Car Tech Articles

If you're ready to move on to the greener pastures of fuel cell technology, geography is the single biggest factor limiting your ability to drive a hydrogen-powered vehicle. Although no fuel-cell vehicles are available for sale at this time, a handful of auto manufacturers have opened their hydrogen-testing programs to the public. But it's not an open-door policy; you have to qualify.

Car makers typically partner with universities, commercial fleets, or government agencies to get feedback on their technology platforms while working out the bugs. These organizations often have access to private hydrogen gas refueling stations, and can … Read more

Hydrogen is considered by many to be the perfect fuel: it emits zero tailpipe emissions and doesn't require an outlet or hours to recharge a battery. But because it's energy intensive, derived from nonrenewable resources, and is expensive to produce and transport, don't expect to find it at the pump anytime soon. Unless you're in Italy.

Acta, a clean energy company in Italy, has developed a commercial system for using solar energy to convert water to hydrogen at a fueling station. It recently signed a framework agreement with filling station forecourt equipment installation company Girelli Bruni … Read more

Those yellow Clean Air Vehicle stickers that gave tens of thousands of hybrids access to full-time use of California's carpool lanes are long gone, and the clock is ticking down on the time they're valid. But for a few near zero-emissions vehicles, the HOV lane remains wide open to the single-party driver for another four years.

A recent bill was signed in California extending the amount of time that vehicles meeting California's super ultra-low emission vehicle (SULEV) standard and the federal inherently low-emission vehicle (ILEV) standard can use the HOV lane with less than the minimum number … Read more

Paving the way for the so-called Hydrogen Super Highway, California Fuel Cell Partnership released a roadmap that details plans for 46 retail hydrogen fueling stations in six targeted California communities by 2014. Hydrogen is considered to be the holy grail of clean transportation because Fuel Cell Vehicles (FCV) emit only water when driven, but a lack of infrastructure is one of the major roadblocks to this advancement.

"By 2017, automotive manufacturers plan to place 50,000 zero-emission fuel cell vehicles in customer hands. FCVs will provide the performance, durability, driving range, and comfort that customers want, and meet the nation's need for a domestic fuel that is better for the environment," said Catherine Dunwoody, CaFCP's executive director in a press release.

For the moment, only six of the state's 26 hydrogen refueling stations are open to the public. Most are privately owned and operated for corporate fleet or testing vehicles. The CaFCP gave details for the cost of building 40 stations by 2012, which is projected to be $181.5 million and is expected to be funded largely by the government to incentivize the industry to begin the transition to hydrogen. … Read more

Mitsubishi, the car company that's more known for its tuner toys for boys than its low carbon footprint vehicles announced that its all-electric iMiev was selected as a finalist for the World Green Car competition, a category of the World Car of the Year awards. Other contenders include the Honda FCX Clarity and the Toyota IQ.

To be nominated for the title, the vehicle must use an advanced power plant technology that minimizes emissions, be in production or have at least 10 experimental prototypes close to production available for individual or media fleet testing, and be available in at … Read more

Last December, James May, co-host of the UK car show "Top Gear," flew to LA to test drive the Honda FCX Clarity prototype, which he calls "the most important car since the car was invented."

The Honda FCX Clarity is a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle that uses compressed gas to generate electricity and power the car's electric motor. The Clarity has a driving range of 280 miles per tank, delivers 135hp, can travel up to 100 mph, and can reach 60 mph from a standstill in under 9 seconds.

The video clip made it onto … Read more

Honda introduced the first gas-electric hybrid for purchase with the Insight in 1999, then came Toyota's Prius and everyone forgot about Honda's little hybrid that could. We all knew that Honda was working on a larger Prius-fighting, dedicated hybrid vehicle, but Honda has denied that they'd be reviving the Insight moniker for this new vehicle. On Thursday, Honda released the first official information and images of their Prius-killer concept and it's called, you guessed it, the Insight.

The Insight Concept carries over the styling cues of Honda's fuel cell vehicle, the FCX Clarity. It looks … Read more

The Los Angeles Auto Show wraps up this weekend. I drove down to the Los Angeles Convention Center last week to check out the new BMW M3--which I hope to buy next year--and get a look at all the other new cars debuting there.

There were two clear trends at the show: higher performance and increased environmental sensitivity. The best new vehicles show improvements in both areas.

The new M3, for example, delivers 24% more power (414 hp!) from its new four-liter V8 along with 8% better gas mileage, along with more interior room than its predecessor and many new … Read more

Honda released the production version of its latest hydrogen fuel-cell car at this week's 2007 LA auto show. The FCX Clarity develops the technology and exterior styling found in Honda's FCX Concept in a car that will be produced and leased to retail customers in 2008. The Clarity also has some unique cabin gadgetry to go with its advanced drive train. Check out our images of the latest entrant to the hydrogen highway here