A plastic material is any of a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic organic solids that are moldable. Plastics are typically organic polymers of high molecular mass, but they often contain other substances. How about mostly sulfur? A new chemical process can transform waste sulfur into a lightweight plastic that may improve batteries for
Category:
Clean Transportation
The worldwide buzz around the revolutionary aluminum-air battery of the Israeli-based technology company Phinergy is reaching new peaks. Even president Obama had the chance to view the technology during his visit to Israel.
Phinergy has created a car battery that powers an
David Herron, a software engineer turned automotive journalist, owns just one car: a gorgeous red 1971 soft-top Volkswagen Karmann Ghia—converted to run purely on electricity. But he doesn’t advocate that every EV shopper embark upon a conversion project.
“These days, you can go down to a Nissan
New cars are getting more fuel-efficient every year. Engineers are deploying all kinds of whiz-bang technology to achieve these gains. But the no-brainer most effective and immediate way to reduce our fuel use is, drum roll, to drive less.
And that’s exactly what is happening on a per-capita
Alysha Webb knows a great deal about the electric vehicles market and the role that China plays in it. I’ve met her at numerous auto shows, and I look forward to reading her always-informative blog posts.
But her current piece on Fisker Automotive and how the Chinese company Wanxiang’s buyout of bankrupt A123 (lithium ion battery manufacturer) might affect
There once was a time when hybrid cars were unique in technology and looks compared to their traditional counterparts. The Toyota Prius was one of those cars. That car screamed “look at me, I am eco-friendly”. Nowadays, hybrid cars are more main stream and help manufacturers meet ever increasing fuel economy standards. The Kia Optima Hybrid does not scream
When we look at the people whose life’s work revolves around improving conditions for humankind, we observe that most of these individuals are not wealthy. Not only are their endeavors not focused on profit, but in many cases, their efforts actively fly in the teeth of the most profitable industries on the planet – whether that means Big Energy, Food,
High-Speed Trains Provide Broad Environmental, Social Benefits, Study Says
written by Yale Environment 360
Bullet trains fuel real-estate booms, improve quality of life, reduce air pollution and traffic congestion, and provide a “safety valve” for crowded cities, especially in the developing world, according to a study by Chinese and U.S. economists.
The study was based on China’s rapidly expanding high-speed rail network, but the researchers said the
Here’s a conversation I’m having with a friend about the mess at Fisker, i.e., the departure of the company’s founder.
Craig: That’s incredible about Fisker. What do you make of all this?
Friend: It reminds me of John DeLorean in the 1980s and the movie “Tucker” about Preston Tucker in the
Widespread adoption of electric vehicles will reduce greenhouse gas emissions significantly. Some are worried that the electric grid will be stressed leading to a decrease in its reliability. In related news today, Battelle and AeroVironment have a technology that will address this concern, and help EV’s charge when the grid is most able to support charging.
The unveiling of futuristic concept cars is partly what makes major international auto shows so much fun. These outlandish vehicles ask the public to re-imagine the core idea of what a vehicle is supposed to do—and the essential relationship between car and driver. The Rinspeed microMAX, which will be displayed at this month’s Geneva Motor Show, is as provocative as
Who said the effects of global warming are all negative? According to new research conducted by UCLA, melting sea ice during the late summer will make Arctic shipping channels much more accessible.
The economy of the world depends on shipping
As discussed here, the widening divide between rich and poor has meant that new cars are unaffordable for an ever-increasing segment of the American population. At the risk of sounding like Marie Antoinette with her fatal “let them eat cake” remark, new car ownership isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. In fact, I’m among the growing number who
While car sales of hybrid models have shown a steady increase in the last decade, there is still a perception that the green benefits of going hybrid come at the cost of limited performance. This is largely due to the absence of hybrids from the racing scene, which is the platform where popular cars like the Audi A8 and the Subaru Impreza initially gained their prestige.