Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Electronics brings you forward

National development plan and its results

The Federal Ministries of Education and Research, Economics and Technology, Transport, Building and Urban Development as well as for the Environment, Nature Conversation and Nuclear Safety worked out a "National Electromobility Development Plan" which is to make Germany a leading market for electromobility in the next 10 years. The goal of the government's National Electromobility Development Plan: one million electric vehicles on German roads. Therefore the Federal Ministry of Education and Research funds research and development as well as the important young scientists and engineers required in these fields.


Image source: BMBF

Background of the commitment: "The topic electromobility is of high strategic importance for the government. If it succeeds to generate the required electricity solely from renewable energies in the medium and long term, mobility will no longer depend on the limited fossile raw materials which are harmful to the climate."

"We are looking for a concept without compromise", says Michael Dick, board member of AUDI AG, division Technical Development. "Electromobility does not mean for us a subsequent electrification of conventional vehicles. We rather want to deal with all aspects of the topic in a holistic approach."


Image source: Audi AG

»»» http://puregreencars.com/~Green-Cars-News

One of the projects of the German automotive industry supported by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research is, for example, the joint project ePerfomance

In cooperation with the automotive manufacturer Audi, RWTH Aachen, the technical universities in Munich, Dresden and Ilmenau, Leibniz University Hannover and Fraunhofer Gesellschaft as well as Robert Bosch GmbH and Bosch Engineering Gmbh at the industrial end will develop a holistic approach for electric vehicles. The estimated project duration is three years. The project is supported with a sum running into tens of millions of euros.

However, until the dream of electric vehicles with market maturity becomes a reality considerable technological obstacles will still have to be overcome.

"Rethinking the car"!


Image source: Audi AG

»»» http://www.bmwi.de/~Press

It seems to take longer than abroad, wrote Süddeutsche Zeitung in July 2010 (approx. one year after publication of the National Development Plan) and continued: "No sparks are flying around" and "Electric cars, battery technology, infrastructure and charging stations as well as green electricity: Germany has fallen behind in all, really in all areas.

What is obvious at this point is that the ambitiously set targets of the government cannot be met by 2020. The chances, even as regards jobs and possible profits of companies, are given up carelessly, the train to the future is travelling abroad. The country is in the process of gambling away its second industrial revolution."

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Mazda R360



Mazda's vintage micro car

Monday, November 22, 2010

Something beautifully French

And if you'd rather travel with some understatement...



And here you can get the nice car...for sure, at this price something for everyman:

»»» http://www.secmavehicule.com/

...here's some more information:

When you look at the back of the 560 kg light handmade car which is fitted with a light plastic body you can catch a glimpse of part of the engine. The engine was used in former Renault Mégane models and is still used in the Dacia Logan. Shifting is done via a five-speed gear. The engine performance is about 105 hp and it accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in 5.9 seconds, according to the manufacturer at an average consumption of 6.0 litres for 100 kilometres.

More interesting information:

»»» http://www.qpod.co.uk/

and here some nice photos:

»»» http://www.cunninghamsauto.com/~secma

Monday, November 15, 2010

If money does not matter

then diving will also get boring some day...

"Then I will build a flying sub." Nothing is passed on but when you are on the website of the Virgin founder Sir Richard Branson you can imagine how the British entrepreneur thought just that when he ordered the "Necker Nymph, a sub from the generation "Merlin" of the British engineer Graham Hawkes. With specialists of Hawkes' company Branson puzzled out state-of-the-art technologies.


Image source: www.virgin.com

... descriptions which make you think you are dreaming: „Underwater flight takes ocean exploration to another level. Gliding on the water’s surface like an airplane on a runway, one of the three pilots will operate the joystick to smoothly dive down, and the thrilling experience begins. Uncover ancient shipwrecks, fly side-by-side with dolphins, or spyhop with whales; the options are endless. With the flexibility to glide peacefully over glorious reefs or bank adventurously in 360 degrees turns, the sub is hydrobatic. Individual “wind shields” remove the pressure of slipstream, enabling comfortable speed and ranges previously unthinkable without enclosing the pilots. The open cockpits afford near ideal 360 degree viewing for occupants, creating a uniquely open experience.”

According to the Hawkes Ocean Technologies (HOT) website the technical marvel is not only safe for people but also no problem for the environment: „Importantly, all DeepFlight craft, have near-zero environmental impact. Its positive buoyancy prevents the sub from landing on a reef, and its low light and noise emissions ensure the fragile ocean ecosystems remain undisturbed.”

This is really a toy which degrades every water slide, however great it is, or sub to a "if there is no other choice" alternative. Mr Branson knows what he is doing, whether it is about space travels or boredom on water, no billionaire must feel bored. As the Merlin sub is extremely light thanks to the missing pressure chambers (it weighs just 400 kg), it can so far only fly 44 metres deep. By the way, it 'flies' because the "Necker Nymph" needs buoyancy under the just 5 metre long wings like an airplane. You can only rent the light carbon fibre vessel providing space for two passengers and the pilots in a package with one week on Branson's luxury catamaran "Necker Belle" for about 64,000 euros - the price for the "Necker Nymph" for one week is another 18,000.

Well, if the ocean is not enough for you, then try with the universe: here too, Sir Branson has attractive options on offer:

»»» www.virgingalactic.com

More information:
»»» www.virgin.com/~travel

Monday, November 8, 2010

Wall socket?

This blog is all about a really alternative way of energy production:

»»» http://windlift.wordpress.com/



Particularly interesting:

»»» http://www.jsonline.com/business/29492209.html

I wonder which other eco-friendly means of transport are there?

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

So voilà, Bob Basic presents

... my first own website.
Here you will find exciting news from the world of automation and all information on the new modular control concept ecomatmobile Basic.

Have fun!

»»» www.bob-basic.com