Vintage 1985 Honda Atc 70 Fuel Tank on 2040-parts.com

Volvo consign normal car batteries to the history book

Volvo consign normal car batteries to the history book by using body panels for storage As our cars become more and more reliant on power from batteries – either to run the multitude of technology or top provide power for electric motors – the cost and size of the batteries needed continues to grow. But Volvo have been working an an alternative for the last 3.5 years which can potentially do away with the battery and instead store power in body panels. Volvo has built an experimental S80 which has body panels made of carbon fibre and polymer resins and structural super capacitors.

CES: GM to open the dashboard to developers

At last year's Autoweek Design Forum, father of the iPod and Nest Labs co-founder Tony Fadell suggested that automakers concentrate on designing and building cars, leaving handset makers to handle infotainment. The latest announcements from Ford and GM -- in conjunction with the International CES -- suggest that automakers would rather treat the dashboard space as a handset. Yesterday, Dearborn, Mich., announced the Ford Developer Program, which opens up Sync to outside application development; now General Motors has announced a similar initiative.

VW Golf Bluemotion concept (2008): first pictures

By Ben Pulman First Official Pictures 08 September 2008 13:22 This is Volkswagen’s cleanest Mk6 Golf, a Bluemotion concept car that is claimed to achieve 74mpg while puffing out a paltry 99g/km. Those are figures on a par with today’s Polo Bluemotion, but this concept will become production reality in mid-2009.  A 1.6-litre common-rail diesel engine powers the new Golf Bluemotion, producing 104bhp and 184lb ft, but those remarkable figures are helped by revised ratios on the five-speed ‘box, optimised aerodynamics and low rolling resistance tyres. There’s also a particulate filter to keep the exhaust gases clean.