Energy/Environment

Microorganisms, genetic engineering, and alternative fuels Audi has espoused an idea that may see the effects of the combination of microorganisms, waste CO2, sun-seared deserts, and genetic modification creating commercially viable synthetic e-fuels. Read full story

Heavy on the lightweighting Weight reduction is already a significant consideration in companies’ product development efforts, and the emphasis is only going to increase in the years ahead, according to SAE-member survey respondents. Read full story

Mega-cities are reshaping personal mobility For the people living or working in densely populated urban areas, getting from point A to point B can be challenging. And those time-consuming, headache-provoking commutes commonplace in gridlocked cities have the attention of problem-solvers. Read full story

Benteler leads engineering of MAN heavy-duty serial hybrid concept Featuring a diesel engine from Audi as a range extender and modular energy storage beneath the driver’s cab, the MAN Metropolis plug-in hybrid truck concept—developed in cooperation with Benteler Engineering Services and revealed at the recent IAA Hanover Show—will begin a two-year field test as a refuse collection vehicle in January 2013. Read full story

EVs get boost from new SAE standard for dc fast charging The J1772 Combo Connector is designed to drastically reduce charging times. Read full story

Powertrain outlook for Europe Neil Pattison, Cummins' Director of On-Highway Engine Business for EMEA & CIS, discusses Euro 6, natural gas, and hybridization at the recent IAA Commercial Vehicles Show in Hanover. Read full story

Land speed record for biofueled Utah State racecar A biofueled racecar built in 10 weeks by Utah State University students established a land speed record during the World of Speed event at Utah's Bonneville Salt Flats. Read full story

Drivetrain efficiency of heavy-duty vehicles targeted Government/industry team to study parasitic losses derived from waste energy expended in the agitation of the lubricating oil and surface-to-surface component friction, which together can account for more than a tenth of overall vehicle energy losses. Read full story

A different riff on your basic two-seat electric car Markus Lienkamp, Chair of Automotive Engineering at the Technical University of Munich, says that "electromobility" is impeded at the moment by range anxiety, prohibitive costs, and inconvenient charging. That’s why Lienkamp is leading the Visio.M project, a German government-supported R&D effort to produce a low-cost, high-utility electric car that might attract the interest of the middle European mass market. Read full story