We’ve all heard of biodiesel and we’ve all heard of hybrid vehicles but how about a hybrid biodiesel burning 1974 Volkswagen Super Beetle? No? Me neither. Neither did students at the University of Kansas until they built one, that is.

What you see above is their creation which gets close to 50mpg  running on both biodiesel and 10 lead acid batteries.Professor Chris Depcik, leader of the team, comments on the project:

“We have driven it around and reached approximately 30 mph, but this was more of a proof of concept drive without pushing the boundaries. We are currently getting the vehicle into road-ready shape to be driven safely in order to determine these values.”

via autopia

Tags: Beetle, biodiesel, hybrid, university of kansas, volkswagen

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Remember that 6.7 liter turbocharged diesel burning V8 mammoth of an engine codenamed ‘Scorpian’ that we told you about last week? Well, it seems that a few more details regarding the hardware have surfaced and from the looks of them, I like what I hear.

Those details state that the engine will be capable of a full 400 horsepower and an impress 725 pounds-per-feet of torque. What’s even better, the car will include “out of the box” compatiblitywith B20 biodiesel.

Fast and environtmentally friendly? Sign me up.

Read (Straightline)

Tags: 6.7 liter, biodiesel, details, engine, Ford, scorpian, turbocharged

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For people who need more information and actual demonstrations on the proper understanding of hydrogen and renewable fuel, perhaps a visit to Downtown Seattle can do the trick. Propel Fuels has arranged for a Hydrogen Vehicle Showdown in Seattle, providing a preview on the latest in hydrogen fuel cell vehicle designs.

Also, the show aims to properly educate people on the perks and benefits that renewable fuel brings to society, a familiar term we have been hearing for the past months in connection for the call towards new vehicles running on alternative sources of fuel. Fuel cell vehicles from Daimler, GM, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Nissan, Toyota and Volkswagen are on display, and experts from these companies are on hand to answer questions from Propel customers and alternative fuel enthusiasts.

“Propel’s fueling platform delivers advanced low carbon fuels including biodiesel from waste stream feedstocks like recycled fats and oils, and locally grown, marginal land crops like camelina,” said Rob Elam, President and Co-Founder of Propel. “Our fueling platform has the forward-flexibility to accommodate advanced fuels such as bio-methane, hydrogen and electric charging as these vehicle technologies gain momentum in the marketplace. Today’s event shows how close these vehicles are to commercialization.”

(Source) Press

Tags: alternative fuel, biodiesel, carbon fuels, Daimler, fats and oils, feedstocks, fuel cell vehicle, fuel cell vehicles, gain momentum, hydrogen fuel cell, methane, new vehicles, renewable fuel

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Colorado is the place to be come this April as the first prototype hybrid vehicle by Lightning Hybrids is set to be unveiled. Lightning Hybrids today announced that it will unveil the prototype of its hybrid vehicle that is being designed and manufactured in Loveland at the Denver Auto Show April 1 to 5, 2009. In addition the unique hybrid drivetrain will be displayed for the first time as well.

The staff at Lightning Hybrids is working night and day to finish the car, called the LH4, in time for the show. “We knew when we decided in January to be at the Denver Auto Show that some of the finishing touches on the car would not be completed, but we will definitely have a car there and are excited for the first public viewing of our vehicle and technologies,” said Dan Johnson, Lightning Hybrids CEO.

The car, a four-seat sports sedan, will average 100 miles to the gallon (biodiesel) and will be able to go 0 to 60 in under six seconds. It has a unique clamshell door that opens upward to allow for superior aerodynamics. In addition to an innovative hydraulic biodiesel hybrid drivetrain, the Lightning Hybrids car has other futuristic innovations like using cameras and screens in place of rearview external mirrors to reduce drag and increase safety. The car will also be available in a three-door four-seat car, and the drivetrain is available in a retrofit kit suitable for fleets as well.

(Source) PR USA

Tags: aerodynamics, biodiesel, denver auto show, fleets, hybrid vehicle, hybrids, Prototype, rearview

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Volkswagen has long been an endorser of clean fuel, dating back to 2008 when they used clean diesel technology on the race track. Today, Volkswagen of America, Inc. announced it will use B5 biodiesel to power its race cars, transport vehicles and generators during the 2009 Jetta TDI Cup season.

Houston-based HYPERFUELS will supply B5 biodiesel for the series, which is sanctioned by the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) Pro Racing.

“We are extremely pleased to have HYPERFUELS as a partner for the 2009 Jetta TDI Cup series. SynDiesel(R) B5 biodiesel has been fully approved for use in all Volkswagen TDI powered vehicles that are available at local Volkswagen dealerships today,” said Clark Campbell, Motorsport Manager, Volkswagen of America, Inc. “The addition of SynDiesel B5 biodiesel in the Jetta TDI Cup race cars further demonstrates the feasibility of biodiesel as an alternative fuel source for American consumers and supports the clean and green racing of the Jetta TDI Cup series,” added Campbell.

(Source) Press

Tags: alternative fuel, biodiesel, diesel technology, Jetta, jetta tdi, motorsport manager, sports car club, volkswagen dealerships, volkswagen of america, volkswagen of america inc, volkswagen tdi

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With people today turning to used cars, another twist has been added and this by adding the “green” criteria option for shoppers. Dealix launched the “Green Choices” section on the site Usedcars.com, establishing a place for visitors to research and shop for used cars online based on their top “green” criteria, as defined by the latest Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards.

Features of this new option include:

• “Green leaf” badges in vehicle search results that identify fuel efficient cars and other “green” vehicles using EPA standards
• A dynamic list of the most popular green searches being done in each market so that shoppers can see which environmentally friendly used cars in their area are most popular
• A “Let Me Decide” tool that allows visitors to choose cars based on the green criteria that is important to them, as defined by current EPA rankings, for: Air Pollution Score, Greenhouse Gas Score, and desired Fuel Economy; and a corresponding glossary
• A shopping tool that matches visitors’ criteria and interests with all available inventory of green used cars in their area based on zip code
• Updated research and content from the green vehicles site Hybridcars.com covering a range of topics, including hybrid buying tips and the use of biofuels

“Many consumers today do not realize the green vehicle category encompasses cars above and beyond hybrids, biodiesel, and plug-in vehicles,” said Anna Zornosa, general manager of Dealix and executive vice president of Cobalt.

(Source) Press

Tags: air pollution, biodiesel, cobalt source, consumers, fuel economy, greenhouse gas, hybrids, shoppers, vehicle search

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If you already own a car with a diesel engine, you might have heard about kits you can buy to convert the grease at fast food restaurants into diesel fuel for your car. While you can indeed invest in a conversion kit that will accomplish that, you might not have to. Bio-diesel is an environmentally friendlier fuel for diesel engines (and also oil home heating furnaces) that is catching on rapidly and can be used in place of regular petroleum based diesel fuel with no conversion measures taken.

Bio-diesel is sold in ratios of 10- or 20-percent modified vegetable oil mixed with regular petroleum diesel. The fuels are called B10 or B20—the ‘B’ stands for the percentage of non-petroleum oils mixed into the fuel.  Soybean is the most commonly used biological oil, but rapeseed, corn oil, and even animal fat can also be found. Bio-diesel reduces U.S. dependence on foreign oil and emits fewer toxins than regular diesel, but gasoline still burns cleaner overall.

Tags: B10, B20, biodiesel, Environement

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Even though gas prices are dropping everywhere due to the declining economy, it’s no question wether or not we need to make the move towards greener fuels, like biodiesel. But, did you ever think that the coffee beans used to make your morning brew could be a new source of said fuel?

It seems a team at the University of Nevada is working on a method for extracting the oil from those coffee beans and turning it into a new form of biodeisel. Even better, this new form of biodeisel is better than previous forms because apparently it may not break down due to the anti-oxidants in coffee. 

And get this, the researchers behind this new finding predict that 340 million gallons of biodiesel could theoretically be produced anually from used coffee grounds. Now everyone who doubts a move to more greener fuels have even less evidence to support their idea, the technology is out there, now we just need to apply it effectively.

Read (AutoBlogGreen)

Tags: biodiesel, coffee grounds

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