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It Looks Like Tesla Will Attempt To Set An Absurdly Specific Record At The Ring With A 7-Seat Model S

While pretty much all of the recent obsession with setting Nürburgring Ring lap record times and the rivalry between Tesla and Porsche is sort of idiotic genital-measuring, there is one foolproof way to guarantee that a record will be set: make the criteria for the record so specific that pretty much any result will set a record. That seems to be exactly what Tesla is planning by running a seven-seat Model S.

As with everything important in our world now, this all started with a tweet:

Toyota tests solar-powered Prius in quest for plugless electric car

TOKYO (Reuters) — Inspired by new ultra-thin solar panels developed for satellites, a project led by Toyota Motor Corp is experimenting with a sun-powered Prius that it hopes will one day require no plugging in.

In the Japanese government-funded demonstration project, Toyota engineers fitted solar panels designed by Sharp Corp to the hood, roof, rear window and spoiler to see how much juice the sun can generate.

The electricity from the panels goes directly to the drive battery, so the Prius can charge while moving or when parked.

Future of portable electronics: Novel organic semiconductor with exciting properties

Semiconductors are substances that have a conductivity between that of conductors and insulators. Due to their unique properties of conducting current only in specific conditions, they can be controlled or modified to suit our needs. Nowhere is the application of semiconductors more extensive or important than in electrical and electronic devices, such as diodes, transistors, solar cells, and integrated circuits.

Semiconductors can be made of either organic (carbon-based) or inorganic materials. Recent trends in research show that scientists are opting to develop more organic semiconductors, as they have some clear advantages over inorganic semiconductors. Now, scientists, led by Prof Makoto Tadokoro of the Tokyo University of Science, report on the synthesis of a novel organic substance with potential applications as an n-type semiconductor. This study is published in the journal Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry. According to Prof Makoto Tadokoro, “organic semiconductor devices, unlike hard inorganic semiconductor devices, are very soft and are useful for creating adhesive portable devices that can easily fit on a person.” However, despite the advantages of organic semiconductors, there are very few known stable molecules that bear the physical properties of n-type semiconductors, compared to inorganic n-type semiconductors.

N-heteroheptacenequinone is a well-known potential candidate for materials. However, it has some drawbacks: it is unstable in air and UV-visible light, and it is insoluble in organic solvents. These disadvantages obstruct the practical applications of this substance as a semiconductor.

Cambridge startup claims breakthrough electric car battery that can charge in 6 minutes

A startup that spun out of Cambridge University claims a battery breakthrough that can charge an electric car in just six minutes.

It’s something we heard before, but the difference here is that they claim that they can commercialize the new battery as soon as next year.

The startup, Echion Technologies, was founded by Dr. Jean De La Verpilliere while he was studying for his PhD in nanoscience at the University of Cambridge.

Tesla Pickup Truck’s unveiling event aimed at November, hints Elon Musk

The long-awaited reveal of Tesla’s pickup truck will most likely take place November, Tesla CEO Elon Musk said in response to a Twitter follower’s question.

Tesla’s first crack at one of America’s most popular body styles, which will begin production after the Model Y, has been the topic of much speculation from Tesla and electric vehicle fans collectively. Information regarding the truck is vague, but Elon Musk has released a number of details, most notably a possible 300,000-lb towing capacity.

November most likely.

Porsche Increases Its Stake In Rimac Automobili From 10% To 15.5%

Porsche just released a new car that can not compete with Tesla, so what to do? Invest in someone who can.


Porsche and Rimac Automobili strengthens their partnership related to high-performance EV technology development.

The German manufacturer initially took 10% of Rimac Automobili and 10% of Rimac’s subsidiary Greyp Bikes in June 2018.

We assume that as Rimac has proven high value and quick progress, Porsche was convinced to further increase its stake to 15.5%.

Rimac Bumps Tesla’s New Roadster To Second Place With New Concept_Two

When Elon Musk and the team at Tesla unveiled the Tesla Roadster 2.0, a new stake was pounded into the tarmac, cementing the new Roadster and electric cars as the performance kings in nearly every meaningful category. It puts supercars to shame and at a fraction of the price.

With such a high bar being set at such a low price point, a no holds barred electric supercar seemed to be the only thing that could possibly top the high marks set by the new Tesla Roadster. Travel with me over to unlikely Sveta Nedelja, Croatia, where Mate Rimac and his motley crew of twisted engineering geniuses at Rimac Automobili assemble battery powered beasts that shake the boots off even the most seasoned track driver.

A 30 million euro round of fundraising last year from Asia’s largest battery manufacturer, Camel Group Ltd laid the foundation for Rimac’s new Concept_Two and now, finally, the beast is loose with full specs and a photo shoot to get fans drooling.