Green Technology News of the Day

Filed under: Sedan, Technology, Hatchback, Electric

Ford Focus EV - Click above for high-res image gallery
When the 2112 Ford Focus Electric debuts in late 2011, it and the Chevrolet Volt will have a common feature in addition to their LG Chem lithium polymer cells. Ford confirms that the Focus EV will employ a liquid-cooled battery pack with automatic thermal management, just like the Chevy.

Ford opted for active thermal management solution in order to help maximize the Focus EV's battery performance and lifespan. By protecting the battery from overheating, the system can help prevent the development of cracks in the electrodes. Those imperfections eventually reduce the pack's ability to hold a charge. Conversely, warming the cells when cold will improve the battery pack's winter performance. When the car is plugged in, the thermal management system will use grid power to precondition the battery before charging actually starts.

So far, Nissan and Mitsubishi are the only major EV manufacturers that are sticking with passive air cooling for plug-in vehicles. Nissan has committed to an eight-year warranty, but it remains unclear how well the battery will hold up over regular use in differing climates.

Gallery: ABG Quick Drive: Ford Focus EV mule

[Source: Ford]

Continue reading 2012 Ford Focus EV to use liquid-cooled lithium-polymer battery

2012 Ford Focus EV to use liquid-cooled lithium-polymer battery originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 04 Sep 2010 13:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Etc., Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Humor

Is the Stig about to get a sex change? William Hill, one of the UK's largest bookmaking operations, places the odds of the next Stig being a lady at 4-1 and has reportedly seen a good amount of action on that particular wager. Gamblers can also bet on what color the next Stig will wear, with pink currently holding 5-1 odds.

Ireland's largest bookmaker, Paddy Power, is also in the mix, posting odds on both the color of the next Stig and who will be behind the mask (they stick with all-male options, though). Paddy Power is also taking bets on how White Stig will meet his demise. The long shot, at 20-1 odds, is currently an assassination by Tom Cruise (not a solid bet, really, as such behavior seems unbecoming of a high-level Thetan).

If Top Gear does go the Lady Stig route, who do you think will suit up? We're going with Sabine Schmitz. She clearly has the ability, plus she's already friendly with the Top Gear crew.

Actually, that's not a bad bet at all - excuse us while we place a few international calls...

[Source: The Sun; BettingDirectory]

Will the next Stig be a woman? UK bookies lay odds originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 04 Sep 2010 11:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Car Buying, Hybrid, Toyota

2010 Toyota Prius - Click above for high-res image gallery
One month of dreary sales figures doesn't signal the end of the hybrid, but the numbers reported for August hint that without a rise in gas prices, hybrid vehicle sales will likely continue to suffer. Overall hybrid sales dropped 40.4 percent in August compared to a year ago. Not even the mighty Toyota Prius could avoid the plunge. Prius sales fell 37.5 percent compared to August 2009 and dropped off 16.3 percent compared to the July 2010 numbers. Combined, Toyota and Lexus hybrids saw a 36.2 percent decline from a year ago. Ford fared better by posting a 17.1 percent drop in year-over-year numbers.

Hybrid sales were clearly boosted last August by the government's Cash for Clunkers program, but this summer's low gas prices take much of the blame for the current hybrid sales plunge. Toyota remains in the number one spot, posting 15,444 sales last month. Ford sits in second place after moving 3,894 hybrid vehicles off dealer lots, while Honda holds onto third with 3,485 sales. It's getting redundant, but Toyota still leads the hybrid market. Anyone want to place bets on when (or if) that'll change?

Gallery: 2010 Toyota Prius

[Sources: Green Car Advisor, Autoblog]

Hybrid sales plummet 40% in August; Prius records 37.5% decline originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 04 Sep 2010 09:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Emergency Solar Charger - Charging iPhone

As the name suggests, the Emergency Solar Charger for the Apple iPhone and iPod Touch is a compact little solar-powered battery and charger, which can be used to charge up your iPod Touch or iPhone in an emergency. The charger contains a battery which is charged up via the solar panel. When you need the extra power, you just connect the charger to the iPhone. The charger will automatically charge the iPhone, giving it roughly 20% of charge.

Charging the Solar Charger

How It Works

You can charge up the charger using solar energy (so leaving it out on a sunny dashboard or windowsill) or you can charge it up via USB using the Apple USB cable (which could be via the PC, mains adapter, or via a car adapter). For the purposes of testing, I typically used the USB cable, as the charger was charged within just 2 hours. It takes a couple of days to charge the charger in sunlight, so really, you want to place the charger in strong sunlight when you’re not using it. That ensures you always have the emergency charge when you need it.

Once the charger is charged up, you just connect it to an iPhone or iPod Charger and it starts charging straight away. It takes about 20 minutes to charge up the iPhone or iPod to about 20%. If your device is completely dead when you start charging, then the charger charges the device up to around 16 to 18% (due to the power consumption when first switching on the iPod Touch or iPhone).

Emergency Solar Charger - on it's own

Feature Suggestions

The charger is very simple, it does exactly what it says on the tin. However, there are a couple of things that I suggest as minor improvements. Firstly, sometimes you need to wiggle the plug on the charger to get it to be recognised by the iPhone or iPod. I suspect there’s a microscopic difference in the connectors which means the charger is not always recognised as a charging device.

Secondly, it’d be good if there was an indicator to show how fully charged the charger is. Just a few small LEDs or a small LCD display to show if the charger is empty, half-full or fully charged. Currently, there’s no way to know how charged the charger is. Some attention here would be appreciated.

Conclusion

The Emergency Solar Charger for the Apple iPhone and iPod Touch is a genuinely useful little gadget. I can imagine that it’s going to come in very useful when out and about with no power source! And costing just $5.51, it’s not going to break the bank either! Thanks to Budget Gadgets for sending me the charger to review.

Disclaimer: Although I was given this gadget to review, it has in no way influenced my opinions in this product review. This review reflects my personal and honest perspective on this gadget, and this perspective has not been biased in any way.

Want to buy this gadget? Check out the Emergency Solar Charger for the Apple iPhone and iPod Touch article on EnviroGadget to see the lowest prices for this gadget.

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