Speaking to Automotive News [sub], GM CEO Rick Wagoner promised his employer will plow the money saved by its new contract with the United Auto Workers (UAW) into "green products."  Specifically, in the next four to ten years, GM will build  more [some?] low-emitting diesels, hybrid vehicles and electric vehicles running on lithium ion batteries. "If we have a significantly profitable and cash-generating enterprise, that really opens up the opportunity to be more aggressive and take more risks." Never one to miss an opportunity not to ask GM's jeffe the hard questions surrounding the details of a major announcement, Automotive News doesn't reveal GM's strategy in the event that GM isn't "significantly profitable" and the company's cash conflagration continues. (By GM's own admission, they won't realize any major savings from the new contract for another four years.) Right. That's it. I'm going to the Detroit Auto Show to find this guy. Who's with me? 

After failing to ascend to the top slot at software maker SAP, forty-year-old Israeli entrepreneur Shai Agassi has decided to populate the world with electric car recharging stations. The International Herald Tribune reports Agassi's newly-founded "Project Better Place's" plans to "extend the existing electric-power grids with a wide network of intelligent recharging stations in urban areas." Sticking to the cellular phone biz model, Agassi wants to sell motorists juice on a subscription basis, and lease and/or finance the vehicles to end users (that's motorists to you and me). And here's the big difference between your silly ideas and his: the software maven has raised $200m to fund his ambitions. Investors include Israel Corp. (a transportation and technology holding company), Vantage Point Venture Partners (Tesla's backers) and private investors such as booze billionaire Edgar Bronfman Sr. and former World Bank head James Wolfensohn (uh-oh). As for the problem of waiting for a recharge, Agassi envisions a smaller number of "car wash style" automated battery-swapping stations. Meanwhile, it's worth noting that Tesla has yet to deliver a single electric roadster to a customer after multiple production delays, while iPhone has delivered over 1.4m units since its scheduled launch. 

Not content in diluting the BMW brand exploring lower-priced markets with their 1-series, BMW's planning a "downsized model" for their Rolls-Royce sub-division. The new, $260k motorcar will slot below the only model in the erstwhile British brand's arsenal: the epic, 7-Series-based Rolls Royce Phantom. Business Week explains their corporate masters' goal: a prestigious ow-tow-mobile that "its owner- not chauffeur- can drive." Or, to use BMW design chief Chris Bangle's more prosaic description: "your everyday Rolls." Rolls-Royce CIO Ian Robertson is quick to quash any suggestion that "downsized" means "lower class." "We're not going downmarket," Robertson snapped. He's got a point. The "entry level" Roller's price tag compares to a Phantom "tab close to $500k, and sometimes as high as $2m." Still, seen in that light, you could call the new model a bit of a bargain, Mate. 

There's a lot riding on battery-maker A123's high energy capacitors. Their technology must be improved, tested and perfected for GM's Chevy Volt to make the transition from vaporware to showroom smash. According to Red Herring (how ironic is that?), the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and five blue chip companies have placed their chips on the Massachusetts-based high-tech firm: Procter & Gamble (think Duracell), Alliance Capital, Motorola (think cell phones), Qualcomm and General Electric. Not to mention YOU, the American taxpayer. OnPoint, the U.S. Army's investment arm (I'm not making that up) gave A123 a financial boost during its fourth, $40m round of venture capital fund raising. Earlier this week, existing (that's you again) and new investors added another $30m to A123's kitty. And yesterday, GE scored two Department of Energy projects worth $6.8m to "accelerate the development of plug-in hybrids." A123 will perform the research on GE's behalf. Meanwhile, A123 has a drop-deadline of 2010 to get the Volt's batteries ship-shape. If GM loses face on this one, A123 will find it a lot harder to raise funds in the future.  

Reuters reports that Mazda is betting on the so-called hydrogen economy: "We have to prepare for sustainable zoom-zoom." After issuing the PC catch phrase of the day, Mazda's head of R&D Quality and Powertrain Development admitted there are "technical challenges." But Nobuhiro Hayama is stoked; he figures rotary engines (remember them?) can run on hydrogen. In fact, Hayama says no changes are required in either manufacturing techniques or materials. You want dual fuel? A dual tank hydrogen rotary engine could use both hydrogen AND gasoline. Meanwhile, Bloomburg.com says the catalyst used in hydrogen fuel cells could be an issue. The news service quotes Derek Engelbrecht, an executive at Impala Platinum Holdings, who reckons "global platinum supplies will probably fall short of demand by 205k ounces this year." Those planning to pay for Mazda's hydrogen Wankel needn't worry: Amex' platinum card members won't be affected. 

It's not such horrible news dear boy. It's not as if Bentley's sticking that frightfully underpowered Prius' Synergy Drive into the Arnage. Leftlane News tells me The Bentley Boys plan to hybridize their Eisenhower-era 6.75-liter V8 engine to keep the old girl kosher under the European Union's more stringent emissions laws. The historic powerplant stays. Huzzah! (I'll be sending the boffins some fine port when I get a minute.) While I'm thrilled– thrilled I tell you– that Bentley will use battery power to keep its rolling cathedrals motive, it's a shame they have to meet green laws. I mean, the idea that Bentley's limited production could somehow impact global temperatures is as preposterous as asking their owners to join the Peace Corps. If it was in this writer's hands, so long as Bentley makes cars with more torque than a Peterbilt, they're good to go. Shove a Bugatti Veyron's quad-turbo W16 in there? Why not old bean; why not?

Austin-based EEStor says its cracked it. It's developed an electric car battery that will allow a car to travel for 500 miles on a five-minute charge. According to the AP, the Texas company's ultracapacitor (that's ultra, not flux) has a secret ingredient: "a material [barium titanate] sandwiched between thousands of wafer-thin metal sheets, like a series of foil-and-paper gum wrappers stacked on top of each other. Charged particles stick to the metal sheets and move quickly across EEStor's proprietary material." Although Canadian electric car maker ZENN Motors says its taking delivery of the new battery for its "short-range, low-speed vehicles" and hailed the technology as "paradigm shift… that would would make internal combustion engines unnecessary" (note: would not will), skeptics are plenty damn skeptical. Ultracapacitor competitor Maxwell Technologies says the EEstor's doo-hickey won't work with regular wall outlets, could crack from road surface jolts or slowly discharge on it own, leaving the driver stranded. Georgia Tech Prof Joseph Perry shares similar concerns, but "I'd be very happy to be proved wrong." Amen.

I guess no one told Jaguar Design Boss Ian Callum that the British brand's forthcoming sale spells the end of his reign over the historic marque's sheetmetal. While Jag's new buyers will no doubt be glad to see the back end of Mr. Callum, Mr. Callum is busy worrying about the back end of future Jaguars. The design jeffe told just-auto [sub] that he's going to take the word 'jaguar' off the back of production cars. But not just yet. "When people see the XF they won't know what it is," Callum demurred. "So they will look for a name badge. That's why we've left it on, but put the leaper there as well, The name will go probably on production cars within two or three years." After explaining the philosophy behind the XF's front end– creating a schnoz that Jaguar founder Sir William Lyons could have penned– Callum predicted the new sedan's nose wasn't a one-off. "It's styling that you'll see on Jaguars more and more," he added. If ever a sentence cried-out for the word "hopefully," that one's it. 

Last week, GM told the world its '08 models would hit the streets with 14 new or "significantly revised powertrains" with a "focus on saving fuel and improving performance." Public Citizen ("We fight for clean, safe and sustainable energy sources") has accused the automaker of mistaking "old" for "new." The consumer advocacy group claims that "most of the good ideas in the new powertrain lineup… are old news technologies that were listed five years ago." The sole exception? GM's two-mode hybrid. Even then Public Citizen slates the automaker's hybrid efforts for "putting it in some of the largest models, undermining efforts to build more efficient functional family vehicles." What's more, Public Citizen has an answer to SUV and pickup truck economy and safety: unibody construction! "Building the body and frame as a single piece, instead of the Frankenstein monster of a car body stuck to a truck frame, could help protect occupants of a vehicle struck by an SUV." And reduce their ability to tow or haul. At least Public Citizen questions the wisdom of biofuels. Looks like that initiative may be losing momentum amongst the chattering classes. 

Add water to an alloy of aluminum and gallium and hey presto! Hydrogen! India Today reports the process was developed by Purdue University Professor Jerry Woodall. It "reduces the protective properties of the aluminum oxide skin normally created on aluminium's surface after bonding with oxygen… The skin usually acts as a barrier, preventing oxygen from reacting with aluminium. But the new technology allows the reaction to continue until all of the aluminum is used to generate hydrogen." Woodall claims his process is cheap, practical and powerful enough to secure more research funding revolutionize our energy infrastructure. But give the guy credit: he also knows how to think small. "The golf cart of the future, three or four years from now, will have an aluminum-gallium alloy. You will add water to generate hydrogen either for an internal combustion engine or to operate a fuel cell that recharges a battery. The battery will then power an electric motor to drive the golf cart." Fore! 

You wait all decade for GM to produce a high-tech, high mileage, low emissions vehicle and then the company shows up in Germany with three. Just-auto [sub] says The General will place the following models on display at the Frankfurt Auto Show: 1. a Corsa equipped with a stop – start diesel electric engine with a lithium-ion battery-powered alternator starter 2. a 'Flexpower' Vectra with a two-liter turbocharged engine that can run on a bioethanol/gasoline mix and 3. a Corsa with a superclean 1.3-liter CDTI ecoFLEX engine. The latter is no concept vehicle; the world's smallest common rail diesel (75hp) will go on sale in Europe next year. Its debut will be shared with a natural gas-powered Corsa and Zafira– vehicles that can run on both compressed natural gas and the standard liquid energy source. Gentlemen, place your eco-bets.

Prowler-mania, Demonology; what's up with Chrysler's automotive tastes these days? What Car (indeed) reports that the foul Chrysler Sebring diesel (and we're not talking about emissions here) may be the first Chrysler product blessed with a Dual-Sequential Gearbox (DSG). As DSG is Borg Warner's name for Volkswagen's sublime paddle shifter, the magazine is hedging its bets regarding sourcing: "It is not yet clear if the dual-clutch transmission is Chrysler's own, if it has been developed with former sister company Mercedes, or if it is from another manufacturer – the Sebring's 2.0-litre diesel engine is already sourced from Volkswagen." And while they're at it, What Car says the gearbox might spread to other Chrysler products. Funny thing is, I can't think of a single Chrysler product that really deserves needs it… Viper? Do they still make that?

The Detroit Free Press (and everyone else) reports that the new DeLorean Motor Company (yes, they can legally use that name) in Humble, Texas will begin limited production of a brand new batch of Back to the Future-mobiles. The DeLorean redux will be re-made using about 80 percent original parts, squirreled away and placed in a time capsule for just such an eventuality (strange that). Thankfully, the new manufacturer's planning a few improvements (not shown here): structural upgrade (those bendy gullwing doors were just sad), electronic upgrades (replacing the car's notorious Lucas-aid) and more power (it was supposed to be a sports car). DeLorean redux hopes to sell the cars for around $57.5k– about the same as an '81 model adjusted for inflation or two ounces of cocaine (street price).

Car engines generate plenty of heat. According to Technology Review, researchers at MIT have a bright idea: use “thermophotovoltaics” to convert heat into light, then convert the light into electricity. The prototype system uses gasoline to heat tungsten to illuminate a photovoltaic cell to generate electricity. The hope is that systems based on this research could eventually replace the current gas-wasting alternators and air conditioning compressors. Of course, this technology hasn’t escaped the attention of the Department of Defence. "The military has had a lot of interest in it for portable power supplies in the field. Because there are no moving parts, there wouldn't be any noise, so you couldn't detect it," says NASA researcher Donald Chubb. It’ll be a few years before we see any practical applications, but as one of the key research sponsors, Toyota would be the first automaker in line.

The flying car is… not a lot closer than it was when a puppet named Mike Mercury took Gerry Anderson's Supercar into the wild blue. According to CNET News, NASA is attempting to rectify the non-situation by stumping up some $2m in prize money for developers of “small seat” experimental airplanes. The space agency's Personal Aircraft Vehicle (PAV) Challenge replaces the agency's in-house development process in favor of "chaotic innovation or ideas hatched in people's garages." PAV fans envision a future where small auto-piloted planes ferry people on “midrange” trips between 100 and 500 miles at speeds up to 150mph. Technologies such as virtual pilot assistants and synthetic vision systems (SVS) could remove pilot error (substituting computer error?) and create virtual highways in the skies. "We're looking at making planes cheaper than cars and as easy to drive.” says pilot Michael Coates of Australia. [BTW: Anderson said he invented Supercar as an excuse to reduce his puppets' walking time, which never looked realistic.]