Beechcraft Be-76 Duchess Pilot's Operating Handbook on 2040-parts.com

Aftermarket Car Plug-In Hybrid system developed (video)

The Department of Engineering Technology at the Middle Tennessee State University has developed a plug-in hybrid retro-fit system for cars. As hybrid cars show the world that we can get more miles to the gallon from fuel by adding in an electric motor to the mix (depending on just how that electricity is generated, of course), it was inevitable that aftermarket solutions would eventually surface. Now, the Department of Engineering Technology at the Middle Tennessee State University has popped up with what they claim is an after market plug-in hybrid system that can be added to just about any car and would cost – assuming it gets to market – around £2,000.

Mercedes B Class F-Cell Hydrogen launched

Mercedes has announced the Hydrogen-Powered B-Class F-Cell The B Class F-Cell will go in to limited production later this year, and be leased to 200 customers in Europe and the US. The electric motor on the F-Cell is reckoned to be comparable to a 2.0 litre petrol car, but can manage the equivalent of 86.6 mpg. But it doesn’t suffer from the drawbacks of plug-in electric cars, taking just 3 minutes to refuel.

New Ford Kuga (2012) to debut at Los Angeles Motor Show

2012 Ford Kuga / Escape to debut at Los Angeles 2011 - based on the Vertrek Concept (above) Yes, strictly speaking the debut of the new Ford Kuga at the Los Angeles Motor Show in November is actually for the 2013 Ford Escape. But in the new ‘One World’ of Ford the new Escape – based on the Ford Vertrek Concept from this year’s Detroit Motor Show – will, with just a few changes, become Europe’s new Ford Kuga. What makes it even more certain that the Escape is much the same as the Kuga will be is news on the engines.