New for this year is their EPA-certified E-TEC environmentally friendly outboard engine.  It has the lowest reportable emissions of any outboard engine and is 300 pounds lighter and 50% quieter than any other  two-stroke engines.   With their technological advanced engine management computer making 8 million calculations per second to assure that boaters use the precise amount of fuel at any given RPM it even uses 44% less fuel than engines that use older technology.

About Evinrude:  Ever since that landmark day when Ole Evinrude paddled to fetch ice cream of his love, sparking the idea for the boat motor, Evinrude has been pushing the boundaries of what boats and marine engines can do.  From manufacturing the first detachable boat row boat engine to setting speed records and building engines and parts for the U.S. military, Evinrude has been among the most trusted names in boating.  A member of the BRP family, a name synonymous with quality and innovation, Evinrude has its sights set on providing boaters

Evinrude recently launched the ICON, a state-of-the-art digital user interface system for E-TEC outboard engines.  The new system is designed to provide boaters with convenience and ease of operation and includes gear position indicators, neutral throttle advance, synchronized engine trim, RPM tune and a unique PowerSync control for multi-engine applications.

Congratulations to Tucker L. of Manchester NH.  He was the winner of the $100.00 Gift Certificate from Gladiator GarageWorks.  We hope you enjoy it and get your Garage perfectly organized.

Gladiator GarageWorks has a complete line of Garage Organization Modules so that you too can have the perfectly organized garage.  These products are available locally at Sears, Sears Essentials and Lowes.

So this week I decided to bring you some news on Technology that is being developed within and outside of the mainstream auto industry.  I interview CEO’s and even a professor about what they are doing and where they see the future of the American Auto industry.  Enjoy!

Following the EPA 511 Guideline test protocol, Blade underwent independent testing by the nation’s premier emissions testing lab, the Automotive Testing and Development Services, Inc. (ATDS).  ATDS is approved by the EPA and licensed by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) 

EPA guidelines for a fleet of five vehicles state that the fuel economy increase must average three percent to be considered a real effect. The fleet of five Bladed vehicles tested – including 4 cylinder, 6 cylinder, 8 cylinder, foreign, domestic and Hybrid vehicles – averaged a four percent increase.  This achievement is historic as it has never before been demonstrated by any aftermarket device.

TABLE 1: For each car tested, CO₂ reduction and fuel economy increases often exceeded expectations:

Vehicle Type CO₂ Emissions Reduction (up to … ) Fuel Economy Increase (up to…)

2004 Honda Civic 6% 6%

2008 Hyundai Sonata 12% 12%

2007 Ford E-250 6% 5%

2008 Pontiac G6 6% 4%

2007 Toyota Prius 6% 3%

William J. O’Brien CEO, Founder

In addition to leading Sabertec, Mr. O’Brien is a co-founder and general partner of Saber Capital. In this capacity, Mr. O’Brien oversees the selection and management of the investment firm’s portfolio companies. Mr. O’Brien served as Chairman and CEO of Octave Software, a provider of next-generation content management solutions. In addition to launching Octave’s product line, Mr. O’Brien developed its key partnerships, recruited its managers, and played an instrumental role in securing its major customers. He also led the company in a $4 million preferred round financing from Sigma Partners. Mr. O’Brien was also actively involved in the direction of Saber Capital’s Austin-based professional services firm, Neogent, Inc., which it funded in 2000 and sold to Sun Microsystems (NASDAQ: SUN) in 2006. Mr. O’Brien also holds board seats at San Jose based, Jetalon Solutions, a maker of precision, liquid chemical sensor and control systems. Since the initiation of Mr. O’Brien’s involvement, the company has increased shareholder value nearly 17x. Before co-founding Saber Capital, Mr. O’Brien spent over 12-years in the high technology industry, most recently serving as Vice President of Sales for the Americas at Vignette Corporation (NASD: VIGN). Benefiting from Mr. O’Brien’s direction, Vignette became the fastest growing enterprise software company in industry history, with annual revenues growing from $3 million to over $500 million in a three-year period.

About Sabertec

Sabertec, based in Austin, Texas, is on the vanguard of solving environmental challenges through technology, education and the inspiration of behavioral change. Sabertec products reduce fossil fuel burning engine emissions that are known contributors to global warming, as well as health consequences including cancer, strokes and respiratory diseases. Launched in 2008, Blade, www.bladeyourride.com is the company’s first consumer product available in the United States. Blade was developed utilizing Sabertec’s patent-pending impact filtration method, which is the core technology in their IDPF product. IDPF has been reducing toxic diesel particulate matter emissions on commercial bus fleets in Sao Paulo, Brazil since 2005.  www.Sabertec.org

Sabertec’s product, Blade easily attaches to the tailpipe of a car to reduce CO2 emissions and toxic particulate matter – a type of pollution that includes dust, soot, and tiny bits of solid materials suspended in the air.

President Obama has spoken about the need to increase the production of sustainable energy here in the US and reducing our dependence on foreign oil.  Although his ideals may be laudable he does not understand the infrastructure to make it happen.  Congresses legislative push to make this happen has caused numerous problems around the world included massive food shortages and riots over food.  Although it is technologically possible to retrofit automobiles to accommodate sustainable fuels such as biodiesel there are significant stumbling blocks to making it work seamlessly.  Our entire infrastructure is based on petroleum distribution.  The cars were designed to run on petroleum and the government created laws and rules that all but eliminated diesel for passenger cars in favor of gasoline.  Going from petroleum diesel to bio-diesel is not a huge jump however going from gasoline to bio-diesel creates a technological and supply rift that must be overcome before it will be viable.  Bio-diesel needs to be made from sustainable crops such as algae and stink-weed that do not affect the world food supply.

There are many who are lamenting about the economy and the end of American manufacturing — but John Fox of Innovation Fuels has taken the bear by the scruff of the neck and now produces up 950,000 barrels of biodiesel a year.  They export over 80 percent of that to Europe because our automotive diesel industry dwindled due to a lack of understanding by congress who imposed legislation that favored gasoline over diesel.

Among alternative fuels, biodiesel is growing rapidly.  Made from vegetable oils and animal fats the biodiesel is being blended with petroleum diesel fuel by Innovation Fuels into the finished product which is being sold to power diesel engines and to heat homes.  The advantage of biodiesel over full petroleum diesel is that it produces 60 percent less greenhouse gases than diesel.  Biodiesel provides a substantial reduction in exhaust emissions, carbon monoxide, particulate matter, unburned hydrocarbons and black smoke.  It is safe to say then that using biodiesel helps to protect the environment and that is good for all our health.  John Fox puts his money where his mouth is and drives a car that runs on biodiesel.  He says there is no noticeable difference when driving this vehicle because biodiesel releases the same amount of power as petroleum diesel. It also provides the same lubricating function as petroleum diesel with low sulfur. Additional benefits of using biodiesel is that it is a renewable resource that can be produced here in the United States reducing our demand on imported oil and it is safer to transport than gasoline.  This cheaper alternative can be used in any diesel engine or home heating oil burner.  There are major technological hurdles required to change our infrastructure from petroleum based vehicles to electric vehicles including the development of a clean power grid.  The research and development will depend on huge outlays of private funds and protection of the private intellectual property.  The technological development of high mileage vehicles will make the US economically competitive for decades on the international marketplace.  The US is on the threshold of a vital and transformative change and getting biodiesel and other sustainably powered vehicles into production and then on the road is the future of the American Auto Industry.

About John:

John Fox is President and Chief Executive Officer of Innovation Fuels. He has been building businesses and product offerings for the past 15 years, seven years of which have been in US energy industry. Mr. Fox started a renewable energy project development company, Homeland Energy Resources Development, Inc. in 2001, and subsequently its biodiesel division in 2005, which was merged into Innovation Fuels. He led Homeland Energy to an average 50 percent year-over-year revenue growth and managed a team that developed more than $5 million alternative fuel projects. Prior to founding Homeland Energy, Mr. Fox led the business development of a biogas technology company, the financing of an independent oil and gas company, and the product development of a Lucent Technologies company. Since 1991, Mr. Fox has served as General Partner at Renard Properties, a Mid-Atlantic real-estate development and management company. He holds a BA from Syracuse University and an MBA from Columbia Business School and is currently a member of the National Biodiesel Board, American Council on Renewable Energy, Environmental Business Association of New York State, and U.S. Green Building Council. 

About Innovation Fuels:

As a leading biodiesel manufacturer, Innovation Fuels cares about making the world a better place to live today and tomorrow. But taking care of our customers is our number one business priority. Our goal is to help you choose biodiesel as a viable, sustainable, high-performance fuel. Let us put our extensive experience in the fuel industry to work for you.

Biodiesel is the fastest growing alternative fuel. It’s clean and non-toxic so it’s good for you. It’s high-quality and easy to integrate into your operation so it’s good for your business. And it’s biodegradable and renewable so it’s good for the world. Biodiesel contains no petroleum but it can be blended at any level with petroleum diesel and works in any diesel engine.

Innovation Fuels…Good for You, Good for Your Business, Good for the World.

Additionally, their Servace Alloy product is used by some of the most prestigious country clubs in the nation.  They are specialty small electric vehicles that brush and roll clay tennis courts and cause no noise pollution and cost only about seventy-five cents a night to charge.  They also build mini ambulances for use in production plants and large theme parks.  Due to their size they can be used in crowded areas where a full size unit cannot operate.

In 2009 they will introduce a new mini hybrid fire truck specifically designed for the forest industry.  They are the leader in the airline industry where they design an manufacture push back tractors, belt loaders, and high lifts on both their electric and hybrid chassis.

About John:

John graduated from Forest Hill High School in West Palm Beach, Florida and went right into running his own company. John’s company manufactures (and mainstreams) diesel-hybrid and electric vehicles. Their cars, trucks, etc. are pulling US Airways passenger jets on the tarmac at some of America’s busiest airports and are on the short list to save the U.S. military billions in fuel costs by supplying them with vehicles.

About Giliberti:

Giliberti is a research, development & manufacturing company for vehicles in the airline, golf, tennis, and emergency medical services (EMS) industries.

The quality of our vehicles is the highest priority for Giliberti. We work closely with our customers to insure our products are not only the finest built, but are also serve a variety of needs and purposes.

Giliberti’’s mission will always be to develop, design and manufacture efficient, affordable, and reliable electrically powered utility vehicles to meet our customers needs. We have never lost sight of this goal and keep it at the forefront of every project we undertake. Giliberti continues to be on the cutting edge by finding new opportunities to design and develop products to meet niche market needs.

About Jeff:

Dr. Naber joined MTU in August of 2004. Prior to joining MTU, he worked in the automotive industry on R&D of engine-management-systems for gasoline and diesel engines. He also worked at Sandia National Laboratories, CRF investigating sprays and combustion processes of diesel, natural gas, and hydrogen engines utilizing laser based diagnostics. He and fellow colleagues direct the Advanced Internal Combustion Laboratories (AICE) at the University. His research interests are in IC engines and after-treatment and the development and application of advanced experimental techniques, signal processing technologies, theoretical models, and embedded control to characterize the thermo-physical processes.

The areas under investigation include:

• Combustion processes and combustion control of hydrogen and hydrogen dual fuelled engines,

• Biofuels including ethanol with production from forest products and application in advanced combustion engines,

• Gasoline IC engine research and the development of physical based correlations and models,

Development of combustion measurement techniques for diesel, gasoline, and HCCI and PPCI engines.

About Michigan Tech University:

• The Department of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics at Michigan Tech is proud to have been selected as the THE FIRST MECHANICAL ENGINEERING PROGRAM in the Peace Corps Masters International Program.

• Mechanical Engineering is the Top In-Demand Major according to the Yahoo Hot Jobs, and based on the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) in the Spring 2008 Salary Survey. Mechanical engineering grads received a healthy 5.3 percent increase over 2007, boosting their average offer to $57,009. More about Engineering Jobs

• Michigan Tech ME Team wins Regional Student Design Competition
A ME Senior Design Team (Team 20) won the Regional Student Design Competition at the Student Professional Development Conference held in Columbia, Missouri on March 28-30, 2008.

• Our Graduate Program is ranked 48th nationally among the 165 doctoral granting Mechanical Engineering Departments in the U.S. by the 2009 U.S. News & World Report: America’s Best Graduate Schools

• NSF ranked the ME-EM Department 21st in Research Expenditures in FY2006 with $10.238 Million among all Mechanical Engineering Departments in the U.S.

Our Undergraduate Program is ranked 22nd nationally among doctoral-granting Mechanical Engineering Departments in the U.S. by the 2008 U.S. News & World Report: America’s Best Colleges

ME-EM Undergraduate Program is currently 9th in the U.S. in BSME degrees granted. We have been in the top 9 in this category for the past 24 consecutive years.

The Keweenaw Research Center and the Department of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering at Michigan Tech will host the 2009 SAE Clean Snowmobile Challenge (CSC) during March 16-21, 2009 and has hosted it for the last 6 years.

In today’s economic climate, this ability to bring innovative technology to the masses is more important now than ever before. So at the recent Consumer Electronics Show, Ford announced the revolutionary Ford SYNC with Traffic, Directions and Information.

Beginning this Spring, drivers of Ford cars and trucks will be able to get personalized, real-time information by using simple voice commands.  Ford is able to bring these innovations to market quickly by partnering with INRIX and other best-in-class technology companies.

INRIX was selected to power the personalized traffic, directions, and alerts that are delivered to drivers via voice and SMS alerts on their phones. INRIX’s traffic, directions and alerting technologies transforms the in-car navigation experience into one as personal as the contact list on your phone. SYNC users can get answers to questions such as “Traffic Ahead,” “Fastest Route Home,” and “Traffic Around Me,” leveraging the integrated GPS feature in new vehicles shipping with Ford SYNC. That is the kind of personalized service consumers – and the marketplace – require right now in order to stay afloat and to thrive.

The technology in the new SYNC does not require a $2,000 navigation system with an in-car screen. All it requires is a cell phone with Bluetooth, which is why Ford expects to ship over 1 million vehicles with SYNC by this Fall. INRIX provides accurate real-time, historical and predictive traffic information in North America and Europe to over 65 customers including Ford, MapQuest, TomTom and the I-95 Corridor Coalition. INRIX delivers traffic reliably, quickly and better than anyone else.

About Scott

Scott Sedlik is responsible for the marketing of INRIX products and services. He has 20 years of experience in strategic marketing, product management, brand development and go-to-market strategies. He has a successful track record of building leadership positions with public and startup companies in emerging markets from early-stage to international presence. Sedlik’s domain expertise includes mobile and embedded devices, telematics, wireless, enterprise software, Internet services, and e-commerce.

Sedlik was most recently Vice President of Marketing at BSQUARE, the leading solutions provider for the smartphone and embedded device markets, where he was responsible for product management, marketing strategy, strategic planning and partnerships. He served as Executive Vice President, Sales & Marketing at Sageport, an Internet services company acquired by BSQUARE in 2001. Sedlik also held Vice President of Marketing roles at InfoMove, USWeb/CKS, and at iCat Corporation, an e-commerce pioneer, where he led a large team during the rapid growth of the company and its acquisition by Intel.

Early in his career, Sedlik directed marketing and business development at Corbis Corporation and led OEM sales and product management at Reference Software International (acquired by WordPerfect). Sedlik holds a MBA from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management and a B.S. from San Francisco State University.

About INRIX

INRIX is the leading provider of real-time, historical and predictive traffic information offering the broadest coverage, exceptional accuracy, innovative technologies and a unique approach to ensuring the success of our customers’ navigation and traffic-enabled solutions.

Building on a unparalleled technology portfolio and the industry’s broadest network of partnerships, INRIX’s traffic data saves businesses and consumers time and money by predicting the future – not only showing what traffic is like right now, but what it will be like an hour, a week or even a year from now. Device manufacturers, public sector agencies, Web sites and mobile solution providers are using INRIX’s technologies and services today to deliver richer, more useful traffic services that help their customers drive smarter.

About Rick Casper:

Richard J. Kasper is the President and Chief Operating Officer, Global Electric Motorcars, LLC (GEM), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Chrysler, LLC.  He was GEMs Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer until being named President and COO on December 1, 2002.

Prior to joining GEM in 1999, Richard spent 11 years with the Jack Kent Cooke organization, which included responsibilities as the Chief Financial Officer for the Los Angeles Daily News. 

Mr. Kasper received his Bachelor of Science degree in accounting at Minnesota State University ñ Moorhead (MSUM) in Moorhead, Minnesota. He was named the MSUM Business and Industry Alumni of the Year in 2002.  He is also a member of the MSUM School of Business Advisory Board. 

Richard was the Chairperson for the Electric Drive Transportation Association (EDTA) Conference in December of 2006, the EVS-23 International Conference in December 2007 and was the Chairman of the World Electric Vehicle Association (WEVA) in 2006 and 2007.  Richard is also a member of the Chamber of Commerce of Fargo Moorhead.  He has also been involved in a number of community and charitable organizations including President of the West Valley Boys and Girls Club, Chairman of the Warner Center Association, Vice-President of the San Fernando Economic Alliance, and a volunteer for a number of philanthropic events.

He and his family live in Fargo, North Dakota, the headquarters for Global Electric Motorcars, LLC.

About Global Electric Motor Cars:

Global Electric Motorcars, a Chrysler company, has been in operation for ten years. Located in Fargo, North Dakota, Global Electric Motorcars manufactured its first vehicle in April 1998, a 48-volt GEM car that accommodated two passengers and had a top speed of 20 mph. Less than two months later, a significant breakthrough occurred in the market as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) designated a new class of motor vehicle, the low-speed vehicle, also known as the Neighborhood Electric Vehicle (NEV). The low-speed vehicle class allowed GEM cars to be driven on public roads if they met certain safety criteria such as having safety belts, headlamps, windshield wipers, and safety glass. GEM cars always come equipped with these safety features making them a benchmark in the industry.

GEM battery-electric vehicles not only represent a relatively new vehicle in an emerging market segment, but also a new and growing brand within the Chrysler family. Just like Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep®, or many of the other well-established brands in the company’s portfolio, GEM stands for innovation and leadership.

Global Electric Motorcars aims to establish its brand presence both as the maker of the top-selling NEV in the market and the purveyor of one of the smartest solutions to traffic congestion and air quality problems yet to be introduced. The solution: zero-emissions personal transportation that is well integrated with traditional alternative transportation choices such as mass transit and carpooling.

GEM models are sophisticated yet simple. They represent a new kind of personal transportation, that expands the capacity to have fun. They represent a versatile and efficient way to get the job done, as well as a clean way to do everyday work. GEM cars harness and put to work the power of silence. 

Today, Global Electric Motorcars remains committed to maintaining its leadership position in the NEV market with product improvements, innovations, and offerings. Currently, GEM cars are available in six unique models and are seen in cities, master planned communities, universities and colleges, industrial complexes, security companies, airports, and resorts throughout the world. Looking to the future, Global Electric Motorcars is strategically positioned within the Chrysler family to aid in the company’s continuing efforts and commitment to developing, producing, and selling the world’s most environmentally-friendly vehicles.