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Recharge Wrap-up: Q50 Hybrid video, Iran's biodiesel weed

A new video from Infiniti showcases the Q50 Hybrid's kinetic energy recovery technology, borrowed from Formula One. The video details what is going on inside both the Q50 Hybrid and the racecar when it gathers energy to store for later use, offering better performance than an internal combustion engine alone. In the Q50 Hybrid, that electric energy helps the car accelerate from 0-60 in 4.9 seconds. The video also serves to highlight the relationship between racing innovation and performance and efficiency improvements in production vehicles. See the video above. The 2015 Toyota Prius C has been named a Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The compact hybrid, updated for the 2015 model year, has been upgraded from a "poor" to "acceptable" rating in the small overlap crash test, placing it on the Top Safety Pick list. Beginning in the 2016 model year, cars will have to score a "good" rating on the test to make the list, which means further improvements will be necessary if Toyota wants the Prius C to maintain its safety status with the IIHS. Read more at Green Car Reports. A couple in Tennessee have been found guilty of scamming the state in a fake biodiesel scheme. John and Lisa Brichetto's Northington Energy LLC received a state loan to produce biodiesel in 2011, but the facility never started production and was later foreclosed upon. In addition to the $142,215 the Brichettos defrauded from Tennessee, the state also invested in utilities and roads, while the US Department of Agriculture also paid for site improvements. Read more from the Times Free Press. Researchers in Iran have developed a way to make biodiesel from a weed. Scientists at the Islamic Azad University have created two liters of biomass for biofuel from flixweed. Flixweed, also called herb-Sophia and tansy mustard, is a non-edible weed that grows in various climates with little to no effort. It was found to contain 22 percent oil and fatty acids, and the biomass contains oxygenated chemical components. "This issue is important because the atomic oxygen in the fuel of a car directly cuts exhaust and the dangerous carbon monoxide and cancerous particles suspended in air," says Mehdi Alami, a chemistry graduate working on the project. Read more at Press TV.

Infiniti hires Sebastian Vettel as Director of Performance

Remember when, during the Grand Prix of the Americas weekend last November, we told you that Sebastian Vettel had worked with Infiniti on the new G Coupe and that there'd be more of that kind of involvement on the way? It's been made official with the three-time Formula One World Champion being named Infiniti's Director of Performance.
Although the announcement is fresh, Vettel's time on the job isn't, Infiniti saying that Vettel went to Japan, the Nürburgring and the Circuit de Catalunya to assist in the development of the Q50 sedan.
When we spoke to Andreas Sigl, the man in charge of Infiniti's F1 collaboration with Red Bull, about the tie-up he had also said, "Like Mercedes has AMG and BMW has M - whether it's called IPL or not - we want to have something in that space." If the brand is still serious about that, Vettel's chops could help them deliver the kind of performance they'd need as upstarts to challenge the ringleaders of that particular hi-po circus.

2019 Infiniti QX60 and QX80 Limited, now with more chrome, Alcantara

Just ahead of the New York Auto Show, we get our first glimpse at new trims on the 2019 Infiniti QX60 and the refreshed 2019 Infiniti QX80. The Limited trim is the range topping spec for both crossovers and adds some new colors, trims and visual changes you won't find on lower-tier models. Pricing hasn't been announced, but the new models will be on sale this summer. The QX60 is Infiniti's best-selling model. The 2019 QX60 Limited has a new dark chrome finish on the grille, fog lights and door moldings. The roof rails, cross bars and rear bumper also get a darker finish. There are new 20-inch wheels that are exclusive to the Limited model. Inside, the QX60 Limited gets new trim with contrasting stitching, leather-wrapped grab handles, dark silver wood accents, quilted leather seats and door panels, and unique floor and cargo mats. Similar treatments can be found on the 2019 QX80. The Limited model gets 22-inch wheels, stainless-steel running boards, satin chrome trim and roof rails, and a unique design on the front and rear bumpers. There's also one exclusive paint color, Anthracite Gray. Inside, the QX80 Limited has a two-tone leather and Alcantara interior. It also gets some slick looking matte-silver wood trim. Other features include illuminated kick plates, puddle lights and special floor and cargo mats. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.