At first glace, the Scorpion is easily distinguishable as an exotic car, thanks largely to its unique, curvy structure and flashy exterior. This Ronn Motor Company creation aims to crash the alternative fuel market and exotic car market with its 650 horsepower engine and mind-boggling 40 mpg rating. Powering the Scorpion is a twin-turbo 3.5-liter V6 Acura engine paired with a H2GO hydrogen injection system. The high-tech system boosts fuel economy by 20-30% and reduces carbon emissions at the same time. The hydrogen super car weighs just 2,200 pounds thanks largely to its carbon fiber skin. All this technology adds up to a $175,000 price tag, and the initial production cluster of 200 units will begin production in the fall. [Source: Gas 2.0]

After standing for 103 years, Fred Marriott’s steam-powered land speed record has been broken…unofficially! The American driver’s “Stanley Steamer” topped out at 127 miles per hour back in 1906. This week, the British Steam Car Team’s “fastest kettle in the world” managed to hit 131 miles per hour at the Edwards Air Force Base in California. Compared to the 1906 “Stanley Steamer”, the “fastest kettle in the world” is almost twice as long and four times as heavy. The British creation is engineered to near speeds of 170mph and release 8.8 gallons of steam a minute. That calculates out to 220 gallons in 25 minutes of operation thanks to temperature highs of 725 degrees Fahrenheit. Presently, the 131 mph mark is unofficial and is awaiting verification by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile. The FIA requires that challengers successfully complete two runs within an hour to officially beat the standing record. Updates coming soon! [Source: Jalopnik and Gas 2.0]

Lamborghini plans on jumping into the green revolution by 2015 with an exotic super-hybrid. Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann has gone on record to confirm this claim in an interview with Germany’s Automobilewoche. The future hybrid will utilize an electric motor to power the super-hybrid at low speeds and be powered by a monstrous V10 or V12 at higher, more demanding speeds. Coincidentally, Ferrari will also be launching a hybrid supercar by 2015. Battle! [Source: Popular Science]

In one corner, Nissan stands with its Leaf EV. In the opposing corner, Chevrolet boasts its upcoming Volt. The Chevrolet Volt Concept was a wildly sexy prototype that attracted a lot of positive attention. As expected, the production Volt is not nearly as aesthetically satisfying as the original concept. Unfortunately, the Nissan electric Leaf smashes the Volt’s fuel economy rating. This medium-sized hatchback Leaf reportedly gets 367 miles to the gallon, which is almost 60 percent more than the 230 mpg Chevy claims the Volt achieves. In addition, the Nissan Leaf will be offered around $25,000 to $33,000 whereas the Chevy Volt is estimated to have a $40,000 price tag. A single charge will allow the Leaf to travel 100 emission-free miles. A quick 30-minute charge using a special charger will bring the Leaf’s battery pack to 80 percent capacity. Fortunately for Chevy, Nissan won’t be offering the Leaf until late 2012 at the earliest. [Source: Nissan]

We all know the French make some darn good crepes and escargot, but now we can add bat guano crazy quad bikes to that list. Ludovic Lazareth decided to implant a BMW V12 engine into this quad bike and pair it with a turbocharger. A go kart on steroids would have nothing on this monstrosity. The ethanol (E85) fuel has a higher octane rating than standard gasoline, which allows for higher compression ratios, more power and ridiculous performance. Even Batman wishes he had one of these bad boys. [Source: Jalopnik]

With global warming as noticeable as ever and the automobile industry in the throws of recovery, solar powered cars are attracting more attention every day. Students at MIT are hoping solar juice could be the standard for cars of the future. These students are accomplishing far more than simply adding solar panels to a Toyota Prius to help run on-board electronics. The Solar Electric Vehicle Team at Massachusetts Institute of Technology will be sponsored by Panasonic Corporation. The team plans to take on the World Solar Challenge and Global Green Challenge, for which Panasonic will supply high-capacity lithium-ion batteries. The upcoming Global Green Challenge will be held in Australia and will host an Eco Challenge for other alternative-fuel automobiles, an area of study already conquered by MIT students. [Source: Gas 2.0]

The Cash for Clunkers program just might be suspended. Those of you looking for that $9000 BMW 335d discount will have to settle for the $4500 off your Bimmer and a $900 tax incentive. The Cash for Clunkers program, which has already unnecessarily claimed a legendary Porsche 928, has surpassed government expectations in mere days. The AP says the White House is reviewing the program after the $1 billion budget covered just a few weeks of CARS. The current backlog in transaction processing is causing this “suspension.” More news to come. [Source: Associated Press]

Though San Francisco is more well-known for its eco-friendly progress, San Jose is leading the way in electric vehicle infrastructure. With 7 electric-vehicle charging stations available to the public, the largest city in the Silicon Valley is making the entry for Tesla, Aptera, and other plug-in electric automakers easier. San Jose’s manager of corporate outreach, Nanci Klein, is cooperating with local Fortune 100 companies to potentially install charging stations on employer campuses. In addition, certain light posts around the city are being retrofitted with charging adapters. The future for electric vehicles in San Jose is looking mighty bright and green. [Source: Gas 2.0]

Students at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have managed to turn a Mercury Milan hybrid into an electric vehicle capable of charging in just ten minutes. Most of us can’t cook Mac n’ Cheese in ten minutes, much less charger our EVs. The team of auto-crafters took a 2010 Mercury Milan hybrid and dropped a whopping load of 7,905 lithium ion batteries into it. Capable of 100mph speeds, 12,00rpm, and 200 miles on a single charge, this awesome American automobile costs a pretty penny. The batteries alone amount to $80,000 and the 2010 Mercury Milan hybrid has a base MSRP of $31,235. Maybe waiting until mid 2010 for the Fisker Karma isn’t too bad afterall.

The city of Athens has placed a big fat Greek order of Mercedes-Benz’s Econic compressed natural gas trucks to use in the city’s waste management collection fleet. Compared to gasoline and diesel equivalents, the Econic produces 90 percent less particualte matter and 25 percent less carbon-dioxide emissions. Each of the 108 trucks ordered runs more quietly than the current diesel models and meets the Enhanced Environmentally-Friendly Vehicles emission standards. It’s nice to know someone is still buying from Daimler. Check out the press release after the jump! [Source: TreeHugger]

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