motor

We covered details of Rinspeed's iChange concept previously, and now have photos to add. The iChange is a new concept for the 2009 Geneva auto show. Electric powered, it sports a different profile depending on whether it is carrying one or three people.

Swiss automaker Rinspeed will debut at the 2009 Geneva auto show an electric concept car that changes shape to conform to the number of passengers on board.

The iChange is a lightweight, 4,280mm (approximately 14 feet) EV sports car with a teardrop-like silhouette designed to maximize fuel efficiency for the single passenger. But with the push of a button, the sloped rear of the car pops up to accommodate two additional passengers, if needed.

The concept sports car forgoes doors, opting for a very ADA-unfriendly clamshell roof. Rinspeed is obviously assuming that in the future, women will no longer wear skirts. … Read more

Attempting once again to invent a new automotive segment, as it did with the X6, BMW designs a new concept for the Geneva Motor Show it calls a Progressive Activity Sedan. This vehicle has four doors and an open cargo area, and only differs from a station wagon body style by the car's higher riding position and the fastback slope to the roofline. The car is officially called the Concept 5 Series Gran Turismo, and BMW released photos and details today.

Tesla Motors announced on Thursday that the Department of Energy was given the green light to disperse $350 million in loans over the next few months to help the all-electric automaker build a new manufacturing plant in San Jose, Calif.

Company chairman Elon Musk applied for the loans when the company was unable to secure private funding, stalling development of the new facility and casting even more doubt upon the ambitious start-up carmaker.

The announcement should help quell the death knell rumors spawned from recent mass layoffs, canceled orders for its $109,000 electric sports car, and delayed plans to build the Model S sedan. … Read more

Mitsubishi released a more detailed sketch of its Prototype i Miev on Thursday.The all-electric sports car concept is set to debut at the Geneva Motor Show this March alongside the i Mieve Sport Air concept car.

Both are follow-ups to Mitsubishi's i Miev hatchback, which is currently undergoing "feasibility testing" in Europe. The hatchback, which is scheduled to go on sale in Japan sometime this year, can be plugged into any household outlet for recharging.

Though at 7 hours to recharge at 200V outlets and and 14 hours at 100V outlets, owners may opt for a … Read more

Green Earth Technologies claims that it's come up with a motor oil that is friendlier toward the environment.

G-oil is a more sustainable option than regular motor oil brands because it's made in part from beef slaughter byproducts, namely animal fat, according to the Stamford, Conn.-based company.

Green Earth Technologies also claims that its G-Oil exceeds the "Ultimate Biodegradability" standard (60 percent biodegraded within 28 days) of the international standards organization ASTM.

The company says more than 90 percent of used G-Oil will biodegrade in just nine days. That's a considerable claim. Used motor … Read more

Updated at 11:45 am PT with more details on DOE loan application.

Electric luxury car company Tesla Motors is on target to be profitable and to demonstrate a "street-drivable" prototype of its next car next month: the Model S sedan.

CEO Elon Musk sent out a detailed update to subscribers of its monthly newsletter, boasting about a backlog of orders for its Tesla Roadster sports car and assuring company watchers that the company is on sound financial footing.

"We remain on track with our cost reductions and production ramp, so it appears highly likely that Tesla … Read more

The U.S. can replace one-third of its annual gasoline use with ethanol by 2030, concludes a joint study released Wednesday by Sandia National Laboratories and General Motors.

Of the 90 billion gallons of ethanol that need to be produced in 2030 to meet that goal, the study says, 75 billion gallons could come from cellulosic ethanol.

Using cellulosic ethanol--or ethanol produced from forestry or agricultural waste--is considered a way to prevent the displacement of crops that feed humans.

Corn-based ethanol has been blamed by some for higher food prices and shortages because food producers are at times forced … Read more

At the Detroit auto show, GM gave production details for its new small car, which will come out under the Chevrolet badge with Spark as the model name. This new car is based on the Beat concept shown last year, and gets its official launch at the upcoming Geneva auto show. The Spark satisfies the need for a small city car in Chevrolet's lineup. The brand's current small car is the Aveo, but that model is licensed from Daewoo. The Spark is home-grown. As a city car, the Spark has minimal room for cargo unless there are no rear seat passengers. GM did interesting things with the styling, for example, hiding the rear door handle in the C-pillar. … Read more