A battery that charges in only one minute

Some very clever people at Stanford University are working on a new battery technology that can charge in one minute. They say it is safe, even when you penetrate it with a drill (other batteries would probably catch on fire). It's still a lab project, but it seems to hold some promise.

Wheels with solar panels can power a bicycle

These people in Denmark are working on a solar powered electric bike where the solar panels are actually embedded into the wheels. The wheels charge the battery when parked, which in turn powers the bike when in motion. But don't expect this invention to directly power the wheels without charging the battery first. At least not yet.

Helping the visually impaired navigate public transit

These people are working on a technology that would help visually impaired people find their way around the London transit system using bluetooth beacons and their smart phones.

Quest carbon capture and storage project to reduce carbon footprint

Although the world is working on alternate energy sources to reduce the threat of climate change, most people acknowledge that fossil fuels will be with us for some time. So Shell is working on a project called Quest that will reduce the amount of CO2 emitted in the production of fossil fuels. The project is scheduled to become operational later this year.

nanoFlowcell might beat Tesla at the electric car game

A European company called nanoFlowcell is developing their Quant electric cars without traditional batteries. Instead, they have two fluid reservoirs – one for a negatively charged electrolyte and one for a positively charged electrolyte. A membrane between the two electrolytes generates a current, powering the electric motors.

This would seem to solve the three big issues with battery electric vehicles – recharge time, range and infrastructure. The electrolyte fluids can be filled-up in about the same amount of time as petrol. The first two Quant prototypes have a range of 800 kms (for the large car) and 1,000 kms (for the small car). And you would think that existing gasoline stations could be easily retrofitted to dispense the fluids since they're already in that business.

It will be interesting to see how this technology develops.

Nokian studded winter tires are so good it's like cheating

I recently decided to try studded winter tires on my car. When you live in the Canadian snow belt like I do, you need all the help you can get driving in the winter. These amazing diamond-tipped Nokian tires are exceeding my expectations for braking and acceleration on ice and packed snow, plus they're a lot quieter than I expected on clear pavement. The technology is quite new, so it looks like Nokian has worked out the traditional issues with studded tires.

Cost? About the same as any high quality winter tire. So what's not to love?

A grateful shout out to the people at Kal Tire for suggesting I give these a try.

Not-so-clever driver

Just watch the video! I have nothing to add.

French fries to fuel

In New York, this company picks up used cooking oil from restaurants and converts it into biodiesel, a fuel with a low carbon footprint. Can all the spent cooking oil in the world replace petro-diesel? Probably not. But turning waste into something useful is generally a good idea.

Vancouver crosswalk stands out

Here's an excellent example of art and practicality. Will this tactic on Davie Street in Vancouver help prevent pedestrian collisions by drawing better attention to the crosswalks? 

Could your car be smarter than you?

Driving in the near future could become safer thanks to V2X technology.

Aerial advertising in NYC

When you're doing business in a city with one of the densest populations in the world, it's good to keep in mind that potential customers are everywhere. Even above you.

Don't you dare park here

Want to discourage unauthorized parking? Here's a clever idea at a residential property in NYC. I'm guessing the vehicle in this picture is "authorized."

Clever? Not so clever?

Given the traffic insanity in NYC, it's understandable why this obstacle was put in place to protect this Citi Bike rack on Mercer Street. But notice that it was placed on top of a drainage grate. Did NYC's Drainage Department approve of this? I'm guessing, not.

Auto parts by Barbie

Let's hear it for improvisation!

Hydrostor might solve the Achilles' Heel of renewable energy

OK, back to the subject of storing renewable energy to be used when the wind doesn't blow and the sun doesn't shine. Could Hydrostor have the solution?

How to make an electric car go 1,000 miles on a charge

Could aluminum air batteries provide the solution to range anxiety with electric cars? Phinergy and Alcoa may have the solution.

How to store wind and solar energy

When the sun doesn't shine and the wind doesn't blow, solar panels and wind turbines have an obvious problem. Has Isentropic solved the problem of grid-scale electricity storage? 

How to easily fix your bike's flat tire on-the-go

Getting a flat tire when riding your bike is a real drag. Problem solved.

Elio Motors combines the best aspects of cars and motorcycles

Cars are big, expensive and use a lot of gasoline. Motorcycles are smaller, cheaper and more fuel efficient. But motorcycles aren't as safe and don't provide protection from bad weather. Problem solved.

Footbridges reduce wildlife roadkill

Something I never really thought about when traveling through national parks is the effect highways can have on wildlife (other than don't pull over and try to feed them). But highways can be linear barriers that prevent wildlife from freely roaming their natural feeding and breeding areas. If they try to cross the highway, they might be killed. If they don't cross, they limit access to food and reproductive opportunities.

So these overpasses along the Trans-Canada Highway in Banff National Park are designed to provide access without wildlife having to dash across the highway. They work in conjunction with fencing to direct animals to safe crossings. Do they work? According to the federal government, since fencing and crossing structures were first constructed, wildlife-vehicle collisions have dropped by 80%.