truck

GE takes giant hybrid dump truck for a ride

Hybrids aren't just for eco-conscious soccer moms.

General Electric on Tuesday said that it has tested a hybrid version of a haul truck, the kind of giant dump truck that's used at a mine or to haul away mountains of dirt.

The system works just like a Toyota Prius, more or less. The engine feeds electricity to a battery that runs the drivetrain. During braking, the spinning wheels act as a generator for the battery.

The batteries in the hybrid off-highway truck is the same sodium-based battery used in GE's locomotives, according to the GE Research blog. … Read more

1 million miles in a Chevy Silverado

When he bought a 5-year-old pickup truck with 41,000 miles on it, Frank Oresnik had no idea how long it would last him. That was in 1996. On a Friday evening in February 2008, he was still on the road with that 1991 Chevrolet Silverado, speaking on the phone with National Public Radio's Robert Siegel and watching the odometer roll over the 1 million mile mark. And, he told Siegel, he has the oil change and other maintenance records to prove it's legit.

To hear the full report on NPR, go here: "Wisconsin Man Drives Millionth Mile in '91 Chevy&… Read more

Power system for refrigerator trucks aims to reduce diesel pollution

Refrigerator trucks may not be sexy, but they play a vital role in our day-to-day lives by carrying food and supplies from one part of the country to another. However, they also contribute a significant amount of pollution on our roads.

Aura Systems, a company based in El Segundo, Calif., on Wednesday introduced a mobile-power system that keeps produce cold by using electricity instead of diesel fuel.

Traditional refrigeration trucks use a separate diesel engine to drive the compressor that keeps the inside of the truck cold. The extra engine not only emits more pollutants, but is also extremely expensive … Read more

A 5-star hotel on wheels

Even some of the most jaded Cravers were admittedly impressed by the recently cited $1 million-plus RV and its over-the-top appointments. But less than a week later, it's already been topped by an even more outrageous concept.

The Spanish-made "Hotel Movil" isn't just a mobile home: It's a mobile hotel. Or motel, as the case may be. In fact, OhGizmo says it can convert to pretty much anything you want--"a mobile hospital, a portable film studio and even a school"--because it must be built to custom specs anyway. Yet its primary … Read more

Twenty-eight wheels...of evil!

Could this one-of-a-kind truck be in the next Transformers movie?

Oh, come on. You know a super-duper-mega-blockbuster hit such as Transformers is destined for sequels. In fact, one of the best things about it was the overwhelming believability of it all.

Just kidding. We all know that green-screen alien robots fighting over the Hoover Dam with a hefty dollop of inane dialog and epileptic cinematography pushes the limits of incredulity. But that's part of the fun.

As much as I loved the movie--I thought it was an exhilarating, ridiculous thrill-ride--the fact that all the vehicles were based on real … Read more

Boring is no car safety guarantee

Think you're safer in an SUV? Think again.

Cars topping the Forbes "Top 20 Most Dangerous Vehicles" list include a crossover-SUV and two pickup trucks.

While Forbes gets too much into the methodology on how its list is compiled, it makes the good point that frequently crashed cars are not necessarily the most dangerous. (They could simply be the most popular among young and inexperienced drivers.)

And boring does not automatically mean safe. The No. 1 car on the Forbes list, the 2007 Buick Rendezvous crossover SUV touted by Tiger Woods in commercials, got only a three-star … Read more

A laptop case for paramilitary missions

Now this is a laptop case that makes sense to us. There are PCs, keyboards and even USB drives designed to withstand all manner of assault, but our needs aren't so ambitious. In fact, given our sedentary nature, the only time we really worry about damage to our computers is when they're packed away for the car or plane. Which is precisely where RadTech's "MacTruck" comes in.

The aluminum-alloy case, which the manufacturer claims is "rugged enough to drive a truck over," has two steel latch bars to provide maximum protection for a … Read more

What's a Wii without the games?

I know you have one, hidden under the bed or tucked away in the dark recesses of the closet so your friends don't see. That's right, I'm talking about the Wii. If you don't have The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, you're in the bottom 25 percent who haven't jumped all over this title. For a lighter experience, get yourself a copy of Excite Truck. While it doesn't have the most flashy title, the game is addictively fun and is an excellent showcase of Nintendo's new control scheme. You might as well … Read more

The Cadillac of pickup trucks

It's difficult to imagine what customer segment the designers at GM had in mind when they came up with the idea of the Cadillac Escalade EXT. The 2007 model that just arrived into the CNET Car Tech garage boasts a dazzling array of tech features: heated and cooled front seats, a factory-installed DVD player, DVD-based touch-screen navigation, as-standard XM Satellite radio playing through an eight-speaker Bose surround-sound audio system and...an 8-foot cargo bed.

With all-wheel drive and a monstrous 6.2-liter engine, the EXT could theoretically be used to haul around stacks of 50-gallon drums or to tow … Read more