Developed by Lotus Engineering and licensed to Harman International, Halosonic is also capable of generating flat six, V8 and V12 sounds—but care must be taken to avoid these at all costs. They are freakishly wrong. Better stick with variations of “Futuristic”.

The system itself is rather more complex than a simple Star Trek gimmick. The video depicts only one of four pillars of Halosonic, namely EESS: external electronic sound synthesis. A technical explanation is available at Lotus’s R&D department, complete with decibel charts and a sea of TLA’s. If you’re prepared for an onslaught of EOC, RNC, IESS and EESS, documentation awaits here.

Photo Credit: Pedro Moura Pinheiro/Flickr, Lotus Engineering. Hat tip to Máté Petrány.

Think of it as a giant version of the 2010 Toyota Prius's solar sunroof combined with those foldable cardboard windscreen shades with sunglasses printed on them. It could simultaneously protect your interior from the Sun's harmful rays, reduce the amount of power needed to run the A/C on max when you eventually climb back in and even, like the Prius, provide power for a fan to run while the car is parked, keeping the interior cool. Plus, the wing makes this Chevy Impala look totally bitchin'.

And by "bitchin'" we mean, of course, silly as all get out. [DesignBoom via Hooniverse]

Plug-in hybrids are the next wave of hybrid wunderkinds and are poised to greatly change the way we think about fuel economy. The prospect of never using fuel in around-town trips has a great deal of appeal. However, there's been some vocal concern the US power grid is in no state to support the added load these cars will present. With the specter of the "rolling brown-outs" in California and the massive grid failure across the north east in 2004, there's some validity to the concern.

However, a study from the Electric Power Research Institute and Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) titled "Environmental Assessment of Plug-In Hybrid Vehicles" says there's really no need for concern because the volume is far too low. On top of that, power company officials from Detroit-area power supplier Detroit Edision as well as LA's Southern California Edison say the grid can easily handle the additional load. In LA's situation there might be some adjustments made where there will be enclaves of hippies hybrid drivers. Overall, a plug-in hybrid doesn't look much different to the grid than four or five flat screen TV's running at the same time. [Green Car Reports]

This chirp, which is gentler than a blaring car horn, is engaged by pulling on the turn signal. Sort of like how you'd pull up to flash your high beams. It also only annoys the crap out of you after 32 pulls of the chirp-lever. That's a much higher threshold than their first pre-production choice — an audio file of Bob Lutz screaming "pedestrians are a crock of shit!"

Here's video of CNBC's Phil LeBeau* annoying the crap out of us by happily chirping away below:

*Note the "passing on gas" was a Today Show producer's choice as a chyron, not ours.

A press release issued today by Aptera indicates the co-founders, Steve Fambro and Chris Anthony will be stepping aside from day-to-day operations. The PR on why each is stepping back is vastly different. According to the release, co-founder Chris Anthony is stepping aside from day-to-day activities to concentrate on his two other companies, Epic Boats and Flux Power. On the other hand, Aptera's other co-founder, Steve Fambro, is taking "a short leave of absence and will re-engage with the company in the new year." Umm, yeah, right. We think that means if Aptera ends up getting money from the DOE he'll be happy to come back and work.

Aptera'll need that money as we're also told production on the all-electric Aptera 2e's been moved from 2009 to 2010 because it's run into a bit of a funding snag. Yeah, well, we'll wait and see what happens. In the meantime, here's the full press release from Aptera:

FIRST ALL-ELECTRIC APTERA 2e PUSHED BACK TO 2010

Co-founders Fambro and Anthony step aside from day-to-day operations

VISTA, Calif. (Nov. 18, 2009) — In September 2008, when fledgling vehicle manufacturer Aptera named Paul Wilbur president and CEO, the 27-year Detroit auto executive set forth a series of financial goals and product deadlines. "Aptera's production and delivery will be tied directly to funding," said Wilbur.

During the past 12 months, the company's initial offering – the aerodynamic Aptera 2e, an all-electric, three-wheeled two-seater that gets the equivalent of 200-plus mpg – has evolved from concept to near reality. Companies including Google and IdeaLab have made significant investments in the southern California auto manufacturer, and numerous potential private and public backers are in the process of doing their due diligence. However, according to Wilbur, the vehicle development progress has been outpacing the rate of fundraising.

"We're making significant progress every day with product refinements, the completion of engineering and design details, and securing meaningful strategic partnerships," says Wilbur. "However, we now have to adjust our production schedule to align with financing realities. Properly managing the resources of the company means we'll complete our first vehicles in 2010, not by the end of 2009 as previously projected.

"Aptera management is being a prudent steward of all resources to ensure future viability for the company and strong returns for its stakeholders. Therefore, we'll begin volume production vehicles once our current series of private funding has closed or when we secure financing through the Department of Energy's Advanced Technology Vehicle loan program, whichever comes first."

The aerodynamically-inspired Aptera 2e goes from zero to 60 in under 10 seconds, tops out at 90 mph and has already received nearly 4,000 deposits, which are fully refundable and remain in an escrow account. The production vehicle includes enhanced safety features, a redesigned interior cabin that is airy and user-friendly, a monocoque, structural composite body as well as a telematics and infotainment system.

"I'm as disappointed as any of our depositors and loyal followers around the country that we're delaying initial production," says Wilbur. "There's no one who's more anxious than we are to put the 2e on the road.

"Because of this production delay, we've unfortunately been forced to lay off some hard working employees. It's a strategy to streamline our spending to hone in on the items that advance our fundraising and completion of our first vehicle.

"Additionally as part of this plan, co-founder Chris Anthony is stepping aside from day-to-day activities to concentrate on his two other companies, Epic Boats and Flux Power."

Aptera's other co-founder, Steve Fambro, who started tinkering with the idea of building an aerodynamic vehicle five years ago, is taking a short leave of absence and will re-engage with the company in the new year.

"Right now my advanced work is a lower priority for Aptera," said Fambro, the company's Chief Technical Officer who directs all advanced concept development activities. "We've got to be wholly focused on funding and getting the first 2e on the road.

"Paul's leadership and (chief engineer) Tom Reichenbach's talent have led to changes in the vehicle that are spot-on. They've made the vehicle safer, it's better handling and more comfortable. Once we get through this stage, we'll begin mass producing the 2e – the most aerodynamic and efficient vehicle in the world."

According to Wilbur, "Building and launching a new car company is the challenge of a lifetime – even in the best economic times. At Aptera, this is especially true because we didn't start with an existing architecture for our vehicle. The 2e was designed from scratch, which is why we're focused on properly, and painstakingly, creating a foundation that can succeed over time; it's a chance for everybody working at Aptera to reshape the automotive world for the next generation."

About Aptera
Aptera Motors (www.aptera.com) was founded in 2006 to develop and build the safest, most energy efficient commuter vehicles on the road. Utilizing streamlined aerodynamic design, lightweight composite structures and unique drive systems, Aptera (which means wingless flight) delivers vehicles that are attainable and efficient. The company operates two Southern California facilities in north San Diego County, where it designs, engineers and manufactures the vehicles and their composite systems to create an exceptionally strong, sleek body.
# # #

Chevrolet at the Los Angeles International Auto Show
November 17, 2009

o U.S. premiere of the all-new Cruze, delivering up to 40 mpg highway
o Volt electric vehicle to be available in select markets in 2010
o Camaro, Equinox and other hot-selling Chevrolet vehicles also on display

DETROIT – Chevrolet affirms its commitment to fuel solutions and building refined, eco-friendly vehicles with the debut of the U.S. production version of the Cruze sedan at the Los Angeles Auto Show, on Dec. 2. The Cruze, along with the much-anticipated Volt electric vehicle, will give visitors to the L.A. show a close-up view of Chevrolet's expanding lineup of gas-friendly to gas-free products.

"With expected highway fuel economy up to 40 miles per gallon, Cruze will be extremely gas friendly while the Volt electric vehicle can be operated gas-free," said Brent Dewar, vice president, Chevrolet. "Chevrolet's focus is on forward-looking technologies to the benefit of our customers, such as the highly efficient, small-displacement turbocharged engine in the Cruze or the Volt electric vehicle with extended range."

The Cruze has already launched to high acclaim in Europe and Asia and has undergone refinement for America. It goes on sale in the U.S. in the third quarter of 2010 but has already logged more than 4 million miles in quality and durability testing worldwide, making it one of the most globally tested Chevrolet products prior to a U.S. launch.

Cruze is designed to achieve class-leading highway fuel economy using a new family of efficient engines that include a 1.4L turbo. It will lead the way for Chevrolet in small-displacement, turbocharged engines that are designed for excellent fuel efficiency and durability – while also being fun to drive.

Defying preconceptions of what a compact car can be, Cruze will offer a more spacious interior and cargo capacity than the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla, and upscale infotainment amenities such as a navigation system, Bluetooth connectivity and XM Satellite Radio. Ten standard air bags that provide a safety cocoon for occupants – along with OnStar– also make it one of the safest vehicles in the segment.

The Chevrolet Volt is an electric vehicle with extended-range capability. It is expected to drive up to 40 miles on electricity without using gasoline or producing tailpipe emissions. When the Volt's lithium-ion battery is depleted of energy, an engine/generator seamlessly operates to extend the total driving range to more than 300 miles before refueling.

Chevrolet will announce plans for initial retail markets where the Volt will be sold. Chevrolet will also announce the winner of a nationwide consumer competition to name a Volt unique paint color. Consumers determine the winner by voting now for their favorite of three finalist names at www.chevroletvoltage.com, until 8 a.m. Eastern time on Dec. 1.

From Nov. 27-29, the Volt will be on display next to Bloomingdale's at the Westfield Century City mall in West Los Angeles. During regular mall hours, visitors to the Chevrolet Volt display may get two free tickets each to the L.A. Auto Show, while supplies last. The L.A. Auto Show opens to the public Dec. 4.

Production for the Volt is expected to begin in late 2010. Pricing has not been announced.

The Chevrolet show exhibit also will feature the all-new, 2010 Chevrolet Camaro sports coupe and Chevrolet Equinox compact crossover SUV. The popularity of these vehicles helped Chevrolet boost sales by 9 percent in October, including a significant 31-percent increase in retail sales.

The Camaro continues to distance itself from its closest competitor as a fuel-efficient interpretation of a 21st century sports car, achieving 29 miles per gallon on the highway when equipped with the popular 304-horsepower direct injected V-6. Camaro has been a leader in the regular sports car segment for the last five months.

Demand for the Camaro continues to be strong, as Chevrolet now has more than 36,000 sold orders for the car.

The all-new 2010 Equinox is a compact crossover that combines distinctive design, extensive functionality and outstanding efficiency. At 32 mpg highway, the Equinox gets better fuel economy than the Honda CR-V and the Toyota RAV-4. It even beats the Ford Escape Hybrid while costing $7,000 less.

In just a few short months, Equinox has captured 10 percent of the critical compact crossover segment, its best share since August of 2007 and up 4.6 percent from a year ago. More than half of 2010 Equinox customers traded in a non-GM vehicle (based on internal PIN data). Demand is so strong for the Equinox that the plant where it is built recently added a third shift.

About Chevrolet

Chevrolet is one of America's best-known and best-selling automotive brands, and one of the fastest growing brands in the world. With fuel solutions that range from "gas-friendly to gas-free," Chevrolet has nine models that offer an EPA-estimated 30 miles per gallon or more on the highway, and offers three hybrid models. More than 2.5 million Chevrolets that run on E85 biofuel have been sold. Chevrolet delivers expressive design, spirited performance and strives to provide the best value in every segment in which it competes. More information can be found at www.chevrolet.com. For more information on the Volt, visit http://media.gm.com/volt/.

The paper, written by Christopher R. Knittel and registered with the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), posits the following in it's abstract:

New car fleet fuel economy, weight and engine power have changed drastically since 1980. These changes represent both movements along and shifts in the "fuel economy/weight/engine power production possibilities frontier". This paper estimates the technological progress that has occurred since 1980 and the trade-offs that manufacturers and consumers face when choosing between fuel economy, weight and engine power characteristics. The results suggest that if weight, horsepower and torque were held at their 1980 levels, fuel economy for both passenger cars and light trucks could have increased by nearly 50 percent from 1980 to 2006; this is in stark contrast to the 15 percent by which fuel economy actually increased. I also find that once technological progress is considered, meeting the CAFE standards adopted in 2007 will require halting the observed increases in weight and engine power characteristics, but little more; in contrast, the standards recently announced by the new administration, while certainly attainable, require non-trivial "downsizing". I also investigate the relative efficiencies of manufacturers. I find that US manufacturers tend to be above the median in terms of their passenger vehicle fuel efficiency conditional on weight and engine power, and are among the top for light duty trucks; Honda is the most efficient manufacturer for both passenger cars, while Volvo is the most efficient manufacturer of light duty trucks. However, I also find that over time, US manufacturers' relative efficiency in both passenger cars and light trucks has degraded. These results may provide insight into their current financial troubles.

First we'd just like to say as consumers of horsepower and torque, we're quite happy with the improvements since 1980. We're wondering if Mr. Kittle has ever tried to merge into freeway traffic in a 1980 Toyota Corolla. Not a pretty sight.

In any case, the content of the study would be far more interesting to us if it didn't seem from the outset the author was only interested in painting automakers as wasteful and the automobile and its consumer the same way. We say this because despite mentioning technological advancement since 1980, there is absolutely no mention of the government mandates in improvement to emissions and safety. We can understand a statistical analysis of fuel economy versus weight and power, but to completely ignore mandates which add considerable girth to a vehicle is a major oversight which seems intentional.

Sure, cars are much bigger and more powerful than they were in 1980, but they also always start in the morning, aren't actively trying to kill you in a crash and don't spew blue smoke anymore. The inclusion of primary, secondary and now tertiary airbags alone adds weight and cost, not to mention ever increasing structural requirements in both the safety cage and crumple zones. We're not saying we don't like the idea of the study, as more information put into context is always better, but when you leave out an obvious weight driver the whole affair is suspect. (Thanks for the tip Andrew)

[NBER]

Photo credit Think Or Thwim, sculpture by Irwin Wurm

This doesn't mean Chrysler isn't still working on electric cars, but as Kicking Tires points out, they're just not working on the three battery-electric vehicles — the ENVI program — they unveiled to great incredulity at this year's Detroit Auto Show are DOA. [Automotive News, Kicking Tires]

This is what reader Gregory has to say:

Right on!

I ride the subways of Manhattan all week, then on Friday nights take the train to central Jersey to my parents place.

Hop into my turbo S2000 (what’s a catalytic converter?) and make up for my lack of pollution all weekend long.

As long as we burn gasoline, we might as well burn it for fun, don’t you think?

The highly didactic photo you see above was taken at the Melancthon I wind plant in Ontario, where 45 1.5-megawatt General Electric turbines crank out an estimated 177,000 megawatt-hours of energy a year. Plenty of power for the subways!

Photo Credit: kevbo1983/Flickr

With the ability to consume up to 10,000 tons of waste plastics a year, and the ability to turn any type of plastic back into three to five barrels of oil per ton, the Envion Oil Generator could be a boon for recycling (and turn dumps into pseudo oil fields). The technology utilizes a non-catalysed method which processes the plastic in high temperature vacuums and extracts the hydrocarbons for conversion to oil products. The system comes in 6,000-ton-per-year and 10,000-ton-per-year sizes which are both scalable, costing up to $7 million to build. Pretty neat idea if you ask us.
[Pure Green Cars]

Joe Eaton of Rumblenote in Slate presents the following rationale for sports car ownership: it costs much less both in financial and environmental terms to commute with public transportation during the working week then drive on the weekends for fun in a car built just for that. Here’s how the author describes his escape from the travails of daily automotive commuting:

In spring 2007, my wife and I sold our Volvo and committed to public transportation. Since then, it’s been no traffic jams, no mechanics, no gasoline, and no insurance bills. With the money we saved, I started a “hot rod” bank account dedicated to making driving fun. Public transportation is paying for my Porsche.

Eaton echoes a James May column from last week published in The Telegraph, where the Top Gear presenter argues that cars as we know them will inevitably cease to exist as tools for going to places and the only form of the car to survive will be the sports car, purchased and driven purely for enjoyment. Of course he then proceeds to live his argument and go shopping for a used Ferrari.

While the Eaton-May solution is not an option for those of you living in the suburbs of the typical American city with no public transportation to speak of, it is increasingly a viable stragety for those of us who either live in cities or in European-style suburbs with rail links to city centers. And if any of this will contribute to killing off boring cars in favor of interesting cars then it is a very happy development indeed.

Read a good book on the train—then drive that 911 like you stole it. Or that Superlight Miata. You get the idea.

Source: Slate

Photo Credit: mugley/Flickr

So basically the U.S. government is paying Fisker to buy a shuttered plant from GM — one that once built the Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky — so they can use it to develop a Chevy Volt-killing affordable plug-in mid-size sedan. Does this mean the Feds don't believe GM can get the job done to bring the Volt to market or do they just don't want to be seen as picking winners or losers in the 'lectric car debate? Or, more likely, they just want the greenies to get the warm n' fuzzy feelings for the Obama administration for doing something to make plug-in hybrid cars. Either way — it's one more assembly plant that's getting un-shuttered and maybe Henrik Fisker's got a better gameplan in place than Tesla.

Full press release below:

FISKER AUTOMOTIVE TO BUY U.S. ASSEMBLY PLANT TO BUILD AFFORDABLE PLUG-IN HYBRID CARS

WILMINGTON, DE — Oct. 27, 2009 – Fisker Automotive has selected the Wilmington Assembly plant in Wilmington Delaware to build affordable plug-in hybrid cars.

Fisker executives made the announcement inside the dormant facility today, joined by Vice President Joe Biden, Delaware Governor Jack Markell and other state officials.

The plant will support Fisker Automotive's Project NINA, the development and build of an affordable, family-oriented plug-in hybrid sedan costing about $39,900 after federal tax credits.

Production is scheduled to begin in late 2012. Fisker Automotive anticipates Project NINA will ultimately create or support 2,000 factory jobs and more than 3,000 vendor and supplier jobs by 2014, as production ramps up to full capacity of 75,000-100,000 vehicles per year. More than half will be exported, the largest percentage of any domestic manufacturer.

The modernized Wilmington Assembly plant was selected for its size, production capacity, world-class paint facilities, access to shipping ports, rail lines and available skilled workforce.

"This is a major step toward establishing America as a leader of advanced vehicle technology," said Henrik Fisker, CEO. "Wilmington is perfect for high quality, low volume production and will soon be the proud builder of world-class, fuel-efficient Fisker plug-in hybrids."

Fisker Automotive has signed a letter of intent with Motors Liquidation Co. (MLC), formerly known as General Motors Corp. to purchase the Wilmington plant for $18 million after a routine four-month evaluation period.

An additional $175 million will be spent to refurbish and retool the factory over the next three years.

Funds will come from a conditional loan of $528.7M the Department of Energy awarded the company in September.

The loan is part of the $25B Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing loan program (ATVM) appropriated by Congress in 2007 to help the United States lead in the development and manufacturing of advanced technology vehicles.

The company's first car, the Fisker Karma, will be the world's first production plug-in hybrid when it goes on sale this summer at retailers in the U.S. and Europe.

Fisker plug-in hybrid cars will help remove the country's dependence on foreign energy by eliminating the need for 42 million barrels of oil by 2016. They will also offset 8 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions.

"With our close-knit business, government, and educational communities and our potential to respond rapidly to new opportunities, today's announcement is a testament to what works best in Delaware. Fisker is a perfect partner in shaping Delaware's economic future, and we are thrilled that the vehicle that can reshape the automobile industry will be built here in Delaware, by Delaware workers." said Governor Jack Markell (D-Delaware).

Gary Casteel, UAW director responsible for the plant, said, "It gives me great pride to give UAW Local 435 workers the opportunity to partner with Fisker Automotive to create a greener America by building a plug-in hybrid car that will compete globally."

ABOUT FISKER AUTOMOTIVE, INC.

Fisker Automotive is a privately owned, premium American car company with a vision to lead the automotive industry into the next-generation of automobiles with high-end design expertise and eco-friendly powertrain technology. Global headquarters are in Irvine, California, USA.

The company was created in 2007 to leverage the design capabilities of Fisker Coachbuild, LLC, founded by auto design veterans Henrik Fisker and Bernhard Koehler, and the PHEV powertrain capabilities of Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide, Inc. (NASDAQ-QTWW), a major Tier 1 supplier of clean vehicle technologies to the automotive OEMs. Previously, Fisker, CEO, was design director for Aston Martin and president and CEO of BMW's DesignworksUSA. Koehler, COO, led operations for Ford's Global Advanced Design Studio and created concept cars for Aston Martin, MINI and BMW.

ABOUT WILMINGTON ASSEMBLY

The Wilmington Assembly plant was built by General Motors in1947. Over the years it has been expanded to 3.2 million square feet on 142 acres of land. It includes an on-site powerhouse and waste water treatment facility. More than 8.5 million cars have been manufactured there, including the Pontiac Streamliner, original Chevrolet Impala, 1997-1999 Chevrolet Malibu, Saturn L-Series and the Pontiac Solstice/Saturn Sky/Opel GT roadsters. Production capacity is 300,000 cars per year. The plant and its workforce have received many awards for excellence in quality, production and safety.

# # #

The Nissan Leaf will be equipped with a 24kWh Lithium Ion battery manufactured by NEC and, over time, the performance of the battery will decline. This is the nature of batteries. When the battery's capacity reaches 80% of it's original, it'll need to be replaced. Instead of just chucking the battery and all its baked-in manufacturing, labor, research, and material costs, Nissan will instead resell them through Sumitomo. The batteries aren't after all bad, just have a reduced capacity making them no longer suitable for road use. The batteries will be sold for industrial storage or home use with an envisioned market of up to 50,000 batteries a year by 2020.

The plan will also help to reduce the purchase and lease prices of the Nissan Leaf by offsetting the high additional cost of battery — a significant benefit considering the price of competitive all-electric cars is estimated at $7,000-$20,000 over a traditional vehicle. With Nissan aiming at an annual production of 200,000 Leafs by 2012, it's a good thing they're planning end of life for those batteries now. [Financial Times]

We've picked out four of the five fav's over at Inhabitat, you'll have to go peak at their list to find out the last, cheeky entry, but we've dropped in the basics on each so click "Next" to learn more. [Inhabitat]

The Solar Black Bear" is an EV project at the University of Maine and plugs into the wall for a complete charge but also uses a rack-mounted solar array to extend its range out to about 100 miles.

VW Bugs and Earth friendliness would seem to go hand-in-hand, but the original bug wasn't exactly catalyzed and clean. This particular example on the other hand is emissions free and runs on a 12V electrical system, it even retains a four speed manual transmission. The best part? It's owned by Manitou High School in Colorado Springs, and is used for driver's ed training.

The stretched H1 limo gets its green cred by operating on a combination of biodiesel, electric power generated by a solarvoltaic array on the roof and a solid waste gassifier. Probably needs to be stretched just to fit all the equipment on board.

The '65 Impala Super Sport is an interesting case of modern engine meets awesome ride. Unbelievably, car was built by MTV's Pimp My Ride and got a Chevy Durmax diesel tuned run on biodiesel and snorting out 800 HP and 1200 lb-ft of torque. It'll go 0-60 in 3.5 seconds and gets double the fuel economy it used to. Unfortunately, they also reworked the interior.

The report from the Pentagon comptroller was requested as a part of Obama administration's reconsideration of Afghanistan strategy. The price comes as a result of an investigation into why it costs approximately $1 billion a day to send every 1,000 troops into Afghanistan.

Now, there's a lot baked into that $400 a gallon price. Consider that in addition to the basic extraction and refinement costs of normal military fuel, priced at $2.78, it has to be sourced from secure facilities with high security to prevent sabotage, it must be transported across the regions difficult terrain and to remote locations using overland or air transit, and it must be guarded from attack at all times. It's also a variable price, and is not standard for all regions of Afghanistan, some areas are cheaper, and believe it or not, some are even more expensive, ranging up to $1,000 a gallon. Still, the $400 price is nothing short of breathtaking. To put things in even more sobering terms, the report goes on to state the Marines alone, in one day in Afghanistan, consume an average of 800,000 gallons of fuel. [The Hill]

Photo Credit: LIU JIN/AFP/Getty Images