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Vehicles Powered Completely By Air (NO JOKE)
Like never before I need a second opinion... Is this for real?!
(Where is Russell Gehrke when I need him?)
Is it possible to exponentiate energy? This video claims that through various stages of compression technology, energy can be created and not entirely lost..
The CAR is POWERED by .. AIR. (under pressure)
Poof!
~I want to be a believer.
'Although it costs money to create the compressed air, that energy is actually created by, compressed air..'
Geoff Lawton, a permaculture design proffesional, says that 'it's not how much water you have in a system, it's how many times you use that water/energy.. within the system.' And I loosely quote, 'If you have one gallon of water, and you use it once, well then you have one gallon of water.. If you take that one gallon of water, and use it ten times, well then you have ten gallons of water.
Your take? Like never before I need a second opinion... Is this for real?! (Where is Russell Gehrke when I need him?) ... more -
Gas Mileage Improvements
There is no doubt that gas prices are out of control. It is getting worse very day. It is ovious that people need to find a way to improve gas mileage and save money.
At the moment there are two options: improve gas mileage or convert your car to use alternative fuel sources.
If you want to improve your car’s mileage you should their tips. There is no doubt that gas prices are out of control. It is getting worse very day. It is ovious that people need to find a way to imp... more -
Hybrid car conversions getting 80 MPG right now
SAN JOSE, CA (KGO) -- About a year ago, CEO's in Silicon Valley challenged one another to start driving electric. On the eve of a huge conference in San Jose, high tech leaders say the plug-in movement is well underway.
Last week Tom Hayse was getting 40 miles a gallon driving his hybrid Prius. That was before his plug-in conversion and a lithium battery packed in the back.
"With the plug-in hybrid, I'm getting actually getting close to 80 miles a gallon, so I'm pretty happy with that."
Tom is one of 30 Silicon Valley CEO's and community leaders who have pledged to be part of what they call the 'plug-in revolution'.
"If only ten percent of the million or so Prius owners converted their cars like we're doing, the price of the battery conversion would come down," says Sass Somekh, Ph.D of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group.
SAN JOSE, CA (KGO) -- About a year ago, CEO's in Silicon Valley challenged one another to start driving electric. On the eve of a huge... more -
SSC 'Going Green' In New SuperCar Development
Shrouded in mystery and secrecy, SSC has announced plans to unveil the next historical milestone – the Ultimate Aero EV (Electric Vehicle), the first 100% Green Supercar to achieve speeds never before seen. Engineering details are yet undisclosed while development continues at an uninterrupted pace. Despite months of speculation, SSC expects to roll out its first prototype in February 2009.
"I think we can do it faster, leaner and cleaner than any other manufacturer" says Jerod Shelby, SSC Founder.
Unlike other manufacturers' models slated for delivery in the next decade, Shelby's latest brainchild expects to be delivered as early as fourth quarter 2009. Other automakers have sacrificed aesthetics and performance in exchange for hybrid power plants, but the Ultimate Aero EV will deliver a pollution-free, engineering marvel with an exotic Supercar exterior. The drive train under development will feature a revolutionary power source allowing for extended time between charging intervals with the possibility of several years between charging. Powered by a 500 horsepower electric motor, the Ultimate Aero EV will have true supercar performance. Additionally, SSC is exploring the potential of a twin 500 horsepower electric power plant producing 1,000 horsepower in a 2 or 4 wheel drive configuration.
Shrouded in mystery and secrecy, SSC has announced plans to unveil the next historical milestone – the Ultimate Aero EV (Electric Vehi... more -
Higher Gas Prices=Less Auto Deaths
A silver lining, or a bunch of BS?
"WASHINGTON (AP) — Today's high gas prices could reduce auto deaths by nearly a third as driving decreases, with the effect particularly dramatic among price-sensitive teenage drivers, the authors of a new study said.
Professors Michael Morrisey of the University of Alabama-Birmingham and David Grabowski of Harvard Medical School found that for every 10 percent increase in gas prices there was a 2.3 percent decline in auto deaths. For drivers ages 15 to 17, the decline was 6 percent, and for ages 18 to 21, it was 3.2 percent.
The study looked at fatalities from 1985 to 2006, when gas prices reached about $2.50 a gallon. With gas now averaging over $4 a gallon, Morrisey said he expects to see a drop of about 1,000 deaths a month.
With annual auto deaths typically ranging from about 38,000 to 40,000 a year, a drop of 12,000 deaths would cut the total by nearly a third, Morrisey said.
"I think there is some silver lining here in higher gas taxes in that we will see a public health gain," Grabowski said. But he cautioned that their estimate of a decline of 1,000 deaths a month could be offset somewhat by the shift under way to smaller, lighter, more fuel-efficient cars and the increase in motorcycle and scooter driving.
Morrisey said the study also found the "same kind of symmetry" between gas prices and auto deaths when prices go down.
"When that happens we drive more, we drive bigger cars, we drive faster and fatalities are higher," he said.
Morrisey and Grabowski presented their findings to a meeting of the American Society of Health Economists in Raleigh-Durham, N.C., last month. The study was funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation." A silver lining, or a bunch of BS? ... more -
As gas prices go up, auto deaths drop
WASHINGTON - High gas prices could turn out to be a lifesaver for some drivers. The authors of a new study say gas prices are causing driving declines that could result in a third fewer auto deaths annually, with the most dramatic drop likely to be among teen drivers.
Professors Michael Morrisey of the University of Alabama at Birmingham and David Grabowski of Harvard Medical School said they found that for every 10 percent increase in gas prices there was a 2.3 percent decline in auto deaths. For drivers ages 15 to 17, the decline was 6 percent, and for ages 18 to 21, it was 3.2 percent.
Their study looked at fatalities from 1985 to 2006, when gas prices reached about $2.50 a gallon. With gas now averaging more than $4 a gallon, Morrisey said he expects to see much greater drop — about 1,000 deaths a month.
With annual auto deaths typically ranging from about 38,000 to 40,000 a year, a drop of 12,000 deaths would cut the total by nearly a third, Morrisey said in an interview with The Associated Press.
"I think there is some silver lining here in higher gas prices in that we will see a public health gain," Grabowski said. But he cautioned that their estimate of a decline of 1,000 deaths a month could be offset somewhat by the shift under way to smaller, lighter, more fuel-efficient cars and the increase in motorcycle and scooter driving.
Morrisey said the study also found the "same kind of symmetry" between gas prices and auto deaths when prices go down.
"When that happens we drive more, we drive bigger cars, we drive faster and fatalities are higher," he said.
Morrisey and Grabowski found a nearly identical relationship between gas prices and auto deaths in an earlier study that covered 1983 to 2000. The studies used auto deaths tabulated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which hasn't yet released figures for 2007.
Clarence Ditlow, executive director of the nonprofit Center for Auto Safety, said it makes sense that auto deaths would decline as driving decreases in response to rising gas prices.
"There are a whole bunch of factors that are influenced by higher gasoline prices — teenagers don't have as much money, so you have the most risky drivers driving less; people are switching out of the bigger, older more dangerous vehicles, and people also know if they drive slower they're going to save gasoline," Ditlow said. "So, from a societal viewpoint, higher gasoline prices have a great number of benefits, and one of the most important benefits is fewer traffic fatalities."
But Ditlow said he would be "delighted and amazed" to see deaths drop by a third. He said the declines in driving, while record-setting, still aren't great enough to suggest such a dramatic drop is likely.
The Department of Transportation said last month that Americans drove 1.4 billion fewer highway miles in April, the sixth month in a row that driving was down and a historic turnaround after decades of annual increases in driving.
"We're out there on a limb a little bit," Morrisey acknowledged, "but given that we get such consistent stories across the two time periods (in both studies) with somewhat different methodology, they seem to be pretty robust estimates."
Morrisey and Grabowski presented their findings to a meeting of the American Society of Health Economists in Raleigh-Durham, N.C., last month. The study was funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. WASHINGTON - High gas prices could turn out to be a lifesaver for some drivers. The authors of a new study say gas prices are causing ... more -
Toyota to build Prius in US, stops truck production
"The company said Thursday it will start producing the Prius in 2010 at a plant it is building in Blue Springs, Miss. Toyota already builds a hybrid version of the Camry sedan in Kentucky, but this will be the first time the Prius, which has been on sale for more than a decade, will be built outside of Asia." -MSNBC
Toyota is also planning on temporarily stopping US production of its trucks and large SUVs because of declining demand. The plants will either temporarily close or build hybrid SUVs instead.
This is great news both for the environment and for our economy. It will ultimately result in more jobs for Americans and strengthen the "green-collar" job market. This is evidence of our economy's shift in the right direction.
What do you think? "The company said Thursday it will start producing the Prius in 2010 at a plant it is building in Blue Springs, Miss. Toyota already b... more -
Car powered by air
Its a heck of an ugly car on the outside. Beautiful on the inside though as this car runs on air with Zero emmisions. Get your electricity to compress the air from a green supplier and this car could also be beautifying the environment, accept for when your looking at it.
Hopefully though, in time they will give it a makeover as they perfect the engine that runs on air
Bravo!. Its a heck of an ugly car on the outside. Beautiful on the inside though as this car runs on air with Zero emmisions. Get your electri... more -
La Prius aggiunge i pannelli solari!
Presto la più famosa vettura ibrida aggiungerà i pannelli solari sul tetto! (...)
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Report: "perché... i Suv?"
Soldi soldi soldi...chi tiene i soldi vive come un pashà e a piedi caldi se ne sta...
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In vendita Honda FCX Clarity, ad idrogeno!
La Fcx Clarity della Honda, auto ad idrogeno, da questo mese inizia a essere commercializzata negli Usa e da novembre in Giappone. (...) La Fcx Clarity della Honda, auto ad idrogeno, da questo mese inizia a essere commercializzata negli Usa e da novembre in Giappone. (..... more
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June Sales Fell Almost 28% at Ford
The Ford Motor Company said on Tuesday that its sales fell 28 percent in June, the worst month yet in a miserable year for the automobile industry.
Through the first half of 2008, Ford’s sales were off 14 percent.
Sales of pickup and sport utility vehicles, have been hit particularly hard as consumers seek out more fuel-efficient alternatives. Ford said light truck sales were down 36 percent in June and 18 percent so far this year.
“Consumer fundamentals and consumer confidence deteriorated as the first half unfolded,” James D. Farley, Ford’s marketing chief, said in a statement. “The economy enters the second half of the year with a notable absence of momentum and a high degree of uncertainty.”
Shares of Ford were down more than 7 percent in trading. General Motors shares were off nearly 6 percent. G.M. and the other automakers are scheduled to report their June sales Tuesday afternoon.
Record-high gasoline prices, a housing slump and weak consumer confidence have led to a dramatic decline in sales of many vehicles, particularly the largest and most profitable ones for domestic automakers. The Ford F-series pickup truck, which has been the best-selling vehicle in the United States for 26 years, was outsold by four fuel-efficient Japanese sedans in May.
Ford recently said it would delay introducing its new F-150 pickup by two months so that dealers could have more time to sell off the current version first.
The automakers increased discounts on many slower-selling models last month in the hopes of closing out the second quarter with some momentum. General Motors offered six-year, no-interest loans during the final week of June on most trucks and some cars, and some automakers have been discounting large sport utility vehicle prices by more than $9,000.
Pickups and S.U.V.’s were discounted more than 13 percent on average in June, according to Edmunds.com. Yet dealers say the deals have not done as much to draw in customers as huge sales did several years ago.
“Compared to a year ago, we’re off 65 to 70 percent,” said Preston Mays, sales manager for Superior Chevrolet in Decatur, Ga. Mr. Mays said no-interest loans have become less effective than cash rebates because so many shoppers owe more on their current vehicle than it is worth, and the sour economy means they need a discount more than free financing.
“People need these prices to go down,” he said. “They’re trying to put gas in the vehicle and feed their families.”
Most dealers say the slowdown has made their jobs considerably more challenging but that they already are starting to see a few more customers as gas prices have appeared somewhat more stable at around $4 a gallon.
“June actually picked up a little bit for us,” said Jerrel Richards, sales manager at Lone Star Ford in Houston. “It’s not as bad as people think. We’re still surviving. We’re still selling trucks. We’re still turning a profit.”
The three Detroit automakers have each said recently that they would significantly cut production of trucks and build more passenger cars in response to the shift in consumers’ preferences. Chrysler on Monday announced plans to close a minivan plant near St. Louis and cut a one of two shifts at an adjacent pickup plant.
G.M. is temporarily halting the assembly lines at seven truck factories in North America before closing four plants permanently within the next three years. Ford says it will build
The Ford Motor Company said on Tuesday that its sales fell 28 percent in June, the worst month yet in a miserable year for the automob... more -
Mc Cain vs Obama: sfida all’ultima goccia di petrolio
Repubblicani vs Democratici: la questione energetica infiamma gli States. Vediamo un po’ come intendono muoversi i due candidati alla presidenza...
Direttamente dagli States vi posso dire che l’aumento del prezzo della benzina sta mettendo tutti ko. Paradossalmente noi in Italia siamo un po’ abituati ad tenere d’occhio il livello del serbatoio... mentre in America è tutta un’altra storia. Accise basse, lunghezze infinite e macchine iper potenti hanno portato gli americani ad avere un atteggiamento verso i consumi della benzina sempre un po’ superficiale. Ma adesso le cose stanno cambiando, perchè 4,5$ al gallone significano veramente cose mai viste... (...)
Repubblicani vs Democratici: la questione energetica infiamma gli States. Vediamo un po’ come intendono muoversi i due candidati alla ... more -
Th!nk Ox: An electric car with style and smarts
Although an Ox is not what I’d call a particularly stylish or intelligent animal, don’t let the name confuse you — the Th!nk Ox could be about the most attractive and functional electric car ever designed. Before the debate starts over that claim, note the all-important “and” between the words attractive and functional.
Due out in 2010/2011, the Ox is about the size of a Toyota Prius. It can go from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 8.5 seconds, travel between 125 and 155 miles on a single charge, and its lithium-ion batteries can be charged to 80% capacity in less than an hour.
Solar panels on its roof power equipment such as the radio, navigation system, instrument panel, and air conditioning — even while parked with the car switched off.
The Ox is fully connected: GPS, mobile internet, a customizable digital dashboard, as well as a whole host of other modern features, all link the driver to his or her surroundings.
In April we wrote about Th!nk’s new North American partnership with venture firms RockPort Capital and Kleiner Perkins. This partnership gave rise to ThInk North America.
It may not seem like a big deal, but Rockport Capital and Kleiner Perkins have an excellent track record when it comes to choosing and investing in winners. Indeed, both firms provided much needed funding to companies such as Amazon and Google when they were mere start-ups.
Not only does Think have the backing of the above venture powerhouses, its first vehicle, the City, is already being sold in Europe for around US $25,000. Think is on track to sell about 10,000 of them there this year.
Written by Nick Chambers Although an Ox is not what I’d call a particularly stylish or intelligent animal, don’t let the name confuse you — the Th!nk Ox could ... more -
Opera d'arte ad idrogeno
A Monaco di Baviera, nella Pinakothek der Moderne, è esposta, o meglio, conservata in freezer, l’ultima opera dell’artista di origine islandese e danese Olafur Eliasson: Your mobile expectations: Bmw H2R Project. Ecco come l’artista ha reinterpretato in modo incredibile l’ultimo prototipo ad idrogeno della Bmw. A Monaco di Baviera, nella Pinakothek der Moderne, è esposta, o meglio, conservata in freezer, l’ultima opera dell’artista di origine ... more
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Beware Gimmicks Promising Better Mileage
Ever-increasing gas prices are sending motorists in search of sometimes unconventional ways to improve their cars' gas mileage.
Some products are geared heavily toward consumers and promise to make nearly any vehicle more fuel efficient. But "Good Morning America" technology contributor Becky Worley discovered some items may not live up to their fuel-efficient claims, which use additives, reformulators and special magnets as gimmicks.
Ethos
At $45 per 32-ounce bottle, it claims to increase fuel efficiency between 7 and 19 percent. What Becky Says
I have not seen any changes in fuel efficiency as a result of adding the liquid to my gas tank. To further my belief that this is a dubious product, when I called some of the distributors listed online for Ethos, the first two numbers were cell phones that were no longer in service and the third had a message saying the person was "locked up" until July 7.
What the Experts Say
The Environmental Protection Agency has evaluated or tested more than 100 alleged gas-saving devices and has not found any product that significantly improves gas mileage. In fact, some so-called gas-saving products may damage a car's engine or cause a substantial increase in exhaust emissions.
Gas-Saving Magnets
The fuel saver's magnet claims it has been tested and approved by an EPA-accepted laboratory to increase fuel economy up to 11.6 percent.
It gives a seemingly scientific online explanation for why the product works, including claims that clustered fuel molecules cause incomplete fuel burning.
What the Experts Say
The EPA has tested all kinds of fuel-line magnets, but no magnetic technology has ever been proven to improve mileage. The science is fundamentally flawed. Fuels in most engines burn at 99 percent efficiency. There's no leftover energy that escapes. Even if the magnets did break up fuel clusters, they'd only be able to improve fuel efficiency by 1 percent.
Plus, if this worked, why wouldn't car manufacturers have the technology built into their cars? The Federal Trade Commission has gone after marketers of fuel-line magnets in the past but the products just keep popping up.
Using Water to Improve Gas Mileage
The claim is that by using water hooked up to your car battery, you use electrolysis to create energy and double your fuel efficiency. To do this you attend a seminar for $145 or buy a converter for $185.
What the Experts Say
There is a lot of controversy online about this technology. On one hand, people believe that the law of conservation of energy says you can't make fuel out of nothing. Others say that it can improve engine efficiency. Basically, I don't think it's worth doing the experiment on your own car. I talked to AAA and officials there warn that this kind of modification could void your warranty and end up costing you in repairs in the long run. And if this was such a straightforward economizer, with hybrid sales up 25 percent, why aren't the major manufacturers putting a mason jar and some tubing in their engines to increase fuel efficiency?
Fuel Mizer
For $69 you can purchase a Fuel Mizer that mounts on your car's dashboard and lets you know when your driving patterns are decreasing fuel efficiency. Ever-increasing gas prices are sending motorists in search of sometimes unconventional ways to improve their cars' gas mileage. ... more -
Shell Eco Marathon, la sfida delle macchine green!
In Francia si è svolta la 24esima edizione della Shell Eco Marathon, la sfida all’efficienza dei carburanti. Ragazzi universitari e studenti di tutto il mondo si sono sfidati creando dei veri e propri gioielli. E se ci sono riusciti loro, ci viene spontanea la domanda: perchè l’idrogeno tarda così tanto ad entrare nel mercato? (...)
In Francia si è svolta la 24esima edizione della Shell Eco Marathon, la sfida all’efficienza dei carburanti. Ragazzi universitari e st... more -
Illusioni ottiche per rallentare la velocità
Per rallentare la velocità delle auto, su alcune strade americane verranno disegnate delle illusioni ottiche. Agli automobilisti, le immagini appariranno come ostacoli tridimensionali nonostante la strada sia completamente piatta.
I dossi finti verranno testati su cento incroci intorno a Philadelphia nell'ambito di una campagna per la guida sicura.
"L'obiettivo è cambiare la mentalità dell'automobilista", sostiene l'ingegnere stradale Charles Denny. "Chi si trova al volante rallenterà pensando che si tratti di un dosso vero".
Resta solo da vedere se questo metodo ridurrà o meno gli incidenti stradali.
English version: http://current.com/item/89032133_optical_illusions_to_b... Per rallentare la velocità delle auto, su alcune strade americane verranno disegnate delle illusioni ottiche. Agli automobilisti, le i... more -
9 Ways to help save you money at the pump
Gas prices jumped once again this week, to a national average of $4.05 a gallon for regular unleaded, according to AAA. With this continuous and never-ending rise in gas prices fuel economy is vital. So, here are nine tactics to help you get the most miles per gallon from your vehicle and save money, too. Gas prices jumped once again this week, to a national average of $4.05 a gallon for regular unleaded, according to AAA. With this cont... more
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Oscar-winning visual effects artist Stan Winston, dead at 62
Stan Winston, an Oscar-winning visual effects artist, has died at age 62.
Winston died at home Sunday evening after a seven-year struggle with multiple myeloma, according to a rep from Stan Winston Studio.
"Stan died peacefully at home surrounded by family," a spokeswoman said.
Winston won four visual effects Oscars and earned multiple nominations. His first Oscar was for James Cameron's "Aliens" (1986). Winston later won two Oscars for "Terminator 2: Judgment Day" (1992) (visual effects and makeup) and 1993's "Jurassic Park."
Phil Tippett, who shared a visual effects Oscar with Winston on "Jurassic Park," noted that Winston was one of the best in the business.
"Stan contributed to some of the greatest -- fantastic movie characters in motion picture history," Tippett said. "His loss in a great one and he will be missed."
In lieu of flowers, Winston's family is requesting that donations be made to his charities of choice, a list of which will be posted here shortly.
-- Sheigh Crabtree
Photo: Courtesy Stan Winston Studio. Stan Winston, an Oscar-winning visual effects artist, has died at age 62. ... more
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