1968-1974 Chevrolet Nova Buick Apollo Lh Toe Board Toe Panel Toe Kick Panel on 2040-parts.com

Battery breakthrough set to accelerate electric-car development

A team of scientists working at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology are claiming a significant breakthrough in recharging times for lithium-ion batteries. According to findings published in the scientific journal Nature, MIT researchers Byoungwoo Kang and Gerbrand Ceder have unlocked the potential of lithium-ion batteries by patenting a unique process which is claimed to allow a typical laptop power pack to be fully recharged in less than a minute--an improvement in recharging performance of roughly 90 percent over existing lithium-ion batteries. Lithium-ion batteries generate electric current via the flow of lithium ions across an electrolyte, from an electrode to a cathode.

Vauxhall Astra GTC (2011) more official pictures

This is the Vauxhall Astra GTC, Luton's new three-door rival for the Renault Megane and VW Scirocco. It's an important car for GM, expected to take up to 20% of all Astra orders, and the UK is traditionally the biggest market in Europe for the three-door Astra. Vauxhall Astra GTC: design and packaging The Astra GTC may be related to the existing Vauxhall Astra five-door hatchback, but the GTC is a substantially different design. The only exterior features shared with the five-door are the door handles and aerial on the roof.

Visiting Scaglietti: A look inside Ferrari's aluminum artistry

Carrozzeria Scaglietti should ring a bell for anyone familiar with famous Ferrari models old and new. Though it once was one of Italy's respected independent coachbuilding enterprises, the Modenese company is now wholly owned by Ferrari. It focuses on prototyping and building aluminum body structures for the 599 GTB Fiorano, the 458 Italia, the FF and the California.