New GM App Shows Chevy Volt Owners the Real Cost of Charging Their Hybrid at Home

Plug-in hybrid vehicles claim to be much more fuel efficient, and thus cheaper to run, than regular models powered only by international combustion engines.

There’s no such thing as a free lunch, though; in the case of plug-in hybrids, you have to factor in the energy consumed to charge the battery at your home, which adds to the electricity bill.

General Motors’ OnStar service is currently testing an application that will inform Chevrolet Volt owners about the cost of charging their extended-range plug-in hybrid.

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Toyota Smart INSECT Concept Recognizes Owner, Connects to Home, Still Won't Make Coffee [w/Video]

This odd-looking single-passenger electric vehicle (EV) is the Toyota Smart INSECT concept and it made its world premiere today at the CEATEC Japan 2012 advanced technologies exhibition, which runs from October 2 to October 6, in Chiba City, Japan.

The Smart INSECT is a conceptual development of the "COMS" EV produced by the brand's subsidiary Toyota Auto Body Co., and it was designed to display next-generation communications-linked services. The name is an acronym for "Information Network Social Electric City Transporter".

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Google Maps the Future: California Gov. Signs Law that Allows Self-Driving Cars on Public Roads

California governor Jerry Brown signed a law that permits self-driving cars on the state's public roads.

The signing ceremony took place at Google’s Mountain View headquarters with the governor sitting on the passenger side of an autonomous Toyota Prius. Google co-founder Sergey Brin and State Senator Alex Padilla were in the back seats and company engineer Chris Urmson behind the wheel as the Prius drove itself.

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Mercedes-Benz Style Designs a Luxury Motor Yacht, will Enter Production Next Year

Since 2010, the designers at Mercedes-Benz have been working on a raft of products outside the field of automotive industry in cooperation with select partners. Some of their projects include the Eurocopter EC145 and a collection of house furniture marketed under the Mercedes-Benz Style label.

Now, some 125 years after Mercedes-Benz co-founder Gottlieb Daimler built the first motorized boat, the German automaker's designers are presenting plans for a new luxury motor yacht against the backdrop of the 2012 Monaco Yacht Show.

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Nissan GT-R Transformed Into a Robot for New Japanese Gaming and Film Franchise

Autobots and Decepticons move over because there's a new Japanese franchise about cars transforming into robots and it's named Chō Soku Henkei Gyrozetter.

Well, actually, to be frank, it’s far too early to tell if the new franchise will have the success of the Transformers series but the fact that it has licensed several cool cars like the Nissan GT-R, Mazda RX-8, Toyota 86 (Scion FR-S in North America) and Mitsubishi Lancer EVO has certainly captured our attention.

After searching into the unknown depths of the Japanese gaming world (not knowing the language doesn't really help…) we found some basic information about Chō Soku Henkei Gyrozetter.

The new franchise is the work of Japanese video game developer, publisher and distribution company Square Enix, which is mostly known for its Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest series.

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Piece Of Art: SanDisk Ducati Edition USB Flash Drive

We don’t know about you but this is the probably best-looking USB flash drive we’ve seen by far. Sandisk’s Ducati Edition 4GB USB is simply a must for gearhead aficionados like ourselves. What a gadget; the damn thing looks like its moving even at a standstill! According to Sandisk, the “Ducatisti” USB is priced at $125 - €91. Pricey but who cares! -More pictures and details after the jump

Passion for Performance

The First USB Flash Drive that Looks as Fast as it Is - High-Speed Functional Art

One look at the SanDisk Extreme Ducati Edition USB Flash Drive, and you know something’s different. The attractive industrial design echoes the performance, colors, and lines of a Ducati MotoGP motorcycle. And hidden beneath this unique exterior lies a fast, 20MB/second* USB Flash Drive, with plenty of horsepower for storing and transferring large files, such as images or video, quickly and efficiently. It moves 20 million bytes per second, while standing still and looking pretty.

The included RescuePro Deluxe software delivers the added convenience enabling users to recover images, documents, music, or other files that they may have accidentally deleted.

Gotta Get A Ducati?

For gadget gurus, design aficionados, and “Ducatistis” (Ducati loyalists), the SanDisk Extreme Ducati Edition USB Flash Drive is an obvious choice. This limited edition Flash Drive is sure to turn a few heads with its bold color and design. It’s equally at home on a Mac or Windows machine. Acquiring this gorgeous little device may be as close as you get to owning a Ducati cycle. But it’s far more than just a pretty case. The advanced technology in the guts of the SanDisk Extreme Ducati Edition USB Flash Drive make it the perfect marriage of the SanDisk and Ducati brands, both of which are synonymous with speed, innovative design, and performance.

Product Details

• Available in 4GB configuration
• Fast 20MB/second sequential read/write speed
• The fastest consumer USB Flash Drive SanDisk offers
• Includes SanDisk Extreme Ducati Edition lanyard for easy carrying, and recognition as an officially licensed Ducati product
• Includes RescuePRO Deluxe Recovery Software CD
• Comes with Lifetime Limited Warranty

General Carbuncle: A Ford Capri "Hazzardly" Toyed Around...

What do you get when you combine a Ford Capri coupe, more than 4,000 toy cars and artist with a fling for the Dukes of Hazzard? Answer: the “General Carbuncle”. We won’t pretend to understand the thoughts hidden behind the creation of Brit artist, James R. Ford so we’ll just lay out the facts and leave you to decide.

James Ford started this project in 2004 when he bought a used Ford Capri coupe in 2004 for a mere £99 with the sole intention of completely covering it in toy cars in the appropriate colours (mainly red and orange) to pay homage to the famous “General Lee” Charger from the Dukes of Hazzard. Ford completed the car in late 2006. Interestingly enough, many people donated toy cars to help Ford out, including one person from as far away as Australia.

-Follow the jump to see more pictures along with highlights and interesting facts from the project

PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS

• Buying a 2nd hand Ford Capri from eBay for £99
• Pretending to be a toy shop owner to gain entry into the toy fair trade show at Earl’s court, in order to buy around 2,000 toy cars wholesale...
• ...then having the laborious task of unboxing each individual car
• Receiving decorated toy cars from places all over the world
• Building a gazebo to protect the General from the wind and rain...
• ...the gazebo being destroyed in weather and having to repair it with wooden sticks, tape and string
• In September 2006 General Carbuncle was nominated, and eventually voted into, the Saatchi Your Gallery @ The Guardian exhibition in London, October 2006
• Auctioning the sculpture on eBay, so that the process has come full circle

INTERESTING GENERAL CARBUNCLE FACTS

• Number of cars to cover a door = 450
• Number of cars to cover the bonnet = 1,000
• Number of cars to cover the roof = 900
• Estimated total to cover the entire car = 3,500 - 4,500 (approximations)
• The most popular toy cars submitted have been T-birds and Double Decker buses.6
• The furthest away that a donation has been sent from is Sydney, Australia.
• The most unusual toy car donated has been a VW van with a pop-up "Kermit the Frog"

Via: generalcarbuncle

Gran Turismo 5 Trailer - Ferrari F430, Audi R8 & Nissan GT-R Included

It’s officially confirmed: for the first time in Gran Turismo’s history, you’ll be able to get behind the wheel of a Ferrari! As you can see in the video and the image gallery of the cars included in the fifth interpretation of Sony’s legendary racing game, the Ferrari we’re talking about is the F430. And before you ask, we don’t know yet if Sony will include a full line-up of Ferraris in the GT5 that’s expected to be released in early 2008. What is included though is the new Audi R8 and the Nissan GT-R.

Talking about the GT5 reminded me of the countless hours I spent behind the TV playing Gran Turismo 1,2 & 3… Wondering what happen to GT4? Well, call it a victim of blogging. See, a 9 to 6+ day job combined with early morning and late night blogging doesn’t leave you much free time -let alone enough to call a buddy and stay awake all night drifting a late 90’s pimped Sylvia. -Follow the jump to see the GT5 image gallery

Via: Autoblog.com & ING

Mercedes-Benz Presents Eyewear Collection

At the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Berlin (July 12 to 15, 2007) and in collaboration with the Italian eyewear maker Allison SpA, the German carmaker’s accessories department presented its new eyewear collection that includes over 40 new sunglasses and spectacle frames available for both for ladies and gents. The new Mercedes-Benz eyewear collection will be available through selected retailers with prices in Germany, ranging between €159 and €259 ($220 - $357) for the sunglasses and between €169 and €239 ($233 - $330) for the spectacle frames. -Image gallery after the jump