Earlier this year at the Detroit Auto Show, EcoMotors showed off a small diesel powerplant which used the boxer or pancake style of horizontally opposed cylinders. The small company believes that its engine design can provide the power of a much larger engine while retaining the fuel savings of a small one. As always, we make no recommendations on what companies, if any, to invest in. So far, the company has received its funding from Vinod Khosla, a venture capitalist from Silicon Valley. Now, though, EcoMotors has apparently outgrown their surroundings and the seven-person company is in need of more staff, larger offices and a manufacturing facility. For this reason, the company is now hoping to get some tax breaks from the city of Troy in Michigan.

According to recent reports, the small outfit has plans for its diesel engine to power a sedan by 2010 with a goal of reaching 100 miles per gallon. Interestingly, EcoMotors is headed by John Coletti who was once the director of Ford's Special Vehicles Team. Thanks for the tip, Rob!

[Source: Hometown Life]

An eagle-eyed reader was minding his own business when he happened to spot a Volkswagen Scirocco in San Francisco, which is interesting in itself because the revived model is not available in the United States. Even more interesting was the fact that the car prominently displayed a TDI badge on its flanks, meaning that there is an oil-burner underhood. So, what does all of this mean? Probably nothing. As we mentioned when we wrote about a recent Volvo C30 diesel which was spotted in Arizona, many manufacturers, including those originally from Europe, choose to test their fleet of cars in the hot climate of the Southwestern U.S. Note that the Scirocco picture plainly shows that the car is registered with Arizona license plates. So, as much as we would love to see Volkswagen bring its sporty hatchback over to our shores -- and especially with the TDI engine option -- this particular car isn't really proof of such. We can still dream, though. Thanks for the tip, Jerry!

We've been keeping tabs on the Formula Zero racing series since we first heard about it in 2006. Using hydrogen to generate electricity which then powers electric motors to propel these small Formula 1-esque cars around a track, there will be no emissions coming from the vehicles taking part in this race. The first leg of the inaugural 2008 Championship this year will be taking place on August 22 in Rotterdam in The Netherlands. Really, the timing of this event could not possibly be better as the entire world is looking for ways to reduce its oil consumption and even the pinnacle of road racing, Formula 1, is looking to lower its environmental impact.

Six teams are taking part including the U.S.-based team from Lawrence Technical University in Michigan with their Element One and the U.K.- based team from The Imperial College of London. We'll be naturally keeping an eye out for the results. Stay tuned.

[Source: Formula Zero]

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]

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]

Canadian-based train manufacturer Bombardier announced two contracts to supply hybrid locomotives in North-America. According to Bombardier, these two will be the first deliveries of such technology, which uses diesel and/or electricity to power the locomotives. The contracts were signed with the New Jersey Transit Corporation (26 units) and Montréal's Agence Metropolitaine de Transport (20 units). The locomotives are to be built in Bombardier's manufacturing facilities in Germany and Poland and delivery is expected in 2011. If the locomotives are proven to be successful, NJ Transit (North-America's third largest mass transit system) expects to order 37 additional units. Likewise, Montréal's AMT (second's largest) could order 10 more locomotives.

[Source: Bombarider, Le Figaro]

So you're enjoying a lovely day, driving the twisty Skyline Blvd. in California on your Ducati Multistrada when, through a series of fortunate events, you find yourself trying out the saddle of a different bike that just happens to be a top secret electric prototype using a chassis from the same manufacturer as your personal ride. That's what happened to a guy we know only as thomasj, who wrote about it on the Motorcycles' Journal. He had spotted a suspiciously quiet Ducati 900ss with an overly-large back sprocket and struck up a conversation with the apparent owner. The man turned out to be former Tesla employee Forrest Deuth who has started a company currently known as Hum Cycles which is now in stealth mode and whose mission is to "create the greenest and most fun commuter vehicle on the freeway." Sounds like a great goal to us and if the end product is as good as thomasj thought the prototype is, they just might succeed.

The guest rider found the torque to be mule-strong and unrelenting while the throttle stayed smooth and precise. No shifting was required as he quickly brought it up to the shy side of 100 mph, and then, with the help of some Brembo hardware, back down into legal range again. Like other electrics, it wasn't really silent though it was, thankfully, free of annoying vibration. Aside from speculation, there is precious little to be known about this project at this time but when they are good and ready we are hopeful there will be some beans spillin' here.

[Source: Motorcycles' Journal via Doug@TeslaMotorsClub]

Photo by david.nikonvscanon. Licensed under Creative Commons license 2.0.

Oh, poor Newt Gingrich. Once the shining star of the Republican party, the former House Speaker has now been reduced to spewing utter nonsense on Sean Hannity's TV show (yes, for some readers this will feel like a dog bites man type of story). ThinkProgress catches Gingrich trying to make a political point out of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama's very sensible (if boring) statement that keeping automobile tires properly inflated can help save fuel. In response, Newt said the following:

Well, I got a very funny e-mail from a retired military officer in Tampa who pointed out that most tire inflation is done at service stations and you pay for it. And it's actually a higher profit margin than selling gasoline. So Sen. Obama was urging you to go out and enrich Big Oil by inflating your tires instead of buying gas.

I think all of our readers can figure why this is nonsense, but ThinkProgress has the details if not. As Josh Marshall says, it "Simply defies comprehension how stupid this is. But you can say anything on Fox." Video after the jump. In related news, dKos has a long and opinionated post looking at politicians and Big Oil.

[Source: ThinkProgress]

Click image above for high-resolution gallery

Due to the downsizing trend observed in the United States, Hyundai is seriously considering selling the tiny I10 there. The strong sales of the Mini and the Smart have shown Hyundai that Americans are willing to buy small, clean and fuel-efficient cars. The problem for Hyundai is that the I10 plays in a different league; it's not a premium vehicle like the Mini and isn't quite as stylish as the Smart ForTwo. Still, the l10 is sold worldwide, and a U. S. version could spot different bumpers and changes to the suspension and the 1.2-liter 78hp Kappa engine. One thing we don't want Hyundai to change too much is the consumption figures of around the 5l/100 km (about 47 mpg U. S.).


[Source: Automotive News via Le Blog Auto]

On Friday, we alerted you to the upcoming unveiling that was supposed to happen on Monday of what was purported to be a new electric car like no other. Yes, this was to be a vehicle that could completely reinvent the auto industry, break all the laws of physics and cause small bunches of daisies to protrude from the gun barrels of armies everywhere. Indeed. Well, the appointed time of the unveiling came. And went. No car, no perpetual motion and no daisies were to be seen. Instead, visitors to the website of FOSH Automotive, whose name is not an acronym for "full of sweet honey" but rather is derived from the names of the four individuals who make up this braintrust, had a new message awaiting them.

The company, who apparently were unaware of the large number of people who might be interested in a gas-free, unlimited energy car for $25,000, didn't actually have any pictures or video of their vehicle featuring "some of the sexiest curves and doesn't resemble any electric car you have ever seen." Instead there is a new message that says that, even if their revised unveiling on one of two television networks falls through, next Monday at 9 PM CST there will be a "live video feed" available on their website. We would love to cover that event but, unfortunately, the entire AutoblogGreen staff has a game of tennis with a lovely family of sasquatch booked for that evening which we really can't re-schedule. Perhaps a rain-check? Thanks to Julie, Moshe and Stuart for the tip!

[Source: FOSH Automotive]

Click above for more images of the Aptera Typ1 e

Gasoline prices in the United States are helping push along the development of many new vehicles such as the Volt from General Motors. Such game-changing vehicles as the Volt and the original Toyota Prius demand a huge amount of research and, even more importantly, money before they are able to get out of the most basic of planning stages. What's more, these hybrid or electric vehicles are often sold at a substantial loss for a number of years before they ever are able to turn any sort of profit. It's not surprising, then, that smaller manufacturers such as Aptera and Can-Am are beginning to appear on the scene which look to offer an alternative to run-of-the-mill hybrids by introducing three-wheeled vehicles.

We'll delve a bit into the three-wheelers which are already available and look into what makes them legal - or not - after the break. We'll also discuss what could take place in the near future as Washington takes notice of the three-wheeled trends.

Diesel fans that have been waiting patiently for the 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI will now finally have some relief. Two months after dealers began receiving their demonstrator models, regular customer units are now available and dealers can now start customer deliveries. Volkswagen is charging a $2,000 premium over the base 2.5L gas engine for the fifty-state legal diesel but the Jetta TDI is eligible for a $1,300 federal alternative fuels tax credit. The EPA has rated the Jetta at 29/40 mpg with the 6-speed DSG transmission but drivers of older Jettas have long reported that the EPA estimates for diesels underestimate real world performance. We hope to provide our own evaluation on a regular production unit soon.

[Source: Volkswagen]

Some states have laid out the red carpet for the three-wheeled electric vehicles from ZAP! by offering rebates and issuing executive orders while some states are trying to pull the rug out from under owners by invalidating their registrations. This is now the case in Maine where Xebra owner, Tom Joyal, has received a letter from the state government telling him his little electric Xebra doesn't conform to the state's motor vehicle code and that they are revoking his registration. A spokesperson for the Secretary of State says a number of vehicles, "have been brought to their attention" because people are trying to find ways of coping with higher gas prices. The owner disagrees with the states assessment and claims he is in compliance because it adheres to the definition of an autocycle.

So who is right? After meticulously combing the 251-page Maine Motor Vehicle Inspection Manual (PDF) we conclude that Mr. Joyal appears to be mostly within the boundaries of the law, though he may want to consider installing a roll bar if he wants to be sure to pass inspection. Although the law states that an autocycle is "...an enclosed motorcycle, originally manufactured as an autocycle. It is designed to have no more than three wheels in contact with the ground at any time," an inspector must reject the vehicle if it's does not have said roll bar. The office of the Secretary of State may take another look at the situation and has issued a statement saying, "We certainly want to take an opportunity to review the vehicle and the way that it is configured, see how that fits within the existing confines of state law and see what changes to make to either the vehicle or to the law to make it a viable alternative for people." We hope Mr. Joyal has a lot of patience and wish him good luck.

[Source: WCSH6]

Back in the day, the Ford Pinto was most famous for the occasional gas tank explosion when involved in a rear-end collision. When you design a car with that kind of feature engineering flaw and then combine it with doors that jam shut in the same type of crash, people are going to talk. Nowadays, there's a Pinto in Alaska with fire-orange paint developing a reputation for a exploding off the drag strip starting line that's got people talking. This pony lacks a gas tank so you know all that smoke must be coming from the tires, though the lack of a screaming V8 might try to fool your senses. The car is owned by the president of the Alaskan chapter of the Electric Vehicle Association, Mike Willmon, and can tear up a quarter mile of tarmac in as little as 12.576 seconds and tops out at 127 mph. Yeah, we've seen faster cars too, but we're talking Pinto here! You can get lots of details on the rig at its EV Album page then sit back and watch the electric streak dubbed "Crazy Horse" take on a few "gassers" after the jump.

[Source: Anchorage Daily News / YouTube]