Arias Pistons 12.5:1 Compression 82mm Bore Honda B-series on 2040-parts.com

Better Place Electric Car visitor centre opens

Better Place have opened a visitor centre in Israel to demonstrate their battery swap technology for electric cars Last October we wrote about a start-up company in Israel – Better Place – that had a new way forward for electric cars by taking the purchase of battery packs out of the equation, and was developing a system for ‘Battery Swap’ stations where electric car owners could drive in and swap their battery pack for a fully-charged one in a few minutes. That story first brought to our attention our favourite quote of last year – by Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn – who said “A hybrid is like a mermaid: if you want a fish, you get a woman; if you want a woman, you get a fish.” Which probably explained why Nissan – and its partner Renault – got involved with Better Place. Better Place aims to address the main concerns of electric car drivers by making the battery packs in electric cars ‘swappable’.

Slump in new car sales is worst since February 2006

By Nigel Wonnacot Motor Industry 07 July 2008 12:42 It’s finally happened. The new car market has succumbed to the economic slowdown and punters are staying away from showrooms in droves. Latest figures from industry trade body SMMT showed an 11.9 per cent fall in private sales in June to 83,425 cars.

Ford Airstream concept (2007): first official pictures

By Phil McNamara First Official Pictures 07 January 2007 05:36 Ford Airstream: the lowdown Ford today unveiled the Airstream, a thoroughly American alternative to the S-Max crossover MPV sold in Europe. A collaboration with iconic trailer maker Airstream, the Airstream is a concept car that runs on hydrogen fuel cell power, cossets passengers in a flexible and luxurious cabin and looks exceptionally cool. 'Crossovers are the fastest growing segment of the market,' said Ford design supremo J Mays, unveiling the car in Detroit (above).