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Paul Evans
Solar wrapped batteries charge themselves
By Paul Evans
21:45 February 25, 2009 PST
From the files of “why don’t they make that?” comes a rechargeable battery with integrated solar cell charger. The “SunCast” prototype uses flexible solar cells from IFE and some C sized NiMH rechargeable batteries. Scientists at IFE have been experimenting with the production of flexible solar cells and were kind enough to send some samples to the “SunCast” battery designer Knut Karlsen. Read More
Toyota's Hybrid Camry Concept Vehicle unveiled
By Paul Evans
21:55 February 23, 2009 PST
Toyota has premiered its HC-CV (Hybrid Camry Concept Vehicle) ahead of the 2009 Melbourne International Motor Show in Australia. Using the same continuously variable transmission layout as a Toyota Prius, the new Hybrid pairs a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine with an electric motor and battery pack, with the familiar Camry exterior lines tweaked in favor of aero efficiency. Read More
Green Wheel - 3 in 1 wireless electric bicycle hub motor
By Paul Evans
21:01 February 23, 2009 PST
A fully self contained bicycle hub motor known as the GreenWheel has been developed by students at MIT that contains the motor, batteries and motor controller all within the hub enclosure. Very similar in concept to the E+ we reported on earlier this week, but taken one step further by combining the batteries together with the motor in a single hub instead of putting the batteries in the front hub and motor/controller in the rear hub as on the E+. Read More
Flexible Thin Film Solar Cells to be printed like money
By Paul Evans
20:37 February 23, 2009 PST
Scientists developing flexible, large area, cost-effective, reel-to-reel printable plastic solar cells have announced that trials have commenced which promise a new era of solar cells that are printed like money. These printable solar cells offer advantages over traditional solar technology because of the potential to mass produce the cells cheaply using polymer printing technology, a process which has already been used in banknotes in more than 20 countries. Read More
Solar power beamed from space within a decade?
By Paul Evans
22:46 February 22, 2009 PST
The concept of Space-Based Solar Power (SBSP) has been doing the rounds for decades with fantastic claims of 24 hour a day solar power beamed from space via microwave to any point on earth. A start up company called Space Energy, Inc says it plans to develop SBSP satellites to generate and transmit electricity to receivers on the Earth's surface. To do this, the company plans to create and launch a prototype satellite into low earth orbit (LEO). The hitch: this concept is based on as yet unproven technology. Paul Evans investigates. Read More
E+ Electric Bike - the world's most advanced electric bicycle?
By Paul Evans
18:42 February 22, 2009 PST
With the increasing popularity of the electrically assisted pushbike we are starting to see some innovative designs hit the market. While hub motors are the number one solution for mounting the electric motor within a bike frame, either in the front or rear wheel, mounting the battery pack and motor drive electronics has remained a challenge when taking into consideration practically and aesthetics. The folks at Electric Motion Systems think they have the answer with a combination of a 750 watt rear wheel mounted hub motor with built-in motor drive electronics paired with a battery pack mounted in the front wheel hub. Read More
Outback Australian town to run on solar power 24 hours a day
By Paul Evans
17:32 February 22, 2009 PST
If ever there was a perfect candidate for solar power, the north-west Australian town of Cloncurry is it. The town has long claimed the title of Australia's hottest recorded day - 53 degrees Celsius in the shade in 1889 - and is now is gearing up to produce solar thermal power capable of supplying all of ts electricity needs, 24-hours a day. The system will use up to 8000 mirrors will reflect sunlight onto graphite blocks through which water will be pumped to generate steam that will operate a conventional steam turbine electricity generator. Because heat stays in the graphite, the system will work through the night and on overcast days. Read More
San Francisco gets EV charging stations
By Paul Evans
04:00 February 22, 2009 PST
As part of a two-year public demonstration project conducted with the City of San Francisco three Coulomb charging stations have been installed across the street from City Hall. Announced at a press conference with the Mayor of San Francisco Gavin Newsom, these charge points are the first in 40 to be installed in the City’s efforts to transform the Bay Area into the EV Capital of the United States. The charge points are intended to allow on-street charging the city's municipal fleet of electric vehicles, as well as those owned by car-sharing services City CarShare and Zipcar. Read More
Solar Thermal Waste Heat Engine works at low temperature, low pressure
By Paul Evans
23:37 February 12, 2009 PST
Technology capable of generating electricity by extracting energy from heat that is otherwise just wasted is a fairly new branch of renewable technology. A typical co-generation plant uses waste heat from a gas or steam turbine for hot water or space heating. This Waste Heat Engine (WHE) developed by Cyclone Power Technologies operates at temperatures as low as 225F (107 C). The engine can generate up to 10kw from heat sources such as industrial ovens or furnaces, concentrating solar thermal collectors, engine exhaust and biomass combustion. Read More
MIT students develop Hydraulic Regenerative Shock Absorbers
By Paul Evans
19:34 February 12, 2009 PST
We reported recently on several new methods of regeneration for hybrid vehicles. These included regenerative shocks based on electric motors and a hydraulic drive train. Now students at MIT have developed a regenerative shock absorber that is a cross between those two. Fitted to a heavy truck, each shock absorber could generate up to an average of 1 Kw on a standard road, completely displacing the large alternator load and even running accessory devices such as hybrid trailer refrigeration units. Read More
Foiljet MR1 hydrofoil: the motocross bike for water
By Paul Evans
00:55 February 10, 2009 PST
The Foiljet MR1 is a new personal watercraft concept that takes the best features of a motocross bike and jetski, throws in two hydrofoils plus a silent, energy efficient electric motor to create what would have to be a surefire recipe for outrageous fun. The design looks something like a motocross bike, but instead of wheels there are beams with small hydrofoil wings mounted at the ends that can be raised or lowered. The concept would use a 15 kW (20 hp) electric motor housed at the end of the rear beam with its instant electric torque lifting the craft out of the water to become "foil borne". Read More
Wave and wind power hybrid for off shore wind farms
By Paul Evans
23:48 February 9, 2009 PST
Bringing together the benefits of two eco-friendly forms of power generation, Scottish company Green Ocean Energy has developed a wave power machine that attaches to an offshore wind turbine. The system, known as the Wave Treader, comprises two 20 m (66ft) long floats molded from GRP (Glass Reinforced Plastic) at ocean level attached to a wind turbine tower by 50 m (165 ft) long pivoting beams. As the floats move up and down in response to constant wave action, the arms move hydraulic cylinders attached to the beams by levers, which in turn spins a hydraulic motor connected directly to an electric generator. Read More
The DIY, open source, self-balancing ride-on robot
By Paul Evans
20:46 February 9, 2009 PST
"Segway" slipped into the lexicon as the commonly used term for a self-balancing ride-on robot soon after the launch of Dean Kamen's famous invention in 2001. The Segway is certainly a unique way to get around and to the casual observer, the way the device operates might seem to defy gravity. There are quite a few DIY projects around the Internet including standard two-wheeled upright versions, unicycles and one wheeled skate boards that operate on the same self-balancing principle. Now a kind soul named Geoffrey Bennett has released an open source version of the firmware required to operate a ride on robot free, allowing anyone with basic mechanical ability and some electronics skills to build their very own self-balancing transport. Read More
Ford’s first Battery Electric Vehicle confirmed as the 2010 Transit Connect
By Paul Evans
15:34 February 9, 2009 PST
True to their word Ford Motor Company has become the first of the big three to announce plans to market a pure battery electric-powered light commercial vehicle in North America. Based on the all-new Transit Connect global commercial vehicle platform, the Transit EV will be available in U.S. Ford dealerships in 2010. Read More
Irish firm claims World's most efficient solar hot water panel
By Paul Evans
20:28 February 8, 2009 PST
Irish company Surface Power has launched what it claims is the world’s most efficient solar hot water panel. A report from Silicon Republic states that certification by testing house TUV Rhineland has shown that the innovative product is up to 131% more efficient in morning and evening time and 76% more efficient at midday than other panels. Read More
Robotic Electric Motorcycle concept capable of MotoGP speeds
By Paul Evans
17:11 February 8, 2009 PST
We're familiar with the soccer playing exploits of intelligent machines in Robocup and have been treated to a taste of what autonomous robotic systems are capable of in events like the DARPA Urban Challenge, but could a rider-less motorcycle robot compete with the speed demons of MotoGP? That's the vision of Japanese computer graphics designer Yutaka Igarashi who has conceived a new robotically controlled motorcycle design aimed at beating the lap time of a MotoGP bike around a circuit. Read More
Thermoelectrics to replace car alternators and improve MPG
By Paul Evans
16:06 February 8, 2009 PST
Thermoelectrics - the phenomena in which a temperature difference creates an electric potential - have been known about for almost 200 years, but practical applications have not been widespread due to their low energy efficiency. That may all now be about to change as Germany automakers Volkswagen and BMW have developed thermoelectric generators (TEG) that recover waste heat from a combustion engine. Read More
Scientists developing spray-on solar panels
By Paul Evans
18:24 February 6, 2009 PST
Researchers in Australia have started a three-year project to develop a spray-on coating for solar panels and more efficient cells that are less costly than today's PV. Australian National University (ANU) is working with new Australian solar company Spark Solar and Finnish materials company Braggone Oy on the method, which could be commercially available by 2011. Read More
KTM reveals production plans for electric enduro motorcycle
By Paul Evans
00:14 February 6, 2009 PST
In more big news on the electric motorcycle front this week, KTM has started development for series production of a sports enduro with electric drive. The company has been testing a fully functional electric, zero local emissions enduro prototype motorcycle since mid 2008 and has now announced that mass production is set to begin in 2010. Read More
Japan getting 320kmh Shinkansen E5 bullet train in 2011
By Paul Evans
00:49 February 5, 2009 PST
A new Shinkansen bullet train being built to go into service on the East Japan line will travel at up to 320 kilometers per hour (200 mph), making it the fastest rail service in Japan. Test runs for the Series E5 train are planned for July 2009 ahead of its debut in spring 2011. The 10-car train will be initially operate at a top speed of 300 kph, ramping up to 320kmh by the end of March 2013. Read More
Aptera 2e specs released
By Paul Evans
21:10 February 3, 2009 PST
Aptera have displayed two prototypes at the Technology, Entertainment, Design (TED) conference held annually at Long Beach California and have revealed more specifications for the 2009 production 2e. The big news is that we finally have some specs for the powertrain. The 1500lb (680kg) curb weight Aptera 2e will have a 60 ft/lb (81 Nm) electric motor driving the front wheels through a 10:1 single speed gearbox with power provided at 336 volts by a 10 – 13 kw/hr Lithium iron phosphate battery pack. Read More
US$3 LED light bulb lasts 60 years, could end battle of the bulbs
By Paul Evans
17:44 February 1, 2009 PST
Cambridge University researchers have developed cheap, light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs that produce brilliant light but use very little electricity. They will cost just GBP2 (USD2.80) and last up to 60 years. The gallium nitride based bulbs are 12 times more efficient than conventional tungsten incandescent bulbs and three times more efficient than compact fluorescent low-energy bulbs. As well as lasting 100,000 hours, ten times as long as today's eco-bulbs, the LED bulbs do not contain mercury, so disposal is less damaging to the environment, they do not flicker and fully illuminate instantly, unlike the current generation of eco-bulbs. Read More
DIY Honda Civic gets 95 MPG
By Paul Evans
17:25 February 1, 2009 PST
It might look ugly but this 1992 Honda Civic has double the fuel mileage of a standard Civic simply by lowering the coefficient of drag (Cd) from 0.34 to 0.17 with a little engineering savvy and $400 worth of material bought the local hardware store. In fact the drag on this 350,000 miles (563,270 km) old Civic has been reduced to the point where it is virtually equal to the radical tear drop shaped Aptera which has a Cd of 0.15. Read More
Aptera 2e pre-production model rolls out, on track for October launch
By Paul Evans
19:13 January 29, 2009 PST
Aptera has released news that the initial pre-production front wheel drive version of the all-electric model known as the series 2e has rolled out the door of its Californian production facility. For the next several months a small number of vehicles will be built for internal testing. Volume production for retail deliveries is now scheduled for October 1, 2009. Read More
Ultimate Aero EV: 1000 horsepower electric supercar
By Paul Evans
03:18 January 28, 2009 PST
In the latest installment from the company that announced only four months ago that it is working on a new breed of EV super car “featuring a revolutionary power source allowing for the possibility of several years between charging”, we now have the just-as-fantastic prospect of the world's first roadgoing 1000 bhp battery electric vehicle. Shelby Sports Cars says it expects to roll out its first full-scale, pre-production Ultimate Aero EV in Q2 2009 so we won’t have long to see if this ambitious claim can become reality. Read More
Sam Munro
- November 26, 2009 @ 08:08 UTC
