2012 Fisker Karma on 2040-cars

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Recharge Wrap-up: NextEV raises $500M, A123 execs beat fraud claims

Scientists at Cardiff University's Catalysis Institute have developed a new method to improve biodiesel yields. Using a new catalytic process, the team is able to use the glycerol left over from biodiesel production and make more methanol to produce more biodiesel. Using magnesium oxide and cerium oxide is simpler than other methods, requiring only one step at room temperature with normal atmospheric pressure. "We set out to establish ways in which the waste product glycerol could be used to form other useful compounds, but we were surprised when we found that feeding glycerol and water over such a simple catalyst gave such valuable products and interesting chemistry," says Professor Stuart Taylor. The system could increase biodiesel yields by as much as 10 percent. Read more at Gizmag, or from Cardiff University. A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit claiming A123 Systems hid problems with Fisker from investors. The plaintiffs accused four A123 executives of failing to report Fisker's impending bankruptcy and issues with battery quality. US District Judge Laura Taylor Swain says there is not enough evidence showing that the defendants knew about problems with their batteries or about Fisker's financial difficulties. Read more at Reuters, or at Law360. Chinese startup NextEV is raising funds to build a Tesla-fighting electric car. The company, which plans to launch a supercar to match the acceleration of Tesla's Ludicrous Mode next year, has raised about half of its $1 billion goal thanks in part to investments from Sequoia Capital and Joy Capital. NextEV also plans to produce mass market electric vehicles at about half the price of a Model S. "Talking big is pointless," says NextEV cofounder William Li. "We develop the car purely from the angle of consumers. We most value what they would like the car to be. We want them to experience sheer pleasure of driving our car." Read more at Bloomberg. Featured Gallery 2012 Fisker Karma: First Drive View 23 Photos Related Gallery News Source: Gizmag, Cardiff University, Law360, Reuters, BloombergImage Credit: Copyright 2015 Drew Phillips / AOL Earnings/Financials Green Fisker Automakers Tesla Biodiesel Green Automakers Electric recharge wrapup

Henrik Fisker reveals the face of his upcoming electric vehicle

Henrik Fisker, once again, took to Twitter to release another image of his new company's, Fisker Inc., 400-mile electric vehicle. This time, the Tweet revealed the front end of the upcoming car. The picture, which has the patina of old video game CGI, hints at a design more likely to be seen on a Matchbox car instead of an actual street-legal vehicle. According to Fisker, the front of the car is heavily influenced by aerodynamics. Besides the grille-less front end, a feature also found on the refreshed Tesla Model S, the vehicle is fitted with adaptive LED headlights, as well as a centrally-located radar and camera sensor combination. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. A few days ago, Fisker Tweeted out a side profile of the vehicle with its gorgeous dihedral doors. It was a promising tease for the rest of the design. But the reptilian front end looks doesn't really do anything for this writer. It's almost hard to believe that the same man that created this vehicle also designed the Aston Martin DB9 and Aston Martin V8 Vantage. The upcoming electric car from Fisker Inc. is meant to serve as a "spiritual successor" to the now-dead Fisker Karma (and resurrected as the Karma Revero). Other than revealing that the vehicle will have butterfly doors, Fisker stated the car will be "sporty and spacious" and not much else. The new car, which is expected to come out late next year, will be the first for Fisker Inc. and will have battery technology from the company's own division – Fisker Nanotech. Related Video: News Source: @FiskerOfficial Design/Style Green Fisker Electric Future Vehicles Sedan Henrik Fisker nanotech fisker inc

Henrik Fisker teases more pictures of the EMotion EV

Luxe-green-vehicle pioneer Henrik Fisker said earlier this week that he will unveil a prototype of his EMotion electric vehicle this summer. He also reiterated that the car will have at least a 400-mile single-charge range. And he tweeted an image showing off the sedan's dihedral (also known as "butterfly") doors. The car is expected to start sales sometime next year. Fisker followed up that tweet with another noting that the car's carbon and aluminum structure will cut the EMotion's weight relative to similar vehicles by 20 percent. He also touted the vehicle's "extreme low hood," which will certainly help aerodynamics as well as the car's sportiness. Fisker started teasing images last fall, subsequently noting that the car will have a top speed of 161 miles per hour and adding that the car will be roomier than its sleek profile would suggest. As for the unveiling timetable, the EMotion's debut as a prototype would take place about a month after Tesla's planning to start deliveries of its Model 3. A cool summer indeed. Fisker is better known among green-car aficionados as the founder of Fisker Automotive. That company made the high-end extended-range plug-in vehicle Karma, which was favored by such luminaries as Leonardo DiCaprio and CeeLo Green. After the company went bankrupt in 2013, its assets were acquired by China-based Wanxiang, and the company has been relaunched as Karma. That automaker's four-door Revero extended-range plug-in, which is estimated to be able to go as far as 50 miles on electricity alone, is also scheduled to debut this year, with an MSRP of about $130,000. Related Video: News Source: Henrik Fisker/Twitter via InsideEVsImage Credit: Henrik Fisker/Twitter Green Fisker Hybrid extended-range plug-in henrik