When you see a huge truck making its way along the highway you probably don’t think about its green credentials. However, if it’s a new Volvo Truck then it may soon be much more environmentally friendly than it appears.

That’s because Volvo Trucks is planning to release a 13litre heavy duty liquefied natural gas (LNG) engine with high pressure direct injection technology from 2014 onwards.

The engine is said to provide significant fuel efficiency gains even compared to other natural gas engines. Compared to spark ignition engines it is said to offer a fuel efficiency improvement of 30 per cent and is a viable alternative for long-haul applications. It will also reduce greenhouse gas emissions by around 20 per cent compared with current diesel products. All of this is achieved without any loss of torque or power.

Volvo is including the high pressure direct injection technology thanks to a partnership with Westport. The partnership sees each contribute significant resources with Westport supplying its HD system components for an agreed amount per engine.

According to Ron Huibers, the president of Volvo Trucks North American Sales and Marketing, the natural gas segment for trucks will grow in the coming years even despite the questions over infrastructure. He points out that Volvo is already delivering factory-built CNG trucks and long-haul fuelling infrastructure.

The introduction of the LNG model means Volvo now offers a range of natural gas powered solutions including compressed natural gas; and it is also thought to be testing dimethyl ether, which can be produced from natural gas.

Motorists may not yet be convinced about electric and hydrogen vehicles, as well as other advanced technologies, but it appears that start-stop technology has already won over the masses.

Consumer research commissioned by Johnson Controls reports that 97 per cent of Americans are now ready for start-stop technology – emphasising that they want the improved performance and fuel economy that the technology can provide at a price that is affordable to them.

Start-stop technology is not exactly a new kid on the block, having proven itself in Europe. It cuts off the engine during idling and restarts the engine when the driver releases the brake or engages the clutch – helping to boost fuel economy and lower harmful emissions. Typically, start-stop technology works with a lead-acid battery that is able to handle more frequent starts during the course of a trip.

Of course it is much simpler and cheaper than electric and hybrid cars, and works with internal combustion engines, making it easier for the masses to accept. The research shows that consumers like the idea of their engine switching off when idle with a quarter commenting that it “just makes sense”. Indeed more than one third would even pay up to $500 extra for a five per cent improvement in fuel economy.

Currently, the European car market is dominant for start-stop technology – with around three million produced annually. This is expected to grow to 35million on a global scale by 2015.

According to MaryAnn Wright, the vice president of global technology and innovation for Johnson Controls Power Solutions, it’s time to rethink how clean technology is talked about. She believes it should be made clear that clean technology doesn’t just mean electric cars – and can instead refer to proven technology that a lot of customers are ready and willing to purchase.

Having already established itself in the electric vehicle market with the Nissan LEAF, the Japanese carmaker is now starting to test another electric vehicle.

The vehicle is based on the Nissan NV200 (pictured) and will be used by AEON Retail Company to make deliveries within the Tokyo area as part of the company’s new online business.

These electric vehicles will be monitored over a one-month period to see how they respond to daily business use. This real-world testing will then be considered by Nissan as it develops production models going forward.

It’s actually not the first time that Nissan has tested an NV200-based electric vehicle. It has been carrying out tests in Japan and in Europe since last year and unveiled the e-NV200 concept model at this year’s North American International Auto Show in January.

Thought that the talk of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles was over and that the electric revolution was firmly in place? Think again – because Mercedes-Benz has announced that fuel cell cars are very much in its plans.

It has already started to lease the Mercedes B-Class F-Cell hydrogen fuel cell car (pictured) in California – and is now on track to offer the vehicle in much larger quantities from around 2015 onwards. In addition, Sascha Simon, the head of advanced product planning for Mercedes-Benz USA, has confirmed that the company is considering a saloon fuel cell vehicle for introduction around 2017: possibly an E-Class version.

According to Simon, he is “completely convinced” that fuel cell technology has the potential to take over from the internal combustion engine, along with pure battery electric vehicles. Indeed he suggests that a pure fuel cell vehicle would be more price efficient than a plug-in electric vehicle – with the key being how the price point between batteries and fuel cell stacks plays out.

Mercedes is not thought to be looking at introducing a fuel cell sub-brand – but instead wants to offer the E-Class in its normal shape, but filled with hydrogen.

Mercedes only has around 37 leasing customers for its B-Class F-Cell in Southern California – it is priced at around $849 per month for 24 months. However, the vehicle will expand to northern California next month, particularly as more hydrogen fuelling stations are being opened. The B-Class F-Cell has an operating range of 240miles and a three-minute refuelling time.

Meanwhile, the next generation fuel cell car is expected to be much more competitive than previous fuel cell cars but cost is the main issue. With platinum so expensive, the cost of new, durable, high activity catalysts is critical and it is suggested that new pathways – such as stabilised platinum alloys and new catalyst support interaction – will be needed to keep vehicles affordable.

It has long been one of the biggest concerns about ethanol blends replacing petrol – could it harm your engine? Now a new two-year study from the Coordinating Research Council (CRC) suggests it could.

The CRC looked at the effects of E15 and E20 ethanol blends and found that two popular petrol engines used from 2001-2009 suffered mechanical damage when operated under the test conditions.

Its study looked at duplicates of eight different vehicle model engines that spanned the 2001-2009 model years and tested them with E20, and, as appropriate, E15 and E0. They were tested over 500 test cycles, the equivalent of 500 hours, with monitoring at regular intervals. Vehicles with engines of different valve-trains were also chosen to test the effect of ethanol on in-use engine durability. It also employed accelerated testing, which is said to produce faster results and higher expected performance from both the vehicles and the engines.

Overall, there were five “pass” and “fail” criteria: with an engine deemed to have failed a test if it failed in at least one of these categories: emissions, diagnostic trouble codes, valve clearance, compression and leakage.

Across the testing, different failures occurred and the following conclusions were reached:

- One engine had a design inappropriate for the test cycle; two failed on E20 and E15; and five passed on E20 and, by assumption, E15 and E0.

- From the two engines that failed, both passed reference testing on E0.

- There is an 11 per cent chance that the E15 failures would have occurred independent of ethanol; and seven per cent that the E20 failures would have occurred independent of ethanol.

- The majority of the failures were linked to valve seats: and particularly those related to material and wear/deformation.

In response, the US Department of Energy suggested that the data was unreliable and incomplete – as was the choice of test engines, test cycle and fuels used. It believes the study was “significantly flawed”.

One of the leading names in car rentals around the world is putting its weight behind two significant electric car projects in London (pictured) and Germany.

First, here in the UK, Hertz has announced that it will help to promote the Source London electric vehicle charging network. It will give its customers free access to the Source London network while also promoting its electric vehicle locations. Currently in the UK, Hertz operates 16 Source London charging points across Greater London.

Meanwhile, in Germany, Hertz on Demand, the global car sharing club, will team with IBM on a smart charging programme in Germany.

The company will supply electric vehicles to the car share fleet and they will be driven between Stuttgart Airport and the company’s campus in Ehningen.

It is expected that the electric cars from Hertz will be charged using decentralised electricity and that the charging stations will use IBM software that optimises the use of generated power by renewable energies. They can then be booked through the Hertz on Demand website. In addition, the electric vehicles will be offered at discounted rates to IBM customers.

Though traditionally the South Korean car market has been dominated by home-grown giants Hyundai and Kia, it seems BMW has set its sights on the area – with electric cars expected to play a key role.

The German carmaker has seen its share of the passenger car market in the country jump from 18 per cent to 26 per cent over the last three years, prompted in part by a free-trade agreement with the European Union. Now it wants to further its success by introducing two electric cars in the country in 2014 – the BMW i3 and BMW i8 (pictured).

Speaking to the Korea Real Time however, a BMW spokesman commented that the lack of charging infrastructure in the country is a major stumbling block. However, the government has committed to building 150,000 charging stations across the country by 2016.

BMW will be entering the electric car market in the country at the same time as Hyundai, which will introduce the Elantra electric car in 2014; while the Kia Ray electric car will be introduced in 2013.

Meanwhile, other carmakers are adopting a ‘wait-and-see’ approach in the country: with GM Korea to produce an electric Chevrolet Spark in the country but this will be for export only; while Renault will introduce the Fluence ZE electric car early next year for government organisations but doesn’t have immediate plans to introduce it at dealerships.

There are many knock-on effects of the automotive market turning to electrification – and one of them is the boost it will offer to the traction motor industry (traction motor, pictured).

According to a report by Frost & Sullivan, entitled Strategic Analysis of Electric Motor Technologies for Electric and Hybrid Vehicles in Europe, the European traction motor market will expand by 50 per cent for hybrid and electric vehicles and will reach 2.3million units by 2017.

Frost & Sullivan believes that emission regulations and government support is driving changes among vehicle manufacturers and that permanent magnet motors are likely to dominate the market. There are concerns however, about the availability and pricing of rare earth metals and this may open the market for other technologies including induction and hybrid motors.

Meanwhile, it is expected that the vehicle manufacturers will use different methods to source the electric motors – with around 30-40 per cent to outsource from suppliers; while others want to bring intelligence in-house.

Hybrid electric buses will soon be making their way to Reno, Nevada, after the US Federal Transit Administration (FTA) awarded $5.1million to Washoe County to purchase 10 hybrid buses and build a fuelling station.

Funding for the 10 buses is hoped to boost a service on Virginia Street – one of the busiest corridors in the region; while a fuelling station will be built at the RTC maintenance and operations facility. The money comes from the FTA’s State of Good Repair grant programme.

According to FTA administrator Peter Rogoff, the buses will offer a boost to residents heading to jobs near the corridor; and it will also help students using the University of Nevada at Reno.

Take a look at the pictures and you might think this is something we’d usually reserve for an April Fool’s Day story – but no, this is definitely the real deal.

Yes, Honda has unveiled an all-new battery electric personal mobility device known as UNI-CUB – and, according to Honda, it gives its user all the freedom of movement that they would enjoy while walking.

The UNI-CUB is the latest take on the U3-X personal mobility device that was introduced back in 2009, and comes with proprietary balance control technology and an omni-directional driving wheel system. This will give the rider the chance to control speed, to turn and stop, and to move in any direction, simply by shifting their own weight. It is also designed to include omni-directional freedom of movement – making it similar to how a human walks. Indeed with the rider able to move forward, backwards, side-to-side or diagonally, they can quickly manoeuvre between other people.

So how does UNI-CUB work?

It comes with a two-wheel configuration – the front wheel containing the Honda Omni Traction Drive System; while the rear wheel facilitates turning. When the rider is using weight shift control, its incline sensor detects the direction the rider is leaning in and calculates the direction and speed that is wanted by the rider. It also comes with touch panel control via a smartphone.

In addition, it features saddle-style packaging so it’s easy for the rider’s legs to reach the ground while maintaining eye-level height with other pedestrians.

The UNI-CUB will now undergo demonstration testing with Japan’s National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation starting in June this year.