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One problem with wind power is that you can never be sure when the wind will be blowing. If you rely on wind power, you've got problems when the weather chooses not to cooperate, which is like... always! One obvious way to collect the excess electricity to be used later would be with big batteries, but there are other ideas regarding the best way to store the power. Take for instance this scheduled power plant in Dallas Center, Iowa. In lieu of storing the power as electricity, the plan for this group is to store the energy in a giant underground "balloon". Well, not exactly a balloon, but a cavern of porous sandstone layers 3,000 feet under the ground. We've never seen balloons made of rock, but if that's what it takes to make green energy available to the masses... well then, rock balloons it is!
Yamaha already makes a scooter called the C3, which features a 49cc fuel-injected four-stroke engine. That bike can run up to 116 miles using just a single gallon of gas, making for an extremely fuel-efficient means of transportation. How could you top that? If you're Yamaha, you add a "plus" to the name and make the scooter fully electric.
Batting fifth in Yamaha's environmentally friendly lineup for the upcoming Tokyo Motor Show, the C3+ is described by Yamaha as "a convenient 'minimum electric commuter' bike with a light weight, compact body with a helmet storage space." Looking like the marriage of a Vespa with an iPod, the C3+ might be a bit feminine for our tastes, but we're sure that there would be quite a few fans.
Of all the enviro-machines that Yamaha is showing in Tokyo, this would probably be the easiest to put into production. We imagine that the majority of the parts making up the C3+ could be borrowed from the C3, meaning that this is one electric scooter which could see the light of day. Want one? Cross your fingers!
The fourth of Yamaha's environmentally-friendly two-wheelers to be shown at the 40th Tokyo Motor Show is imaginatively, and simply, named BOBBY. Odd name choice aside, the idea of a fold-away little bike makes some sense, and actually has been done before, including with this electric machine from Yamaha themselves. If you're into styling which falls squarely into the "box it came in" philosophy, perhaps this diminutive machine will fit right into your Scion XB.
An interesting feature that this concept vehicle supports is the capability of starting the bike up with certain cellular phones. It's push-button starting taken to a whole new level!
So, what does this concept machine bring to the table that the EC-02 doesn't? Hmmm... I guess that depends on your priorities. Would you prefer the EC-02's iPod dock, or would you rather wow your friends by starting your BOBBY with a cell phone? We'll call it a draw!
Potential benefits of biofuels seem obvious with a reduced carbon footprint being a key reason. But, as we've covered in the past, alcohol fuels such as ethanol can also increase the performance of an engine if the engine is optimized properly. Saab realizes this fact and is considering implementing the idea for future powertrains.
The use of turbocharging can help take advantage of an engine running on ethanoland Saab has a history of force-feeding mass quantities of air into their engines. This being the case, it's not hard to understand why they might be interested in lowering the emissions of their engines by combining E85 capability with turbocharging. In so doing, they can actually reduce the displacement of the engine while still making the desired amount of power. They believe that this may be a short-term way to meet new emissions requirements while still delivering the driving experience that their customers desire. Saab sees hybrids as a potential long-term solution, but they are not yet ready to get one into production.
One might question, though, is whether or not Saab's intended market is ready to concede that small-displacement four-cylinder engines can be just as worthy in a sporty entry-level luxury car, no matter how much power they might produce.
Carrying on Yamaha's onslaught of the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show and their slew of environmentally-friendly cycle concepts, we now introduce you to the FC-Dii. Like the LUXAIR that we showed you previously, the FC-Dii appears to be based on a model originally shown in 2005 called the FC-me. Like that machine, the FC-Dii gets its power from a fuel cell which uses Yamaha's methanol-water solution. The fuel cell creates electricity which continuously charges the on-board lithium ion battery pack. That battery pack is also removable for charging and replacement purposes. According to Yamaha, their fuel cell "features the highest level of power density in the 1kW class... which achieves a top-level performance of 30% system efficiency for a DMFC (Direct Methanol Fuel Cell) system."
The bike itself appears quite small, which makes sense considering that Yamaha would want to keep the machine as light as possible. Nothing really appears to be innovative here besides the fuel cell system, and a good deal of the components appear to carry over from the FC-me. AS soon as we are able to get better pictures, we'll be sure to update this post.
Even Honda, considered by many to be the world's greenest automaker, has room to improve when it comes to their environmental footprint. Fortunately, they recognize this fact and have reported their progress in their latest North American Environmental Report, which covers the the period of April 1, 2006 to March 31, 2007. You may be happy to hear that, once again, Honda finds itself in the enviable position of holding the title of America's most fuel-efficient car company "with an industry-leading U.S. corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) for model year 2006 Honda and Acura cars and light trucks of 29.1 miles per gallon." Another peg for Honda to hang their hat on: "100 percent of model year 2007 Honda and Acura automobiles sold in the U.S. met or exceeded both California's and the U.S. EPA's stringent Tier 2 Bin 5 exhaust emissions standards, without the use of fleet averaging."
For you cycle and ATV lovers out there, Honda has eliminated two-stroke engines from their line, leaving the generally more environmentally-friendly four-stroke as the sole engine choice.
These are just a few of the points in the 2007 report that we found interesting. Much more is available in the entire report which can be found at this link (warning: .pdf), so feel free to mosey on over to Honda's own site and take a look.
This mind and law-bending concept from Yamaha would likely cause the Piaggio MP3 to run away and hide in a corner somewhere. The Yamaha Tesseract does the MP3 one-better by adding a fourth wheel to the rear of the cycle, making it difficult to actually classify this concept vehicle. We'll go with motorcycle for now, but reserve the right to change our minds whenever the heck we feel like it. This vehicle inspires us to do so.
The Tesseract has the ability to lean into turns like both the MP3 scooter and a standard motorcycle, and we are betting that it would be absolutely awesome to ride! The cycle is a hybrid, featuring both a V-Twin gas engine and an electric motor. Yamaha calls the front suspension a "dual-scythe" which sounds a little painful. Like the MP3, the machine can be locked upright when coming to a stop and when parking.
Styling is sharp-edged, and the front end takes on a bit of a praying mantis look with the lights and linkages for the dual-scythe suspension system. Supposedly only about as wide as a regular motorcycle, we wish that regulations did not prohibit a machine like this from being street-legal in the States. Oh well, it's just a concept anyway... but we can still dream, can't we?
Yamaha's staging a full-on blitz of the Tokyo Motor Show which is right around the corner. Of the 19 total "exhibition" models that they intend to show, 6 of them could be classified as motorcycles or scooters featuring electric drive, hybrid or fuel cell power. We'll take a look at each one of them in a series, starting with the LUXAIR.
Looking like an evolution of their Gen-Ryu concept from 2005, the LUXAIR is a hybrid design. The Gen-Ryu featured a 600cc inline four-cylinder engine from the famed R6 sportbike, but no mention has been made yet of the engine powering the LUXAIR. The electric motor is being called the Yamaha Intelligent Power Unit (YIPU) and is apparently thin enough that it is built into the rear hub. As would be expected, the motor aids in acceleration and also generates power while cruising to recharge the battery. Perhaps more interesting is the helper assist which makes the machine easier to move around by hand and the available motor-only reverse. The LUXAIR is said to also feature a "special audio system" for whatever that's worth. Be sure to take note of the single-sided swingarm and front fork.
Styling is very long and low, with floorboards integrated into the sides. The seating position looks quite low, even for a scooter. Overall, most will probably prefer the styling on the LUXAIR to the Gen-Ryu, but some will miss the built-in luggage and old-school style seating. The LUXAIR appears to seat only one occupant... but it really doesn't matter since this is just a concept bike after all. Still, the fact that Yamaha has kept working on the design that they pioneered in '05 might mean that they are seriously looking at the possibility of offering a hybrid motorcycle. We're not ready to put any money down on it, but the concept is sound. We've asked Yamaha for high resolution photos of this concept, and we'll be sure to update you when they arrive.
Considering that the topic of electric two-wheeled transportation often comes up in conversation on our site, we thought you might like to know about this recall of Razor E300 electric scooters. It seems that there may be faulty welds on the handlebars causing them to snap off. That, as they say, would be bad. Apparently there have been instances of this happening in the wild, and injuries sound like a distinct possibility.
Maybe one of those handlebar-less Segway's aren't such a bad idea after all? Or if that is just too pricey, how about one of theseelectric skateboards? On second thought... maybe those aren't a whole lot safer after all!
[Source: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission via Engadget]
Dash mounted navigation systems are becoming rather common inside many new cars. Nissan believes that these navigation systems can be leveraged to reduce the CO2 emissions of their cars and trucks. In an effort to meet their stated goal of reducing the carbon dioxide emissions of their automobiles by 70 percent by 2050, Nissan is working on a piece of software that will work in their cars called Eco Driving Advice. The software application will also sync with your home computer. Besides cutting emissions by 18 percent, the system offers a 20 percent time savings as well, as drivers should reach their destinations sooner than before.
One might think that the gas and time savings would be reward enough, but apparently not. According to Nissan's early tests, drivers quickly became acclimated to the system, but they also quickly stopped using it. In an effort to combat this problem, Nissan is considering offering rewards similar to frequent-flier miles. Hey, whatever works!
Many people are blissfully unaware of what it takes to make their everyday lives possible. Whether it be in how or what we drive, where or how we live; many facets of modern life have an environmental impact that the masses just don't know about. That's why the results of a survey conducted by Johns Manville regarding the consumption of energy and the creation of greenhouse gases are not all that surprising. First, the statistics:
44 percent said that road transportation ranked as the largest contributor of greenhouse gas emissions
35 percent said road transportation ranked as the single largest consumer of energy in the U.S.
12 percent said that residential buildings ranked as the single largest consumer of energy in the U.S.
4 percent said that residential buildings ranked as the largest contributor of greenhouse gas emissions
6 percent said that commercial buildings ranked as the largest contributor of greenhouse gas emissions
The reality is quite different from that perception. According to our source article, the U.S. residential sector ranks as the single largest energy consumer in the world, and homes worldwide account for 25 percent of total energy use. "Many homeowners don't realize that a typical house releases almost twice as much carbon dioxide annually as a typical car," said Kateri Callahan, president of the Alliance to Save Energy.
So, while it is certainly very important to be sure your car is as energy efficient as it can be, you should try and be sure that your home's up to snuff too.
The streetlights on my street serve an excellent purpose, namely so that pedestrians can see what they are doing at night. It's just too bad they are so gawd-awe-fully ugly. The moon is much nicer, but cannot always be relied upon as the sole source of light when it's dark. So, how about designing some nice looking solution to the dimly lit night skies. Take this example and run with it. Looks good to my eyes, if I do say so myself. The fact that they are powered by solar energy captured when the sun is out and doin' its thing makes them all the better.
Sometimes, there's just not a lot to add to a story. You probably already know that BMW makes a hydrogen capable version of its top-of-the-line 7-Series sedan. You probably already know that they are strategically givingthose sedans away to famous people, dignitaries and well-known environmentally friendly individuals. You may even know that the BMW Hydrogen 7-Series makes less power on hydrogen and can travel less distance on that super-abundant fuel than it can when switched over to gas. So, without any further ado...
Famed tenor Placido Domingo is the latest person to have a Hydrogen 7 endowed upon him. Says Domingo, "It is an honor to be taking part in this initiative by BMW to educate, inform and, ultimately, to impact how we as a society think about alternative energy and the health of our planet. Having worked on numerous natural disaster relief efforts, I've witnessed first-hand the profound impact that environmental and climate changes can have on humanity. I feel it is the duty of everyone on this planet to learn, become involved in the fight, accept change and be part of the solution."
I know... not the most interesting post of the day. But, it's news and hydrogen's a hot topic on these pages.. so, there you go. If you want to read the news straight from BMW, the press release has been pasted after the break. Have at it!
We've featured Orbital Corporation and their unique engine technologies before. It turns out that one of those technologies allows a four-stroke engine to run on multiple different fuels. Polaris, the manufacturer of snowmobiles, ATV's and Victory motorcycles is using this technology in their Patriot engine. This engine is designed to use military-grade JP8 fuel, but is also capable of running on regular diesel or even gasoline. The technology in use is reportedly similar to HCCI, but is apparently somewhat different. The fuel is directly injected into the combustion chamber along with a low-pressure stream of air. Orbital is calling the system air assisted direct injection. Orbital claims that an engine using their technology can reduce fuel consumption by 20 percent while still achieving Euro III emissions standards.
The Patriot engine is available in Polaris' MV800 ATV, which was developed for the military. The engine is 760ccs and produces 40 horsepower. Take a look at the press release after the break.
Many people use the term "battery" to describe anything that gives off power that can be used for another purpose. The average consumer is totally used to the idea of a AA-sized alkaline battery that comes from the store charged, gets used up and then gets thrown away. So, the idea of a "battery" which could potentially last... say, 30 years sounds awesome! And indeed, the technology exists already in the form of the power source used in some space satellites. Via the decay of Tritium, researchers are working on a power source which would act like a battery that lasts a very long time. Think of the process like weak nuclear power. The type of radioactivity that the power units give off can be easily blocked so that it is not harmful to humans. Of course, there are drawbacks. The unit is rather heavy for the power it gives off and is too easily damaged to be used by consumers. The military, however, might be interested. So, while we might not be driving electric cars that generate their own on-board electricity from decaying radioactive matter in 5 years, in 50 years... who knows?
Yamaha already makes a scooter called 
The fourth of Yamaha's environmentally-friendly two-wheelers to be shown at the 40th Tokyo Motor Show is imaginatively, and simply, named BOBBY. Odd name choice aside, the idea of a fold-away little bike makes some sense, and actually has 
Carrying on Yamaha's onslaught of the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show and their slew of environmentally-friendly cycle concepts, we now introduce you to the FC-Dii. Like the LUXAIR that 
Yamaha's staging a full-on blitz of the Tokyo Motor Show which is right around the corner. Of the 19 total "exhibition" models that they intend to show, 6 of them could be classified as motorcycles or scooters featuring electric drive, hybrid or fuel cell power. We'll take a look at each one of them in a series, starting with the LUXAIR.
Considering that the topic of electric two-wheeled transportation often comes up in conversation on our site, we thought you might like to know about this 
_thumbnail.jpg "Volvo C70 Polis - flexfuel")
