Battery breakthrough set to accelerate electric-car development

A team of scientists working at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology are claiming a significant breakthrough in recharging times for lithium-ion batteries. According to findings published in the scientific journal Nature, MIT researchers Byoungwoo Kang and Gerbrand Ceder have unlocked the potential of lithium-ion batteries by patenting a unique process which is claimed to allow a typical laptop power pack to be fully recharged in less than a minute--an improvement in recharging performance of roughly 90 percent over existing lithium-ion batteries. Lithium-ion batteries generate electric current via the flow of lithium ions across an electrolyte, from an electrode to a cathode.

BMW 6-Series Gran Coupe (2012): Spy Video

BMW 6-Series Gran Coupe Spy Video at the Nurburgring The CLS started it all, and the A7 joined the party. But BMW aren’t going to be left out of the four-door, swoopy coupe market for long with the BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe due to arrive in the Summer of 2012, after the Gran Coupe Concept was revealed at Frankfurt last year. Ahead of the debut of the Gran Coupe – probably at Geneva in the Spring as a production-ready car – BMW are out doing the James May favourite trick of shaking it down at the Nurburgring.

Volvo C30 production ends

The Volvo C30 is now going out of production as Volvo moves to refresh its range. A new small Volvo is planned. Volvo worked hard to get the small C30 in to the hearts and minds of a younger audience with a feature role in the Twilight films, but the C30 was never a stellar seller.