Transportation48 Stories

After a century’s dominance, the fossil-fuel-powered internal combustion engine is facing serious challengers. What will the future of transportation look like? Explore articles, video, and interactive diagrams.

  1. Europe Proposes Cheap Quantum Optics Link to the Space Station

    The ability to send entangled photons to the ISS would be a stepping stone to a global quantum internet and could test the link between quantum mechanics and relativity
    November 13, 2012

  2. How To Tackle the Outstanding Problem in Astrophysics

    The strange behaviour of spacecraft as they fly past Earth has astrophysicists scratching their heads. Now space scientists are developing a mission that could measure the phenomenon in detail
    October 31, 2012

  3. A Charger for the Smart Grid
    August 25, 2010

  4. Going Further on the Same Tank

    A technology coming to Chrysler vehicles can improve the fuel economy of standard gasoline engines by 25 percent.
    August 19, 2010

  5. New Battery for Cheap Electric Vehicles

    Founder of A123 Systems starts a new company to commercialize the technology.
    August 16, 2010

  6. Converting Gas-Guzzlers into Hybrids

    Companies hope to turn aging trucks, vans, and taxis into more efficient hybrids.
    August 13, 2010

  7. Hyundai Bets on Lithium-Ion Batteries

    The 2011 Sonata Hybrid will be the first mass-market car to use the battery technology.
    August 12, 2010

  8. Wireless Car Sensors Vulnerable to Hackers

    Researchers figure out how to hijack sensor communications.
    August 10, 2010

  9. Jet Fuel from Plants

    A way to get a high-energy fuel out of an abundant and renewable resource.
    August 9, 2010

  10. Porsche with a Plug

    The 918 Spyder will be the world’s fastest plug-in hybrid.
    August 5, 2010

  11. A Smoother Street View

    Microsoft’s new toy allows for a more seamless walk down an online avenue.
    July 28, 2010

  12. U.S. Backs Electric-Car Batteries. Will Drivers Follow?

    If federally funded factories don’t get enough demand, even more government spending could result.
    July 21, 2010

  13. Safer, Longer-Lasting Batteries for Cars

    A startup company has a printing method for solid-state batteries.
    July 20, 2010

  14. Ford's Plan to Hedge on Hybrids

    The company will share parts and production lines between hybrids and conventional vehicles.
    June 14, 2010

  15. Fan Pack
    April 20, 2010

  16. Creating Apps Just for Cars

    Ford and the University of Michigan are developing social networking apps.
    March 17, 2010

  17. Toyota Applies the Brakes

    The company hopes a “smart pedal” will help defuse criticism.
    March 11, 2010

  18. Bacteria Make Diesel from Biomass

    Newly engineered E. coli streamline the conversion of cellulose into fuel.
    January 28, 2010

  19. China's High-Speed-Rail Revolution

    Dedicated lines are the key to record-breaking speeds.
    January 11, 2010

  20. Nissan's Leaf: Charged with Information

    The all-electric car will tell drivers where to recharge.
    December 15, 2009

  21. A Cheaper Hydrogen Catalyst

    Using nickel as a catalyst rather than platinum could also mean less-expensive fuels cells.
    December 4, 2009

  22. Low-Carbon Fuel Rules

    California is about to implement a standard to boost cleaner fuels and punish the rest.
    November 24, 2009

  23. Demonstrating a CO2 Recycler

    Sandia scientists successfully test a machine that creates fuel from carbon dioxide.
    November 23, 2009

  24. A New Route to Cellulosic Biofuels

    ZeaChem’s pilot plant will make ethanol using termite microbes.
    November 20, 2009

  25. More Energy in Batteries

    Nanowire anodes could let lithium-ion batteries run twice as long.
    November 6, 2009

  26. Betting on a Metal-Air Battery Breakthrough

    A government-funded start-up claims it can make ionic liquid energy storage feasible.
    November 5, 2009

  27. High-Energy Batteries Coming to Market

    Rechargeable zinc-air batteries can store three times the energy of a lithium-ion battery.
    October 28, 2009

  28. Research to Watch
    October 20, 2009

  29. Companies to Watch: Public
    October 20, 2009

  30. Companies To Watch: Private Companies
    October 20, 2009

  31. Electric Cars Move Slowly
    October 20, 2009

  32. Washington Backs Plug-ins
    October 20, 2009

  33. Satellites for Speedy Skies
    October 20, 2009

  34. Scaling Up Is Hard to Do
    October 20, 2009

  35. Urban Renewal
    October 20, 2009

  36. High-Speed Rail
    October 20, 2009

  37. Cleaner Vehicles by the Million
    October 20, 2009

  38. Petroleum's Long Good-bye
    October 20, 2009

  39. Getting Beyond Petroleum Won't Be Easy
    October 20, 2009

  40. Next Stop: Ultracapacitor Buses

    A U.S.-Chinese venture is out to prove the benefits of quick-charge buses.
    October 19, 2009

  41. Head-up Displays go Holographic

    A new projection technology could see in-vehicle displays pop up in wing mirrors.
    October 16, 2009

  42. How Aviation Can Come Clean

    Advanced technology won’t be enough for the industry to meet its own greenhouse-gas targets.
    October 1, 2009

  43. Longer-Running Electric-Car Batteries

    Silicon-nanotube electrodes may enable lithium-ion batteries to store 10 times more charge.
    September 23, 2009

  44. Gasoline from Vinegar

    A process that converts acids from garbage into fuel gets a boost.
    September 9, 2009

  45. Recyclable Hydrogen Fuel Tanks

    A new process makes regenerating hydrogen fuel more efficient.
    September 8, 2009

  46. A Startup's Electric Sedan May Be First on the Road

    A Chinese-built electric sedan could be the first on sale in the United States, but it will quickly face competition.
    June 19, 2009

  47. Test Driving the Volt

    Kevin Bullis, Technology Review’s energy editor, spoke with Frank Weber and Tony Posowatz, GM executives, about GM’s new plug-in hybrid electric car called the Volt, and then took a test version of the vehicle for a rare test drive. (Note: The speed of the car, referenced in the video, is kilometers per hour.)
    June 12, 2009

  48. Driving the Volt

    The electric propulsion system for GM’s new plug-in hybrid gives a silent yet powerful ride.
    June 12, 2009