There seems to be more interest than ever for alternatives to the combusion engine. And why not, it could be considered obsolete technology by today’s standards, considering how quickly most technologies evolve. Also, it causes pollution, and relies on non-renewable resources.

Detroit is planning on building totally electric, battery-powered car in just six months, with plans to have them available by 2011.

“I think the days of the gasoline engine are numbered, even if we don’t know exactly what that number is,” said Daniel Becker, head of the Safe Climate Campaign, which is part of the Center for Auto Safety consumer advocacy group in Washington.

We think they’re right, and are willing to forget the past if it means moving forward.

New technology now leads us in another direction, allowing you to convert your car to run on garbage. Not only does it sound like a great idea, it also looks sporty and futuristic!

That is one sweet ride. I wonder if there are any emissions, and if they smell like… garbage?

An ancient organism from the pit of a collapsed volcano may hold the key to tomorrow’s hydrogen economy. Scientists from across the world have formed a team to unlock the process refined by a billions-year old archaea.

Link

Plans to develop a commercial spaceport are in the works, with a estimated cost of $265 million (USD). The location will be about an hour from Dubai, and already has commitments for $30 million (USD). Known as the UAE Spaceport, or the Ras Al Khaimah spaceport, it will be used to launch suborbital tourist flights.

The suborbital space transportation system has been designed by Myasishchev Design Bureau, a leading Russian aerospace organization which has developed a wide-array of high performance aircraft and space systems. Explorer, as it has been named, will have the capacity to transport up to five people to space and is designed to optimize the customer experience of space travel, while maintaining the highest degree of safety.

Funding for the project includes the government of Ras Al Khamiah, Space Adventures and Prodea. Space Adventures, the company behind the UAE Spaceport, is the only company to have successfully launched private explorers to space, is headquartered in Arlington, Va. with offices in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Moscow and Tokyo. It offers a variety of programs such as the availability today for orbital spaceflight missions to the International Space Station, commercial missions around the moon, Zero-Gravity and MiG flights, cosmonaut training, spaceflight qualification programs and reservations on future suborbital spacecrafts. The company’s advisory board comprises Apollo 11 moonwalker Buzz Aldrin, shuttle astronauts Kathy Thornton, Robert (Hoot) Gibson, Charles Walker, Norm Thagard, Sam Durrance, Byron Lichtenberg, Pierre Thuot and Skylab astronaut Owen Garriott.

Dubai has been developing with a frenzy in recent years. Their soon to open amusement park (DubaiLand) will be twice as large as Disney World, they’re host to many of the most advance architectural designs, and the Spaceport will be another attraction as interest in space tourism also develops.

This is not the only spaceport, although it will probably be the most advance. List of spaceports

Tesla Motors just announced the Model S: a $60k, all-electric, five passenger sports sedan

Link

Paris will launch a new city-wide electric car sharing service by the end of 2009 The current oil crisis is likely to spur on many cities to think about and introduce various schemes. As Paris Mayor Bertrand Delanoë announced last week, Autolib will feature 4,000 electric cars available for rent.

Sir James Dyson, known for inventing the famous bagless Dyson vacuum, has turned his efforts towards creating an improved electric motor for automobiles.

Carlos Ghosn, CEO for Nissan and Renault, wasn’t too impressed with hybrid cars, saying that they are “a nice story, but they’re not a a good business”. Ghosn said that Nissan, along with Renault, “has an opportunity to be a world leader in mass-marketing [zero-emission vehicles].”

When I say “zero-emission” vehicles, I am referring to electric vehicles and fuel cell vehicles, cars that do not burn oil and release zero emissions into the air. Fuel cell vehicles are promising for the future—and Nissan continues to invest in their development—but the production and distribution of hydrogen is yet much more problematic than electricity or batteries. Because the battery technology is more advanced, we will introduce electric vehicles first.

Uh, Mr. Ghosn, have you had a chance to look at Project Unity?

Auto manufacturers are more forward thinking now. Chevrolet with the Volt, Mercedes planning to be petroleum free by 2015, and Audi promises an electric car within 10 years.

Other electric autos on the horizon include The Lightening Car Company, the plug-in Prius, and the Corbin Sparrow. And that’s only the beginning. Electric and hybrids are in full swing now, with more manufacturers looking to follow suit.

This week John McElroy even said “Hey GM, bring back the EV1“.

Is it time to start looking into Hybrid conversion kits like this one from Hymotion?