In an effort to prove that hybrid technology and electric motors can improve the driving experience, automotive electronics supplier Bosch has built a 740 hp, all-wheel-drive, V12-powered Aston Martin hybrid supercar. As a professional car guy, let me assure you: this car is motherf***ing yummy!

Under the hood, the curvy Aston DB9 keeps its familiar, 510 hp 6.0L V12, but that ICE engine is supplemented by a pair of electric motors driving the front wheels. The added boost of the hybrid drivetrain bumps the hybrid Aston Martin’s total output from 510 to “over 740bhp”, according to Bosch engineers. Speaking of engineers, Bosch has had more than 70 engineers working on the car since November 2012 (the hybrid Aston Martin was finished at the end of May, less than a month ago).

That, dear friends, is a lot of brain-power!

With that much high-IQ thinking behind it, it should come as no surprise that this one-off hybrid Aston has some pretty slick features, like vectoring for more neutral handling, as well as mods to Bosch’s latest traction-control systems that allow steering, throttle and steering/handling characteristics to be tuned “on the fly” by the driver, with advanced software taking into account tire temperatures, track conditions, and even the number of passengers and their weight distribution in the car!

Bosch claims that there are currently no plans for a hybrid Aston Martin, but that this hybrid hardware/software package is modular enough to be fitted to any number of vehicles currently using Bosch’s firmware … that list includes Ferrari, Lamborghini, Mercedes-Benz, GM, and other. With that in mind, we may yet still see some of the hybrid Aston’s features in a future showroom, yet!

Source | Photos: Bosch, via AutoExpress.

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With the $7,500 tax rebate, that incentive pricing means you could get a 2012 Chevy Volt for around $27,500, way lower than the $39,995 MSRP. Not looking for a two-year old leftover? GM is also offering $4,000 off of 2013 models in order to make room for the upcoming 2014 model. Sales of the Volt are up just 1.4% for the first five months of 2013, with 7,157 vehicles sold so far this year. Respectable to be sure, but far from what GM was hoping for. Dealers typically have an 80 to 90 day supply of vehicles on lots.

No doubt there is a lot more competition today than there was when the Volt debuted. With the recent price cuts of pure-electric vehicles, and the addition of several new plug-in hybrid options like the Toyota Prius Plug-In and Ford C-Max Energi, the Chevy Volt now stands as one of the most-expensive hybrid or electric vehicles on the market. The fact that the Volt is still selling as well as it is says something for the plug-in hybrid.

Still, GM would do well to roll out a cheaper, refreshed model soon, lest they risk falling behind in a market segment they essentially created. Then again, this is a great time to buy for anyone looking to get a plug-in hybrid into their garage.

Source: The Detroit News

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Based on the Zero MX but with the military in mind, the Zero MMX features the new enclosed Z-Force motor, which is both waterproof and powerful. The Z-Force motor makes 54 horsepower and 68 ft-lbs of torque, allowing for quick-yet-quiet acceleration in missions where the less noise the better. Combustion engines may be powerful, but they can be difficult to hide with their loud engines as well.

The Zero MXX features several special improvements, including a military-spec dashboard, modular, swappable battery packs, special reserve power, and it is pre-wired for infrared setups. Along with a keyless ignition and stealthy packaging, the Zero MXX could be the perfect extraction vehicle for serious military undertakings.

An undisclosed number of these electric motorcycles is currently undergoing testing, though if the bikes will actually go into action remains to be unseen. Check out the full press release below.

Zero Motorcycles Announces All-New 2013 Zero MMX Military Motorcycle
– U.S. Special Operations Forces Currently Using Zero MMX –
2013 Zero MMX Military Motorcycle 2013 Zero MMX Military Motorcycle Controls

SANTA CRUZ, Calif., (May 7, 2013) – Zero Motorcycles, the global leader in the electric motorcycle industry, today announced the arrival of its all-new 2013 Zero MMX military motorcycle (hyperlink). The MMX was developed exclusively for military use in the U.S. Special Operations Forces (SOF) and provides Special Operations riders with unique tactical advantages over traditional combustion motorcycles, as the electric powertrain allows for rapid movement over hostile terrain in near silence and minimal heat signature. Zero Motorcycles’ engineering team worked under military contract to develop the motorcycle. The MMX has met the most stringent standards set forth by the U.S. military, as an undisclosed number of MMX motorcycles are currently undergoing full operational testing.

“It was a very rewarding experience for the Zero team to go through such an exacting development process. The military needed a very specific set of core features on the MMX, and we were incredibly thankful to work side-by-side with them to deliver such a unique product,” said Abe Askenazi, Chief Technology Officer for Zero Motorcycles. “The great news for our civilian customers is that we made the decision to incorporate into our 2013 MX, FX and XU retail motorcycles virtually all of the powertrain enhancements associated with satisfying this project’s stringent military requirements. Our 2013 product is truly ‘military grade’!”
2013 Zero MMX Military Motorcycle – Key Features

Specialized military dash for quick and centralized mainline controls
Keyless ignition engaged with dash toggle for quicker departure
Modular and quick-swappable power packs
Wet operational abilities in up to one meter submersion
Switchable headlight for night-time stealth
Integrated wiring to accommodate quick installation of front and rear infrared systems
Safety override and reserve power capabilities to extend range during extreme situations
Aggressive foot pegs and hand guards for optimal control
Tie down eyelets with integrated tow cable and rear seat strap

The 2013 MMX Military Motorcycles are built off the 2013 MX platform, which is incredibly tough and lightweight, and uses a finely tuned and fully adjustable suspension system to absorb aggressive terrain. Combined with state of the art Z-Force™ technology and an ultra-light frame design, the Zero MMX is agile and fast where it counts.

The 2013 Zero MMX features the all new Z-Force™ motor. With 54 hp and 68 ft-lbs of torque, the Zero MMX accelerates hard, with incredibly smooth throttle control, to allow riders to tackle bigger obstacles and corner faster. When rolling off the throttle, riders can take advantage of regenerative braking to both modulate speed and extend ride times. The performance characteristics of the Zero MMX are also adjustable via Bluetooth and a compatible smart phone mobile device when using the Zero Motorcycles mobile app.

The 2013 Zero MMX integrates the world’s first truly modular power pack system and is available in two configurations: ZF2.8 (one module) and ZF5.7 (two modules). The lockable modules can be individually added or removed, regardless of state of charge, in less than a minute. Charge times can be cut down to around an hour using a scalable quick-charge accessory system or with the CHAdeMO accessory (CHAdeMO charging requires a supporting charge station). Owing a Zero has never been easier as the sealed Z-Force™ motor virtually eliminates all routine powertrain maintenance and drives the rear wheel by way of a beefier 520 chain.

CHAdeMO Charging Standard
The CHAdeMO fast charging standard is the most widely adopted DC Fast Charging standard and has over 2000 installed stations worldwide, with an additional 1000 in Europe expected before the end of 2013. According to Nissan estimates, 2000 fast chargers will be installed in the United States by the end of 2014, with at least 400 in California alone, supported by government electric vehicle infrastructure spending. Based on Pikes Research estimates, 115,000 of these chargers will be installed by 2017.

About Zero Motorcycles
Zero Motorcycles is committed to transforming the motorcycling experience by bringing to market highly innovative electric motorcycles that offer exceptional value and performance. Zero is powered by innovation, driven by passion, guided by integrity and measured by results. Through extensive research, insight and experience, Zero combines the art and science of motorcycle development to create and manufacture products that excite consumers and inspire brand loyalty. Zero is determined to be the preeminent global electric motorcycle company.

Follow Zero Motorcycles on Twitter @ZeroMC, become a fan of Zero Motorcycles on Facebook and check out what Zero is doing on YouTube at www.youtube.com/zeromotorcycles.

Source:  Zero Motorcycles

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After six months of fretting and saying distasteful things about the decision-making acumen of Rover executives to Rover executives, it seems like American Range Rover fans needn’t have worried. Land Rover was saving something for us. Something even better than the diesel Range Rover. A diesel HYBRID Range Rover!

We’ve been lamenting the lack of diesel Range Rovers here in the US since- well, since we knew they existed, frankly! The high-MPG, high-torque, high-society diesel Rovers are hot-sellers in Europe, and their 37 MPG rating from the EU seemed like it would help Land Rover meet its ever-tightening CAFE requirements here in the US.

The diesel hybrid system in the concept Range Rover shown, above, uses a 3.0-liter V6 diesel backed up by a new ZF eight-speed transmission and an integrated electric motor. The 1.7-kWh battery pack sits below the floorpan, so interior room space isn’t overly compromised. At the time of its release, Range Rover quoted a combined 333 horsepower, a six second run from 0-60 mph, and over 45 MPG (again, per EU figures).

Land Rover is expected to launch US-bound production versions of the diesel-hybrid Range Rover at the Frankfurt Auto Show this September. No pure EVs are expected from Land Rover, as yet.

Source: Green Car Reports.

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By running electrically-charged power lines through long stretches of highway roads, Volvo hopes to offer long-haul truckers electric vehicles that don’t have to stop to re-charge. Volvo’s doing this by bringing small toy technology from the 70s and 80s back, in a big way. I’m talking, of course, about slot-cars!

Those of you who’ve reached a certain age remember a time before Nintendo and Sega (let alone XBox and PlayStation!), and you will recognize the words “slot-cars” immediately. For those of you too young to have experienced them, they worked like this …

… yeah, life before GranTurismo and Forza was pretty lame.

In any event, the slot-cars worked by having an electric wire running across the track. The wire(s) provided power to a tiny electric motor mounted in a chassis about the size of a HotWheels car. The combination was usually good for scale speeds well in excess of 200 mph. Volvo’s not looking to scale up the speeds of the tiny racers, but they are looking to scale up the idea of powering an electric motor in a moving vehicle without resorting to on-board batteries.

In practice, the two power lines run along the road’s entire length (one positive, one negative). The lines are spaced so that live current is only delivered to a specialized collector mounted at the rear of, or under, the truck. As an additional safety measure (this is Volvo, after all), the current flows only when the vehicle is moving at speeds over 35 mph.

The first vehicles to use such a system could well be Volvo’s own hybrid busses, rather than full EVs, to help guard against short power interruptions and enable the trucks to spend more time in their EV cycles.

As of yet, there is no word on how such rails would cook impact any chickens trying to cross the road.

Source: Volvo, via Gizmag.

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Electricity-generating fuel cells that can be fueled by a cheap, abundant, and renewable fuel source seem to be the holy grail of a low-emission, energy-independent future. Up to now, making the hydrogen that’s powered fuel cell cars has been expensive, but the US military may have come up with new way to generate electricity in a fuel cell with a fuel that we’ve been writing an awful lot about, lately: ethanol.

The new ethanol fuel cell is in the works at the US Army’s Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center in New Jersey. Designed to run on corn ethanol, the new fuel cell could end up playing an important role in the Army’s ability to manage the hazardous materials waste stream from its munitions manufacturing operations. Tina Casey, from our sister site, Cleantechnica, has the story, below.

Army’s “Center of Lethality” Targets Green Fuel Cell To Recover Waste (via Clean Technica)

A new green fuel cell is in the works courtesy of the US Army’s “Center of Lethality,” aka the Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center headquartered at Picatinny Arsenal in New Jersey. The fuel cell is designed to run on corn ethanol, which we don’t find particularly exciting…

Source: Cleantechnica.

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If you’re a car enthusiast of a certain age, then Toyota’s Sprinter AE86 (it’s pronounced “eight-six”, by the way) taught you that a quick-revving engine mated to a willing chassis, in the right hands, could beat anything else on the road down the mountain. We all wanted to be Takumi Fujiwara in Initial D, and we all wanted an eight-six of our own. Times change, however, and the cat-less, open exhaust of his tofu-delivery rocket is definitely not cool in 2013.

That Toyota Sprinter’s clean, angular bodywork and willing chassis? That stuff never goes out of style … which is why the all-electric Toyota AE86 you see here is very possibly the best of all possible worlds. He(ck), it even addresses the only legitimate gripe anyone ever had about the eight-six: low-end torque!

The eight-six may not have the classic curves of a 2000GT, but for the Gen-Xers out there, the Sprinter AE86 is the classic Toyota.

The car shown, above, participates in Japan’s EV-GP Series, a championship that gathers electric vehicles under the JEVRA banner in 50 km sprint races where drivers “must manage their electricity consumption while maintaining high performance and regularity”. So, eat more bran, I guess.

You can check out the video, below, to get a better sense of it.

Source | Photos: JEVRAJP, via TechVehi.

The post Video: Live Out Your Initial D Fantasies w/ an Electric AE86 appeared first on Gas 2.

In their bid to emulate the success that boutique engine builders once enjoyed, Rimac is offering a series of electric motors, batteries, controllers, and driveline components that should be just the ticket to take any would-be electric supercar or racecar constructor from daydream to production reality.

Good. On. Them.

For a bit of context, consider that, in a Bob Lutz-certified ‘lectric car future, batteries will be big business. Electric motors, controllers, and software will be big business, too. The first supplier to get all those systems right and be able to offer a cost-effective and energy-efficient “plug n’ play” drivetrain to small-volume niche carmakers like Lotus, Nemesis, and TommyKaira will be positioned to make big money. Rimac gets that, and they’ve set the stage perfectly.

A Little Background on Rimac

Rimac began making waves back in 2011 with a crazy-fast BMW E30 converted to electric power that, by the way, is still setting records. Confusingly, they followed up the go-fast BMW act with the 1000+ hp, Ferrari-stomping Concept_One supercar. Here we are, then, at Act 3 of Rimac’s little stage act, and it all makes sense. This was Rimac’s endgame all along, and it’s nothing less than a plan to emulate the small-volume engine-building dominance that companies like Cosworth and Ilmor enjoyed in the last generation.

This is textbook Diffusion of Innovations stuff. Rimac tested the product quietly in their E30, and got the attention of the earliest adopters and EV champions. Next, they built a 1000 hp supercar that they never intended to be a money-maker, but which got the attention of those car enthusiasts that might serve as the early majority down the road. They got the attention of boutique carmakers by targeting their king, Ferrari, at a racetrack and stomping the Ferrari soundly. Now? You want to beat a Ferrari in a supercar with your own name on it? Rimac has the hardware – and software! – you need to do it.

It’s so smart, I’m actually jealous. Here’s Rimac’s official press release, below.

June 3rd, 2013. – The Rimac R&D team developed both the Concept_One and the technology under the carbon-fiber skin in order to achieve the Concept_One’s remarkable performance. Various industries and individuals can now benefit from this technology. Rimac Automobili is now offering cutting-edge technology and their services to the industry and individuals. The company’s newly updated web-site will lead you into the world of outstanding innovation and technology.

Founder and CEO of Rimac Automobili, Mate Rimac says: “Pioneers have always been at the forefront of technological advancement of mankind. Rimac Automobili has challenged the status-quo by having the vision to revolutionize and reinvent the sportscar with its unique technology. Today we are excited to offer customers the opportunity to use our technology and know-how to create new and exciting products. Our biggest advantage is that we are to deliver the full service – powertrain, batteries, design, chassis, moulds, body-work, infotainment systems and many other aspects of the vehicle. We can lead the entire process from the idea to the finished product under one roof, what enables us to act fast and efficient. Being a car manufacturer ourselves, we know what it takes to develop a car and how hard it can be to integrate systems from various suppliers. Now it is possible to source everything from one address.”

Rimac Automobili’s CTO, Igor Pongrac explains that Rimac Automobili drivetrain systems deliver unmatched performance combined with very high energy and packaging efficiency. The high level of integration makes these systems the ideal choice for high-performance applications. Every component is matched perfectly to the entire system which results in the most power-dense systems on the market. It is also important to mention that Rimac Automobili powertrain and battery systems are designed to suit in a variety of applications – not necessarily automotive. The modular design of these components enables to be adapted fast and cost effective according to the wishes of every customer. Motors and Transmissions, Battery Systems and BMS, Power Distribution and Management, Infotainment Systems, Low Voltage Electric Systems and a variety of Auxiliary systems are only some of them as Rimac Automobili constantly engages into development activities.

Source | Photos: Rimac.

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Maglev trains are basically trains held up by magnets. Maglev is derived from magnetic levitation with Maglev referring to the vehicle and the “track” system. The train does not sit on a track but rather hovers in the air and this cuts down on friction, wear and tear on the train, sound, and you get an increase in speed. Maglev trains are also referred to more commonly as bullet trains.

So why do we not have these space aged trains everywhere? Well, they require a lot of safety monitoring, the systems are expensive, and it turns out consumers get a little freaked out traveling on a floating platform at over 300 miles per hour.

Japan was the first country to introduce Maglev trains and use them as a tool of mass transportation. The Japan’s first use of this technology was during the 1964 Olympics and the train traveled at 130 miles per hour. China uses Maglev trains and currently the Chinese Maglev train has a top speed of 286 miles per hour. That means when the new Japanese system in up in running around 2027 it should be the fastest train in the world with a top speed of 311 miles per hour.

Meanwhile, America struggles to get trains to go over 100 mph. At this rate it will only take us another 50 years to catch up with Japan.

Source: phys.org

Andrew Meggison was born in the state of Maine and educated in Massachusetts. Andrew earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Government and International Relations from Clark University and a Master’s Degree in Political Science from Northeastern University. Being an Eagle Scout, Andrew has a passion for all things environmental. In his free time Andrew enjoys writing, exploring the great outdoors, a good film, and a creative cocktail. You can follow Andrew on Twitter @AndrewMeggison 

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Monster Tajima’s wicked-fast 670 hp electric Monster Sport E-Runner was detailed yesterday by Chris DeMorro, who pointed out that Tajima would be gunning for a record-setting 9:30 time to further establish himself as “King of the Hill”. The hill, of course, being Pike’s Peak, which is one of America’s most prestigious and storied motorsports events.

The only thing missing from Chris’ article? Video of Monster Tajima’s torque-heavy E-Runner in action … so here’s some of that, below.

And you’re welcome.

Source | Photos: Team APEV, via TechVehi.

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