Wagner Bd125563 Front Brake Rotor/disc-disc Brake Rotor on 2040-parts.com

SAE approves new fast-charging standard for EVs, plug-ins

SAE International said it has approved a new technical standard that will dramatically reduce charging times for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and electric vehicles. The global engineering group said the new charging standard, developed with the cooperation of more than 190 automakers, utilities and equipment builders, will allow charging times to be reduced from as long as eight hours to as short as 20 minutes. Automakers want DC direct charging to take less than 10 minutes, or roughly the time it takes to fill a tank with gasoline.The goal is to accommodate currents as high as 500 volts distributed from public charging stations.

Cars of the future could be powered by seawater

Water from the sea could power cars of the future, if experiments currently being trialled by the US Navy prove to be successful. According to Jalopnik, the US Naval Research Laboratory is turning carbon dioxide from seawater into hydrogen, with the hope of fuelling its jets from alternative sources. Hydrogen cars ‘on sale next year’ Zero-emissions hydrogen fuel-cell cars on sale in 2015 – Hyundai If successful, researchers predict it’ll cost between $3 and $6 per gallon – that’s approximately 40p to 80p per litre.

Official 2014 BMW 4-series convertible photo gallery

Feast your eyes on the new 2014 BMW 4-series convertible: The newest drop-top BMW looks, well, a lot like you'd expect a hardtop convertible version of the company's new 4-series coupe to look. Mimicking the rest of the 4-series lineup, the 2014 4-series convertible will be offered in I-4 428i and straight-six 435i versions, each with a standard 8-speed automatic. Only the 428i will be available with BMW's xDrive AWD system at launch, however -- RWD is standard on both trim levels.