The CAFE Foundation (Comparative Aircraft Flight Efficiency) announced today that the NASA Green Flight Challenge will receive $1.6 million in sponsorship funding from Google.

CAFE will host the event which runs from September 25 to October 2 of this year. It will take place at the Charles M. Schulz – Sonoma County Airport in California and will have a $1.65 million prize.

To win the prize competitor’s aircraft will have to fly at least 100 mph at the equivalent rate of consumption of 200 MPG across a 200 mile flight.

The competing aircraft are a diverse group of prototypes built specifically for this challenge and are primarily powered by electric motors with some biofuel and hybrid exceptions.

When it comes to energy efficiency, electric cars are the way to go compared to their gas guzzling counterpats. But what if their efficiency could be improved even further? Coupled with ever evolving battery technology this could lead to significantly greater electric car range in general.

This is the prize that Google, along with several other investment companies, seems to have its eye on as they recently made a $20 million investment in Transphorm and its technology that would boost electric car efficiency.

This upcoming EV tech would increase efficiency by improving the process by which the incoming plug-in current is converted from AC to DC and then again when it’s converted back to AC to power the vehicle.

Electric cars aren’t number one on the list for applications of the Transphorm technology, however. It’s going to start with other markets like industrial motors, solar panel inverters, and data centers – which Google no doubt has an appreciation for.

Japanese automakers Nissan have released this image of a new concept vehicle that will be shown at this years Paris Motorshow (2nd-17th October). They gave virtually no information on the new TownPod EV except for the strange image and the following description.

“It is designed to offer zero-emissions mobility to a future generation of home-based, innovative entrepreneurs who are creative and tech-savvy. It is more than just a car and it’s more than just a van – it heralds a new-era of flexible, stylish vehicles that will bring electric-vehicle mobility to the masses.”

And by the looks of it – you will only be able to use it to race against other computer programs as you careen through circuit boards, trailing blue digital ribbons behind you.

Some exciting research is coming out of the Eindhoven Universtity of Technology (EUT) that could help to significantly reduce vehicle pollution. The idea being looked at by EUT scientists involves creating roadways made from concrete that’s been blended with titanium dioxide.

The titanium dioxide would effectively eliminate up to 45 percent of the nitrogen oxides that touch the augmented roadways by converting them to nitrates which are then simply washed away by rainfall.

Simluations done on one square kilometer of titanium dioxide enhanced pavement in the Netherlands showed a reduction in nitrogen oxide vehicle pollution by 25 – 45%.

The overall road building costs of using titanium blended pavement increases by 10%, however, based on the results of this study, the value seems more than worth it.

Fiat has inked a deal with SolarPrint that will see them provided with solar panel systems for upcoming Fiat cars. While these solar panel roofs won’t provide nearly enough juice to power the cars, they will take the burden off of it for the operation of various accessories like the stereo, ventilation, power windows and any other electronic devices.

The Fiat solar panel roofs will cut the burden that the car’s alternator has to deal with and consequently will reduce parasitic losses.

The solar panels will be able to be printed onto all kinds of surfaces including metals and glass. The SolarPrint panels also boast a better than normal silicon ability to absorb and use low light and light from various angles for a net improvement of 20%.

The world’s first algae-fueled vehicle, which is called the Algaeus, has started its long green drive across America. The car, a converted plug-in Prius outfitted with a nickel-metal hydride battery and filled with a blend of 5% algae and 95% gasoline from Sapphire Energy, set out from San Francisco yesterday and will take 10 days to make it to Washington, DC.

The group responsible for the Algaeus, the Veggie Van Organization, expects the car will only require 25 gallons of fuel to make the entire trip.

Sapphire Energy plans to produce two million gallons of algae fuel per year for the next two years with hopes of it becoming cost-competitive in the next few years at $60 to $80 a barrel. Sapphire wants to create a 10%algae blend for its future commercial products. They are also producing a million gallons of algae-based jet fuel this year.

While the tax credits for hybrids are fast disappearing as more and more people are going green (and saving money on gas), there are still other financial advantages of hybrid ownership.

Hybrid auto insurance discounts vary greatly from company to company, and are not applicable to all coverage. Farmer’s was the first company to offer a generic “hybrid discount,” and their reduction is about 5%, but is limited to California residents. Traveler’s was the first to advertise a national discount program. It’s a reduction of up to 10%, but there are specific requirements. Other major insurers have since jumped on the hybrid discount bandwagon, and offer “hybrid discounts” of 7-10%.

Other Discounts Available

Despite these hybrid discounts, insuring an “alternative fuel” car is still pretty pricey, because there are fewer accident statistics available to insurance industry analysts, and because of the specialized parts that require equally specialized repair shops.

Hybrid drivers, however, tend to be safe, experienced drivers from upper-middle-class socioeconomic backgrounds, and it is that trend that allows for savings. Translation: while you may not get a huge discount just because of your car’s eco-friendly status, you can add to the hybrid discount with others, to increase your savings.

What are those other discounts? Here is a representative sample:

• Auto/Home/Life Bundling: If you bundle all of your insurance policies with one insurance company, you’ll save some money (2-3% ) on all of them. If life insurance isn’t part of your package, don’t despair. You’ll still save money by bundling just auto and home coverage.

• Anti-theft Devices: If your hybrid is fitted with an alarm system, engine immobilizer, or a tracking device, like LoJack, you may qualify for a discount on your insurance.

• Low Mileage: Hybrids are hardly meant for routine long-haul treks. If your mileage is lower than 14,000 miles/year, you probably qualify for a low mileage discount.

• Mature Driver/Good Student: Since hybrid drivers tend to be well-established in life, and in their professions, it’s quite possible your age will earn you a “mature driver” discount. If you’re the parent of teen drivers, you can capitalize on their good grades with a “good student” discount as well, but be aware teen insurance is still expensive no matter what powers the vehicle.

• Defensive Driving: Did you know you can get cheaper insurance by taking a class? Most insurance companies offer a 3-year/3% discount for clients who take defensive driving classes when they do NOT have a traffic ticket to erase, and after the three years are up, you’re allowed to repeat the course, and reinstate the discount.

Of course, the discounts listed above are just some of the ways hybrid drivers can maximize their savings. You can also raise your deductible, which will lower the premium you pay, for example. When you are next shopping for new insurance, or negotiating a renewal with your existing provider, be sure to ask what other discounts and credits they offer.

Earlier this year at the Detroit Auto Show, GM announced that it was partnering with the University of Michigan to create the Advanced Battery Coalition for Drivetrains (ABCD). The objective of ABCD has been on researching batteries as they pertain to automotive applications.

Now they have announced the creation of the GM/U-M Institute of Automotive Research and Education. The institute will be driven by the goal of “developing the next generation of high-efficiency vehicles powered by diverse energy sources.”

GM has stated that the work students do at the institute will not only help to train far-thinking drivetrain engineers but will see actual research that will “supplement ongoing work within GM.”

GM’s investment in the new institute will be $9 million. While some might balk at the thought of GM/taxpayers spending money like this, it’s out opinion that this is exactly the type of research that GM should have been investing in the in the first place. This is no time for them to get left in the technological dust.

If you’re looking to get around town this Earth Day, the smiling Peapod car might be your best bet. Chrysler has outfitted the Neighborhood Electric Vehicle with an iPhone docking station, which also transforms the iPhone into the car’s key.

Another nifty feature is that the iPhone will also work as a green meter, outlining the Peapod’s energy savings. The iPhone also functions as an interface to the Peapod’s sound system as well as a navigational system.

Maxing out at 25 mph (standard for all NEVs) on Earth Day today Chrysler will begin taking customer orders for the Peapod, which goes on sale at $12,500 and costs about two cents per mile to drive.

If you’re looking for a vehicle that does 75 miles per gallon and has a top speed of 55 miles per hour then you might want to check out the Scoot Coupe.

While the Scoot Coupe might look like a golf cart it’s actually more like a motorcycle with three wheels, passenger seat and handlebars instead of a steering wheel. A motorcycle license and helmet is required to drive it and yes the Scoot Coupe is street legal.

You might not want to use it for a long distance commute but it looks perfect for whipping around town.
The Scoot Coupes are brightly colored and highly visible for their size. They include seat belts, a roll bar, and locking trunk as well as glove box. Buying a two-seater Scoot Coupe will cost between $5,000 and $6,500.