GM makes it official...

...and files for bankruptcy.


From the AP story lede:
"WASHINGTON – General Motors, the humbled auto giant that has been part of American life for more than 100 years, will file for bankruptcy protection on Monday in a deal that will give taxpayers a 60 percent ownership stake and expand the government's reach into big business."

NSR Porsche 917 photo tour

Some photos I took of the new NSR Porsche 917k Piper livery.

Solar panel industry achieve $1 per watt grid-parity

Arizona based First Solar has achieved a major milestone in reducing the manufacturing cost for solar panels below the $1 per watt price barrier - the target necessary for solar to compete with coal-burning electricity on the grid or grid-parity. Using cadmium telluride (CdTe) technology in its thin-film photovoltaic cells, First Solar claims to have the lowest manufacturing cost per watt in the industry with the ability to make solar cells at 98 cents per watt, one third of the price of comparable standard silicon panels. The efficiency is in part due to a low cycle time - 2.5 hours from sheet of glass to solar module - about a tenth of the time it takes for silicon equivalents.

Thin film cadmium telluride solar panels have an active element just a hundredth the thickness of silicon used in conventional solar panels built on a glass substrate, facilitating the production of large panels. The process and machinery used is so secret that visitors to the company's 500 megawatt production facility are barred from getting an up close look at the production line.

First Solar

First Solar was founded in 1999, but the history of the company goes back decades. Founder Harold McMaster made his first fortune in the late 1940s with Permaglass and later went onto Glasstech. McMaster was one of the world's experts on tempered glass. In the 80s, McMaster became interested in solar technology and experimented with different ways to put photovoltaic materials on glass. He worked first with silicon and then cadmium-telluride with a company called Solar Cells, which was reincarnated as First Solar in 1999.

First Solar began full commercial operation of its initial manufacturing line in late 2004. From 2004 through today, manufacturing capacity has grown 2,500 percent to more than 500 megawatts in 2008. The company expects its annual production capacity to double in 2009 to more than 1 gigawatt, the equivalent of an average-sized nuclear power plant. These escalating volumes have been accompanied by a rapid reduction in manufacturing costs. From 2004 through today, First Solar’s manufacturing costs have declined two-thirds from over $3 per watt to less than $1 per watt and the company is confident that further significant cost reductions are possible based on the yet untapped potential of its technology and manufacturing process.

The alternatives

Silicon cells, which have dominated the market since its commercial launch in the 1950s, may still represent viable competition to Thin Film technology. Silicon cells have an average cell conversion efficiency of around 16-20% while Thin Film CdTe panels are only 10.6% efficient. Due to the enormous growth experienced by the Solar industry in recent years, the price of raw silicon peaked in 2008 at $1000/kg which has kept the manufacturing cost of silicon based cells fluctuating between $3 and $4 per watt. Now that increased silicon production capacity has caught up with demand from the solar cell industry and the Global financial downturn has reduced demand from the computer chip industry, the price of silicon has dropped to under $40/kg. The result - we can expect to see substantial deductions in the cost of silicon solar cells in the near future.

There are also other technologies on the horizon including cells based on copper indium gallium ­diselenide (CIGS), silicon on glass, and the combination of ­germanium, gallium arsenide, and gallium ­indium phosphide all of which are competing to lower the cost of solar cells.

SCX Mini newsletter

Relay For Life demo-Hughesville, Pa.

Photos from a demo I did at the Relay For Life in my town... lots of fun and some new slot racers were born I think!

See the photos at this link.

2009 USRA Scale Nats Coverage on Facebook

Become a fan of the 2009 USRA Scale Nats action May 30 to June 7 on Facebook:

Mid-America Raceway and Hobbies on Facebook

Avoiding motorway congestion

If you are someone who lives in the UK and regularly travel on the motorway, I can understand how frustrating it can be when you discover that there are mile long jams caused by some repair work or an accident. Even if you don't travel up and down the motorway regularly and venture on to the motor ways occasionally, you might want to check out the following sites below:

1. Frixo, a road / motorway traffic reporting site which is updated every 3 minutes via feeds from various sources.

2, My Way, a joint initiative between RAC and Expedia, which provides alternative routes to some of the UK's worst congestion hotspots.

Seat Leon-Holiday Inn newsletter

First public demonstration for the Venturi Volage with Michelin Active Wheel technology

The all wheel drive (AWD) four wheel motor Venturi Volage did a few laps of Monte Carlo on the Monaco Formula One Grand Prix track with Prince Ailbert at the wheel this week as it's first public demonstration. The Volage was launched at the 2008 Paris Motor Show and is a technical collaboration between Venturi Automobiles and Michelin.

The Volage uses Michelin “Active Wheel” technology that incorporates two electric motors per wheel, one for drive/brake and the other for suspension so the Volage in fact has a total of eight motors controlled in real time with electronics developed by spearhead electronics.

The active electric shock absorber system allows for constant adjustment to the road surface much like the active suspension systems that dominated Formula One in the 80s. The Volage has a 45 kWh battery pack that gives a range of 200 miles (320 km) and will do 0-60 in less than 5 seconds. Low volume production has been slated to start in 2012.

Nissan announce partnership with Europcar

Nissan and Europcar – the European leader in passenger car vehicle rentals – are forming a partnership to market electric vehicles by 2010. This partnership will see electric vehicles available for rental in France, Germany, Belgium, Spain, Italy, Portugal, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand and will be subsequently extended to other countries. Electric vehicles rentals allow extended test drive as a way to introduce drivers to the benefits of EV motoring.

The Renault-Nissan Alliance has already formed partnerships with 27 governments, cities and other organizations to advance the deployment of EVs worldwide. Renault-Nissan electric vehicles will be introduced in the United States and Japan starting from 2010 and will start mass-marketing electric vehicles globally in 2012.

To date the Alliance has signed two final agreements in Europe with Portugal and the Principality of Monaco. The two agreements formulate concrete proposals - ranging from incentives and infrastructures to education pro grammes – creating the right conditions for mass availability and acceptance of electric vehicles. Further EV initiatives have begun in Kanagawa Prefecture and Yokohama in Japan, as well as in Israel, Denmark, Portugal, Monaco, UK, France, Switzerland, Ireland, Hong Kong, Singapore, and China.
In the United States, the Alliance is working on Electric Vehicles infrastructure in Tennessee, Oregon, Sonoma County and San Diego in California, Tucson and Phoenix in Arizona, Seattle in Washington, and Raleigh, North Carolina.

Ford F-150 4WD Wheel Motor Electric Vehicle TEST DRIVE

Here is the most recent demonstration of the prototype wheel motors produced by British company PML Flightlink. The F-150 Show vehicle was put together for SEMA last November. Unfortunately that same month EM Shires and RW Birchall were appointed as Joint Administrators of PML Flightlink Limited on 28th November 2008 to manage its affairs.

The test drive lacks any convincing demonstration of torque and for a vehicle that PML claim has 600 hp, I'd have to say that's laughable. Much like the Volvo S40 demonstrated at a Swedish test track where Volvo reps claimed it had 1000 Nm per wheel, the PML F-150 struggles to climb even minor grades and is only ever shown at a constant speed thereby avoiding any demonstration of acceleration which, of course, would be a demonstration of power.

Never the less, the PML demonstration vehicles have allowed a preview into the future of EV motoring. Volvo estimate it may take up to 10 years for such technology to reach the show rooms. This is not necessarily because of any technical barrier, although it is still a very new area of automotive development, but they say it's more to do with business models.

As every automaker in the world struggles to find a totally new business model that incorporates batteries as a major percentage of the cost of manufacturing cars, wheel motors will also cause a similarly significant adjustment in the costs for automakers. Todays car manufacturers have billions of dollars invested in plant and machinery to turn out internal combustion engines, gearboxes and assorted components. All this plant becomes worthless overnight if the entire industry shifts to battery electric vehicles.

The only thing that looks like an electrical device on todays cars is the 100 amp alternator charging the battery, and they are often supplied by a sub contractor. While wheel motors allow the entire mechanical power train bar the steering and suspension to be deleted from a car, todays automakers don't have the plant or engineering skills to make wheel motors, any more than they can suddenly start making li-ion batteries.

If automakers have to buy batteries and wheel motors from outside suppliers, and these make up the most significant cost component of building cars, then they are reduced to the role of carriage maker where their primary function is to press steel into car bodies while the bulk of the profit from each car goes to outside suppliers. Obviously they want to avoid this situation at all costs.

Give these factors it is easy to see why todays big names in the auto industry have resisted the move to EVs for as long as possible, but the Volvo estimate of 2020 sounds like way too long to have to wait before they find a suitable business model to start making electric cars with wheel motors

Oceanlinx Oscillating Water Column (OWC) generator on-line

Australian company Oceanlinx has re-deployed its full-scale wave energy conversion unit at Port Kembla in Australia. First deployed in 2005, the unit has been undergoing planned refurbishment and modifications for the past several months. The Oceanlinx wave generator, which is an Oscillating Water Column (OWC) device, is one of six installations around the world currently being trialed.

Ocean waves contain enormous amounts of energy. As this energy passes the Oceanlinx device, the water inside the OWC (a chamber which is open underneath the waterline) rises and falls, compressing and displacing the air inside, driving it past a turbine which is housed at the narrowest point in the chamber.

Since the OWC chamber narrows, the air is accelerated to its highest velocity as it passes the turbine, allowing for maximal extraction of the energy. The oscillatory wave motion causes a similar oscillatory airflow through the chamber, and the turbine converts energy on both the up and down stroke.

This turbine converts the energy in the airflow into mechanical energy that drives an electrical generator. The chamber and turbine are the essence of the Oceanlinx Wave Energy System.

The Denniss-Auld Turbine

The turbine used in an OWC is a key element in the device’s economic performance, and is considered by wave energy experts as a significant barrier to commercializing OWCs.Most turbines are designed to function for gas or liquid flowing in one direction and at constant velocity with the blades designed to take advantage of the optimal “angle of attack”. However, when the flow is not always from the same direction or a constant velocity, traditional turbines become ineffective.

Previous attempts to address this difficulty have mostly resulted in turbines with varying degrees of efficiency. The Oceanlinx turbine, however, uses a different method - variable pitch blades - which, with the slower rotational speed and higher torque of the turbine, improves efficiency and reliability and reduces the need for maintenance.

The turbine uses a sensor system with a pressure transducer which measures the pressure exerted on the ocean floor by each wave as it approaches the capture chamber, or as it enters the chamber. The transducer sends a voltage signal proportional to the pressure that identifies the height, duration and shape of each wave. The system is calibrated to prevent small-scale “noise” from activating it.

The signal from the transducer is sent to a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) which adjusts various parameters in real time, such as the blade angle and turbine speed. These are calibrated in the algorithm based upon the particular conditions and energy content of the site at any particular point in time.

The Generator

The generator, which is coupled to the Oceanlinx turbine, is designed so that the electrical control will vary the speed and torque characteristic of the generator load real-time to maximize the power transfer.

A 450 Kw induction motor is used as the generator at the Port Kembla installation, with coupling to the electricity grid provided by a fully regenerative electronic control system. The grid interconnection point and the control system are located in a weatherproof building external to the air duct. The voltage of the three-phase connection at this point is 415 V at 50 Hz. The electrical interface between the generator and the mains supply comprises two bi-directional DC/AC 3-phase inverters to smooth power from the turbine to match grid power requirements.

A single Oceanlinx power unit can generate peak power outputs of 100 Kw up to 1.5 MW, depending on the wave climate and specific power requirements of the local population. Where peak capacities of greater than 1.5 MW are required, multiple units can be deployed in the same general area, all connected back to shore by the one electrical cable, thus constituting a wave farm. There is no theoretical limit to the number of units that can be deployed in any one location. Units can be spaced close together to reduce the impact of waves on the shore (acting as a quasi-breakwater), or spaced further apart to negate any impact on the inter-tidal zone.
The company started work on the Port Kembla project a decade ago backed by a government grant and has since has raised $50 Million in investment funding. The Port Kembla wave power generator supplies 450kw to the grid under a Power Purchase Agreement (“PPA”) signed with Australian utility Integral Energy.

The wave energy device developed and installed by Oceanlinx can be viewed in high resolution on Google Earth. The MK 1 device can be viewed at 34° 27’ 07.6” S, 150° 54’ 06.8” E. Simply type these coordinates into the Fly To section, in the upper left hand corner of the Google Earth page.

New Revell's announced

A number of slot cars shown for release this year by Revell/Monogram at this link.
Wendell Scott's stock car shown above.

Wendell Scott began racing in 1947 and in 1959 he won 22 races at the local Richmond track and was track champion, also in 1959 he won the Virginia state sportsman title. In 1961 Wendell moved up to Grand National racing and in 1964 on a one-mile track in Florida he became the first and to date only African-American driver to win a Grand National event. In the 1967 season driving a Ford he finished 10th in the point standings, one of the four times he finished in the top ten at the end of a season. Scott was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1999.

Honda to rush Fit Hybrid into production

Following a very successful launch for the Insight Hybrid where it became the first hybrid vehicle in history to top the Japanese sales charts last month, Honda are moving to put the Fit Hybrid into production a full 18 months ahead of schedule. Honda had originally planned to introduce the hybrid Fit in 2012, when the next vehicle remodeling was scheduled. Due to unprecedented demand for the Insight they will develop the Fit hybrid based on the current subcompact model to allow them to roll it out in fall 2010.

The hybrid Fit will come with the same 1.3 Liter 8 valve VTEC petrol engine found in the Insight hybrid so other than finding somewhere to fit the 100 volt 0.58 Kw/hr Nickel Metal Hydride (Ni-MH) battery pack, most of the development work has already been done.

The Fit Hybrid is expected to deliver 71 mpg US (3.33L/100 km) compared to 41 mpg US (5.74L/100 km) for the 2010 Insight which will make it even more fuel efficient that the original 2000 model Insight.

SCX Gulf Aston Newsletter

Download the SCX Aston Martin Gulf Racing team newsletter at this link.

Honda Fuzo Flying Car Concept

Set in the year 2068, the Fuzo concept comes from designer John Mahieddine, and is intended to be a sci-fi VTOL flying car. No news on the power source but we're guessing it'll be an EV.

The vehicle drives like a regular car with the 'landing gear' down. To take to the air the wheels on the car retract, folding into ducts in the bodywork and as the wheels have fan blade shaped spokes the wheels themselves become ducted fans for Vertical Take Off and Landing.

The Fuzo is said to be theoretically capable of a maximum speed around 400 mph. The three-seat concept is kept lightweight by the use of materials like carbon fiber, Kevlar and carbon nanotubes.

The controls are joystick based, the left allows the car to spin on its axis, while the right handles tilt and direction. There are two foot pedals to control power and brakes. The car can be fully controlled by a fly-by-wire system using GPS; safety will mainly be handled by parachutes and airbags.

Battery Electric GT Car to race at Le Mans?

Swiss company GreenGT have released CGI pictures of a battery powered sports prototype race car they intend to enter in the 2011 Le Mans 24 hour.

Designed by five students from the CCi du Valenciennois school, it will feature a fiberglass body on a carbon-fiber monocoque chassis. The vehicle’s twin 100-kw electric motors will provide around 350 to 400hp of power that will push the vehicle from 0-60mph in around 4 seconds.

Technical details are extremely brief and make no mention of battery capacity, recharge times or range at race speeds. While we agree hybrids such as the Toyota Supra HV-R and Peugeot 908 Hybrid have a great future at endurance races like Le Mans where the ability to make fewer pit stops could prove and unbeatable advantage, we think battery electric cars would be best suited to Rallycross or short sprint races where maximum acceleration is a larger component of winning races than at 24 hour races.

BYD and VW partner on Electric Vehicle battery development

Volkswagen and Chinese automaker BYD signed a memorandum of understanding to explore the options for partnership in the area of hybrids and electric vehicles powered by lithium batteries. The agreement was signed by Volkswagen AG Chairman of the Board of Management, Dr. Martin Winterkorn and BYD founder and Chairman, Wang Chuanfu, last week during a BYD visit to Volkswagen.

BYD are one of the worlds leading li-ion battery producers for the cell phone industry and were the first auto company to start selling a plug in hybrid car. VW's motives on the other hand are a bit more mysterious as it was Dr Winterkorn himself who said earlier this year that EVs won't have a majority share in the market for another 15-20 years. VW are one of the biggest sellers of Diesel cars in the EU where up to 40% of all new cars sold are Diesel, yet they have their finger in at least 4 electric vehicle battery development agreements. In 2008 they signed on with Sanyo, they are also a member of the German li-ion battery consortium and in Jan of this year announced a partnership with Toshiba to develop EV batteries.

Sounds like a lot of effort for something that's 20 years off.

Mitsubishi building larger plant for Li-ion battery production

They haven't even sold their first MiEV all electric road car yet Mitsubishi and joint venture partner GS Yuasa Corp feel the need to significantly expand their large format EV battery production capacity.

The joint venture company Lithium Energy Japan will spend over US$30 Million to build an new li-ion battery factory in Kyoto with capacity to manufacture batteries for 15,000 vehicles a year. The new plant will start shipping in late 2010.

The company had originally planned to produce batteries for 2,000 MiEVs at GS Yuasa’s main plant but with the rapid increase in demand for lower emitting vehicles, Mitsubishi Motors recently doubled its planned MiEV production for fiscal 2011 to 20,000 following an agreement to supply the car to France’s PSA Peugeot Citroen Group.

Ford’s first Battery Electric Vehicle confirmed as the 2010 Transit Connect

True to their word Ford Motor Company has become the first of the big three to announce plans to market a pure battery electric-powered light commercial vehicle in North America. Based on the all-new Transit Connect global commercial vehicle platform, the Transit EV will be available in U.S. Ford dealerships in 2010.

The Transit Connect with battery electric power is the initial offering in Ford’s aggressive new electric vehicle plan to bring pure battery-powered vehicles, hybrids and plug-in hybrids to market. To start, during the next four years, Ford will introduce in North America:

* The Transit Connect battery electric commercial vehicle in 2010
* A new battery electric small car in 2011
* Next-generation hybrid vehicles in 2012
* Plug-in hybrid versions in 2012

The Transit Connect commercial platform is well suited to battery electric power. Its unique combination of car-like driving dynamics and large 800kg (1760lb) cargo capacity make it ideal for battery EV conversion. Smith Electric Vehicles, which has been making electric milk floats in the UK since 1920 have been subcontracted to take care of the EV conversion production line.

Electric vehicles offer significantly reduced operation and maintenance costs over the long haul. As commercial users generally clock a lot of mileage, Ford will gain valuable feedback to help fine tune it’s EV offerings to the consumer markets. There are also added incentives for companies to electrify their fleets offered by federal and regional programs.

Transit Connect has been designed, engineered and manufactured by Ford of Europe on a dedicated global commercial vehicle platform so expect to eventually see the Transit EV sold in many markets around the world. The combustion engine version of the Transit Connect is currently sold in 58 countries. A taxi cab variant is also in the works.

The electric van will give an expected maximum range of 100 miles on a single charge. Technical details have not yet been released, but we believe it has a top speed of up to 70 mph, is powered by a 50 Kw electric motor and has a 40 Kw/hr iron-phosphate lithium-ion battery pack supplied to Smith by Valence Technology.

Ford's aggressive EV strategy

Ford has thrown it’s hat into the Electric Vehicle ring by announcing plans to bring a new family of electrified vehicles to market over the next four years. The strategy calls for the introduction of new hybrids, a Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) and Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) based on two new global product platforms. The plan calls for the introduction in 2011 of a pure Battery Electric Vehicle as a passenger car in North America.

Ford’s new electrification strategy will deliver a suite of electrified vehicles to market by 2012, including:

# A full battery electric van-type commercial vehicle in 2010. In the UK, Ford is collaborating with Tanfield to offer battery-electric versions of the Ford Transit commercial vehicles for fleet customers in the UK and European markets.
# A new battery electric small car in 2011 to be developed jointly with Magna International. The electric powertrain will be applied in a new-generation C-sized global vehicle platform. The BEV will first be introduced in North America, with the potential to migrate to the European and Asia Pacific markets down the road. Ford plans to introduce Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) based on new C (Focus-size) and CD (Fusion-size) global product platforms. By 2012, Bill Ford said, the company will have four high-mileage BEVs.
# Next-generation hybrid vehicles, including a plug-in version by 2012. We presume Ford refer to a Series hybrid as the next generation compared to the 2010 Fusion which is a parallel hybrid.

The electrification strategy builds on Ford’s vision for bringing affordable technology to millions. It takes advantage of rapid advancements in electrified vehicle technology – particularly Lithium-ion batteries – while leveraging the scale of global vehicle platforms to bring the cost of new technology down. As Ford and partner Magna International have had BEV test vehicles, 2009 Ford Focus mules, on the road for more than six months, racking up thousands of miles of testing and evaluation. Under the skin of the Ford Focus test vehicles is a new all-electric powertrain. Electrification of two key global Ford product platforms – one for Focus-size small cars and the other for Fusion-size CD cars – means the electric vehicle powertrain uses the existing structure of the vehicle platform. That means Ford can truly make the most of global economies of scale to produce new electrified vehicle technology affordable.

The Battery Electric test vehicles are powered by a 100 kW three-phase alternating current (AC) permanent-magnet, chassis-mounted electric traction motor which drives through a single speed gearbox with a 5.4:1 final drive ratio with standard planetary differential centre. There is a boot mounted 23 kilowatt hours lithium-ion battery pack that is good for a range of 80 miles (130kms) on a single charge. The Ford Focus EV can be charged from either a standard 220-volt in 6 hours or 110-volt in 12 hours. Ford and Magna are targeting a range of up to 100 miles when the vehicle is introduced to the retail market.

Hybrid component development.

One of the main reasons it has taken Ford and other automotive manufacturers quite some time to introduce electric vehicles is that most auxiliary systems that are normally powered off a gasoline engine, for example the air conditioning compressor and hydraulic power steering pump, are not compatible with an electric vehicle powertrain. The Focus BEV test vehicles incorporates key components developed for Ford’s 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid. For the electric climate control system Ford developed a high-voltage air-conditioning compressor that draws electrical energy directly from the main battery and has it’s own inverter in the compressor.

There is an electric water pump to circulate coolant for the traction motor, inverter, battery and heater. Electric column mounted power steering, again developed for the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid has also been made with a move the battery electric vehicles manufacture in mind.

Lithium-ion technology key to EVs

Lithium-ion is the latest in electric vehicle battery technology. While the chemistry is similar to the batteries used in consumer goods like laptops and mobile phones, the demands to power a vehicle are different enough to require significantly more intensive technology development. Lithium-ion batteries are lighter and more power efficient that the nickel metal hydride batteries used in both Ford and Toyota hybrid electric vehicles.

For decades, the automobile battery was an essentially static technology, but it’s no longer being taken for granted. Battery technology is now in a starring role in the development of a new generation of electrified vehicles.

But today’s batteries are a far cry from the humble lead-acid battery used for a century in the automobile. The 12-volt lead-acid battery used in traditional automotive applications is rapidly giving way to sophisticated, higher energy and power batteries as the automobile industry shifts further toward electrification.

The advent of hybrid electric vehicles spawned a new generation of batteries, making nickel metal hydride (Ni-MH) batteries the energy storage technology of choice. The nickel used in these batteries is lighter than lead, helping the battery deliver twice the power output for the weight as lead-acid batteries, but the cost of Ni-MH batteries is high – four times that of lead acid. Automakers already believe they have tapped most of the potential of Ni-MH technology and are moving rapidly toward Lithium-ion technology.

Lithium-ion batteries are commonplace in the world of consumer electronics. They’re lighter and more energy dense than other types of batteries, making them ideal for laptop computers, mobile phones and other portable devices.

The variant of lithium-ion battery used in laptops and other mobile devices is completely unacceptable for use in cars because automobile batteries have a much harder job than a laptop or phone battery. Cars have to work in huge temperature extremes, stand up to more shocks and vibrations and a much higher energy throughput than consumer electronics goods. And an automobile is expected to have a 10-year lifespan, something most laptop or cell phone owners don’t expect of those devices.

Intensive development work by Ford and other manufacturers is underway to develop automotive lithium-ion technology for the auto industry, and Ford feel confident as they point to the robustness of its hybrid technology with the Ford Escape Hybrid. In New York, some Escape Hybrid taxis have clocked more than 300,000 miles of reliable service.

Ford is already putting into effect a major element of its vehicle electrification strategy with its strategic alliance with auto supplier Magna International to produce new battery electric vehicles (BEVs) that don’t use a drop of fuel.

The vehicle-development partnership between Ford and Magna, a global auto supplier headquartered in Canada, was announced at the 2009 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, as Ford unveiled its global vehicle electrification strategy.

Magna will provide the BEV electric traction motor, transmission, motor controller, energy storage system, battery charger and related systems. Magna will also share in the engineering responsibility to integrate the electric propulsion system and other new systems into the vehicle platform architecture.

Affordable Electric Vehicles

Ford’s vehicle electrification strategy calls for the formation of key supplier alliances and other collaborations from diverse sectors to advance technology development, gain greater understanding of connectivity of vehicles to the electric grid, promote the necessary infrastructure and bring down the costs of the technology to make it more accessible for consumers. Ford envision foreseeable potential customer demand for electrified vehicles that will enables true volume production cost efficiencies.

2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid review

The 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid includes some significant advances in mass production hybrid automotive technology. Although details released by Ford are technically incomplete many of the features announced to date point to the Fusion being the first to market with a second-generation parallel hybrid.

In U.S. showrooms since March 2009 at a price $27,270, the Fusion Hybrid's mechanical layout utilizes a fairly conventional parallel hybrid system. A front wheel drive transverse mounted 4 cylinder petrol powered engine with what is effectively a large electric starter motor between the engine and the continuously variable transmission (CVT). Ford has made significant refinements to this system.

The 2.5 Litre 16 valve DOHC Atkinson cycle Duratec engine with 156hp (114Kw) and 135 ft-lb (182Nm). This is mated to a flywheel mounted 106Hp (78Kw) Permanent Magnet AC synchronous (BLDC) 275 Volt electric motor (no torque figure was released) with an electronically controlled CVT, all fairly conventional for a parallel hybrid and similar to the Prius and Camry hybrids. The difference is in the throttle-by-wire aggressive deceleration fuel shut-off and the integration of brake by wire regeneration.

Aggressive deceleration fuel shut-off

The fuel cut-off disables fuel delivery when the driver lifts off the accelerator. However, the engine management doesn't just abruptly disable the injectors. That would cause bumps and hesitation that the occupants of the car would be able to feel. Instead, the control strategy uses engine torque as the control variable. A desired engine torque is calculated based on a combination of driver demand, speed, gear ratio and other variables. When the accelerator is released, the torque is ramped down to zero. The fuel delivery, spark timing and electronic throttle position are determined from the torque demand. This causes the injector pulses to be ramped down so that the overall power delivery is kept smooth and seamless without abrupt changes.

brake-by-wire regeneration

Much like a Toyota Prius the regenerative brake system captures the energy normally lost through friction in braking and stores it. Ford have presumably (no technical data has been released) used brake by wire to increase regeneration capture to nearly 94 percent energy recovery by first delivering full regenerative braking followed by friction brakes during city driving. A simulator brake actuation system dictates brake actuation and delivers improved brake pedal feel compared to the previous generation braking system. It is thought the Fusion Hybrid uses electric actuated wedge brake calipers to achieve integration between regenerative and friction brakes.

The size, weight and presumably the cost of the battery pack has been substantially reduced. The cells are nickel metal hydride supplied by Sanyo. The chemistry has been revised so that each cell now produces 20 percent more power than before. The total number of cells has been reduced by 20 percent keeping the capacity at 1.3 Kw/hr. Improvements to the battery mean that the pack is now 30 percent smaller in volume than the previous generation one pack and weighs 23 percent less. It also means the pack no longer needs its own air conditioning system. Instead, cabin air can be routed through the pack to keep it cool. The pack integration was done by Delphi while Ford engineers handled all the battery management software and electronics internally.

A reduction in cell count means a reduction in the nominal system voltage to 270 V. The reason Ford has reduced the voltage is to improve the efficiency of the power electronics. Higher voltage causes more resistance and heat build up in the switching circuits and lower efficiency. Normally the voltage reduction would mean a corresponding reduction in power for the electric drive system. However, Ford's engineers have added a variable voltage controller (VVC) to the Fusion hybrid that allows the voltage from the battery to be stepped up on demand. During most driving conditions when comparatively little power is needed, the lower voltage increases the efficiency of the electric drive system, while the VVC allows even greater output than the Escape when it's needed for acceleration or heavy regenerative braking.

Another energy saving technology used in the Fusion is Electric Power Assisted Steering (EPAS). This utilizes a steering column mounted electric motor that provides steering power assistance on demand and typically consumes less than 7% of the energy of a conventional hydraulic rack and pinion power steering system.

Not a Plug-In hybrid

All these technical refinements add up to a car capable of traveling at up to 47Mph (75kmh) in EV only mode and with an EPA rating of 41MPG (5.74L/100km). Ford claim a vehicle range of up to 700 miles (1120kms) for in-town driving where maximum regeneration is possible on a single tank of fuel. One area where the 2010 Ford fusion is sadly lacking is that while the Fusion Hybrid provides a standard 110-volt power outlet it is not a plug in hybrid. The 1.3Kw/hr NiMH battery pack is less than 10% the capacity of the Chevy Volt (16Kw/hr) so EV only range is extremely limited and it can not be charged from the grid so even in EV only mode the cars energy is all generated from petrol. Like all parallel hybrid designs the Ford Fusion Hybrid is primarily a conventional petrol power internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle with what is effectively a large starter motor used to collect energy from regenerative braking which is stored in a small battery pack for power assistance when required. By comparison the Chevy Volt has a series hybrid layout with no direct mechanical connection between the ICE and the wheels is primarily an electric vehicle with an ICE to extend range.

100% battery electric jet ski

While the MR1 electric hydrofoil jet ski we reported on was an EV concept now a new company, ECO Watercraft, have demonstrated a working prototype electric jet ski. It should be fairly common knowledge that two stroke internal combustion engines are amongst the most polluting motors on the planet. Some estimates say that one hour on a 2 stroke jet ski produces pollution equivalent to 15,000 miles driving an SUV.

For some reason, the logic of which totally escapes me, most 2 stroke engines used in off-road applications are totally free from any kind of noise of pollution reduction obligation. Right up there with light aircraft that have no muffler system yet are allowed to fly over populated areas, most 2 stroke motors used in motocross bikes, jet skis, chainsaws and a range of ridiculously noisy petrol powered gardening tools fall through a legal loop hole. With personal water craft it's not only air pollution but water pollution from the oil in the fuel and most noticeably noise pollution which has resulted in Jet skis being banned from many waterways. While the industry has moved towards 4 stroke engines in recent times, a battery electric jet ski conversion seems like a no brainer to solve these problems.

The ECO Watercraft web site offers no vehicle specifications but they say the EV personal watercraft will reach speeds up to 50 mph (80 km/h) and will provide 3 hours worth of silent riding pleasure from the unspecified battery pack.

Fisker Karma Vs Chevy Volt

The Fisker Karma and Chevy Volt are both Extended Range Electric Vehicles (E-REV) or more commonly referred to as series Hybrids we thought a thorough comparison of their specifications was over due.

In an E-REV or series hybrid there is no mechanical connection between the combustion engine and the wheels as in a conventional car. The wheels are driven by an electric motor at all times with power supplied by a battery that can be plugged into any electrical outlet to be charged. To keep to size of the battery pack small a petrol engine is used to charge the battery pack for extended journeys where plug in charging is not convenient.

The Karma will be using a GM sourced 4 cylinder engine as it's Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) generator. The Ecotec 2.0L uses direct injection, variable valve timing and an intercooled twin scroll turbocharger and puts out 260 hp (190 Kw) as standard. The ICE generator in the Chevy Volt is also a 4 cylinder but is 1.4 liter normally aspirated with 72 hp (53 Kw)

Both the Karma and Volt will be equipped with Lithium ion battery packs, the Volts capacity of 16 kWh giving it a 40 mile (64 km) EV mode range while the Karma carries a 22.6 kWh pack giving it a 50 mile (80 km) EV only range. While GM have signed a battery supply deal with South Korean firm LG, the Karma will use batteries supplied by Indianapolis based EnerDel who have also been supplying Norwegian EV company Th!nk. The larger battery pack and ICE in the Fisker help contribute to a substantial weigh difference between the two vehicles as the 4650 lb (2109 kg) of the Karma is 1510 lbs (684 kg) heavier than the 3140 lb (1424 kg) of the Volt.

Where the Volt is Front Wheel Drive like the conventional Delta II platform it is based on, the Karma is Rear Wheel Drive as is more traditional for luxury saloons. The GM Volt has a 150hp (111 Kw) EV motor with an impressive 273 ft/lb (370 Nm) of torque from zero rpm, the Karma easily blows that away by running 2 x 200 hp (150 kw) EV motors that deliver a combined total of 403 hp (300kw) and a mind blowing 959 ft/lb (1300 Nm) at the differential input shaft.

1300 Nm of torque

To put that torque number into perspective, that's actually 30% more torque than the most over-the-top Mercedes motor currently on the market, the 612 hp (450 Kw) 6.0 liter V12 twin turbo normally found in the $492,000 SL 65 AMG. The V12 BITURBO has ONLY 1000 Nm of transmission breaking torque compared to 1300 Nm for the Karma. Add to that the standard electric motor characteristic of 100% torque from zero rpm and we're sure the 5.8 seconds 0-60 mph (100 kph) is a conservative estimate of the Karma's performance potential as the SL 65 does 4.4 sec. (the Volt does 8.5 sec)

The Volt has a range of 640 miles (1025 km) with a full tank of fuel while the estimated range of the Karma is closer to 300 miles (480 km) although this all comes down to the size of the fuel tank in each not through any difference in energy efficiency. The Karma takes energy efficiency a step further than the Volt and comes with 80 PV solar cells in the roof. These are arranges in 4 modules of 20 cells each and have a total output of 130 watts. When parked in unobstructed sunlight they will provide 0.5 kWh per day, enough to power auxillary systems such as vehicle ventilation or to top off the battery.

So why is the Karma twice the price of the Volt? The bottom line is, Fisker CEO Henrik Fisker designed the Aston Martin V8 Vantage and BMW Z8 amongst other and with the extruded aluminum chassis being produced by the same company that makes the Lotus / Tesla chassis Norsk Hydro, the Karma will be assembled by the same company who currently make the Porsche Boxter and Cayman, Valmet Automtive in limited production of 15,000 cars per year. With over 400 hp and more torque than a 6.0 liter V12 twin turbo, the Karma is the first of a new breed of EV sports tourer while the Volt is a series hybrid family compact car that GM expect to make in the 100s of thousands.

As both cars are 4 door series hybrids both with GM manufactured 4 cyl ICEs there might be a temptation to think they are very similar, but as we have hopefully pointed out, they are in different leagues. With the first Karma's due for delivery in November 2009, we can't wait to read the first road tests.

New Racer Porsche 935's

RCR50A - 935 Joest - DRM Championship 1980 - #6 R. Stommelen
RCR50B - 935 Joest - DRM Championship 1980 - #7 V. Merl

This model shares the same chassis of our 935K3 with a small
modification in the front area due to different headlights but the body is totally new
in order to match the different shape of the car developped by Joest Racing.

Cars will be ready for deliveries in about 3 weeks.

Pioneer Bullitt

Due in June...from Pioneer Slot Cars.

Latest News - BULLITT's Back!

It all begins with the click of a seat belt. What follows is the greatest car chase ever filmed - a thrill-a-second cat & mouse pursuit through the streets of San Francisco and out onto the open highway.

It's been over 40 years since STEVE MCQUEEN staked his claim as a movie icon playing the role of Lt. Frank Bullitt. At the same time the Highland Green Mustang GT390 would be forever guaranteed the title of 'The Greatest Chase Car In Cinema History.'

Now, you can recapture the thrills & spills excitement as never before with the very first slot car model of the '68 Mustang that McQueen drove in the movie. Race tuned for fun and on-track action, you can try to capture the essence of what made STEVE MCQUEEN the undisputed 'King of Cool.'

Advance Notice
The assassins car is on it’s way, complete with two ‘baddy’ figures. Available Q3 2009

Volvo Recharge wheel motor TEST DRIVE

Although electric wheel motors were first seen on an electric car in the late 1800s when a young 25 year old Ferdinand Porsche built the Lohner-Porsche for the 1900 Paris World Expo, wheel motors still haven't been adapted to todays production road vehicles. With the world seemingly on the path to electrify the global car fleet that may be all about to change.

We've found a test track video of the Volvo ReCharge concept electric vehicle powered by an All wheel drive in-wheel motor system. Primarily developed by now bankrupt British company PML Flight link for battery powered electric vehicles, the Volvo ReCharge is a series hybrid concept car that did the Intentional Auto Show circuit in 2007.

Of all the PML wheel motor demonstration vehicles the Volvo shows a modest turn of speed although it is surprisingly short of torque when it comes to climbing a minor grade in the video. Considering PML claimed widely that their wheel motors had up to 160hp (117kw) EACH, an interview with a Volvo representative claimed the wheel motors on the show car were only 50 hp (36kw) but seeing their poor performance even that may be questionable.

Now that PML Flight link (who's primary business was manufacturing wheel motors for hand luggage) are out of business and Ford are negotiating the sale of Volvo this particular wheel motor may never see production. With the potential for energy efficiency, direct computer control of vehicle dynamics and safety system improvements offered by wheel motors we're confident other companies are working away on the technology in stealth mode without all the bogus claims.

New Slot It Mazda's

CW06, n.55 1st Le Mans 1991, Limited Edition
availability: September

CA15a, n.18 SWC Autopolis 1991
availability: July

2010 Honda Insight Vs 2010 Toyota Prius Hybrid

It was nearly 10 years ago that Honda shook up the automotive world with the then-new Honda Insight, the world's first mass-production hybrid electric vehicle. It looked like a CRX, packed a unique hybrid powertrain and set new standards for fuel efficiency. Honda revealed the 2010 Honda Insight Hybrid electric vehicle at the Paris Motor Show in October 2008. The Paris car was a ‘show’ version with LED headlights and 18 inch wheels that were never intended for the final production model. Honda plans to sell half a million hybrid vehicles annually by 2012 with the Honda Insight to account for 200,000 of those.

There's more than a subtle hint of Prius in the new Insight's 5 door bodyshell but following the poor sales of the Civic Hybrid, which was indistinguishable from a regular petrol power Civic, Honda have decided to follow the Toyota example and make a distinctive new aerodynamic Insight chassis that will only be sold as a Hybrid.

Mild Hybrid

While the Prius ‘look’ may score credibility points down at the local supermarket the 2010 Honda Insight is a much milder Hybrid than the 2010 Toyota Prius. Honda call their system Integrated Motor Assist (IMA), a simple system consisting of a small efficient gasoline engine, a continuously variable transmission (CVT) and a thin, brushless electric motor sandwiched between the two. Comparing the Honda and Toyota hybrid powertrain specifications is revealing. The Honda Gasoline engine is only a 1.3 Litre 8 valve VTEC compared to the 1.8 litre 16 valve VVT-I in the third generation Prius. Hondas in-line 4 cylinder engine puts out 88 hp (64 Kw) and 88 Ft/lb, the Toyota 98 hp (72 Kw). The electric motor in the Insight is an ultra thin Permanent Magnet AC Synchronous Brushless DC (BLDC) unit that puts out and regenerates only 13 Kw (10 hp) with 68 ft/lb (92 Nm). This doesn’t compare favourably with the Prius at 59kw (80hp) and 295ft/lb (400Nm). This alone earns the Insight the tag of ‘mild’ hybrid.

Another technical specification that no doubt keeps the price down but also classes the Insight as ‘mild’ is the 100 volt 0.58 Kw/hr battery pack. While it uses the same Nickel Metal Hydride (Ni-MH) Battery technology found in the Prius it has less than half the capacity as the 500 volt 1.3 Kw/hr Toyota pack. Honda say the 2010 Insight can be driven in EV only mode up to 30 mph (48 kph) on a level surface but with such a small battery it will probably give an EV only range of around 2 miles (3 kms). With a curb weight of 2723 lb (1235 kg) off the line the Insight does 0-60 mph in 10.9 sec and the quarter mile in 17.9 sec.

No plans for a Plug-In

While the the 18 inch wheels and LED headlights of the Paris show car are replaced by 15 inch wheels with low-rolling-resistance tires and more conventional Projector-Beam Halogen Headlights, the Insight does come with most of the features you would expect in a Hybrid. These include automatic idle stop, stepper motor controlled drive-by-wire throttle and electric power steering. Of course the most important factor for any hybrid is the fuel economy. The 2010 Honda Insight is rated at up to 43 mpg in highway driving so with a 10 gallon tank it gives a range of 430 miles (688 km) between visits to the fuel station. Unlike most of the other big names in Hybrids there has been no news on when a Honda plug-in hybrid will be offered.

With an electric motor 1/8th as powerful and a battery 1/2 the size of that found in the 2010 Prius, the Honda has a specification designed to low ball the Toyota competition while still making a decent profit. The 2010 Honda Insight has already made it's place in the history books by becoming the first Hybrid to top the Japanese sales charts in April but the jury is still out on if lower powered Hyrids will prove satisfactory in the long run.

Lola T70 MK II

New Revell Lola T70 MK II shown by Criccrac.com.

Jay Leno takes the Aptera 2e out onto the highway (w/Video)

With the first production models due off the line in just over 4 months time the Aptera PR machine may be stepping up a notch. We found a video from the Jay Leno website featuring a test drive of the Aptera 2e along a Californian freeway. Jay spends a sizable chunk of his personal fortune of his car collection and while he professes to be a fan of Hydrogen powered cars we won't hold that against him as he seems to really know his stuff judging by the intelligent questions he was asking the Aptera founder during the interview.

A quick re-cap on where the Aptera is at re: production. For the next several months a small number of vehicles will be built for internal testing. Volume production for retail deliveries is now scheduled for October 1, 2009. A number of vehicle enhancements such as, aerodynamic side-mounted mirrors and wider door openings that make getting in and out of the vehicle much easier than with previous designs have been added. Aptera say the 2e will go from zero to 60 in under 10 seconds, with a top speed of 90 mph.

Here's a refresher on what we know so far: the Aptera 2e is that it’s legally classified as a 3 wheeled motorcycle is front wheel drive and weighs somewhere between 1500 and 2000 lbs, (680 – 900 kg). The batteries are “lithium-based” with a driving range of around 100 miles-per-charge. The biggest feature of the Aptera is it’s amazing tear drop body which has a has a drag coefficient (Cd) of only 0.15 (a 3rd Generation Prius Cd is 0.26 while most family cars are around 0.30). The projected price is between $25,000 and $45,000.

The Aptera 2e will have a 60 ft/lb (81 Nm) electric motor driving the front wheels through a 10:1 single speed gearbox with power provided at 336 volts by a 10 – 13 kw/hr Lithium iron phosphate battery pack.

Having seen under the hood of the front wheel drive Aptera we suspect the 3 phase AC motor, inverter and gearbox are supplied by Azure dynamics. Judging by the torque figure quoted by Aptera we'd say the Azure AC24 is the motor being used in the 2e along with the DMOC445 Inverter. Ever though the AC24 revs to 12,000 rpm this motor has a peak power output of only 50 Kw (68 hp), but with such a lightweight chassis and super low 0.15 Cd drag coefficient much less power is required to equal the performance of a heavy conventional steel vehicle.

Full released specs:

* Dimensions: 53" high x 91.0" wide x 173" long
* 111" wheelbase
* 80.5" front track

* Other specs: 0.15 Coefficient of drag
* 5" ground clearance
* 1500 lbs curb weight

* Electric motor torque: 60FtLb torque 110v 15A charge time: 8 hrs
* Battery output: 10-13 Kw/hr battery pack
* Battery voltage: 336V DC Nominal Traction Voltage
* Transmission: Gearbox 10:1 ratio
* Battery Type: Lithium Ion Phosphate

* Chassis: Front Suspension: Independent unequal length A-arm
* Rear Suspension: Swing Arm
* Steering: Manual Steering, tilt steering column
* Brakes: Manual Brakes, dual circuit brake hydraulics, mechanical brake proportioning, 3-wheel disc
* Wheels: 14-inch High Strength Stamped Steel wheels
* Size: P165/65R14

* Performance: Range: Up to 100 miles per charge
* Warranty: Basic: 4/50,000
* Powertrain: 4/50,000
* Corrosion: 12/unlimited
* Roadside: 4/50,000

Features: (S=standard, O=optional)

* Interior: Push Button Start: S
* Electronic shift PRNDL (shift controller): S
* AM/FM/MP3/WMA with 5 speakers and MP3/Smart Phone Connectivity: S
* DVD Navigation System: O
* Power up/down windows with Driver side one-touch and anti-pinch: S
* Power automatic door locks with anti-lockout feature: S
* Center console armrest with two cup holders: S
* Overhead mounted LED Dome Lights: S
* Recycled Fabric-trimmed seats and door panels: S
* Leatherette (recycled materials) trimmed steering wheel: S
* Defroster-linked CFC-free automatic climate control with electric inverter compressor air conditioning: S
* One 12V auxilliary power outlets and One 12V USB Outlet: S
* Retractable passenger-assist grips at all doors: S

* Exterior: Dual color-keyed power outside mirros: S
* Aerodynamic multi-reflector halogen headlamps: S
* Washer-linked variable intermittent windshield wipers: S
* Rear window defogger with timer: S
* Rear Electronic rear hatch locking system (sic): S
* Solar Energy-Reflecting glass: S
* Smart Key System (Proximity locking/starting) Maintenance key & cylinder to prevent accidental lock out: S

* Safety: Remote keyless entry system with 2-stage unlocking, panic function and remote illuminated entry: S
* Backup camera: O
* Driver and front passenger Airbag System: S
* Front and rear crumple zones and side-impact door beams: S
* Engine immobilizer: S
* Center high-mount stop lamp: S
* Emergency Tire inflation system: S
* 3-point front outboard seatbelts with adjustable shoulder anchors and driver-side Emergency Locking Retractor (ELR), front passenger Automatic/Emergency Locking Retractor (ALR/ELR): S
* Driver and front passenger seatbelt with seat belt starter interlock: S
* Direct Tire Pressure Monitor System (TPMS): S
* Anti-theft system: O

New Nanoscale supercapacitor can store 100 times more energy

We recently reported on new research that makes a Lithium Ion battery perform more like a supercapacitor, now we can report on research on a supercapacitor that performs more like a battery. Researchers at the University of Maryland and the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology have developed a supercapacitor with 10 billion nanoscale capacitors per square centimeter, giving it 250 times greater surface area than that of a conventional capacitor of comparable size. The Nano Supercapacitor is being developed primarily as part of a hybrid battery-capacitor system for electric cars.

Batteries, particularly lithium-ion, store large amounts of energy but have more difficulty with high power or fast recharge. Capacitors, on the other hand, can be charged or discharged at a very high rate. Existing supercapacitors have an energy densities around 1/10th that of a conventional battery, but their power density is generally ten to one-hundred times as great

The Maryland/KAIST research team’s new devices are electrostatic nanocapacitors which increase the energy storage density of such devices by a factor of 100 over that of commercially available devices without sacrificing the high power they traditionally characteristically offer. Current commercial supercapacitors range from 0.5 to 30 wh/kg, while the research is in its early stages, if they reach their claim of a 100 increase that will result in 3000 wh/kg. For comparison, a conventional lead-acid battery is typically 30 to 40 wh/kg and modern lithium-ion batteries are about 160 wh/kg. In automobile applications gasoline contains around 12,000 wh/kg, which operates at 15% tank-to-wheel efficiency giving an effective energy density of 1800 wh/kg

Using Atomic fabrication techniques the process starts with a sheet of aluminum foil that is anodized to form a regularly spaced array of nanopores across its surface. Each nanopore as small as 50 nanometers in diameter and up to 30 micrometers deep. Next a sandwich of two layers of titanium nitride (TiN) metal separated by an insulation layer are deposited using Atomic layer deposition into the pores topped with another layer of aluminum foil. The two outer foil layers act as the electrical contacts.

The researchers have made a prototype with 125-micrometer-wide arrays, each containing one million nanocapacitors. There are many scale-up issues as they want to make a large area that contains billions of nanocapacitors to store large amounts of energy and they have to make sure that they can effectively connect multiple arrays to one another. The team are still deciding how best to commercialize this. The hybrid battery-capacitor system for electric cars would contain multiple energy storage panels stacked together inside a car battery system. The energy storage panels could also be integrated into solar panels and the flat panel displays seen in most portable devices.

MIT students develop Hydraulic Regenerative Shock Absorbers

We reported recently on several new methods of regeneration for hybrid vehicles. These included regenerative shocks based on electric motors and a hydraulic drive train. Now students at MIT have developed a regenerative shock absorber that is a cross between those two.

The MIT regenerative system is based around a hydraulic ram the replaces a standard shock absorber where the up and down movement of the suspension drives an external hydraulic motor, which in turn drives an electrical generator. The students say they can produce up to a 10 percent improvement in overall vehicle fuel efficiency by using the regenerative shock absorbers. The system is controlled by an active electronic system that optimizes the damping, providing a smoother ride than conventional shocks while generating electricity to recharge the batteries or operate electrical equipment.

In their testing so far, the students found that in a heavy truck, each shock absorber could generate up to an average of 1 Kw on a standard road. That is enough power to completely displace the large alternator load in heavy trucks and military vehicles, and in some cases even run accessory devices such as hybrid trailer refrigeration units. The students filed for a patent last year and formed a company, called Levant Power Corp., to develop and commercialize the product and they are currently doing a series of tests with their converted Humvee to optimize the system's efficiency.

The new shocks also have a fail-safe feature: If the electronics fail for any reason, the system simply acts like a regular shock absorber. The students plan to have a final, fine-tuned version of the device ready this summer. Then they will start talking to potential big customers who stand to gain significant benefits from the technology. For example, they have calculated that a company such as Wal-Mart could save $13 million a year in fuel costs by converting its fleet of trucks.

New Slotfire track installation

From Rolf at Slotfire:
"we build for a company from UK a track for their promotion activities. It´s a simple eight with crossings. The red „S” is the first character of the companies name „Seldon”.

The track work with a very simple electronic: Only two buttons to start a race or training. It allows only lapracing with five laps. The laptimer ist a advertising sign with the five main messages of the company. If you finish one lap, one lamp glow.

To race on it, it´s funny. It allows quick races without an computer. May be that it is also a solution for pubs.