The Nissan solid-oxide fuel-cell on a test stand. Another version is packaged inside an e-NV200 as a concept vehicle

Nissan’s Ethanol-Powered Fuel Cell Vehicle

Arguably, Nissan Motor has developed what can be considered a clean-energy vehicle squared, as it has revealed the e-Bio Fuel-Cell, a prototype vehicle that is not only a zero-emissions fuel-cell truck, but one that uses ethanol to charge the 24-kWh battery.

Lightening the Lotus Evora 400

Lightening the Lotus Evora 400

The Lotus Evora 400 weighs 3,153 pounds in the U.S. and Canada.

VW Settles with California on Diesel Cheating

A federal judge in California has approved a consent decree in which Volkswagen AG will pay $85 million to the state of California to compensate for cheater diesel-powered vehicles it sold there.

NLRB Orders VW to Bargain with UAW Skilled Trades Workers

Volkswagen AG has been ordered by the National Labor Relations Board to begin contract talks with skilled trades workers at its assembly plant in Chattanooga, Tenn.

PolyWorks 2016’s measurement sequence editor lets operators use drag-and-drop to change the order of measurement operations, control device moves, trigger CMM-specific operations, add prompts and images, and define conditional operations.

Better Inspection Software Improves Quality Management

3D metrology software can leverage the capabilities of measuring equipment in a myriad of ways.

The Versalis cutting system from Lectra displays the status of the machine, current orders in process and leather hides being processed. Sensors scan the fabric’s surface and find the optimal path for cutting by recognizing defects. Defects are categorized on four levels of defect-coding and visualized by four colors. This allows greater use of the leather

Creating Quality for Leather Interiors

Although more and more OEMs have leather trim packages for vehicles at all levels, you might be surprised to learn about how some of that material is processed.

Laser welding can be advantageous in many applications, such as welding differential housings. The welds are strong, and it is possible to eliminate weight in the application—in this case, as many as three pounds if laser welding is used in place of threaded connections.

Cutting Weight and Costs with Laser Welding

Speed, accuracy and productivity are all features of a new laser welding machine that has plenty of auto applications.

Porsche’s Mission E first appeared as a concept at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show, but has swiftly moved to production status. The four-door/four-seat sedan has a system power output of more than 600 hp (440 kW), and should propel the car from 0-60 mph in less than 3.5 seconds while offering a range of more than 310 miles. Lithium-ion batteries are integrated into the floor, and charged by an 800-volt charger developed specially for the car, making it possible, Porsche claims, to give the Mission E an 80 percent charge in 15 minutes. Production is expected in 2020.

The EV Future

Battery electric vehicles may be coming to a suburban driveway near you sooner than you might think—especially if your neighbors buy premium cars.

Electric Truckmaker to Use Fuel Cell System

Nikola Motor Co., a Salt Lake City, Utah-based startup company, says the North American version of the 2,000-hp electric Class 8 truck it announced in June will be powered by an 800-volt fuel cell system.

Germany Repeats Claim that FCA Diesels Cheat on Emissions

Germany has again accused Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV of equipping its newest 2.0-liter diesel engine with an “illegal device” used to turn off emission controls.