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Such a capacitor gauge could become a common sight on the dashboards of the future. A capacitor can discharge and recharge far faster than a battery, making it ideal both for generating bursts of speed and for soaking up the energy collected by regenerative braking. AFS Trinity, a company based in Washington state, has turned that insight into a piece of equipment that it has fitted into an otherwise standard production model as an experiment. The result—the XH-150—was unveiled at this year's Detroit motor show.

DOE and SuperPower, Inc. commemorated on February 21 a $27 million project to install a 350-meter high-temperature superconducting (HTS) cable between two electrical substations in Albany. While that might not sound like much cable for the money, the project is the first demonstration of a technology that could someday be used to build a more energy efficient power grid. The HTS cable reduces energy loss by up to 10%, and wires using the same technology could potentially be integrated into generators, transformers, cables, and fault current limiters, making most of the equipment that produces and delivers power more energy efficient. On the other end of the power line, HTS wires can be employed in motors, providing an energy efficiency improvement for one of the largest electrical loads served by electric utilities.

Natural Gas and Hybrid Vehicles Lead Annual Green Rankings The natural gas-powered Honda Civic GX is once again the greenest new car sold in the United States, according to the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE). The ACEEE's Green Book Online, released on February 19, places the Honda Civic GX on top for the second year in a row, followed by the Toyota Prius and Honda Civic Hybrid. Other hybrids in the top-twelve list include the Nissan Altima Hybrid in sixth place and the Toyota Camry Hybrid in tenth. The ACEEE's annual evaluation of the current model year vehicles ranks them primarily in terms of air emissions and fuel economy.

THE dream of climate-friendly, petroleum-free motoring is creeping closer - thanks to a clutch of breakthroughs in nanotechnology. Several recently reported lab findings promise to vastly improve the safety and performance of the high-capacity batteries that electric cars will need, at last making them a viable alternative to today's petroleum-powered vehicles.

ACROSS the road from a golf course and next to a verdant, cow-filled field in Whetstone, a village about as far from the sea as it is possible to get in England, there is a ship's engine-room in a barn. The area is dripping with history—Frank Whittle, one of the inventors of the jet engine, used a neighbouring shed for his project—but this is not some clanking historical curiosity, such as a steam engine rebuilt by an amateur enthusiast. The whirring gas turbine and whining motor being put through their paces in bucolic Leicestershire are at the cutting edge of maritime engineering. The electric drive being tested there could represent the next leap forward in ship design, as significant a technological shift as the one from sail to steam power in the 19th century.

There is significant potential to improve the energy efficiency of commercial refrigerators, boilers and water heaters, according to the latest three studies carried out under the EU's energy-using products (EuP) directive.

Two of these – on imaging equipment and electric motors – are expected this month.

It's been awhile since we heard anything about the HumanCar, but it looks like the Flintstones-inspired vehicle is now rapidly becoming a reality, with it finally getting a price, release date and a even slightly sleeker new look. Apparently now more specifically known as the Imagine LMV, the vehicle will appropriately be available this coming Earth Day (April 22nd), when it'll set you back a hefty $15,000 for the "base" model. For that price you'll apparently get a top speed of 30 mph from the vehicle's dual electric motors and, most importantly, "variable human power input," which should soon make you the most popular member of your car pool group. If that's not enough luxury for you, you'll also apparently be add various navigation and internet options, iPod connectivity, and various biometric devices to see just how much of a workout you're getting.

After working on the air powered car concept for the past 15 years French engineer Guy Negre is about to bring this revolutionary vehicle to the masses thanks to a contract with India’s main car manufacturer; Tata Motors. Not only is this the worlds cleanest car but it is also functional with MDI offering various designs to suite your life style. The Pickup, Van, Taxi, Mini CAT, and family car models will all be made available for less than $15,000.

A hybrid electric train built by Bombardier just took its inaugural trip in France. Diesel locomotives have always been a kind of hybrid -- their diesel engines charge batteries which power a gigantic electric motor. But this new train can run on electric power from any source available (not just the engine.) The trains will be charged with grid power, and will produce roughly 20% less CO2 than non-hybrid versions.

Ford Motor Co and power utility Southern California Edison will announce an unusual alliance on Monday aimed at clearing the way for a new generation of rechargeable electric cars, the companies said.

Searching the web it is possible to find the price of a short gallon of regular gasoline for a number of countries around the World. In April the USAToday published a good number of prices provided by the AA Motoring Trust. And the Wikipedia gathers prices reported on the media during the last months. Compiling these numbers one gets Figure 1.

The Eco Car named 'Leon-ardo' won second place at the Shell Eco Marathon Challenge held at Rockingham Motor Speedway, Northampton on the 5th July 2007.

Under the highest proposed fuel economy standard of 35 miles per gallon, General Motors, Ford and Chrysler stand to make $14.4 billion by 2017 -- over $6 billion more than the competition.