Transportation

Dual Electronics XML8110 in-dash iPhone dock announced

olcia1802 — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 22:53:40 +0000

It always seemed to us that plugging in your iPod with a cable (or worse yet, an FM tuner or cassette adapter) was an inelegant solution to listening to your Namesakes Series MP3 audiobooks on the road (the shorter works of Washington Irving as read by Dr. J, for example). Lucky for us, the motor heads from Dual Electronics have devised the XML8110. This 200 watt AM/FM docking station sits in your dash under the guise of a mild-mannered car stereo, featuring a solid state “mechless” design, optional steering control input, remote control, Bluetooth for hands-free operation with caller ID, and more. Coming soon for a reported $99, with an iPhone app in the works. Now all you need is some wheels! get a closer look after the break.

[Via Dvice]

LaserMotive finally wins NASA’s Elevator:2010 Beam Power Challenge, climbs at 3.9 meters/second (video)

metrocashcarryry — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:39:23 +0000

NASA has been trying to find someone that could meet its rigorous Space Elevator demands since 2005 and, after some notable failures, we finally have a winner. A company called LaserMotive has won the Beam Power Challenge, tasked with creating a laser-powered robot able to lift a weight on a cable at a speed of greater than two meters per second. LaserMotive’s bot nearly doubled that, managing 3.9 meters per second in one test. It was the only competitor to beat the requirement, meaning it gets the full $900,000 prize, and if anyone ever gets around to winning the Tether Challenge we might just be able to get somewhere. Nausea-inducing test video is embedded below.

[Via NewScientist]

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Ford’s inflatable seat belts headed to Explorer in 2010, other whips in due time (video)

solovekaaqw — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 17:31:03 +0000

Inflatable seat belts. At a glance, that doesn’t seem like such a bad idea after all, particularly for those rear seat passengers who aren’t blessed with two huge bags or air right in front of their chest. We’re guessing the top brass at Ford feel pretty much the same way, as the outfit has just announced that these very devices will be making their debut in the next-generation Ford Explorer before rolling out across the fleet. Of course, Lexus is also planning to shove these into its ultra-luxurious LFA (which will probably make a grand total of 14 wealthy owners feel really, really safe), but it’s tough to tell which vehicle will hit the showroom first. Jump past the break for a vid.

U.S. Army and EnerDel team up for electric-hybrid Humvee

centerprestigsss — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 23:27:48 +0000

EnerDel, who we last saw soaking up some of that Joe Biden stimulus money, is teaming up the the U.S. Army to develop a battery solution for a hybrid Humvee. Of course, your High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle is by its nature very large and very heavy — great for dropping out of airplanes, perhaps, but not so great a candidate for electric power. Two of the company’s battery chemistries will tested in the program, including lithium-manganese spinel (for extending electric vehicle range and electronic systems runtime) and lithium-titanate system (for the hard acceleration and braking required). In addition to “extreme performance simulations” that re-create battlefield conditions, a hybrid vehicle can also sport a “stealth” mode, which kills the diesel generator altogether, allowing the vehicle to run silently with a low thermal signature. And if that weren’t enough, the vehicle is also being designed to perform as a highly portable, temporary power plant for field hospitals or command posts. The program is expected to last eighteen months. PR after the break.

[Via CNET]

Show full PR text
EnerDel Wins U.S. Army Contract to Develop Batteries for New ‘Hybrid Humvee’

Program Will Test EnerDel’s High-Performance Solutions Under the Most Extreme Conditions

INDIANAPOLIS, Nov. 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Automotive lithium-ion battery maker EnerDel, Inc. announced today that it will be working with the United States Army to develop a next-generation battery system for the hybrid version of the iconic High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV or Humvee), known as the XM1124 Humvee. The company, a subsidiary of Ener1, Inc. (Nasdaq: HEV), has received a $1.29 million contract to design and build high-performance lithium-ion battery systems for two different applications, drawing on its expertise in multiple-chemistry solutions and ability to provide a complete architecture in cell chemistry, electronics and battery systems design.

“This is an opportunity to showcase the true capabilities of the EnerDel technology in conditions that demand the highest levels of safety, performance and reliability,” said Rick Stanley, EnerDel President. “In keeping with a long tradition, we also expect that innovations perfected here will have important benefits for the commercial markets.”

EnerDel will spend the next 18 months collaborating with the U.S. Army Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) to produce four custom-built power systems that will be subjected to extreme performance simulations.

TARDEC will be testing two of EnerDel’s battery chemistries. In addition to its lithium-manganese spinel chemistry, best suited for extending electric vehicle range or electronic systems runtime, the program will also be testing EnerDel’s lithium-titanate system, an advanced chemistry developed in collaboration with Argonne National Laboratory in Chicago, designed for extreme high-power hybrids that require hard acceleration and braking.

While the XM1124 Humvee is already significantly more efficient than the conventional M1113 Humvee, boasting a higher top speed, faster acceleration, longer range and improved fuel economy, expectations are that the new, upgraded battery packs will greatly increase the peak power capability of the current demonstration vehicles.

In addition, the robust battery technology will also include an all-electric “silent watch” capability which will power the electronics or traction motor without running the truck’s diesel generator, significantly reducing both the audible and thermal signatures of the vehicle, making it easier to escape detection by hostile parties. An EnerDel-equipped XM1124 Humvee could also function as a portable power plant to power a mobile command post or field hospital.

TARDEC, part of the U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command (RDECOM), is headquartered at the Detroit Arsenal in Warren, Michigan. It is the nation’s laboratory for advanced military automotive technology. TARDEC develops and integrates technology solutions to improve the effectiveness of the current force and realize the superior capability of the future force. Its technical staff leads research in ground vehicle survivability, mobility, intelligent systems and maneuver support and sustainment.

The TARDEC award further spurs Ener1’s business momentum. The company has announced active relationships with Think Global, Fisker and Volvo and has a research program with Nissan and Argonne National Laboratory. Ener1 was recently selected to be awarded a $118.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy under the Federal Stimulus program and is awaiting approval of additional long-term, low-interest loan funds under the Department’s Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing program. EnerDel’s two factories in Indianapolis are the first, and so far only, commercial-scale, automotive-grade lithium-ion battery manufacturing facilities in the United States.

About Ener1, Inc.

Ener1 develops and manufactures compact, high performance lithium-ion batteries to power the next generation of hybrid, plug-in hybrid and pure electric vehicles. The publicly traded company (Nasdaq: HEV) is led by an experienced team of engineers and energy system experts at its EnerDel subsidiary located in Indiana. In addition to the automobile market, applications for Ener1 lithium-ion battery technology include the military, grid storage and other growing markets. Ener1 also develops commercial fuel cell products through its EnerFuel subsidiary and nanotechnology-based materials and manufacturing processes for batteries and other applications through its NanoEner subsidiary.

Safe Harbor Statement

Certain statements made in this press release constitute forward-looking statements that are based on management’s expectations, estimates, projections and assumptions. Words such as “expects,” “anticipates,” “plans,” “believes,” “scheduled,” “estimates” and variations of these words and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve certain risks and uncertainties, which are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual future results and trends may differ materially from what is forecast in forward-looking statements due to a variety of factors. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release and the company does not undertake any obligation to update or publicly release any revisions to forward-looking statements to reflect events, circumstances or changes in expectations after the date of this press release.

MEDIA RELATIONS
Jon Coifman
Waggener Edstrom Worldwide
Phone: 212 551 4815
Email: jcoifman@waggeneredstrom.com

INVESTOR RELATIONS
Rachel Carroll
ENER1, Inc.
Phone: 212 920 3500
Email: rcarroll@ener1.com

SOURCE Ener1, Inc.

MEDIA RELATIONS, Jon Coifman, Waggener Edstrom Worldwide, +1-212-551-4815, jcoifman@waggeneredstrom.com; or INVESTOR RELATIONS, Rachel Carroll, ENER1, Inc., +1-212 920 3500, rcarroll@ener1.com

LTE Connected Car redefines the ‘mobile’ in mobile broadband (video)

metrocashcarryry — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 23:27:45 +0000

If you think cellphones have become overbearingly complex, look away now. A partnership of tech companies and content providers, known as the ng Connect Program, has revealed a prototype “LTE Connected Car,” which, as you might surmise, combines 4G mobile broadband connectivity with a bunch of cloud-sourced facilities, such as video on demand, audio libraries, and multiplayer gaming. It can also serve as a Wi-Fi hotspot, connect directly to home automation or monitoring systems, and probably cook you scrambled eggs if you ask nicely. A Toyota Prius serves as the guinea pig for this new concept, and we’ve got video of the whole shebang after the break.

Read – ng Connect Program Puts Connectivity in the Fast Lane with the LTE Connected Car Concept Vehicle
Read – ng Connect Program Reveals the Long Term Evolution (LTE) Connected Car

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Mavizen’s electric bike hits 130 MPH, ships with Linux and WiFi

svendy — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 05:17:53 +0000

Mavizen, the manufacturing arm of the TTXGP (the Time Trials Xtreme Grand Prix — a race for zero-emissions motorcycles) has just announced the TTX02 at this year’s SEMA. A shining example of “EVs as consumer electronics” (the buzz-concept going ’round the electric vehicle scene) this guy is being billed not as a bike, but as a development platform — shipping not only with a chassis and drivetrain, but with an open source Linux OS, web server, USB-based system bus, and WiFi connectivity. If you’re looking to give the gang from Mission Motors a run for their money at the next TTXGP, hit the read link — about $41,000 will get you in the game. Videos after the break.

[Via Asphalt & Rubber]

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Japanese team takes top prize at World Solar Challenge

offegoalofido — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 01:10:07 +0000

A Japanese team from Tokai University has taken the top spot at the World Solar Challenge, which was held at the end of last week in Australia. The team beat out the Delft University team which won four consecutive previous Challenges, and this year took second place, with the third seat going to the University of Michigan. The race course travels from southern to northern Australia over 3,000 km (about 1864 miles), and the winning team’s car, Tokai Challenger, completed the race in just under 30 hours, averaging 62 miles per hour. Other notable participants included the MIT-built Eleanor.

[Via Wired]

Aptera 2e three-wheeler deemed a car by the DoE, eligible for funding

paolinalucydd — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 04:11:04 +0000

For a time, it looked Aptera might be missing out on the US Department of Energy’s funding bonanza for energy-efficient vehicles due to its car’s three-wheeled nature, but it looks like President Obama has now had the final say on the matter, and signed legislation that makes both two-wheeled and three-wheeled vehicles eligible for the same funding as their four-wheeled counterparts. Of course, that doesn’t yet mean that Aptera will actually receive any funding, and the legislation doesn’t have anything to do with safety regulations, where the 2e is still classified as a motorcycle by the Department of Transportation. For its part, however, Aptera says that it’ll be filing another application to meet the updated requirements, and it still insists that it’ll hit “volume production” of the car sometime in 2010, and get it on the road for between $25,000 and $40,000.

TomTom Car Kit for iPhone review

prestigesmwm — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 01:45:15 +0000

Boy, TomTom sure has chosen the worst possible time to release its Car Kit for iPhone, and to make matters worse, its decision to not include the iPhone app is now set in stone. That’s right, the hardware alone will set you back the cost of a TomTom ONE nowadays, and the $99.95 app works on the iPhone 3G and 3GS without it. So here’s the question: is the car kit worth the extra $119.95? To find out, we got hold of a review unit for a sunny road trip around London. Surprisingly, the car kit uses Bluetooth to connect the GPS receiver to the iPhone, even though there’s a dock connector for charging. Bluetooth connectivity does have its advantages: according to TomTom it can work as a generic Bluetooth GPS receiver for any satellite navigation app on the iPhone, or any smartphones at all for that matter. TomTom even confirmed that the car kit could potentially compensate for the first-generation iPhone’s lack of built-in GPS, but since its app won’t run on anything but a 3G or 3GS we’ll have to wait and see if that’s actually useful. Meanwhile, the company is cooking up a compatible app for the original iPhone and the iPod Touch, which could make the car kit more worthwhile. Read on for our hands-on impression and test videos.

[Thanks for being our driver, Sam]

Gallery: TomTom Car Kit for iPhone review

Time to slip the iPhone in: ours fitted flawlessly in the cradle, cushioned by a soft round pad as well as a rubber overlay under the top arm to avoid scratches. On the left side of the cradle you’ll find the volume switch for the rear-mounted speaker — which is significantly louder and clearer than the iPhone’s — and its audio-out line jack, which is right next to a mini USB port for power. We almost missed the pinhole mic just below the dock connector, which worked fine for our driver when he took a call using the hands-free functionality. One of the more impressive features of this car kit is the flexibility of positioning the iPhone: the cradle can slide lengthways and — for the sake of the app’s landscape mode — can also rotate 360 degrees freely, but it’s detented, so your iPhone won’t be spinning around while you do a few donuts on the tarmac. Flip over the car kit and you’ll see the same EasyPort Mount as used with the TomTom ONE and TomTom XL, connected to the main body by a convenient ball joint. We found the suction pad to be very easy to use: a simple twist on the dial tightly secured the entire kit onto the glass or the supplied sticky disc for the dashboard, and releasing it was just a matter of untwisting the dial and then pulling the plastic tag like you do with most conventional suction pads.

So we’re impressed by the car kit’s hardware, but what really matters is its GPS performance. To see the difference we installed the TomTom app on two iPhones and placed them side by side on our dashboard: the iPhone 3G connected to the TomTom car kit, while the 3GS used its built-in GPS receiver and sat on a generic phone cradle. Sure, the two phones are different, but we know they share the same Infineon GPS chip, and we thought it would be interesting to see if the car kit can compensate the 3G’s slower processor. In our first round of tests we drove around the motorway and intercity roads, and the only significant difference we noticed was that the car kit provided a slightly quicker positioning, shouting out instructions at more sensible times when approaching junctions. The 3GS sans car kit didn’t do too badly, but had we driven any faster in the city streets we would have missed a few turns. See for yourself in the video below.

We had a feeling that the car kit would make a bigger impact on the smaller streets, so to prove this we ran a torture test in Central London: we left the route planner on and drove around small streets randomly to test the GPS’ accuracy and speed. The result? Again, the car kit proved to be quicker — even with the slower phone — and more accurate most of the time. Depending on the complexity of the route the iPhone 3GS’ faster processor may even save a further two or three seconds when used with the car kit.

Wrap-up

There’s no denying that the TomTom Car Kit for iPhone can make your life a tad better, and it’s also a much better looking iPhone cradle compared to a generic-style holder. For those often driving around small city streets you’ll get a greater benefit from the car kit, but at a dear cost of $119.95 (which doesn’t include the iPhone app), it’s probably worth it if you’re still stuck with a GPS-less first-generation iPhone or any iPod Touch, provided that you don’t mind the lack of a compatible TomTom app for the time-being. For the rest of us, we’ll just get a standalone TomTom device, thanks.

GM to offer $500 Autonet Mobile WiFi option in select vehicles

offegoalofido — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 01:47:31 +0000

First came Cadillac (naturally), and now some of General Motors’ other remaining brands are finally scratching the WiFi itch. Beginning next month, Buick, Cadillac, GMC and Chevrolet dealers will all begin offering up Autonet Mobile’s $499 WiFi router as a dealer-installed option, though it’s on you to pony up the $29 (or more) it takes to get said device online month in and month out. As always, you’ll also get a docking station to take it from one GM vehicle to another, though (at least initially) it’ll only be offered in SUVs, crossovers and trucks, which are whips most likely to be used by internet-addicted families. ‘Course, those looking to do a little retrofitting need only head to gmextras.com to snap one up themselves, but don’t say you heard it from us.

[Via Autoblog]