According to EcoFriend.com

Researchers at the Ohio University are trying to solve the riddle by generating hydrogen from a cheap and readily available waste – urine. These researchers believe that electrolyzing urine for hydrogen is easy as compared to generating hydrogen from water as in urine, hydrogen molecules aren’t as tightly held as in water. The system breaks down urea at a voltage of just 0.37 volts, which is significantly less than the 1.23 volts required to split water.

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Tags: driving, fuel, green cars, Hybrid, Hydrogen, Ohio University, research, urine|
Posted By: veronica | Jul 3rd

According to inhabitat.com:

“Chicken consumption in the US creates over six billion pounds of feathers each year. Previously discarded as waste, researchers at the University of Delaware are developing an innovative way to put all that wasted plumage to use — as fuel to power hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. If this technology was implemented in a fuel cell vehicle, it would cost about $200, as opposed to using carbon nanotube tanks (which cost about $5.5 million) or metal hydrides (which cost about $30,000).

Yesterday at 13th Annual Green Chemistry and Engineering Conference, a team of scientists announced that they developed a way to store hydrogen in carbonized chicken feathers. At present, the major hold-up with making cars powered by fuel cells, is that no one has come up with a way to inexpensively and effectively produce and store all that hydrogen. Researchers Erman Şenöz and Richard P. Wool found that when they heated up quill fibers to extremely high temperatures, carbon nanotubes with nanoporous walls formed, allowing the substances to absorb and store hydrogen.”

Continue reading.

Tags: carbon nanotube, chicken, feathers, fuel, Gas Mileage, Gas shortage, Hybrid|
Posted By: veronica | Jun 30th

From ChinaCarTimes.com:

The S11 was first unveiled at the Shanghai Auto show earlier this year to an impressed crowd. The car was designed by Shanghai based TJ Innova, the S11 looks fantastic, with Audi and Ferrari design tones slipped into its sleak body, under the platform there is an AWD drivechain pushing power to each corner of the car. From what we hear the S11’s design is completed, and is now at the test stage and will soon be hurtling down the production line in Changchun city, although its not quite clear whose production line they will be using.

Tags: china, Concept Cars, electric car, Environment, green, Hybrid, Manufacturers Asian, sports car, Sports Cars|
Posted By: jackhammer | Jun 29th

An informative how-to guide from our sister site WatchMojo.com:

How to check your tire pressure -

Tags: air, gauge, how to, Maintenance, News, Regulations, Safety, tire pressure, Used Cars|
Posted By: jackhammer | Jun 22nd

from CNNMoney.com:

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) — General Motors Corp. said Tuesday that it has signed a deal to sell its Hummer truck unit, just one day after filing for bankruptcy.

But GM (GMGMQ) would not identify the buyer nor name a price, saying only that the deal would close by the end of September.

GM had revealed in April that it was courting three serious offers for the Hummer brand. The automaker would not confirm Reuters’ report that offers ranged from $100 million to $200 million.

Read more HERE

Tags: GM, hummer, Luxury, News, sale, SUVs, transaction|
Posted By: jackhammer | Jun 2nd

GM makes its case with the Volt.  Check out WatchMojo’s look a the Volt, and then read more about the new electric car from gm-volt.com:

Close observation of recent developments in the automotive sector leads to a certain conclusion; financial collapse is necessary to bring about needed change.

We are bearing witness to a catastrophic rupture of the car industry as we know it.  Not only in terms of the economic machinery upon which it is run, but more so upon the fuel its creations will use.  The near death of the auto industry is bringing with it the slow death of the combustion engine.

When GM first introduced the Chevrolet Volt electric car concept, car sales were brisk, oil prices reasonable and the economy appeared healthy.  Now that the car is nearing mass production and that most other automakers have subsequently unveiled electric car programs of their own, the economy, the industry, and the company is steeped in disaster.

I do not propose it is the case that the birth of the electric car caused this chaos, but rather it is this chaos that will allow the electric car industry to rise.

Whenever in the history of humankind and industrial progress a new transformational technology has arisen, its ascent has brought with it the demise of that which was before it.

Simple examples are how the typewriter was eradicated by the PC, the Polaroid by the digital camera, or how the horse and cart were replaced by the car.  These destructive transformational events take place on many levels, such as the collapse of societies or ecosystems, the extinction of dinosaurs, or even as the big bang gave rise to the universe.

Fundamental market forces of their own right would not have led to a rapid production and adoption of electric cars.  Rather, the status quo would have persisted, car companies would have continued to make profitable gas guzzling trucks and people would have kept buy them on credit.  Indeed when GM introduced the Volt is was more public relations than an engineering.  They didn’t decide to bring it to production until they saw the intense public response.  Now it is their last hope.

The collapse of the economy combined with the current administration’s interest in energy independence, alternative energy and electric vehicles will make the rapid rise of the electric car possible.

People have not been buying new cars out of fear of their future economic status, lack of available credit, and a general dearth of financial confidence.  They are driving their old cars and are doing so for as long as they can.

The government has chosen to support and recreate the auto industry as one that will grow the already inadvertently kindled electric car enterprise.

And then when the bottom has finally come and gone, and the lean restructured auto companies are mass producing electric cars including the Chevy Volt, the tide will change.

Confidence having begun to rise, and old cars having begun to fail, the people will come.  And then our dream will arrive.  A country and a world less dependent on oil.  The rise of the electric car.

Tags: collapse, Concept Cars, electric car, Environment, GM, green cars, industry, News, Volt|
Posted By: jackhammer | Jun 1st

In this video performance meets designer labels. Mercedes has developed a new limited edition vehicle, the exclusive SL 63 AMG Edition IWC. Limited to a total of 200 units, the new roadster features an eye-catching Kashmir white finish as well as an AMG Exterior Carbon package with a matte surface. In keeping with the exterior appearance, the vehicle’s interior is fitted with Carbon matte trim as well as Tobago Brown nappa leather upholstery that creates additional visual and tactile highlights. In addition, the vehicle features the AMG Performance package to ensure unparalleled handling. All SL 63 AMG Edition IWC vehicles will be delivered to customers along with an exquisite “Grosser Ingenieur” (Great Engineer) watch from the renowned Swiss watchmaker IWC Schaffhausen.

Tags: european, IWC, Luxury, Mercedes Benz, sl 63 AMG, Sports Cars|
Posted By: jackhammer | May 27th

…but apparently Jack doesn’t know his “write” from wrong!

Tags: Accidents, dent, driving, funny, hit and run, note|
Posted By: veronica | May 22nd

WatchMojo.com gives you the lowdown:

Tags: dents, how to, Maintenance, News, repair, Safety, Used Cars|
Posted By: jackhammer | May 15th

Porsche has been teasing the market for years with brief images of its anticipated model, the Panamera. The car therefore made a huge impact when it was previewed at 2009’s Shanghai Auto Show. Set to be launched later in 2009, the 4-door, 4-seater luxury sedan is the German automaker’s first foray into the sedan market. This marks a significant shift for Porsche, and the company expects the Panamera to bring in many new customers. In this video, sister site WatchMojo.com takes look at the Porsche Panamera:

Tags: 2010, Manufacturers European, panamera, Porsche, Sports Cars, Video|
Posted By: jackhammer | May 8th