Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Gas 2.0

Gas 2.0

Report: Fiat 500 to Reach 100 MPG with Hybrid TwinAir Drivetrain

Posted: 14 Jul 2010 11:01 AM PDT

Already one of Europe’s most popular cars, the diminutive and good-looking Fiat 500 just keeps getting better. It’s such a diverse platform—from the high performance, MINI-fighting Abarth edition to the recently released 50 mpg TwinAir Turbo, and there’s even hint of a fully electric version—that it seems hard to cram more options into it. But according to a report over at Auto Express, the 500 TwinAir is set to receive a hybrid electric drivetrain that will take it to an amazing 100 mpg fuel economy while reducing carbon emissions to a scant 70 g/km.

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Racing an Electric Motorcycle at the Laguna Seca Refuel Track Day

Posted: 14 Jul 2010 10:02 AM PDT

Electric car participants line up on the grid. It’s almost sad to see the time trial winner starting a practice session behind a converted Scion. But passing practice is always fun.

When I heard about the Refuel event, a free track day and time trial at Laguna Seca, it was literally a dream come true. I have long been a devoted aficionado of the legendary corkscrew. Really, ever since I first circled the track on the back of a friend’s Yamaha R1, I have loved this track, and for years before that I admired it as a spectator. When I first started hearing about electric motorcycles, I thought, “Wow, all those golfers that decided it would be cool to live and play golf near a racetrack and then whine about the noise should pay EV owners to do track days there.” And voilá! Speed Ventures is paying (unless an appropriate sponsor steps in), but still, the entire day was FREE for all electric vehicles. And even a natural gas turbine car. And the Stanford solar trike… Basically, as long as it’s clean and silent, it’s free. Although the electric Barca-lounger remained a pit vehicle… (more…)
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