New posts from Gas 2.0!

Video: Hovering Robotic Electric “Aero Train”
Big Oil Goes to Washington to Defend Tax Subsidies
Kia Optima Hybrid Priced at $26,500: $1,000 More than Sonata Hybrid

Video: Hovering Robotic Electric “Aero Train”

Posted: 12 May 2011 01:20 PM PDT

While the debate in America rages over the future of high speed rail, Japan is still looking for ever more futuristic ways to get around. The latest idea; a hovering "Aero Train" that floats above the ground.

This is like something out of the Jetsons. The Aero Train is a ground-effects vehicle…kind of like a combination between a Harrier VTOL jet and a hovercraft. Using electrically-powered motors, the aero train hovers just inches above the ground, eliminating any rolling resistance and allowing for a smooth ride and allowing for speeds of up to 124 mph. While the idea of an airplane/train hybrid is nothing new, the unique setup of the Aero Train sounds promising, if not in any way practical.

A U-shaped channel that the Aero Train travels down would control air flow and provide the Aero Train’s robotic overlord with a "road" to follow. Computers control the pitch, roll, and yaw of the prototype, which is obviously many years from any practical application. Eventually, a system of solar panels and/or wind turbines could provide zero-emissions electricity for the Aero Train which, due to its unique design, requires a lot less energy to run than your typical maglev trains. I’d be especially attracted to this idea if it eliminated the whole “mass” part of mass transit and instead provided a limited number of travelers with a comfortable and affordable way to get around. As it is, I wouldn’t mind having a hovering personal vehicle, though the applications for this as a mass transit solution are pretty far fetched.

So, while I'm not banking on such a “ground effect” vehicle showing up anytime soon, I will always admired people who can come up with a completely impractical science-fiction solution to a serious problem. And I don’t mean that in a bad way.

Source: Inhabitat via DVICE

Chris DeMorro is a writer and gearhead who loves all things automotive, from hybrids to HEMIs. You can read about his slow descent into madness at Sublime Burnout or follow his non-nonsensical ramblings on Twitter @harshcougar.

Big Oil Goes to Washington to Defend Tax Subsidies

Posted: 12 May 2011 10:21 AM PDT

On the heels of reporting (more) record breaking profits, and just as gas prices hit $4 a gallon nationwide, Big Oil has been called to Washington to defend billions in tax subsidies that some politicians to strip away.

The five largest oil producers in the U.S.; Exxon-Mobil, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, BP America, and Shellby took in a combined profit of $36 billion in the first quarter of 2011. In comparision, the tax subsidies Democrats are talking about ending would add between $1.5 and $2 billion a year to government coffers. The tax subsidies run the gamut from allowing Big Oil to deduct taxes paid to other countries to a domestic manufacturing tax credit that was originally created in 2004 to keep jobs in America.

Depending on who you ask and the time of day, Big Oil either pays "no taxes" or they pay upwards of 45% in taxes to the government." The fact of the matter is, companies like Exxon Mobil have to hand over 85% of their profits in countries like Nigeria, where they extra a good amount of crude. In 2009, Exxon-Mobil shelled out over $15 billion in taxes to other countries, though Uncle Sam still managed to rake in almost $8 billion in tax revenue.

Honestly though, this is just a show for the peons to make us feel like the government is trying to do something about $4 a gallon gas. But even if the subsidies ended today, gas prices would not go up or down. Nothing will change. Maybe it is time to do something different?

I wish there were a way to convince Big Oil to jump ship and, instead of hindering green energy, promote it. After all, these executive types really only care about profit margins and the bottom line. What if we ended the income tax and manufacturing deductions, but replaced them with green energy deductions that give Big Oil a way to keep their huge profits, but force them to invest into green energy to get those sweet tax breaks. We already sort of do it with the ethanol-blending credit (another $6 billion tax subsidy to Big Oil) so why can't that success be replicated with natural gas or propane, which Big Oil already controls?

The fact is, Big Oil employs millions of Americans and pumps hundreds of billions of dollars into the global economy. And they are taxed, very heavily. But they know better than anybody that oil is not going to last forever. So, is Big Oil going to ride this ship right over the waterfall, or are they going to start paddling in the other direction before its too late? Let's give them some incentive to start paddling, say I.

Source: CNN | Image: John-Morgan | C.C. 2.0

Kia Optima Hybrid Priced at $26,500: $1,000 More than Sonata Hybrid

Posted: 12 May 2011 07:49 AM PDT

The Korean Invasion is in full swing, and with Hyundai leading the charge, little sister brand Kia is starting to get into green action. Their first hybrid model, the Optima Hybrid, will start off at $26,500.

If you've been paying attention, that is about $1,000 more than the Sonata Hybrid, upon which the Kia is built. Why the extra G-note? The Kia comes better equipped with more standard features, including Uvo infotainment system, the first such application of this system. It appears to me that Hyundai is trying to push Kia up market, and they just might be able to do it.

$26,500 is not exactly chump change, but Hyundai's hybrid system is remarkably robust, allowing all-electric speeds of up to 62 mph. It also comes with a "pre-recorded engine sound" during EV mode to alert nearby bystanders. So much for a whisper-quiet Kia…but with a 35 city/40 highway mpg rating (though a trip cross-country in two Sonata Hybrids proved they can get even better mileage when driven right) the Optima stands to deliver some pretty good gas mileage. Plus, the new Optima a good loking car (in my humble opinion) and possibly the most-aggressive hybrid sedan I've seen to date.

What concerns me though is that Kia is a brand that is strill struggling to find direction. After releasing various concept vehicles, from the plug-in hybrid "Ray" to the all-electric "Pop." On the same token though, the Kia is priced higher than a similar Sonata, and there have been plenty of performance concepts on the auto show circuit as well. I am still waiting for somebody to build a bare-bones hybrid that ditches all the fancy gadget wizardry for some truly remarkable mileage.

So which is it Kia? Green, luxury, performance…or perhaps all three?