By John Coyle

Deputy Editor

It probably shouldn’t bother me, but I tend to get kind of steamed when people tell me racing is boring. Seriously, there are people out there who will make that statement, and then in the next breath, start talking about how awesome watching soccer is. Obviously, these people are insane. But what really pisses me off is when folks start whining about how “wasteful” auto racing is, because the fact of the matter is that a lot of the technology that makes road cars safer and more efficient comes from lessons learned on the grid. Two quick cases in point? Well, the American Le Mans Series recently launched the Green Challenge, a set of rules designed to encourage the use of environmentally friendly technology, and NASCARs are already running on E85. For some great info on the future of earth-friendly racing, head over to Wired and read the great interview with Lord Drayson, the UK’s minister for science and innovation. He moonlights as a AMLS racer, and he’s got an awesome perspective.

By John Coyle

Deputy Editor

Anyone who’s been to Tokyo is immediately struck by two things. First, the living spaces in Japan’s capital make the Big Apple’s cramped domiciles look like a suite at the Trump Tower, and second, the city is at the cutting edge of technology. So while it’s not surprising that the city will be a test bed for electric taxi cabs, I was struck by how simply the city’s largest cab company and its partner, Better Place, are choosing to handle the problem of limited range. Instead of pouring tons of money into the research and development of a long-range cell, the pair is aiming to make a battery which can be swapped out quickly at stations around the city, so that a fresh charge would take about as long as filling a conventional gas tank. Pretty cool idea, huh? More over at Wired.

By John Coyle

Deputy Editor

Nope, that’s not a joke: The New York Times is reporting that the venerable East German crap-box is set to return as an all-electric car. IndiKar’s Ronald Gerschewski says the new Trabant will “Be simple, practical, and in the old tradition of the original, but it won’t be a retro model.” The concept isn’t set to be revealed until the Frankfurt Auto Show, but if we read between the lines, we can determine that the modern vehicle will have updated styling—courtesy of model making firm, Herpa—boast dismal performance numbers, worse reliability and be assembled by uninspired, paranoid workers under the careful eyes of the Stasi. Unfortunately, it will be unavailable in North America. Head over to the New York Times for more info.

By Rob Einaudi

Editor-in-Chief

German designer Christian Förg came up with this wild futuristic transport system, which uses a network of linear electric motors to propel electric vehicles down the freeway. The cars themselves also shrink or elongate, depending on whether they are in the city or on the highway. Full story at Wired

By Rob Einaudi

Editor-in-Chief

Last weekend NASCAR held a groundbreaking ceremony at Pocono for what should be the largest solar power facility at a sports venue in the world. The 25 acres of solar panels will cost $15-17 million to build out, but should pay for themselves over time. More at AutoblogGreen

By Rob Einaudi

Editor-in-Chief

There has been a lot of noise about the Chevy Volt, but Nissan seems to be equally serious about their EV, which will start production in 2010. This week Nissan showed off their latest test mule, based on the Versa/Tiida, but they are expected to reveal the production version on Sunday. More at Wired

By Rob Einaudi

Editor-in-Chief

Yep, that’s right. Researches at Ohio University are working on technology to extract hydrogen from urine, a process that only requires only a quarter of the energy needed to extract it from water. The hydrogen could then be used to power fuel cell cars. So maybe this guy was onto something. Via Autocar

By Rob Einaudi

Editor-in-Chief

No, I’m not making this up. A Burger King in New Jersey plans to install kinetic energy harnessing speed bumps in their drive thru to help power appliances in the restaurant. The whole thing is pretty silly, and Tree Hugger had a field day with it:

Where do I start? With the carbon footprint of drive-in restaurants, to the idling while waiting for the burger, to the carbon footprint of raising meat and making hamburgers? The installation of this at a burger joint is laughable. The energy it will generate is negligible, and It probably will take twenty years to recover the energy in it’s manufacture.

But hey, if it makes you feel better about your burger, go for it. Drive toward that car ahead of you in the line but don’t put on your brakes; just aim for those little plates in the road and hope that they slow you down in time. Trust the technology.

Via Jalopnik

By Rob Einaudi

Editor-in-Chief

You’re looking at the Nuna 5, a solar-powered race car weighing a scant 352 pounds. The car was build by the Nuon Solar Team, which has won the World Solar Challenge four years running. The Nuna 4, weighing 418 pounds, won last year’s 1,800 mile race across the Australian desert in 33 hours at an average speed of 56.46 mph. It will be cool to see what this new one can do. Via Wired

By Rob Einaudi

Editor-in-Chief

The XP Vehicles Mini Utility Vehicle electric car prototype features “inflatable membrane construction for extreme durability” and a “removable power pack to recharge at home without (an) extension cord.” Heck, it even “floats in a water emergency.” No word on when you’ll be able to buy one, but you can read more about it on the company website. Via Autoblog Green