Lithium-Ion Breakthrough! A Battery that Charges as Fast as a Supercapacitor
by Michael Graham Richard, Gatineau, Canada on 03.12.09
Lithium-Iron-Phosphate particule.
Is this the "Holy Grail" Battery We've Been Waiting For?
Nature published a very interesting paper by MIT researchers Byoungwoo Kang & Gerbrand Ceder this week: Battery materials for ultrafast charging and discharging. In it they claim that they have discovered a way to make a lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) battery charge and discharge about as fast as a supercapacitor. In practice, this could make plug-in hybrids and electric cars much more practical (charging time would mostly be limited by the availability of fast-charging stations with fat "electrical pipes", and regenerative braking would be more effective), as well as some smart grid tricks to better use intermittent renewables. Read on for more details.
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"That 10-20 seconds was for a smaller battery (either phone or laptop, I can't recall). ..." [read]
Photo: Ford
It Took Ford 5 Years to Reach 100k Milestone
Ford's 100,000th hybrid SUV has recently rolled off the assembly line at Ford's Kansas City Assembly Plant. So far Ford has been making hybrid versions of its Escape and Mariner SUVs (34 MPG city/31 MPG Highway), and for the 2010 model year it will double its lineup with even more fuel efficient models: The Fusion hybrid (41 MPG city/36 MPG highway) and Mercury Milan hybrid....
Let's Hope This Thing Takes Off!
The 2009 CAFE Foundation Electric Aircraft Symposium will take place on April 24th, 2009, at the Hiller Aviation Museum in San Carlos, California. Topics will include "the latest in motors, PV technology, controllers, batteries, chargers, new designs, prototype performance, and the '100 MPG aircraft race.'" The registration fee is $249 before April 15, and $310 afterwards (so if you are interested, don't wait!). More details after the jump....
The high-speed train that will have its debut in Turkey this week. Photo via 
Percent Change In Individual US Monthly Vehicular Travel, 2007 vs. 2008
The US Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, has published the data upon which this graphic was based. For the raw data, see December 2008 Traffic Volume Trends, Individual Monthly Motor Vehicle Travel in the U.S. for December 2008, 
Four wheeled bikes, pedal powered quad bikes, quadracycles. Call them what you will, they still promote the idea that human propelled transport can be both fun and functional. Below we have gathered just some of the versions that we’ve spied over the years on TreeHugger. No doubt there are many others we’ve missed to date and our readers will bring us up to speed.
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All-New Honda Insight Hybrid
We finally know how much the new, redesigned, version 2.0 Honda Insight hybrid will sell for: The manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) is $19,800 for the entry-level Insight LX, and the Insight EX with more bells and whistles starts at $21,300. It goes on sale in the US on March 24th, 2009, but it's already available in Japan (
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Batteries, Supercapacitors, Hydrogen, Hydraulic Hybrids, Compressed Air...
Personal transportation is a big part of our lives, but unfortunately the current system pollutes the air and disrupts the climate. Walkable neighborhoods, bikeable cities, and fast public transit can greatly improve things, but cars will also probably stick around for the foreseeable future. Engineers and scientists are working on new ways to make the green cars of the future go (the main challenge is with power storage - power generation is also crucial, but it's a whole other article). Let's look at some of the most promising technologies....
At left a Messerschmitt Kabinenroller circa 1956, photo 
Image: Getty Images
In Germany, the government has offered a 2500€ rebate on a new car to anyone who drives, drags, or delivers a nine-year-old or older auto for scrapping. This fantastic offer was sold under the theme "environment," and is being eaten up by German consumers. Auto magazines show piles of shiny cars in still good condition waiting on the metal heap -- many of these cars worth more than 2500€ if offered for sale as used cars. And rebate banners, as well as extra rebates offered by manufacturers, are even drawing buyers whose trade-ins do not meet the age criteria.
Now this action has started a protest. The German bicycle club, VCD, argues that wreck rebates do not really serve the environment, and they are demanding equal treatment for the true environmentalists: those riding bikes and public transport. What should the standard for handing out public money under the rubric of green? And can the VCD win in the face of legal action threatened by the government?...
Photo via Laura Padgett
We visit discount stores like Wal-mart, Costco, and Sam's Club to pick-up a lot of different things, such as hair gel, cell phones, fish food, Tickle-me Elmo, or even a cheap pair of beach sandals (okay, maybe you better 
Living in Japan, I got to appreciate the public transportation, especially the trains. As noted here previously, 
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New Honda Insight Hybrid 10th Best-Selling Car in Japan
Despite a shortage - "Honda received more than 15,000 orders for the Insight, which was 
If Bucky Fuller designed a bike, it might look something like this idea from Romanian industrial designer
ApteraForum member Hadley Rille
Josh at Green Daily titles his post 
11 Miles -- According to the 2001 Nationwide Household Travel Survey (NHTS), 58% of all vehicle trips to work are less than 11 miles (17.7 kilometers).
37% -- Vehicle trips to work that are 5 miles (8 kilometers) and less represent 37%, according to the same survey.
21% -- Trips between 6 and 10 miles (9.6 to 16 kilometers) represent 21%....
