New tech to power hybrid electric car by turbine

With a brief, muffled hiss of a jet engine, the test vehicle that an Israeli start-up hopes will be the future of the hybrid electric car,
ignites. The car is built on the shell of a normal Toyota Prius, a top-selling gasoline-electric hybrid car. This will however not need
an internal combustion engine.
An electric engine, containing a super-capacity battery and a micro-jet turbine engine, powers from the rear as it drives almost
silently around a test track. With automakers racing to develop the most efficient, environmental friendly cars with minimal emissions, the concept of turbine-poweredelectric vehicles is not new. While on the other hand, ETV Motors, a private company based just outside Tel Aviv has raised some $12
million in investments and has found a way to make it commerciallyviable. It has developed a micro-turbine engine also to act as an on-board charger and a high-density battery that can power a vehicle for about 60-80 km (35-50 miles) on one charge. The test car uses newly designed components still undergoing development, the company said, adding that the final product should be ready for tests next year.

ELECTRIC CARS

Another Israeli project, Better Place, which was launched in 2007 with $200 million of venture funding, has been gaining momentum across theglobe, pushing for fully electric cars that recharge by plugging in to a grid network. Better Place has partnered with Renault and Nissan to develop electriccar infrastructure. Toyota Motor Corporation, another of the automakergiants developing hybrid and plug-in technologies, has said it would start leasing 500 plug-in cars globally by the end of this year.

Toyota has said the car will be powered by lithium-ion batteries, and Japan's Nikkei business daily reported this month the plug-in will be
able to run 20-30 km (12-18 miles) on battery power alone at fullcharge.

Read More on : Toyota Prius