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SAE approves new fast-charging standard for EVs, plug-ins

SAE International said it has approved a new technical standard that will dramatically reduce charging times for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and electric vehicles. The global engineering group said the new charging standard, developed with the cooperation of more than 190 automakers, utilities and equipment builders, will allow charging times to be reduced from as long as eight hours to as short as 20 minutes. Automakers want DC direct charging to take less than 10 minutes, or roughly the time it takes to fill a tank with gasoline.The goal is to accommodate currents as high as 500 volts distributed from public charging stations.

Ford Mondeo goes green

By Ben Barry First Official Pictures 03 June 2007 01:57 New Mondeo spearheads Ford's ramp-up of bio-fuel models Ford announced an expansion in its flexifuel range. Flexifuel allows a vehicle to run on either regular petrol or E85 – an 85/15 percent bio-ethanol/petrol blend – and automatically offsets any carbon emissions produced because more crops are always produced to meet the demand for fuel. Ford president and CEO John Fleming confirmed that the existing Focus and C-Max flexifuel cars would be joined by Mondeo, Galaxy and S-Max derivatives, which will all come on stream from early 2008.

Concept Car of the Week: Renault Altica (2006)

Back in 2006 Renault was still well into its design-leadership stride, if perhaps not for much longer. The Altica concept, shown at that year's Geneva motor show, showcased all the French brand had to offer at that time – a brilliantly brave, architectural interior, a style that could only be associated with its country of origin and an interior that thoroughly questioned and readdressed layout, control and format. It also served to preview the renaissance of the Shooting Brake that the industry is still experiencing.