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It's certainly possible that what +Nissan Leaf owners in hot weather states…

This entry was posted in Uncategorized on by (updated 4733 days ago)
It's certainly possible that what +Nissan Leaf owners in hot weather states are experiencing is an inaccurate battery capacity gauge. Early on after its introduction there were some issues with the range estimation that were addressed with a software update.

Unfortunately it seems far more likely that Nissan made a calculated gamble when they opted to use an air-cooled battery pack for the Leaf and now it's coming back to bite some customers in the backside. +Chevrolet, +Ford Motor Company, +Tesla Motors, and +Fisker Automotive all going liquid cooled for their lithium ion batteries.

Heat is the enemy of lithium batteries. The loss of capacity is the result of overheating the cells which can lead to microfractures in the electrodes. That's why most other automakers are using liquid cooling to carefully manage the internal temperatures of the battery. Hopefully Nissan's problems don't do to plug-in vehicles what Oldsmobile did to diesels in the 1980s.

Nissan Leaf owners fear the worst, hope for the best
Be it a tempest in a teapot as Nissan has loosely suggested, or further damage to the EV movement brewing, eyes are on the maker of the all-electric Leaf

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Have you checked out our #FordMustang  customizer yet? 

This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged FordMustang MyFordMustang on by (updated 4733 days ago)

Reshared post from +Ford Motor Company

Have you checked out our #FordMustang  customizer yet? 

A brand-new feature of the mobile app is the drift challenge.

Players can select any of the custom Mustangs from their garage and race it around any of nine different courses trying to beat the best times set by their friends. 

*App Download* 
+Android goo.gl/rWROZ
iPhone / iPad: goo.gl/xbDlg 

Pictures of custom Mustangs can also be saved for use as desktop wallpaper on computers, phones and tablets plus shared on Facebook, Twitter and Google+.
 
Tip: Share'n Show on +Google+ with the tag #MyFordMustang  

Users can also select their favorite custom design for a chance to win one of four dream Ford Mustangs to be built. mustangcustomizer.com 

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A nickel-cobalt-tungsten superalloy that was originally used in the high-pressure… 8

This entry was posted in Uncategorized on by (updated 4733 days ago)
A nickel-cobalt-tungsten superalloy that was originally used in the high-pressure turbopumps of the space-shuttle main engines helps to improve the durability of the turbocharger on the 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine in the new 2013 +Ford Motor Company Fusion. Did you know the shuttle gets about 0.0139 mpg on liquid hydrogen at 17,500 mph! The Fusion only maxes out at about 135 mph but the 2.0-liter is projected to get about 33 mpg on the highway. The Fusion will run for about 467 minutes on a tank while the shuttles would drain the main tank in about 8.5 minutes.

Ford Brings Shuttle Technology to Your Garage with 2013 Fusion « 2013 Ford Fusion Story
The all-new 2013 Ford Fusion bristles with advanced technology, but not all of it is readily visible including the space shuttle material used in the turbocharger. Despite the fact that you will proba…

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What the hell is wrong with Republicans? Do you have to be completely ignorant of… 16

This entry was posted in Uncategorized on by (updated 4733 days ago)
What the hell is wrong with Republicans? Do you have to be completely ignorant of human physiology to be a conservative? or just a moron?

Reshared post from +Talking Points Memo

Rep. Steve King (R-IA) says he's never heard of a girl getting pregnant from statutory rape or incest

Rep. Steve King: I’ve Never Heard Of A Girl Getting Pregnant From Statutory Rape Or Incest
Rep. Steve King, one of the most staunchly conservative members of the House, was one of the few Republicans who did not strongly condemn Rep. Todd Akin Monday for his remarks regarding pregnancy and …

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It's a Roomba for your lawn

This entry was posted in Uncategorized on by (updated 4733 days ago)
It's a Roomba for your lawn

Honda moves into robotic lawnmower market with Miimo
You’re probably familiar with ASIMO, Honda’s humanoid robot, but you might not be aware of the company’s expansive range of lawnmowers. Today the two come together at last with the announcement of…


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Hopefully Google will drop the recent Motorola suit against Apple and instead put… 6

This entry was posted in Uncategorized on by (updated 4733 days ago)
Hopefully Google will drop the recent Motorola suit against Apple and instead put more of an effort into getting congress to really, truly reform the patent system. I firmly believe the best way to do that is to eliminate most, if not all patents.

Reshared post from +Android Central

Google: Software patents ‘not helpful to the marketplace’ | Android Central
Google’s public policy direct Pablo Chavez speaks, says that software patents are harmful, reiterates Google’s stance on innovation.

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Long-time readers of Road&Track will be happy to know that Dennis Simanaitis…

This entry was posted in Uncategorized on by (updated 4733 days ago)
Long-time readers of Road&Track will be happy to know that Dennis Simanaitis is still writing and publishing on his own site.  He has a good post that gives a brief overview of the difference between different types of plug-in hybrids, most comparing the +TOYOTA Prius PHV and the +Chevrolet Volt.  

Along the same continuum lie other vehicles like the Fisker Karma and the +Ford Motor Company C-Max Energi. The C-Max offers more electrical power and battery capacity that let it drive electrically for up to about 20 miles and at speeds of up to 85 mph (compared to 62 mph for the Prius and 100 mph in Volt). 

To learn more about how these vehicles work check out my e-book on the Volt called "Recharging the Car"  that also contains lots of information about other vehicles and powertrain architectures. http://amzn.to/NcHNwc

PLUG-IN HYBRIDS ARE NEAT, BUT NOT CREATED EQUAL
PLUG-IN hybrids, PHEVs, for short, have found more than 13,000 new homes in the U.S. during first six months of 2012; this, according to Edmonds.com. Most of these sales, of … Continue readi…

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There's no arguing the fact that the latest Macbook Pro and Macbook Air is stunningly… 4

This entry was posted in Uncategorized on by (updated 4733 days ago)
There's no arguing the fact that the latest Macbook Pro and Macbook Air is stunningly designed machines that work really well. However, neither one is upgradeable and even a battery swap is a major hassle. 

We've owned a number of Macs (not to mention Windows machines that I've often built myself from parts) over the years including 3 macbook pros of various vintages that are still used daily in my home. Every one of those machines has received upgades, mostly more ram and bigger drives in order to keep up with the latest needs that have helped extend their useful life. 

Frankly the difference in size between my late-09 unibody 15 inch MBP and the new one is not enough in my eyes to justify the sacrifice in upgradeability. I vote that this is planned obsolescence. 

The ‘sealed-box’ Mac: Cutting-edge design or planned obsolescence?
Apple’s new top-of-the-line 15-in. MacBook Pro, with its ground-breaking Retina display, is drool-worthy, says columnist Richard Hoffman. But it comes with a cost: There are no user-replaceable parts …

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