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Boeing’s hydrogen propulsion system powered by Ford’s engine

October 27, 2007

Boeing’s High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) unmanned aircraft has run a successful test. The hydrogen propulsion system of the aircraft was based on Ford’s 2.3-liter, four-cylinder hydrogen combustion engine.

The engine is same as the one Ford displayed in its Model U concept, but upgrades were made to make it capable of a high-flying machine. The engine ran for nearly four days in a controlled chamber including three days of simulated flight at 65,000 feet.
Ford’s engine came out with flying colors and even beat the optimists in its results. The engine showed great fuel economy, complete airflow and torque control across its operating range. HALE is designed to stay in the skies for upto seven days and carry payloads upto 2,000 pounds. The aircraft has obvious military and reconnaissance applications.
[Via: Green Car Congress]

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Boeing’s hydrogen propulsion system powered by Ford’s engine

October 27, 2007

Boeing’s High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) unmanned aircraft has run a successful test. The hydrogen propulsion system of the aircraft was based on Ford’s 2.3-liter, four-cylinder hydrogen combustion engine.

The engine is same as the one Ford displayed in its Model U concept, but upgrades were made to make it capable of a high-flying machine. The engine ran for nearly four days in a controlled chamber including three days of simulated flight at 65,000 feet.
Ford’s engine came out with flying colors and even beat the optimists in its results. The engine showed great fuel economy, complete airflow and torque control across its operating range. HALE is designed to stay in the skies for upto seven days and carry payloads upto 2,000 pounds. The aircraft has obvious military and reconnaissance applications.
[Via: Green Car Congress]

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Prius not just a model anymore, to become a brand soon

October 26, 2007

This one has been in the rumor mill for long and has finally made its way out of the mill, with a badge saying ‘its true’. Prius is on its way to become a brand for Toyota. Toyota envisages the Prius marque to span an entire lineup of hybrid vehicles, with a distinctive styling that will yell loudly about the vehicles’ green credentials.

The new brand is likely to see an entry into dealerships by 2010. Speculations say three models, currently dubbed the Prius ‘A’, Prius B and Prius C will come with the launch of the brand.
Prius may be among the top selling hybrids yet, but with all automakers gearing for a push into this segment, with new and innovative technologies, the new brand may find itself in dire straits. Moreover, with the ‘hybrid option’ getting common across vehicle lineups, a separate marque for hybrids may not be a [...]

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Honda’s new Fuel cell powered electric vehicle to debut at Los Angeles auto show

October 24, 2007

Honda is set to debut a new fuel cell powered electric vehicle at the Los Angeles Auto Show. The new vehicle will be based on the FCX Concept and the company has plans to market the vehicle to fleet and retail customers in Japan and the USA next year.
Honda’s vehicle utilizes electricity generated in the fuel cell stack as well as electricity from its Lithium ion battery pack. Honda’s fuel cell vehicles meet all federal government emission and crash safety standards. Honda already has two leased fuel cell vehicles running on the road.
[Courtesy: Honda]

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Honda’s new Fuel cell powered electric vehicle to debut at Los Angeles auto show

October 24, 2007

Honda is set to debut a new fuel cell powered electric vehicle at the Los Angeles Auto Show. The new vehicle will be based on the FCX Concept and the company has plans to market the vehicle to fleet and retail customers in Japan and the USA next year.
Honda’s vehicle utilizes electricity generated in the fuel cell stack as well as electricity from its Lithium ion battery pack. Honda’s fuel cell vehicles meet all federal government emission and crash safety standards. Honda already has two leased fuel cell vehicles running on the road.
[Courtesy: Honda]

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Daimler sees its fuel cell vehicle fleet in showrooms by 2015

October 23, 2007

Daimler AG plans to bring fuel cell based vehicles into production in less than 10 years. According to Christian Mohrdieck, the Director of fuel cell system development at Daimler, fuel cell technology will be well advanced and ready to produce cost effective cars by 2015.
Daimler’s first fuel cell car, the Necar 1 was first seen in 1994 and different versions followed. Currently, the company has the F600 as a fuel cell vehicle. Daimler is believed to have tested 100 fuel cell models over more than 2.23 million miles.
[Via: Egmcartech]

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Prius may be the first plug-in hybrid to hit the streets

October 23, 2007

The race to be the first automaker to launch a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) seems to be getting hot with every passing day. A couple of months ago, we had heard that Toyota’s plans of bringing a plug-in hybrid had been delayed due to problems with Lithium-ion batteries.
The company has decided that the glitches in Lithium ion batteries will not hold up their plans for a PHEV. The next Prius is likely to be the first PHEV in the market, but it will run on nickel metal hydride (NiMh) battery packs.

Prototypes of the Prius are running on NiMh and perhaps even the production version will run on the same until the Li-ion batteries are prepared to do the job. A few units will soon arrive in University of California Irvine and University of California Berkeley for evaluation.
Next generation of the Prius is due in 2009 and is likely [...]

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GM gives away Chevrolet Equinoxes to test fuel cells

October 22, 2007

Fuel Cell vehicles have faced a lot of trouble, even from environmentalists. The cost, the technology, refueling and hydrogen pumps have all come in the line of fire and many have declared the technology itself as ‘not feasible’. Prohibitive costs have always remained the main hurdle for vehicles trying to run on hydrogen.
Fuel cell driven vehicles are extremely clean. Running on hydrogen, these vehicles produce only water as a byproduct. Many big guns of the auto world intend to make fuel cell vehicles a reality and tests are going on in many parts of the world.

GM has decided to involve citizens for testing its fuel cell vehicles and is giving out hundred Chevrolet Equinox SUVs for a three-month period. The SUVs will be given to citizens in LA and New York. GM calls it a large-scale market test. Users will get the vehicle as well as fuel for free, plus [...]

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GM actively supports World Solar Challenge entrants

October 20, 2007

World Solar Challenge has been designed to showcase advancements in solar energy and other alternate fuels for transport needs. The challenge runs 3,021kms in Australia, stretching from Darwin to Adelaide.
GM has sponsored University of Michigan’s solar car Continuum. The team from Annesley has received a Holden Viva Hatch and Australia’s first ethanol production car, Saab BioPower will also flex its muscles at the challenge.
GM has helped entrants not only with money, but also with technical support and testing facilities.

[Courtesy: GM]

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More and More Americans opting for Alternative Fuel Autos

October 17, 2007

There is great news for all of the environment friendly groups and the alternative fuel industry. With times more and more of Americans are drifting towards alternative fuel automobiles. Americans bought nearly half a million alternative fuel automobiles for the second quarter of 2007, does this indicates something…
According to the study, sales for clean diesel vehicles were up by 16 percent from 93,012 last year to 108,044 this time. The E-85 capable vehicles and the Hybrids are also on an upward move. The ever increasing fuel prices and the increase in availability for the AFAs were surely the reasons for this upward move.
According to Dave McCurdy, President and CEO for the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers,
Yet even though more AFAs are being sold, we still need more gas stations to offer biofuels, such as ethanol and biodiesel.

In a recent survey report by R.L. Polk and the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers [...]

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