Cars that run on compressed air sound like a fantastic idea on paper, but bringing this technology to the masses has proven, well, a difficult road to travel. There's some positive news on the air-car front though - auto giant Tata Motors, which holds the license to develop Motor Development International's (MDI) air engine technology in India, has announced that it has completed the proof of the technical concept and demonstration phase of its air-car program and is now moving toward a market ready product.

Created by mechanical engineer Guy Nègre back in 1991, Luxembourg-based MDI has floated a number of products in its efforts to develop and promote zero pollution engines. The roll-out of the technology has been plagued by false starts and litigation, however, including a promised U.S. launch in 2010 that never eventuated.

The most promising push to market appears to be the ongoing agreement between MDI and Tata motors. In 2007 Tata licensed MDI's technology with the aim of producing and selling compressed air cars in India. Tata has now released a statement that, although no firm time frame is given, suggests that the project is heading in the right direction.

Tata says that the first "proof of the technical concept" phase of the program is now complete with "the compressed air engine concept having been demonstrated in two Tata Motors vehicles."

Phase two, which involves, "completing detailed development of the compressed air engine into specific vehicle and stationary applications," is now underway and, "the two companies are working together to complete detailed development of the technology and required technical processes to industrialize a market ready product application over the coming years."

We'll definitely be keeping an eye on this one.

GizMag

People going through the Los Angeles Convention Center between May 6 and 8 will come across a very stylish aluminum modular structure. The installation is a solar-powered charging carport known as isola, developed by Montreal-based renewz sustainable solutions. The carport will be erected to coincide with the EVS26 Electric Vehicle Symposium taking place in the city on those dates.

The charging station is based on the Self Energy models developed by the Italian company Giulio Barbieri, a manufacturer of aluminum car ports that integrate solar panels. The Los Angeles installation marks its North American debut.

The portable, two-car unit can be built in less than one day, since it does not require footing or foundation. Centralized electric components also contribute to the speed of the installation.

It features a standard Level 2 30-amp EVSE charger, and customers can choose from a range of colors, along with optional LED lights and LCD monitor. isola is waterproof and has been tested for wind, snow and seismic events.

The target market for isola is “auto dealers, car sharing companies, rent-a-car and fleet operators, businesses who wish to offer loyal patrons with free charging, event marketing companies as well (for our portable unit),” said Sass Peress, renewz sustainable solutions’ CEO.

Sass added that a full recharge depends on the car, but “the typical EV car will be recharged in less than five hours by sunlight power with our two car port.”

Solutions like isola have the potential to make EVs more popular by helping mitigate range anxiety. In the United States, the network of charging stations is growing and EV drivers can download applications such as PlugShare to track them through their smartphones. In the UK, drivers can access EV Network UK to find the nearest charging station. In continental Europe, Estonia is going to become home to the world’s first nationwide network of charging stations. It will comprise 200 units built by ABB, a specialist in power and automation technologies. In Australia, EV drivers can access Charge Point to find stations.

GizMag

"The idea was not to perform a feat but an eco-adventure with the aim of passing on the message that change is possible," Domjan told AFP-TV as his boat furrowed through choppy waves from Italy's Elba Island to Corsica in France.

Domjan began his journey from Monaco in September 2010 on the boat he built after seeing the effects of climate change on an Icelandic glacier, and he is due to complete it on May 4 when he returns to the Mediterranean port.
"I realised climate change was real and I had to do something," he said.

The 31-metre (102-foot) white Planetsolar, with 537 square metres of black solar panels mounted around a raised cockpit, cost 15 million euros to build, and the project only became possible after Domjan joined up with German businessman Immo Stroeher.

Domjan, 40, and his crew, including a captain, a chief builder and a mechanic, are hoping that their exhausting but historic 600-day journey will herald a new era in eco-friendly travel, particularly in the tourism sector.

After crossing the Atlantic and passing through the Panama Canal, they crossed the Pacific and returned to Europe via the Suez Canal. There were a few hiccups along the way, including a frustrating three-day wait off the coast of Australia when a storm blocked out the sun.

There are 537 square metres of black solar panels mounted around a raised cockpit aboard PlanetSolar. Planetsolar can produce up to 500 or 600 kiloWatts per hour in good weather -- enough to travel 300 km when the battery is fully charged using engines no more powerful than those on a scooter. "We have everything at our disposal: the know-how, technology, raw materials and renewable energy to become sustainable and protect the planet," said the engineer, a nature lover who is also a pilot, ambulance man and mountain guide.

Planetsolar can produce up to 500 or 600 kiloWatts per hour in good weather -- enough to travel 300 kilometres (186 miles) when the battery is fully charged using engines no more powerful than those on a scooter. Everything on board is solar-powered: from the boat's engines and the on-board computers to the hot water and the light bulbs. "The boat wasn't easy to build, but we built it in a record time of year-and-a-half years," said Jens Langwasser, 28, the chief builder.

"We had a lot of problems with finding the right panels, the right battery. It hasn't been easy. This is solar energy. You go on the road with storms, rain and all types of conditions. You never know what will happen." As the boat requires maximum sunlight to move, it had to sail as close as possible to the Equator and follow routes that constantly had to change, based on how much sunlight was forecast for any particular day. "Twice a day we get a bulletin with sunlight forecasts. Sometimes we have to slow down to go through a patch of clouds and find a sunny spot," said captain Erwann Le Rouzic, 40, an experienced sailor.

Erwann said that despite all the frustrations he was thrilled about the implications of solar-powered travel. "Of course it only works in sunny areas and on some types of boat, and I'm not saying we'll see cargo ships becoming solar powered in 10 years, but now we know it works and there are a lot of possible uses," he said. Ibor, a resident of Calvi where the ship arrived on one of its final legs of the world tour, said he was impressed. "There's no two ways about it. This is the future. No doubt about it," he said. Raphael said he has managed to show to industrialists, businessmen and politicians that his were not just fantasies from the novels of Jules Verne such as "Around the World in 80 days", but feasible ideas.

His first victory is already secure. As the Planetsolar was passing the Galapagos Islands, the government there decided to ban access to one of the archipelago's islands to all boats except for solar or electric-powered ones.

PhysOrg

An article in F1000 Biology Reports published today argues that recent advances in knowledge mean that plant-derived biofuels could meet about 30% of the global demand for liquid transportation fuels, drastically reducing the amounts of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere from burning fossil fuels, without having an impact on food production.
It is widely accepted that one of the causes of detrimental climate change is the emission of greenhouse gasses such as carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and methane in to the atmosphere from the burning of fossil fuels.

Consequently, in recent years, scientific studies into the development of low-carbon technologies to meet our energy needs have become increasingly popular. Chris R. Somerville, F1000 Faculty Member and Philomathia Professor of Alternative Energy at the University of California, Berkeley, and Heather Youngs, a senior analysis fellow in the Energy Biosciences Institute at UC Berkeley and Adjunct Professor of Biochemistry at Michigan Technological University, describe recent research into ways that the body of plants, rather than the seeds, can be improved for use in making next-generation biofuels, in an article published today in F1000 Biology Reports: Development of feedstocks for cellulosic biofuels.

In their article, Somerville and Youngs argue that advances in the technology used to produce and extract plant biomass to be burned directly or converted to liquid fuels may allow the expansion of productivity to a scale large enough to meet the demand for an estimated 30% of all liquid transportation fuels.

The article also addresses some of the concerns associated with the development of biofuels, in particular, that land used to grow plants for biofuels, means less land for other purposes. However, Somerville and Youngs point out that recent scientific advances raise the possibility that non-edible plants can be engineered or bred to grow on the approximately 600 million hectares of land worldwide on which agricultural production has been abandoned, and used to produce biofuels, without significant effects on food production or the ecosystem.

"Many of the concerns about the use of food crops for biofuels do not apply to the use of the inedible parts of plants that are the focus of our review", said Chris R. Somerville said. He continued: "New dedicated energy crops are a particularly promising area of research."

The expansion of biofuel production is a topic with complex economic, ecological, environmental and political concerns. Many advances in our understanding of how to produce biofuels sustainably are arising from interdisciplinary research. Many more will be needed to reach the scale required to reduce the environmental impacts of transportation in an acceptable manner.

PhysOrg

Electric vehicles powered by electricity from renewable energy sources are an attractive option for mobility within the urban area and beyond. However, previous approaches lead to vehicles that either are too heavy and too expensive or do not meet mass-market safety requirements. Within the joint research project Visio.M scientists at the Technische Universitaet Muenchen (TUM), in cooperation with engineers from the automotive industry, will develop concepts to produce electric cars that are efficient, safe, and inexpensive. Lead manager of the project is BMW AG. The project has a total volume of 10.8 million euros and is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF).

Electric cars are silent and cause no emissions where they go. Therefore, they are considered an important option for future individual mobility in urban areas and beyond. But on the way to mass production of electric vehicles, there are still significant technological hurdles to overcome. Previous small electric vehicles offer only a minimum level of vehicle safety and therefore are not mass-marketable. Electric cars that were derived from gasoline-powered models are usually too heavy and require large and expensive batteries.

Within the joint research project Visio.M well known companies of the German automotive industry, together with scientists from the Technische Universitaet Muenchen, explore how the price and safety of small, efficient electric vehicles can be brought to a level enabling them to achieve a significant share of the mass market. The mobility concept deriving from these visionaries will be a vehicle with a power of 15 kilowatts and a maximum curb weight of 400 kg (without battery), meeting the requirements of the European regulatory category L7e.

As their test carrier the consortium partners use the electric vehicle prototype MUTE developed by the TU Muenchen to explore innovations and new technologies for vehicle safety, propulsion, energy storage, and operational concepts for implementation under the framework requirements of large-scale production. Special attention is given to safety-related design issues. Despite minimal weight, Visio.M is expected to achieve a level of protection equal to that offered by conventional cars with combustion engines.

PhysOrg

Electric vehicle and advanced battery company CODA has partnered with Great Wall Motors Company “to co-develop the first all-electric vehicle for worldwide development and distribution.” The companies intend to make it the most affordable commercially available EV. Pretty ambitious goal.

CODA and Great Wall Motors announced that they had a signed a contract this week, and noted that the new EV would “blend CODA’s leading battery technology, knowledge of the US market and deep experience with global joint ventures with the expertise of China’s fastest growing and most profitable automotive producer.”

This will be CODA’s second vehicle.

“Products will be developed by employees of both companies in their research facilities in LA and Baoding, China. Vehicles will be sub-assembled in Great Wall’s manufacturing facilities in Baoding. Final assembly of US destined vehicles will take place in Coda’s facility in the US.”

Source: CODA

Via CleanTechnica

*Zeitnews editors note-

The least expensive electric vehicle currently available (US) is the Mitsubishi iEV (MSRP $29,125- not including $7,500 government EV grant) So the CODA/Great Wall EV will have to beat that price point in order to claim the "Most Affordable EV" title.

BOULDER, Colo., May 01, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Two-wheel vehicles including scooters, motorcycles, and bicycles are a very popular mode of transport in China, India, and most Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries, due to their fuel efficiency and ease of use in congested traffic. The growth of the overall market for these vehicles within Asia Pacific is also leading to strong expansion of the electric two-wheel vehicle industry in the region, with adoption being driven by rapid urbanization and increasing household incomes. According to a new report from Pike Research, annual sales of electric two-wheel vehicles will reach 65.5 million units in the Asia Pacific region by 2018, resulting in a cumulative total of almost 382 million sales from 2012 to 2018.

Close to 92% of these vehicles will be sold in China, where annual sales will reach 60.2 million in 2018.

"Growing economic prosperity is creating a greater number of middle and high income level consumers, which in turn is contributing to the growth of the electric two-wheel vehicle market in the region," says senior analyst Andy Bae. "In addition, the total cost of ownership of e-motorcycles and e-scooters remains low enough that consumers can see payback on the vehicle with a year or two of purchase. That means the market for electric two-wheel vehicles is likely to remain strong in regions with high economic growth rates."

In Asia Pacific, two main technologies are used in the e-motorcycle and e-scooter markets: lead-acid and lithium ion (Li-ion) batteries. Lead-acid batteries will continue to be the primary technology used in the Asia Pacific electric two-wheel vehicle markets, particularly China, while Li-ion batteries will account for a smaller (but growing) share of the technology used in e-scooters and e-motorcycles.

Pike Research's report, "Electric Two-Wheel Vehicles in Asia Pacific", provides an in-depth assessment of current market dynamics and the future growth potential for electric bicycles, scooters, and motorcycles in the Asia Pacific region, along with profiles of the key industry players who are defining these rapidly-evolving markets. The study examines the market forces that are driving adoption of electric two-wheel vehicles in key countries, including demographic trends, consumer behavior, and government initiatives. The report also analyzes the technology issues surrounding this sector such as the changing mix of battery chemistries and key trends in battery management systems and electric motors. Detailed vehicle sales forecasts are provided for each vehicle category through 2018, segmented by country. An Executive Summary of the report is available for free download on the firm's website.

Pike Research is a market research and consulting firm that provides in-depth analysis of global clean technology markets. The company's research methodology combines supply-side industry analysis, end-user primary research and demand assessment, and deep examination of technology trends to provide a comprehensive view of the Smart Energy, Smart Grid, Smart Transportation, Smart Industry, and Smart Buildings sectors.

For more information, visit www.pikeresearch.com or call +1-303-997-7609.

SOURCE: Pike Research

Via WSJ MarketWatch

SIM-Drive, the Japanese consortium behind the SIM-LEI, has announced the SIM-WIL, and though it's somewhat reined in the progressive appearance, it's further stretched the bounds of EV performance, claiming a 351-km (218-mile) range

Cast your mind back, if you will, to January, when we previewed a very unusual electric vehicle called the SIM-LEI. It was unusual in two respects. First, its love-it-or-hate-it appearance, which admittedly resembled a hand-held vacuum cleaner, refused to be ignored. But more crucially, it boasted some very impressive capabilities - foremost among them a 305-km (190-mile) range. Now SIM-Drive, the Japanese consortium behind the SIM-LEI, has announced the SIM-WIL, and though it's somewhat reined in the, ahem, progressive appearance, it's further stretched the bounds of EV performance, claiming a 351-km (218-mile) range.

Though it might sound odd that SIM-drive is announcing new electric cars mere months after the last, this is not actually the case. Remember, the consortium's aim is not to make production cars, but to "provide the highest level of electric vehicle technology and information" - in other words, to create the ideal EV; the Socratic EV, if you like. SIM-WIL, then, is a design development of the SIM-LEI. The WIL in its name represents the word will in the sense of volition.

What a difference a few months make. The SIM-LEI has been on a diet as part of its metamorphosis into the SIM-WIL, shedding about four percent of its weight down to 1580 kg (3483 pounds). Top speed is up, if you care about that sort of thing, to 180 km/h (112 mph), up from 150 km/h; though 0-100 km/h acceleration has slowed from 4.8 up to 5.4 seconds. Crucially, lithium-ion battery capacity has leapt from 24.9 kWh up to 35.1 kWh, with a three-hour charge time.

Here are the remaining specs:

Dimensions: 4150 x 1715 x 1550 mm (163 x 68 x 61 in.)
Seats: 5
Drive System: outer rotor direct drive in-wheel motor
Drive: 4WD
Minimum turning radius: 5.4 m (17.7 ft)
Driving energy consumption?in JC08 mode): 99.7Wh/km

SIM-Drive also claim that, for a small car, the SIM-WIL is surprisingly roomy on the inside. But to fulfill its raison d'être as balancing on the bleeding edge of EV technology, the SIM-WIL has further to go. A 218-mile range is impressive, but it's a long way short of the 313 miles (just over 500 km) achieved by a Tesla Roadster back in 2009. And in November of last year, a modified Citroen Berlingo broke the EV record, apparently covering 621 miles (a nearly nice, round 999 miles) over 17 hours. But since that was effectively a van stuffed with 10 lithium-ion batteries (with a total capacity of 180 kWh), we won't judge the SIM-WIL too harshly by comparison.

GizMag

Of the world's nearly 45,000 cargo ships, many burn a low-grade bunker fuel in their engines and produce pollution equivalent to millions of automobiles. To help reduce that toxic load and keep the price of shipping freight reasonable, engineers at the University of Tokyo (UT) and a group of collaborators have designed a system of large, retractable sails measuring 64 feet (20 m) wide by 164 feet (50 m) high, which studies indicate can reduce annual fuel use on ships equipped with them by up to 30%.

"Using today's technology, it's possible to make big sails, and to control them automatically," UT professor Kiyoshi Uzawa told DigInfo. "Also, navigation technology includes networked maritime information and weather forecasting, so ships like this can travel safely. Using wind energy, as in old-fashioned sailing ships, is actually feasible."

Each five-segment collapsible sail, estimated to cost about US$2.5 million, will be hollow and constructed of durable, lightweight aluminum and fiber-reinforced plastic. Similar in shape to an aircraft wing in cross section, the sails can be positioned independently of one another to maximize thrust and, while at anchor or in bad weather, can telescope down in what is known as "vertical reefing."

Uzawa anticipates that, with basic research completed, the Wind Challenger Project (WCP) group will be able to consider construction of a reduced-size prototype in the next few years to fully prove the concept. If all goes as planned, sea trials could begin as soon as 2016. If results from scale model wind tunnel tests and computer simulations bear out in the real world, he believes the sails could pay ultimately for themselves in five to ten years.

Due to the varying nature of cargo vessels, it seems likely that the WCP technology will be better suited for low-slung bulk material ships (ore, grain, oil) than for sea container ships, say, which stack freight high above deck. The group is not short on innovation, however, so it'll be interesting to see how that issue is approached.

It appears that a new era of tall, greener ships could be just over the horizon.

GizMag