New Honda Insight ad debuts in Belgium
Mar 30, 2009 Auto Tech, Green Technologies
The new Honda Insight is the cheapest hybrid on sale and now, the car has an innovative ad as well. Enjoy the “Let it shine” video here:
The commercial, called ‘Let it Shine’, was created by the Wieden+Kennedy Amsterdam and uses a bank of Insights parked in a grid near the mountains as pixels in a giant LED-like display. When the sun goes down, the headlights begin flickering on and off to create a cutesy animation to the tune of “This Little Light of Mine”. Read the rest of this entry »
Grenbird captures world land speed record for wind powered vehicles
Mar 29, 2009 Auto Tech, Green Technologies
Greenbird
Richard Jenkins, a British engineer recently rewrote the world land speed record for a wind-powered vehicle. He reached 126.1mph (202.9km/h) in his Greenbird car on the dry plains of Ivanpah Lake in Nevada. American Bob Schumacher set the previous record of 116 mph in 1999, driving his Iron Duck vehicle.
The Greenbird was a carbon fibre built vehicles, with a solidwing, instead of sails to harness the power of winds. It weighed just 600 kg, but at high speeds, created enough downforce to avoid being flippping over.
Though wind powered vehicles may not be practical in real life, such initiatives will help focus public attention on alternate sources of energy. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: land speed record, wind energy
Earth Hour: 8.30 pm local time, 28th March, 2009
Mar 28, 2009 Information of the Day, Natural Resource Conservation
EarthHour
This is to remind one and all that today, the whole world will be commemorating the Earth Hour by switching off all lights for one hour from 8.30 pm local time.
Wherever you are on this planet of ours, this symbolism will let our leaders know that we are very serious about tackling the environmental crises facing our terra firma. More than the symbolism, it will save big bucks in electricity costs and carbon emissions, though insignificant compared to the scle of actual action needed to tackle the impending challenges: climate change, vanishing habitats and species, poluution and so on.
Find out more at the EarthHour website.
Tags: Climate Change, EarthHour, Pollution
Tesla Model S is here
Mar 27, 2009 Auto Tech, Green Technologies
Tesla Model S
After teasing us for months, Tesla took the wraps off its Model S, its all electric family sedan. It is currently accepting bookings. So, if you are interested, you could head over to their website and place your order now, though production will start from 2011!
The standard Model S does 0-60 mph (0-100 kmph) in under 6 seconds and will be electronically limited to 130 mph. Sports versions will have under 5 second 0-60 mph time! Just like the Tesla Roadster, the Model S will have a single speed gearbox.
The Model S will offer various battery configurations with a range of upto 300 miles (480kms). It will carry its charger onboard and can be recharged from any 120V, 240V or 480V outlet, with the latter taking only 45 minutes.
Model S and Roadster
So one could go out for a drive in the morning and let it charge at a public charging outlets being set up by Better Place or Coulomb Technologies, while you enjoy your lunch and then drive off into the horizon! When these start offering battery swap stations, you could also swap your discharged floor mounted battery in less than the time it takes to fill up at a gas station and make a scorching getaway.
The interiors are no less alluring, with a 17-inch touchscreen with in-car 3G connectivity allows passengers to listen to internet Pandora Radio or consult Google Maps, or check their state of charge remotely from their iPhone or laptop!
All this comes with prices starting at $57400 and thats before a government tax credit of $7500 further sweetens the deal in US.
Greenpeace releases energy outlook report on India
Mar 26, 2009 Green Technologies
India’s 35 percent electricity demands can be met from renewable energy by 2030 and 50 percent of the projected energy requirements can be met simply from smart and efficient generation, distribution and use of energy, according to a Greenpeace International report. Using renewable resources can ameliorate the lives of the 600 million plus Indians who have no access to electricity today.
Greenpeace released the second version of the “Energy [R] evolution: A sustainable India Energy Outlook,” a report analysing the current scenario and calling for political will to back solutions for India’s energy that is secure, technically feasible and sustainable in a climate challenged world. The report shows how ambitions of economic growth and development can be met while curbing India’s carbon emissions.
“Unlike other energy scenarios that promote energy futures at the cost of the climate, our energy revolution scenario shows how to save money and maintain global economic development without fuelling catastrophic climate change. All we need to kick start this plan is bold energy policy from India’s leaders” said Sven Teske, Greenpeace International’s Renewable Energy Expert and lead-author of the report. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Greenpeace, India
Tesla Model S prices revealed
Mar 24, 2009 Auto Tech, Green Technologies
Model S
Tesla has just announced some details about the pricing of its upcoming Model S sedan. The base version will reportedly cost $57400 when it goes into production sometime probably in 2011. In US, buyers will get a $7500 government tax credit, so the effective price will be less than $50000. Compare this with the almost $90000 price tag of the Fisker Karma and the reportedly $40000 price of the Chevrolet Volt, both of which are range extended electric vehicles (i.e. a petrol motor acting as a generator along with the electric motor powering the wheels), compared to the all electric Model S.
Tesla plans to show the Model S to the public for the first time in California on March 26, 2009. Thats just a couple of days from now!
Tesla also said that it has delivered its 250th Roadster.
Tags: Fisker, General Motors, Tesla
US allocates $2.4 billion for greener automobiles
Mar 24, 2009 Auto Tech, Green Technologies
US President Obama
US President Barack Obama reiterated his promise for a greener US, at his latest speech at Edison Electric Vehicle Technical Center in Pomona, California, announcing plans for a $2.4 billion infusion into the US domestic electric vehicle industry. The funds will be drawn from the $787 billion economic stimulus law and will include plans like a $7500 tax credit for purchasing a plug-in hybrid.
The new funding for electric vehicles will be divided between the automakers and the parts suppliers. The automakers will receive $1.5 billion, while parts makers who are building electronic vehicle components will get $500 millions. These will be in form of loan guarantees and other investments. The remaining $400 million will be devoted to research and on building infrastructure. Both electric vehicle repair centers and community charging stations are targets for this funding. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Barack Obama, EV, Solyndra
Nissan-Renault takes its EV to US while Coulomb comes to Europe
Mar 24, 2009 Auto Tech, Green Technologies
Nissan Renault takes its EV to US
The Renault-Nissan Alliance has announced its partnership with San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) “to advance zero-emission mobility by promoting the development of an electric vehicle (EV) charging network.”
Nissan plans to bring its electric cars to the U.S. next year and SDG&E will help build up the charging infrastructure. The partners will also work with local groups to get the network up and running, maintain it, and teach people how to use it.
Nissan has also developed a partnersip with Better Place to set up electric vehicle charging infrastructure in various countries. Renault-Nissan has set its sights on Zürich, London amongst others.
Meanwhile, Better Place’s competitor, Coulomb Technologies expanded its global footprint by opening a Berlin office, that will help expansion into the European, Middle Eastern and African (EMEA) markets. . Coulomb already has pilot project runing in San Jose and Los Angeles, California.
The partnership between car manufacturers and charging companies is important because lack of public charging infrastructure could be a deterrent to the acceptance of electric and plug-in vehicles.
Tags: Better Place, Coulomb, Nissan, Renault
GE’s amazing hologram based Smart Grid ad
Mar 24, 2009 Green Architecture, Green Technologies
GE is betting big on Smart Grid technologies. It had advertised during the Super Bowl in US this year and now, GE Energy has come out with a unique online ad.
One can log onto GE’s site and print out a special marker that looks like a solar panel, activate your computer’s webcam, and then point the marker so it faces your webcam. The smart grid should automatically open up on your screen, and you can even blow into your computer’s microphone to make the turbines spin faster! Amazing isn’t it? You can also try out the Solar Energy augmented reality ad as well.
See a video demo for yourself below:
Tags: Ad, GE, Smart grid
Hybrid diesel bus with in-wheel electric motors revs up in Netherlands
Mar 23, 2009 Auto Tech
Hybrid bus
Public transport is any day less polluting than private vehicles. Now Netherlands based e-Traction may widen the environmental friendliness gap by developing a diesel-electric hybrid bus that they say offers fifty percent better fuel economy over existing diesel buses.
The bus can run upto an hour on its batteries. It also employs a GPS-based system that switches off the diesel engine entirely while operating in areas with dense traffic, reducing emissions. e-traction has been awarded contracts to retrofit seven commercial buses with the technology.
e-Traction’s design uses in-wheel electric motors on rear wheels and recharges its batteries harnessing energy from braking, that can later be employed for acceleration. The in-wheel motors confer additional savings by eliminating the need for a transmission, differential, and related mechanical parts. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: e-traction, GPS, hybrid buses, Netherlands