When a ship runs aground, or two vessels crash into each other, the damaged one may lose its stability, or worse, sink. But imagine if after a ship accident, balloons popped up like car airbags to keep the disabled vessel upright and afloat .

Hydro-mechanical diesel multiple units (DMUs), multiple unit trains powered by diesel engines, are needed in regional traffic.

The European HySYS project aims to take stock of the elements needed to manufacture an electric vehicle whose electricity is generated by a fuel cell. The fuel cell on board is powered by air and hydrogen.

Together the engineers worked on the fuel cell propulsion system by upgrading the air supply, integrating a humidification system, redesigning the hydrogen supply line and developing a hydrogen sensor concept.

The vessel Hintsanen designed fulfils all necessary requirements: It has a capacity of over 5000 m3 and runs with natural liquid gas (LNG) to avoid any pollution in case of a spill.

Lighter ships mean more freight, less trips and therefore less fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. Veikko Hintsanen, a captain from Finland, and the researchers from Fraunhofer have designed a “Bioship” based on the new material.

The new material is lighter than water and has a high stiffness . Within seconds a cube made from aluminum starts to inflate into the shape of a sponge under the impact of heat.

The research into molten carbonate fuel cells has it origins as early as the 1930s, Emil Baur and H.Preis in Switzerland experimented with high-temperature, solid oxide electrolytes.

Overloaded trucks may cause excessive damage to the road infrastructure and lead to road accidents. For this purpose, there are strict government regulations imposed regarding permissible loads on the truck and its distribution.

German highway engineers have set up a new system of cameras and sensors in the ground – to determine weight, speed and even state of the wheels and brakes.

By comparing the weights of latest Volkswagen Golf VI with its predecessor Golf I, built in 1978, the scale shows the difference: Golf I weighs 880 kilograms, Golf VI lets the numbers on the scale rise to 1.

The European Union has set a standard that emissions may not exceed an average of 130 grams CO2 per kilometre. This corresponds to the consumption of approximately 4,5 litres of fuel per 100km.

A delivery van double-parking and blocking the road . This could be a scene of the past according to Werner Schönewolf, who is developing new delivery methods for parcel services.

Fuel cell vehicles (FCV’s) are already in use, but only for demonstration purposes, and a good infrastructure for hydrogen refuelling is not in place yet.

The cars today - even in their basic configuration - are equipped with many features: air conditioning, electric windows and airbags for example. The price for improved comfort and safety on board has been an increase in weight.

Worldwide gas prices continue to rise daily- as well as environmental and safety consciousness. Hydrogen as an energy carrier in fuel cells could now bring forward a solution to many of these problems.

These days, a walk with your loved one along the quiet alleyways of Naples’ old city centre will not induce any feelings of romance, that’s for sure. The smell is unbearable, and the view is simply unimaginable.

Sales of battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) are increasing as consumers and automakers alike benefit from European government subsidies for electric vehicles.

Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) are starting to win market share in Europe, as consumers opt for cleaner technology and lawmakers strengthen emissions rules for automakers in a bid to bring down pollution levels.

Battery electric cars are slowly gaining in popularity among consumers in Europe as mainstream automakers respond to an industry-wide shift away from petrol and diesel vehicles.