Philadelphia today was the first stop on the East Coast of a cross country tour by the 150 mpg Extreme Hybrid SUV developed by AFS Trinity Power Corporation of Bellevue Washington.

The XH-150 stopped in Philadelphia on its way to being featured at the 38th Earth Day on the Capital Mall in Washington, D.C. April 20. In January, when it was introduced at the North American International Auto Show, CNN and others said the XH-150 could be the “car of the future”.

continue reading "Philadelphians First on East Coast to Drive AFS Trinity’s 150 mpg Extreme Hybrid SUV"

More than 300 students from Canada, Mexico, and the United States participate today at 2008 Shell Eco-Marathon Americas.

Mater Dei High School of Evansville, Ind., set a new mileage record at the 2008 Shell Eco-marathon Americas, a challenge to design, build and test fuel-efficient prototype vehicles that travel the farthest distance using the least amount of fuel.

continue reading "Mileage Record at 2008 Shell Eco-Marathon Americas"

Driving Change will be launched today at an event led by Denver Mayor John W. Hickenlooper and Driving Change developers, stakeholders, and participants. In an effort to identify new ways for drivers to address GHG emissions stemming from vehicles, Driving Change measures the environmental impact of driving behavior.

Motor vehicles are the fastest growing source of CO2 (carbon dioxide) production, according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Through the installation of accelerometers that connect to internal vehicle systems and the use of an Internet-based GHG management system, the Driving Change initiative allows for the real-time measurement of a number of driving behaviors, including idling, speeding, fast stops and hard braking, which have a direct impact on fuel consumption. Performance reports, viewable via the Internet, help to educate drivers on how their driving patterns can potentially impact their individual carbon footprint.

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The Coca-Cola order represents the largest North American commercial order to date for Eaton’s hybrid systems and follows the beverage company’s purchase of 20 trucks with Eaton hybrid power systems in 2007.

Extensive testing and evaluations conducted by Coca-Cola Enterprises found that Eaton’s hybrid-electric drivetrain equipped trucks decreased emissions by roughly 32 percent and fuel consumption by up to 37 percent as compared to conventionally-powered trucks in Coca-Cola’s current fleet. Coca-Cola also reported lower maintenance costs on the hybrid-powered trucks.

continue reading "Coca Cola will purchase 120 new trucks powered by hybrid electric drivetrain systems"

Aa 2007 SUV straight off an American automaker’s showroom floor and subsequently equipped with the patent pending Extreme Hybrid(TM) (XH(TM)) drive train, exceeded 150 mpg, AFS Trinity Power Corporation reported today at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit.

AFS Trinity CEO Edward W. Furia provided details of the tests and the patent pending Fast Energy Storage system that makes the Extreme Hybrid(TM) possible. During Furia’s report, a second, identically-equipped and fully functional SUV demonstrator of the XH technology was unveiled and will remain on display throughout the Auto Show.

“Extreme Hybrids(TM) don’t need high priced technology and don’t require new or expensive fuels, such as hydrogen, which, according to Argonne National Labs, will cost twice as much as gasoline at the pump and require installation of an infrastructure costing half a trillion dollars. The Extreme Hybrid(TM) is not a concept,” Furia said, “but a practical alternative that relies on cheap electricity from America’s vast existing energy infrastructure — the electric power grid.” Furia also pointed to a recent U.S. DOE study that concluded sufficient excess electrical generating and transmission capacity exists today during off-peak hours in America’s power grid to recharge 84% of America’s light duty car, truck and SUV fleet-184 million vehicles-even if they were all converted to plug-in hybrid drive trains.

TEST RESULTS

According to Furia, the Extreme Hybrid(TM) tests just completed at Michelin’s Laurens Proving Grounds in South Carolina produced …

More than 150 miles per gallon of gasoline based on the EPA Combined Urban/Highway Driving Cycle with 6 days per week of 40 miles per day in all electric mode and one day at 100 miles with assistance of the gas engine. Different driving patterns will produce different results.
40 mile all-electric range on a single, overnight charge.
Extended range of 400 miles with hybrid operation.
Rapid acceleration in all modes of operation, including all electric mode in which no gasoline is burned at all.
Highway speeds up to 87 miles per hour in either all electric or hybrid mode.
Even faster acceleration and higher speeds possible in future production models should the company decide to configure them for such performance.

continue reading "AFS Trinity Unveils 150 MPG Extreme Hybrid (XH) SUV"

Chrome rims and plasma TVs are not the only trends seen at this year’s Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA). Many car enthusiasts are also equipping their custom vehicles with alternative fuel sources like E85. E85 is composed of 85 percent ethanol, renewable fuel made primarily from domestically grown corn, and 15 percent gasoline. Late night talk show host Jay Leno led the trend this year with his E85-powered Corvette Z06. Other celebrities attending this year’s show included rap artist 50 Cent, who was there with his customized Pontiac G8 sedan. General Motors reports the custom car industry is a $37 billion business annually.