Subscribe to Gizmag's RSS feed
Follow Gizmag on Twitter
Hybrid
Amphibious hybrid concept car - street machine to mean marine
By Jeff Salton
18:45 August 3, 2009 PDT
Despite the fact that very few make it off the drawing board to prototype stage, ‘go anywhere’ concept cars are an ever popular subject for budding auto designers and car lovers alike. And why not - they allow us to forget about the pesky practicalities of design and tiresome economics and imagine what could be. The latest to cross our desk - the Amphibious Hybrid concept vehicle - is a case of Bond meets the Transformers with its automatically adjusting tire design that morphs to ensure maximum grip on any given terrain including ice and water, where it becomes a kind of three wheel paddle boat. Read More
Hail a hybrid - Toyota Prius cabs for Scotland
By Jeff Salton
06:01 July 28, 2009 PDT
Scottish council, West Lothian (near Edinburgh), has given the green light to a local cab company to run a fleet of Toyota Prius vehicles. The decision makes Calder Cabs the first cab company in Scotland to offer the hybrid cars after the council determined that the Prius could be licensed as a private hire vehicle. Read More
Off the grid street lighting: coming soon to a street near you
By Paul Ridden
23:12 July 21, 2009 PDT
It provides light where there is darkness, it gives a sense of safety and security, but it's also a power leech. The humble street light. Thankfully, the move away from the grid is already well underway with companies like Urban Green Energy busy transforming these familiar towers of light into self sufficient beacons that harness the power of the elements - in this case, it's a hybrid solution that uses both the wind and the sun. Read More
CR-Z sports hybrid to hit showrooms next year
04:55 July 15, 2009 PDT
Honda has announced that the CR-Z sports hybrid will be available for sale in Japan from January of next year. First unveiled as a concept at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2007, the two-door sports hybrid is powered by Honda’s Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) system, which combines a small gasoline engine with supplementary power from a built-in electric motor. Read More
Hyundai launches world’s first LPG-electric hybrid
22:13 July 12, 2009 PDT
Hyundai has entered the burgeoning hybrid market with a world first – an LPG-electric hybrid vehicle. The Elantra LPI Hybrid combines a four cylinder 1.6 LPI “Gamma” engine and 15kW electric motor to deliver fuel economy of 42mpg and CO2 emissions of just 99grams/km. Hyundai believes the combination of hybrid power and low-cost fuel will enable the Elantra LPI to pay its way faster than any other hybrid on the market. Read More
Piaggio's stupidly named but very compelling MP3 Hybrid three-wheeler
By Mike Hanlon
02:37 July 12, 2009 PDT
The Piaggio Group's claim that its new MP3 Hybrid is “destined to revolutionize urban mobility” would normally be classified as a somewhat overreaching PR claim. Though a highly optimistic viewpoint in view of the machine's US$12,500 price tag, a 33% premium over the 250cc version, the MP3 Hybrid is a landmark vehicle in that it is the first hybrid motorcycle at the same time as offering a number of significant safety features that make the miserly 60 km/l (140+ mpg) three-wheeler a compelling choice for commuters. We've spent some time on the 250cc version of the MP3 and can vouch that it is just as manoeuvrable and enjoyable as a motorcycle yet much safer and surefooted. While the stupidly named MP3 doesn't actually play music, we believe it will make an impact when it goes on sale in Europe next month. Expect to see the hybrid on U.S. Roads next year. Read More
What’s red on the outside and green on the inside? London’s new hybrid buses
17:47 July 9, 2009 PDT
There’s no better way to test the realities of hybrid technology than with public transport, where significant reductions in fuel consumption and emissions are not just desirable, but a commercial necessity. London got a little greener this week with the delivery of six new Volvo B5L hybrid double-decker buses to Arriva London. The new buses are powered by Volvo’s parallel hybrid I-SAM technology which, used on bus routes in Gothenburg, Sweden, has delivered fuel savings of 30%. Read More
Car share program launched with new Maya 300 electric vehicle
20:15 June 30, 2009 PDT
Baltimore has taken the environmental benefits of car-sharing programs a step further by launching one that features the all-electric, zero local emissions Maya 300. Powered by a lithium-ion battery, the Maya 300 seats five, can travel up to 120 miles on a single charge, has a top speed of 35mph and can be charged via a standard 110V household electrical outlet. Read More
Dean Kamen developing eco hybrid that will run on anything that burns
By Ben Purvis
20:19 June 28, 2009 PDT
Dean Kamen – the multimillionaire inventor behind the Segway personal transporter – is well down the road in the development of a new bike that combines electric power and a radical generator which will allow it to burn almost any fuel. Although the majority of the work that goes on in Kamen's product development company, Deka, is shrouded in mystery, as it includes significant projects for the US military, details are emerging about Kamen's new two-wheeler, which is part of a project that also includes a car designed around the same technology. Read More
Electric vehicle trials gain traction in UK
By Jeff Salton
04:09 June 26, 2009 PDT
A raft of electric vehicle related news from the UK this week with Mitsubishi, Ford, Toyota and BMW (through its Mini brand) all getting a piece of the action. A total of approximately 340 all-electric and hybrid vehicles will begin trials on UK roads within the next 6-18 months. Read More
Road-legal Vmoto SCARTT bridges the gap between quad bike and SUV
By Loz Blain
19:07 June 23, 2009 PDT
Quad bikes offer big off-road thrills and go-anywhere versatility for cheap dollars, but they're not the safest things in the world to ride on the road. SUVs are popular for their comfort and safety on the highway, but most are pretty limited in their off-road abilities, and they're so expensive you're unlikely to feel too carefree about throwing them down a ravine trail. The Vmoto SCARTT sits somewhere in between; a little larger and wider than a quad bike, but with two seats, seatbelts, a roll cage and genuine roadgoing ability to match its featherlight, fishtailing offroad giggle factor. The manufacturer's hoping to sell these 500cc practical fun machines for around the quarter of the price of a typical SUV. Oh, and wait til you see the super-sexy hybrid-electric sportster version. Read More
Yamaha set to launch hybrid production motorcycle for 2010
By Ben Purvis
02:35 June 22, 2009 PDT
Back in 2005, Yamaha showed the wacky 2005 Gen-Ryu hybrid concept bike at the Tokyo Motor Show amidst a raft of other very non-conventional two wheelers such as the aptly named FC-Me fuel cell bike, the ingenious Deinonychus elec tric reconfigurable motorcycle, the Chivicker, Passol and the Maxam two-wheeled limousine. Now it appears certain the bike will become a showroom model in 2010. A series of patent applications detail the new motorcycle which uses the YZF-R6 600cc engine to turn a generator which in turn powers the rear wheel. History shows that every Yamaha styling patent published over the last 20 years has resulted in a full production machine, so there's little doubt this one is also heading for a showroom near you in the very near future. You can expect to see it in the flesh for the first time at the Tokyo Motor Show later this year. Read More
SOHH: Solar human hybrid transport for the whole family (and the dog)
By Paul Ridden
02:36 June 19, 2009 PDT
If the words "human hybrid" conjure terrifying images of Christian Bale battling it out against Skynet and a league of Terminators then the Solar Human Hybrid Project (SOHH for short) might come as a bit of light relief. It's a one of a kind, great-looking 4-wheeler where the power comes courtesy of the harmonization of solar energy and a good old-fashioned lower body workout. There's an iPod dock, a GPS navigation system, a cargo area and even a platform especially for the dog. It's definitely a worthy contender for the crown of coolest green transportation around. Oh, and it's also a school project. Read More
The Multi Mode Vehicle - motorbike AND aircraft in one
By Darren Quick
18:55 June 2, 2009 PDT
Here we are in 2009 - televisions are thin, phones are smart and robots are on the rise, but still there's that nagging sense of disappointment each time you look outside and realize that cars don't fly. Samson Motorworks hopes to rescue us from this predicament, but realizing the weight and aerodynamic disadvantages of the 4-wheel platform, it has left the car in the garage and embarked on a mission to create a flying 3-wheeled enclosed motorcycle. Two dual-use Multi Mode Vehicles (MMVs) models are in development - the Skybike, which uses a patent pending telescoping wing design, and the Switchblade, which uses a scissor wing design to retract the wings when you swap the airway for the freeway. Read More
Falx Air unveils new Hybrid Coaxial UAV helicopter design
By David Greig
01:00 May 28, 2009 PDT
UK based Falx Air has just released the final design overview of its Hybrid Electric Coaxial Helicopter Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). Sharing the same eco-friendly and fuel-saving goals as the company's previous hybrid designs - most notably its solar-hybrid tilt rotor aircraft - the new UAV platform is based on the latest fast charge battery systems developed in the USA and could be configured as a logistical transport for light cargo up to 70kg as well as for long endurance surveillance. Read More
Will the stars align for Scuderi's high-efficiency split-cycle engine?
By Loz Blain
01:00 May 25, 2009 PDT
For more than 100 years people have been trying to come up with an engine design to supercede Nicolaus Otto's four-stroke internal combustion motor. Scuderi is the latest to take a stab, recently unveiling a prototype of a split-cycle engine that relegates the "suck" and "squeeze" strokes to one cylinder, and the "bang" and "blow" strokes to another - for a claimed efficiency improvement of up to 50%, emission reductions of up to 80% and a power density improvement of up to 70%. Meanwhile, it's also able to store large amounts of compressed air, allowing it to run as an air/petrol hybrid when cruising. President Obama's new national efficiency standards represent an opportunity for groups like Scuderi to pitch clever clean engine technology to major manufacturers - but has the split cycle engine got what it takes? Read More
UK team Develops plug-in hybrid retrofit kit for ICE vehicle
By Paul Evans
20:39 May 7, 2009 PDT
Automotive engineering facilities in the UK have joined forces to design a system which allows conventional delivery vans to be cheaply converted to run in a zero-emissions, all-electric mode for urban use. The ADDZEV (affordable add-on zero emissions vehicle) system was developed using a standard Vauxhall Combo van, retaining the existing conventional front-wheel-drive (FWD) system and an adding an electric drive in parallel for the rear wheels. The vehicle can operate with just front wheel drive powered by the internal combustion engine or can turn off the petrol engine and run with rear wheel drive under electric power only. Read More
The 100+ miles-per-gallon, plug-in hybrid Hummer
By Paul Evans
16:49 May 2, 2009 PDT
Raser Technologies has debuted a Hummer H3, converted into a plug-in series hybrid, to coincide with the company's listing on the New York Stock Exchange. With the aerodynamics of a house – it has a drag coefficient of .43 (Cd .43) – and a curb weight of 4700 lb (2132 kg) in standard trim, the H3 hardly makes an ideal vehicle to base a hybrid conversion on. Raser chose the Hummer because trucks and SUVs have been among the best-selling vehicles in the US and stood to benefit most from increased fuel economy and reduced emissions. The recent economic slump and fuel price volatility have led to the Hummer brand being put up for sale (with no takers), while SUV sales have stalled with many SUV plants now closed. Read More
Volvo hybrid bus takes first passengers
By David Greig
18:41 April 29, 2009 PDT
Volvo’s new hybrid bus is taking on passengers for the first time with field tests now underway in Gothenburg, Sweden. Due for series production next year, the parallel diesel/electric hybrid delivers a 30% improvement in fuel economy and a similar reduction in CO2 emissions. Read More
Carl Edwards drives 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid 1445.7 miles on a single tank
By Paul Evans
18:54 April 28, 2009 PDT
A team of Ford hybrid engineers, a fuel efficiency expert and a NASCAR star have driven a 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid 1445.7 miles (2313.12 km) on a single 17.5 US gallon (66.24 Liter) tank of gasoline using Eco-Driving techniques. That's an average of 81.5 mpg (2.88 l/100 km), not bad from a totally standard production car. The 1,000-Mile Challenge started at 8:15 a.m. on Saturday, April 25, from Mount Vernon, Va., and the car finally ran out of gas and battery power on April 28th at 5:37 am in Washington, D.C. NASCAR star Carl Edwards was behind the wheel at the 1000 mile mark and world-record breaking hypermiler Wayne Gerdes was also part of the team. Read More
Lotus’ patented Active Noise Control technologies poised to make motoring more comfortable
By Darren Quick
17:52 April 18, 2009 PDT
Although the environmental benefits of hybrid vehicles are well known, their near silent operation when running off batteries does pose a danger to pedestrians who are used to the rumble of an engine to alert them to oncoming vehicles. Active Noise Control technologies from Lotus Engineering address this problem by projecting engine sounds externally to improve pedestrian safety, while also employing noise-canceling technology internally to reduce unwanted cabin noise. Read More
Citroen tests the world’s first hybrid WRC rally car
By Mike Hanlon
03:25 April 10, 2009 PDT
Citroen Racing has started testing its Citroen C4 Hybrid World Rally Car, proving that its technological showcase is much more than just a motor show model and that it is paving the way for low consumption, low emission, low noise motor sport cars of the future. Just hours after winning its fourth World Rally Championship event of the season, Citroen driver Dani Sordo took the new car testing in Portugal. Read More
Mazda begins commercial leasing of Premacy RE hybrid rotary hydrogen vehicle
By Darren Quick
21:36 March 29, 2009 PDT
Mazda is providing another green option in Japan by commencing commercial leasing of their Premacy Hydrogen RE Hybrid, a hydrogen hybrid vehicle that combines Mazda’s hydrogen rotary engine with an electric motor. The Premacy Hydrogen RE Hybrid improves on the RX-8 Hydrogen RE – the first model to be commercialized - with the hydrogen fuel range of the doubled to 200 kilometers and the maximum output increased by approximately 40 percent to 110 kilowatts. Read More
Back to the Future: Mercedes-Benz F-CELL Roadster
By Paul Evans
20:17 March 25, 2009 PDT
Mercedes Benz has released pictures of an intriguing (if not practical) design study where century old tradition meets transport technologies of the future. The historical roots of the F-CELL Roadster are immediately recognizable in its large spoked wheels that hark back to the the first car developed by Karl Benz in 1886. Pair this with a modern-day hybrid drive system with a 1.2 kW (1.6 hp) electric motor powered by small fuel cell and you have one very modern roadster in a classic quadricycle package. Read More
First pics of Hyundai's BLUE-WILL concept
18:40 March 25, 2009 PDT
Like all of the major international auto shows in recent times, Seoul 2009 looks set to be a showcase for low-emissions, eco-motoring technologies. Among them is Hyundai's new BLUE-WILL plug-in hybrid concept which features a 1.6-liter gasoline engine combined with a 100kw electric motor powered by Lithium-Ion batteries. The car's raised hatchback body design incorporates eco-friendly plastics along with integrated dye-sensitized solar panels in the roof to increase battery range. Read More
matthew.rings
- November 24, 2009 @ 06:31 UTC
