AutoblogGreen

Click above for more images of the Trident Iceni

A biodiesel-powered supercar with an all-stainless steel chassis, composite bodywork and beautiful curves? Are we in heaven? Nope, just the UK. We've seen this car before, but Trident Performance Vehicles has upped the ante on eco-friendly supercars with its latest Iceni. Now powered by a Duramax turbo diesel engine with 550 horsepower at 3800 rpm and a gut-wrenching 950 ft-lbs. of torque at just 1800 rpm, the Iceni is reportedly capable of achieving well over 200 miles per hour. No need to go that fast? That's alright, the Iceni is quite the quarter mile king too, launching itself to sixty in just 3.7 seconds and surely tripping the lights at an equally astronomical figure. Fuel mileage is about 57 miles per gallon U.S.

Trident says that any blend of biodiesel is just fine with them and will not void your warranty. Of course, that would assume that you could actually purchase one of these fine specimens, which is currently not the case as the company is currently hoping for some additional funding. If they do make it to market, expect a £75,000 hit to your wallet (that's roughly US$140,000).


[Source: Trident Performance Vehicles]

Volkswagen is introducing a new 160hp version of its 1.4-liter TFSI engine. This engine and the 122hp version are replacing VW's 1.6 FSI and 2.0 FSI engines which produced 115 and 150hp, respectively. This change in the engine lineup will start in the Golf Plus, Jetta and Golf Variant versions.

As we mentioned before, Volkswagen is dropping its direct-injection diesel technology, first used two decades ago, and will join the rest of automakers in using common-rail injection technology for its diesel drivelines. This new 2.0 HDi dCi CDi CDTi TDI is already Euro 5 compliant. Although it was announced as coming in the new Golf VI, Germans can already buy the 2.0 TDI mated to the Jetta and Golf Variant (pictured above) and, later, in the Golf Plus. Although power remains unchanged from the old 2.0-liter at 140hp and fuel consumption is kept at 5.5 l/km (43mpg U.S.), CO₂ emissions are down to 143 grams of CO₂ per km and torque improves up to 320 Nm (236 lb-ft).

[Source: Auto News]

In a brief press release (which you can find pasted after the jump) Bosch and Samsung have confirmed they have received the green light from German authorities to work on their project to produce lithium-ion batteries. The joint venture, called SB LiMotive Co. Ltd., will start work next month. Their plan is to produce "highly efficient lithium-ion batteries customized to automotive requirements and to market them worldwide from 2011." As we mentioned before, Samsung SDI has been producing lithium cells for consumer electronics and power tools while Bosch has expertise in the power electronics and battery management systems. Bosch, especially, has big dreams.

[Source: Bosch/Samsung]

As the WillieRun guys get ready to go from NYC to LA on one* tank of fuel, Wayne Keith down in Alabama is preparing to drive in a coast-to-coast race from South Carolina to California (and back) using nothing but a wood-burning truck. Keith's Bio-Trucks (there are currently four versions) use a system that gassifies wood in the bed and then feeds the syngas into the engine. According to the Bio-Truck website, Keith's race vehicle is a modified 1991 Dodge Dakota V8 pickup that can get about a mile per pound (a back-up vehicle, a 1987 Dodge Dakota V6, can go a mile and a half on that much carbon-containing wood). Top speeds for the two Bio-Trucks are 80 mph for the V8 and 65 for the V6. There's a reason that Keith uses older trucks: new trucks can't be converted because of their advanced fuel injection systems. Keith's partners in the BioTruck endeavor include Auburn University, Range Fuels and more. Thanks to tipster Joe P.

[Source: Bio-Truck Homepage]

About a year from now, General Motors will face a very interesting conundrum. The company will already be producing a version of its full-size pick-up trucks with a Two-Mode hybrid system. For the 2010 model year, another new engine will be added, a 4.5L diesel V8 that meets Tier 2 Bin 5 emissions requirements in all 50 states. The hybrid system gives a 30 percent boost in fuel efficiency over a 5.3L V8. The diesel should also offer a similar boost. The hybrid is a very expensive system to build. The diesel may be less expensive. The hybrid system works well in warm weather but not nearly as well in cold temperatures. The diesel should do much better in cold climates. The diesel should also provide better payload and towing capacity. It will be very interesting to watch how GM markets these powertrain options and how the fuel efficiency compares in the real world between the diesel and hybrid drivetrains. In the meantime there is a good video from the GMNext website with Charlie Freese, executive director of diesel engineering at GM, in which he describes the design of the new 4.5L Duramax. You can check out the video after the jump.

[Source: GMNext]

China has produced its first hybrid electric-diesel locomotive, the JT56ACe. The high powered diesel-electric model was jointly manufactured by CNR Dalian Locomotive and Rolling Stock Co. (DLoco) and USA-based Electro-Motive Diesel, Inc., (EMD, formerly a GM company). It's got a 6,000 hp diesel engine and its manufacturers claim that it's the most fuel efficient and environmentally friendly locomotive in the world. It features dual isolated driver's cabins, low exhaust emissions, electronic fuel injection, AC traction drive system, microcomputer control system. The JT56ACe can pull up to 5000 tons (metric) with a maximum speed of 120 km/h (75mph). EMD and CNR have agreed to build 300 of these locomotives for the Chinese Ministry of Railways.

[Source: EMD]

Click above for more shots of the Homeless Utility Vehicle

Before moving out West, I lived near Detroit -- the car capitol of the United States for sure, but also home to many people without homes. Stephen M. Mills surely noticed this issue as well as he attended the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. For his final project in school, Mills created what he refers to as a Homeless Utility Vehicle, basically a small shelter on wheels with just enough space to fit a person inside to protect them from the elements. Of course, it gets pretty darn chilly in Michigan in the winter months. Before actually constructing the shelter, Mills went for two weeks without shaving or taking care of his hair, slept for a night in a small trailer and on the floor of his apartment. These experiences influenced the design of his HUV.

The vehicle itself is human powered and is constructed of plywood, black vinyl and clear vinyl. The wheels appear to come from a small cycle or cart. Mills tested the HUV a bit in Ann Arbor and was happy with the results. We wonder if the HUV could incorporate a simple pedal system as this would likely greatly increase its usability and could even allow for use beyond just homeless persons. Comments?


[Sources: The Detroit News, Homeless Vehicle]

Thanks to diesel's high-mpg factor and some of Europe's small countries, it's not impossible to hit six nations on one tank of fuel. Here in the U.S., though, the distances are a bit longer, and we can't quite make it to as many lands without refueling. Some see the distance as a challenge to be conquered, like Nik Bristow and his driving buddy, who intend to take a 2006 Volkswagen Jetta TDI from NYC to Los Angeles on one* tank of gas. The trip will take place about a month from now and is named after Mr. Biodiesel himself, Willie Nelson.

Willie Run will set off from Manhattan on September 22 with the intent to arrive in LA on the the 24th. The whole "one tank" thing, though, needs to be explained, since there's no Jetta available that's going to drive the whole 3,000 miles without a refil. The guys installed a "second, high-capacity fuel tank" into Willie One to provide the needed fuel. Bristow sent and email to AutoblogGreen to explain the reason why:

Why do it? Well, outside the circles of car junkies and hippie-types, biodiesel is still relatively unknown, at least in America. The average Joe who's feeling the squeeze at the pump thinks that his only option for an environmentally responsible fuel-sipper is a hybrid. But as we car-lovers know, diesels are comparatively much more efficient than their gasoline counterparts, sometimes even more than their hybrid colleagues, and can still deliver great performance. When you add biodiesel to the equation, a diesel-powered vehicle is one of the best options for the environment, the wallet and for our domestic energy security. Willie Run '08 aims to make that a well-known fact.

Get more details at the Willie Run site and stay tuned for updates. Bristow said he hopes that the Willie Run will become an annual event, with a whole fleet of "coast-to-coast cruisers from University Engineering Schools, major auto manufacturers, backyard tinkerers and maybe even TEAM AUTOBLOGGREEN." We'll see.

[Source: Willie Run / Nik Bristow]

Veteran interviewer Charlie Rose has done a two-part look at General Motors in the wake of the company's recent losses and its pending centennial celebration. In the first part, Rose sits down with Chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner to discuss all manner of issues surrounding the ailing automaker, including the Volt. Aside from reiterating that the engineering teams are making excellent progress on the Volt and are on track to meet the late 2010 Job 1 date, Wagoner was asked about price. He replied that they haven't worked out final pricing yet but expects the initial cars to come out in the mid to upper 30s. That's clearly more than they would have liked but it is the reality of battery costs. Wagoner said the company hopes that the government will implement tax incentives that make the end price more palatable to consumers. On the subject of incentives he said that GM doesn't expect the government to pay for the development of vehicles like the Volt, but would like to see the government encourage the demand side to help build volume. That would be a combination of incentives to buy, and also allowing fuel prices not to drop too much. The company is already realigning its production capacity to the reality of high gas prices and they would hate to see a reversal in demand for trucks at this point. You can check out the video after the jump. A second part, featuring an interview with Bob Lutz, hasn't been posted online yet.

[Source: Charlie Rose]

Click on picture for high-resolution picture

One of Europe's sexiest sedans, the Peugeot 407, has gotten a mid-life boost. Besides some aesthetic tweaks, Peugeot has updated the 2.0-liter HDi 140 engine with a 6-speed manual gearbox which develops 140hp - an increase of 4hp over the previous HDi 136. It also benefits from lower fuel consumption, at 49.5 mpg imperial (41 mpg U.S. or 5.7 l/100 km) and CO₂ emissions have been reduced to 150 g/km. It also gets a Diesel Particulate Filter (nicknamed FAP at Peugeot) as standard. The FAP is also available on the 1.6-liter 110hp base diesel model. Two additional diesels, a 170hp and a V6, remain available. All PSA diesel engines built after 1998 are certified to use biodiesel blends up to 30 percent. For flex-fuel lovers, Peugeot is offering a new 2.0-litre 'Bioflex' engine that can burn E85 fuel starting in November. Full UK press release after the jump.



[Source: Peugeot]