Monday, September 6, 2010

Gas 2.0

Gas 2.0

Whiskey-Derived Fuel Patented in Scotland

Posted: 06 Sep 2010 10:13 AM PDT


The hunt for a commercially viable biobutanol could finally be over thanks to an inspired, if ironic, bit of recycling by scientists working at Edinburgh Napier University in Scotland.

They’ve taken the two main waste products from the Scotch whisky production cycle and brought them together in a process which outputs biobutanol, long heralded as a next generation biofuel because it produces up to 30% more power than ethanol and can be used in existing combustion engine cars without modification.

The process has now been patented by the University which has also set up a limited company to leverage the commercial possibilities of the invention.

Professor Martin Tangney, Director of the Biofuel Research Centre at Edinburgh Napier University, believes the biofuel could be sold at garages alongside normal gas. He said, “I would expect to see this as a fuel in forecourts in years rather than decades”.

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Is Gas-Powered Racing Innovation Dead?

Posted: 06 Sep 2010 10:09 AM PDT

The Symptoms:

  • Event attendance at NASCAR, MotoGP and other series has plummeted during the recession.
  • Formula One and MotoGP fans and racers alike complain that excessive use of electronics has ruined the sport by making it less competitive.
  • The new Moto2 spec engine class is by far the most competitive and exciting, yet comparatively low-tech.
  • Electric motorcycle racing series TTXGP has spawned more innovation halfway through its first season than quite possibly the entire ICE motorcycle industry has over the past decade.

Dinosaurs vs. LiIons

Just as the iPod and Napster gave music fans an easier way to enjoy their music, electric motorcycles are poised to revolutionize the motorcycle industry. While the major OEM's have seen sales plummet in the recession and have little to offer in the way of real innovation, startup electric motorcycle companies are cropping up every month, with increasingly faster and better bikes.

Many of these brands compete in the TTXGP series, and have enjoyed tremendous development as the season has progressed, as mentioned here. While these bikes are still not head-to-head competitors for equally priced ICE bikes, they are rapidly closing in on that goal. Sure, many current motorcyclists say they can't imagine riding without the deep rumble of their motor beneath them. After all, people still ride horses, even though it's no longer necessary. But for every Harley rider there's at least one sportbike rider who cares more about performance than sound, and expects the latest technology to make him at least feel capable of riding like Rossi. (more…)

TTXGP Founder and CEO Visits Intel and Hollywood Electrics

Posted: 06 Sep 2010 10:00 AM PDT

Interested in joining the new guard?

TTXGP Founder and CEO Azhar Hussain will be at Intel September 14th for an exclusive presentation of TTXGP and the Mavizen, the race-ready bike they're manufacturing. More information and registration instructions here.

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Here it is: the EPA’s New Grading Scale

Posted: 06 Sep 2010 09:58 AM PDT

Last week, I wrote a post about the EPA’s proposed new-vehicle window stickers, which issue a (controversial) letter-grade to different new cars, and wondered how different cars would actually be graded, in practice.

The first “sample” grades are in…

…let the questions begin.

More cars, and grades C-D, after the jump.

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Propane, FTW!

Posted: 06 Sep 2010 09:53 AM PDT

Last week, the guys at Roush Performance Products proved that propane could be a winner at the NCMA Muscle Car Nationals at the Milan (Michigan) Dragway.

With a “perfect” 0.00 reaction-time, driver Donnie Bowles drove his propane-powered Roush Racing Mustang across the quarter-mile track in 10.580 seconds at 121.00 miles per hour!

Read the official press release from Roush Performance, after the jump.

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Hyundai Will Sell Hydrogen Cars In 2012

Posted: 06 Sep 2010 09:53 AM PDT


Most of the media buzz in the past few months has been about electric cars and hybrids. Yes, they offer plenty of advantages over petrol cars, but so do hydrogen cars. Hydrogen’s only emission is water, if it is made from a non-polluting renewable resource. So where are the hydrogen cars?

Well, they are coming, and sooner than you might have thought. Hyundai has announced that starting in 2012, it will sell 500 hydrogen cars, ramping up production annually after that. That beats most of its competitors to the finish line. Is it too good to be true?

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