The Department of Energy laid down a challenge to motor companies to improve fuel efficiency by 10 percent by converting wasted heat and exhaust. General Motors, BMW and other motor companies are using their own resources as well as DOE funding to meet this goal. The Associated Press reported recently on advancements in thermoelectric devices that are capable of converting lost heat into electrical currents.

Readers of HybridMile have read a few stories in the past about Nissan’s commitment to bringing hybrid and all-electric vehicles to the market in the near future. The motor company’s representatives used its advanced technology briefing to unveil additional information about HEV and EV offerings that are slated for 2010. Nissan also highlighted its ongoing development of lithium ion battery packs that will enable both vehicles to operate efficiently.

China’s temporary efforts to clean up Beijing for the ongoing Olympic Games have opened up opportunities for companies like Ricardo Company and Chery to show off green products. Ricardo has partnered with the Chinese automaker to create 50 hybrid vehicles for transportation and mail delivery during the Games. These “Olympic Green Messengers” use Chery’s A5 sedan body to provide ample room for passengers and supplies between stops in the Olympic Village.

The recent announcement that General Motors is partnering with 30 utilities throughout the United States to develop stations for electric vehicles may seem self-serving at first. Readers of HybridMile are likely aware that General Motors has plans to unveil its all-electric Chevy Volt in 2010. The initial reaction that GM is looking at its bottom line as it works with utilities in 37 states on an electrical infrastructure overlooks the overwhelming challenges to this project.

The designers at Ford Europe have created a third generation of the ECOnetic vehicle line based on the Ford Fiesta coupe. This fuel-efficient coupe was shown to auto enthusiasts, reporters and executives in London at the recent British International Motor Show. Ford Europe’s release of the Ford Fiesta ECOnetic follows on the heels of the company’s Ford Mondeo and Focus versions in recent years.

Former Formula One designer Gordon Murray has thrown his considerable expertise behind a diminutive car called the T.25. This vehicle’s main feature is its smaller frame than the smart fortwo that allows a driver to park bumper first into a street parking space. Gordon Murray Design has touted the fact that three T.25 cars will be able to fit into a traditional space on a city street. The first prototype of this community vehicle will be produced in 2009 with wider distribution in Asia and Europe thereafter.

Ford Motor Company has been involved in a public-private coalition called the Crash Avoidance Metric Partnership with General Motors, Toyota and other motor companies along with road commissions over the last 13 years. Ford’s representatives announced the first “smart” intersection in the nation as the initial fruits of this collaboration. This Ford-funded intersection is located near the corporation’s headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan and has produced positive results in terms of reduced traffic incidents.

The Toyota Prius has been the standard bearer for the hybrid vehicle market since the turn of the century. Toyota is not resting on its reputation for reliability and fuel efficiency among loyal customers in the 2009 and 2010 model years. The next generation of Prius sedans will feature solar panels from Kyocera that will offset energy used by internal systems.

The Detroit Free Press has reported that Chrysler has created a new division called ENVI to develop vehicles that run entirely on electricity. Chrysler’s representatives stated that ENVI’s work toward advanced motor systems will take between three to five years to produce anything viable in the marketplace. Many experts see the newly created ENVI division as a response to fuel efficiency standards and grumblings by dealers about Chrysler’s sales.

Green drivers, politicians and businesses in San Francisco are excited that Tesla Motors is moving its new factory to northern California instead of New Mexico. Tesla’s decision to eschew the alternative fuel incentives offered by New Mexico for California can be explained in several ways. The motor company’s CEO Ze’ev Driori cited Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and his continued commitment to alternative fuels as a reason for the Model S factory moving to California.