BMW is ready to show off it’s hydrogen-powered car in November at the Los Angeles car show.  The car hits the market as soon as next April (2007).  But will only be available for lease to select customers.

The BMW 7 Series Hydrogen 7 Saloon is powered by a 260 hp twelve-cylinder engine and accelerates from 0-100 km/h (62 mph) in 9.5 seconds. Top speed is limited electronically to 230 km/h.

BMW has said it intends to build a few hundred such cars at first. They will be able to switch between burning standard petrol and hydrogen so that drivers will not be left stranded while the infrastructure to deliver hydrogen is built up.

GM and others will be adding integrated iPod connectors to more than 56% of their 2007 vehicles. Bring the total number of iPod supported vehicles for 2007 to more than 70%.

The systems will offer iPod charging, improved sound quality, and convenient iPod storage. iPod integration will give the driver full control over the iPod through the stereo controls included with the car.

The rise of iPods over Satellite radio has already been predicted.

GM hopes to reverse slumping sales with its new line of hybrid trucks. The 2007 Chevrolet Silverado LTZ and GMC Sierra will go on sale in the fall of 2007.

Two electric motors will work in tandem with a new V-8 in a GM Sierra or Chevy Silverado, or both. GM also developed a computerized fuel management system to optimize the transmission and balance between the engine and electric motors.

Still waiting on your SkyCar? Why not get a personal tank to pass the time? Amazon has listed, the JL421 Badonkadonk Land Cruiser/Tank, or The Donk for short. For $19,999 you can drive your own tank into battle.

• Carries cargo or a crew of up to five internally or on the roof.
• Piloted from within the armored shell or from an exposed standing position through the hatch.
• 6hp Tecumseh gasoline engine, top speed 40 mph.
• Includes head/tail and turn signal lights, trim and underbody lighting.
• 400 watt premium sound with PA system, plush interior, and external camera.

For a good laugh, try reading the reviews of this thing.

I’ll admit it. Shopping for a personal tank can be a bit daunting. Many times in the past I’ve purchased overpriced, so-called “battle tanks”, then driven them into battle only to be wrecked in ten minutes by the first blow off of some insurgents home-made morter.

Forward thinking companies such as Google, Hyperion Solutions, and Timberland are helping their employees afford hybrid vehicles by offering a cash incentive.

Hyperion is offering $5,000 to employees who purchase a vehicle that gets over 45 MPG. But only up to 200 in a given year, first come, first serve. Google is offering $1,500 for a purchase and $2,500 for the lease of a hybrid vehicle. While Timberland offers $3,000 for purchasing hybrid.

You have to wonder what the incentive is for companies to do this.

Stanford’s robotic Volkswagon has been proclaimed the winner of the DARPA Grand Challenge. Which the recipients win a $2 million dollar grand prize.

This year 4 vehicles completed the race in the requisite 10 hours. The path included dangerous obstacles, such as a 10 ft wide path with 200 ft drops on either side.

The Volkswagon completed the race in 6 hours and 53 minutes. The team which designed the car has said they want to use the technology to make next-generation cars safer for everybody, not just the military.

Three robots have completed the 132 mile course DARPA has setup in the Mojave desert. The winner of the $2 million dollar prize was not immediatly declared since the robots had staggered start times. Racing against the clock instead of each other. DARPA will award the price to the fastest team to complete the race in less than 10 hours.

This was a major improvement over last years race. Where most of the vehicles didn’t even leave the starting line. And at best only went 7.5 miles.

DARPA began the Grand Challenge in 2004 to meet a congressional mandate to have a third of military vehicles drive-less by 2015.

Basic rules of DARPA Grand Challenge

• The vehicle must travel autonomously on the ground in under ten hours.
• The vehicle must stay within the course boundaries as defined by a data file provided by DARPA.
• The vehicle may use GPS and other public signals.
• No control commands may be sent to the vehicle while en route.
• The vehicle must not intentionally touch any other competing vehicle.
• An autonomous service station is permitted at a checkpoint area approximately halfway between start and finish.

DARPA or Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is the research arm of the U.S. Defense Department which is best known for developing the Internet back in the 1960’s.

UPDATE: A fourth robot has finished the race, a Ford Escape Hybrid.

The sentimental favorite, a Ford Escape Hybrid by students in Metarie, La., was the fourth vehicle to finish Saturday. The team lost about a week of practice and some lost their homes when Hurricane Katrina blew into the Gulf Coast.

Everyone likes the new car smell. But what is it and why does it go away? Well it turns out it’s actually toxic fumes and it’s not good for you.

The new-car smell emanates largely from chemicals known as volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, that leach from glues, paints, vinyls and plastics in the passenger compartment. The fumes can trigger headaches, sore throats, nausea and drowsiness. Prolonged exposure to some of the chemicals can lead to cancer, though there’s no evidence linking that to concentrations in cars.

Japanese auto manufacturers are looking to get rid of the smell once and for all. In fact they are already rolling out new cars with the lower VOC levels as a selling point. Lowing the VOC levels requires research into new adhesives and will not be cheap.

So now we are going to pay more for no “new car” smell?

CNN is reporting on an inventor that is creating bio-diesel from organic material, including dead cats.

Koch said around 20 dead cats added into the mix could help produce enough fuel to fill up a 50-liter (11 gallon) tank.

Koch says he can create diesel fuel for 1/5 the cost that petrol stations sell it for.

The German Society for the Protection of Animals is currently investigating the situation. Whose spokesperson says the practice is illegal.

UPDATE: Story is actually a hoax.

“It’s an alternative fuel that is friendly for the environment. But it’s complete nonsense to suggest dead cats. I’ve never used cats and would never think of that. At most the odd toad may have jumped in.”

A spokesman for Bild told Reuters the story was meant to show that cat remains could “in theory” be used to make fuel with Koch’s patented method.

This got lost in the ROKR and Nano announcements, but on Wednesday, Apple outlined plans to expand the iPod line of media players into more automobiles.

To some people this raises doubts about the viability of satellite radio. And with good reason, think of all the available (and free) podcasts that are online. Now compare that to paying a monthly subscription fee. To consumer radio has always been free and will be difficult to change their minds. And between commercials and the constant drone of repetiitive music, local radio stations are all but dead. Now add on the iPod’s Tivo like abilities, download podcasts and listen whenever you wish, and you got an unbeatable device.

Apple expects more than 5 million vehicles will ship with iPod support in the United States in 2006.

Already this year we heard announcements from car manufacturers that they will be installing satellite radio in the factory. Hyundai comes to mind, which will be installing XM in most 2006 vehicles. But it’s not clear whether consumers will continue to pay the subscription after the car rolls off the lot.

XM, the number one satellite provider, has stated that the iPod is no threat. But I disagree. When I bought my new car in February, my next purchase was going to be a satellite radio upgrade. Then I discovered podcasting and purchased an iPod instead. My iPod is the only reason that this writer never switched to satellite radio.