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Recharge Wrap-up: Smart metals, OTA updates, Rolls-Royce LNG ship

"Smart" metals could help engines reduce emissions and invigorate US business. Metallurgist and University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee professor Pradeep Rohatgi combines known metal alloys with materials like ceramics, nanoparticles, and recycled waste to produce strong, lightweight composites with self-lubricating properties that help internal combustion engines run more efficiently. Rohatgi hopes his startup, Intelligent Composites, and its products can help US foundries compete with production outsourced overseas. See the video above, and read more at Phys.org. Almost 203 million cars will be capable of over-the-air (OTA) updates by 2022, according to ABI research. While Tesla has the OTA firmware updates nailed down, other automakers will focus on software update capability. This will take the place of dealer-installed updates and - like Chrysler did after the Jeep hacking incident - updates sent to owners via USB drives. OTA updates will enhance vehicle security and reduce recall rates. Read more at Green Car Congress. European bus manufacturers have agreed upon a standardized charging interface for their electric buses. Irizar, Solaris, VDL and Volvo will use pantograph charging for "opportunity charging" and CCS plugs as the base for overnight charging and network communication. The manufacturers hope other bus makers and charging providers to join them in cooperation over standardized charging. Read more at Green Car Congress. The second Audi Autonomous Driving Cup will take place from March 22 to 24, 2016 at the automaker's Museum Mobile in Ingolstadt, Germany. The competition involves eight university teams implementing basic Audi software in 1:8 scale electric Audi Q5 models, and putting them through the paces of simulated real-world driving situations. The teams develop software architecture to use the suite of sensor to have the cars drive, park, maneuver in traffic and perform emergency braking autonomously. Teams also perform a freestyle event where they put the car through an additional task of their choosing. The winning team gets ˆ10,000, with smaller prizes for second and third place. The competition also gives the students the opportunity to showcase their skills in front of a potential employer. Read more at Green Car Congress. Rolls-Royce will provide the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) propulsion for an NSK cargo ship carrying fish food. The ship will deliver 2,700 metric tons of fish food to fish farms along the Norwegian coast.

2016 Audi A8 L 4.0T Sport bridges the gap to S8

Want to get your hands on an Audi S8, but can't quite make the stretch? You may be interested, then, in the newest addition to the A8 family. Because it just may be the next best thing. As the moniker suggests, the 2016 Audi A8 L 4.0T Sport packs a similar 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 to the one in the S8 (and the Bentley Continental GT for that matter). But instead of 520 horsepower, it's tuned to produce a somewhat more modest 450. That's also less than the 500 hp offered in the W12 model, but then the V8 engine is a fair bit lighter, and it produces 15 more horses than the previous 4.0T model. Along with the upgraded engine comes a sportier look, with larger air intakes at the front, more sculpted side sills, and 20-inch (or available 21-inch) alloys. It also comes standard with the Executive and Luxury packages, complimented by diamond-quilt stitching, and a headliner upholstered in Alcantara with a panoramic sunroof. Of course, it's also priced a fair bit lower than the aforementioned more powerful versions: $90,500 (plus $925 destination) is a relative bargain compared to the $114,900 commanded by the S8 and $137,900 for the A8 L W12. Audi has yet to release performance figures, but we'd expect it to drop a tenth or so off the 4.4-second 0-60 sprint achieved by the previous, 435-hp model. Those looking for more power than the S8, not less, may still hold out hope for the S8 Plus with its 605 hp to make its way to US showrooms. Related Video: Audi introduces 2016 A8 L 4.0T Sport model October 26, 2015 | HERNDON, Virginia - New Audi A8 L 4.0T Sport model achieves 450 hp through an enhanced 4.0T twin turbo V8 - Sport style exterior with muscular front fascia creates a striking presence on the road - Interior features panoramic sunroof, acoustic glazing on windows and Alcantara headline Featuring more power and enhanced luxury inside and out, the Audi A8 L 4.0T Sport model enters the Audi lineup for 2016. The variant of the Audi A8 flagship sedan boasts an enhanced 4.0T twin turbo V8 engine achieving an impressive 450 hp, an increase of 15 hp from the previous 4.0T model. The Sport model also includes a muscular front fascia with larger air intakes for a more commanding presence on the road. The bumper of the A8 L 4.0T Sport has been lowered for a more performance-oriented look and the sides of the sedan have been given more prominent rocker panels to give the vehicle a wider stance.

2016 Audi R8 E-Tron packs 456 hp and goes on sale this year

For the longest time, the Audi R8 E-Tron seemed like such a fantasy, we never really though it'd come to fruition. But it's here, in second-generation R8 form. It's really, actually, finally here. It looks like a electrified R8, too, with oversized, EV-spec wheels, and a revised front fascia that lends itself well to the more chiseled design of Audi's mid-engine coupe. Thanks to that nice shape and those air-slicing wheels, Audi has achieved a drag coefficient of 0.28 for the R8 E-Tron. The 92-kWh, T-shaped battery is actually integrated into the center tunnel behind the passenger compartment, so it helps with the car's weight distribution and center of gravity. The two electric motors are mounted at the rear. As for the specs, things look awesome: 456 horsepower, 679 pound-feet of torque, 0-62 in 3.9 seconds, top speed of either 130 or 155 miles per hour, a range of 280 miles and a charging time of less than two hours. And it's going on sale. Like, for real. Audi's press blast clearly states, "Upon customer request, the R8 E-Tron will be available for order in 2015 as an electrically powered sports car in supreme hand-built quality." Consider us stoked. Electrified: Audi R8 e-tron The second generation of the Audi R8 forms the basis for two more models. Audi has made major engineering developments in its high-performance electric sports car, the R8 e-tron. The latest evolution of the vehicle takes up the multimaterial Audi Space Frame from the new series-production model. The supporting structure was enhanced by a CFRP rear-section module comprising the luggage compartment. The walls of the CFRP luggage compartment well are corrugated. This way, in the event of a rear-end collision, more energy can be absorbed despite the reduced material weight. Thanks to targeted modifications to the outer shell and on the wheels, the Audi R8 e-tron achieves an aerodynamic drag coefficient (cd) value of 0.28. In terms of performance and range, the car enters entirely new dimensions. The large T-shaped battery is structurally integrated into the center tunnel and behind the occupant cell – optimally positioned in the car. It supports the dynamics of the R8 e-tron with its low center of gravity. Audi produces the high-voltage battery itself, for the first time based on a newly developed lithium-ion technology which was specially conceived for a purely electric vehicle drive.