August 11, 2009
GM Says Volt Will Get 230 MPG

I. Want. One.

The main difference between the Volt and today’s hybrids (e.g. Prius) is that the electric motor always turns the wheels.  When the battery is run down (after ~40 miles), the gasoline engine is used not as a means of propulsion, but as a generator to run the electric motor and charge the battery on-the-fly.  This way, the motor can run smoothly and efficiently, without having to rev up and down in stop-and-go traffic.  You also get a nice performance boost, as electric motors tend to perform better from a dead stop than internal combustion engines.

When the battery technology advances to the point where it’s a bit more affordable (the Volt will originally start at $40k) this will be a complete game-changer.

11:22am  |   URL: http://blog.toddboss.com/post/160565601/gm-says-volt-will-get-230-mpg
FILED UNDER: tech environment cars 
January 26, 2009
MIS to test cars that talk to each other

If my car could talk, it would say:

  • “Get the hell out of the left lane, grandma!”
  • “Your candidate lost.  9 years ago.”
  • “Oh hey!  Accelerating to the red light!  What a great idea!”
  • “Hope you still like that monster truck when gas goes back up to $4 per gallon!”

7:22pm  |   URL: http://blog.toddboss.com/post/73354148/mis-to-test-cars-that-talk-to-each-other
FILED UNDER: tech cars 
October 17, 2007
The Pedal-to-the-Metal, Totally Illegal, Cross-Country Sprint for Glory

New York to Los Angeles: 31 hours, 4 minutes.

9:23am  |   URL: http://blog.toddboss.com/post/15951196/the-pedal-to-the-metal-totally-illegal-cross-country
FILED UNDER: tech cars bad ideas