Emerging Technologies

Looks like Tesla might be hiding more in its software than blind spot detection and adaptive cruise control. According to Bloomberg, Tesla CEO Elon Musk is "discussing" autonomous cars with Google, specifically the Lidar laser tracking system. Oh, and if you're going to have a self-driving future ...

In February, the world's best-known plug-in battery-swapping network left California. Now, it looks like the state's not too keen on the concept. The California Air Resources Board (CARB), which is leading the effort to increase the number of zero-emissions vehicles (ZEV) in the state in the ...

Lithium-ion battery developer A123 Systems is re-emerging from its bankruptcy and sale to China-based Wanxiang Group as ... well, we're not sure exactly what. Wanxiang is starting a new division called A123 Venture Technologies, Green Car Congress says. The buzzwords are strategic partnerships ...

UK-based transmission engineering and control specialist Vocis wants to take electric vehicles in another direction, one with dual clutch transmissions. Vocis says its dual clutch transmissions provide seamless shifting and up to 15 percent improvement in EV efficiency. Vocis' DCT is currently on ...

Ford is looking to find ways for more folks to drive sideways, and we're not talking "Tokyo Drift" variety. The US automaker is working with Germany-based Schaeffler at developing in-wheel motors and is showing off a concept version of a modified Fiesta in Belgium this week. Ford's eWheelDrive ...

Mention the term "e. coli" here in the US, and one gets visions of sick cows and poisonous burgers. Reference e. coli with some groundbreaking work performed by UK's University of Exeter, and things get a little more positive. The university, with some funding from Shell, created a plant-based ...

Plug-ins may be getting a lot of the attention from folks looking to cut emissions, but no one is forgetting the good old-fashioned turbocharger. In the end, turbos might even have a far larger impact. Decidedly non-electrification-related features such as turbochargers, eight-speed ...

Tuk-tuks are the three-wheeled passenger vehicles commonly used in Asia, and they're often noisy and most-certainly-not-emissions-free. To counter the current state, Japanese start-up company Terra Motors has launched an electric tuk-tuk and thinks its electric tricycle will be a cost competitive ...

Imagine recharging a Nissan Leaf from a standard 110-volt outlet in, say, oh, about a minute. Far-fetched, sure, but at least one research facility thinks it has a lead on making lithium-ion batteries that can recharge 1,000 times faster than current ones. Researchers at the University of ...

Protean Electric is ready for the rubber to hit the road for its in-wheel electric-drive system. With one of those systems powering those tires, of course. The Michigan-based company, which last year secured an $84-million funding round, is showing off the production version of its ...