get their electrons from T3’s proprietary Power Management System and lithium polymer batteries. At this time, the vehicle exists only in rendered form (pay close attention to the wheels and tires in the above image), but T3 plans to enter a special CT-S version of the machine in the Auto X Prize that will reportedly be capable of 80 miles per hour and an equivalent mpg rating of over 100 miles per gallon. Click past the break for the official press release. Thanks for the tip, Deepa ! [Source: T3 Motion via Green Launches ] Continue reading T3 Motion introduces three-wheeled CT3 personal commuter, plans to enter Auto X Prize Filed under: EV/Plug-in , On Two Wheels , Automotive X-Prize , USA T3 Motion introduces three-wheeled CT3 personal commuter, plans to enter Auto X Prize originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 01 Jul 2009 14:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink  |  Email this  |  Comments

Iceland is a gorgeous place. Just take a look at these Flickr submissions from the island. The country’s finances aren’t quite so pretty these days, and the reality of the financial crisis is dramatically slowing down the country’s attempted shift to a hydrogen economy . Iceland has been testing hydrogen-powered vehicles for years, and the first hydrogen fueling station opened there in late 2007. One reason for the move to hydrogen is that the island country can fairly easily use geothermal energy to make hydrogen from water. The New York Times says that the shift to get all ground transportation vehicles and some boats to hydrogen power “have been set back at least 10 years and may have to be altered to allow for electric cars.” The problem? The cost of fuel cells and the down world economy. A professor of chemistry at the University of Iceland in Reykjavik told the Times : In the past years, teams from all the big car manufacturing companies visited us and said they intended to market fuel cell-powered hydrogen cars shortly after 2010. Of course, because of the current world crisis, there will be a delay . Those of you rooting for electric vehicles to win out over H 2 , don’t forget that the Mitsubishi iMiEV is currently undergoing testing in Iceland . Of course, a busted economy can sink all ships, so don’t enjoy the schadenfreude too much. [Source: New York Times ] Photo by Neate Photos . Licensed under Creative Commons license 2.0 . Filed under: Hydrogen , Europe/EU Financial crisis delays Iceland’s hydrogen transportation project originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 01 Jul 2009 12:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Read  |  Permalink  |  Email this  |  Comments