In what’s being hailed as a breakthrough, scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the US claim to have discovered a new power source — fuel-coated nanotubes.

A MIT team, which also included a group of researchers from RMIT University in Australia, says it has discovered that fuel-coated nanotubes can be excellent conductors of heat and power generators.

The power generated relative to the energy source size is three to four times greater than what is currently possible with the best lithium-ion batteries, say the scientists.

Officials in southern China appear to have averted environmental calamity by halting the spread of a toxic metal that had threatened to foul drinking water for tens of millions of people, the state media reported Monday.

Officials said they had successfully diluted the concentration of cadmium, a poisonous component of batteries, that has been coursing down the Longjiang River in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

California approved aggressive new rules on Friday to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by requiring automakers to put many more electric and hybrid vehicles on the Golden State's roads by 2025.

The regulations were approved unanimously by nine members of the state's powerful air-quality regulator, the California Air Resources Board, at a meeting in Los Angeles.

They are expected to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 34 percent and smog and soot pollutants by 75 percent by 2025, in part by putting 1.4 million electric, plug-in and hydrogen vehicles on the state's roads.

“Just imagine travelling from Connaught Place to Delhi international airport for an energy cost of Rs 10 and doing so in air-conditioned, climate controlled comfort in your own car without emitting a single molecule of harmful gases.”

With that preamble, Dr Pawan Goenka, President – Automotive Sector, Mahindra & Mahindra, set the stage for unveiling the concept electric car – NXR – from Mahindra Reva. The company, he said, was working on an integrated ecosystem to provide that kind of a transport solution.

A government policy to promote renewable energy has lured a large number of new entrants into the business, particularly for solar panel installations, sector people said.

In the last two years, nearly 100 firms and NGOs have appeared on the scene to sell technologies including solar home systems, irrigation pumps, water heaters, street lights and their accessories and batteries.

Automakers Toyota and BMW on Thursday struck a partnership to share eco-friendly technologies, including in the joint development of lithium-ion batteries for next-generation electric cars, the companies said.

Under the deal, the German automaker will also provide diesel engines for Toyota as the Japanese auto giant looks to boost sales in Europe, where more than half of passenger cars are diesel powered.

Toyota has struggled to boost its European market share with its gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles, despite its leading position in the low-emission technology.

Toyota and BMW have agreed to collaborate on research for cleaner, next-generation car batteries, underlining the growing push in the industry for green technology.

The agreement brings together Toyota Motor, Japan’s No. 1 carmaker and a leader in gas-electric hybrids, and BMW of Germany, a European maker that has a strong luxury brand image in both Japan and Europe.

India and Canada have agreed to extend co-operation in the field of renewable energy. An official statement issued here said that the matter was discussed when Ms Christy Clark, Premier of British Columbia, Canada met Dr. Farooq Abdullah, Minister of New and Renewable Energy.

General Motors Co confirmed it will make its first all-electric vehicle, a version of the Chevrolet Spark minicar that will debut in 2013 and take aim at Nissan Motor Co Ltd's Leaf.

"Chevrolet will produce an all-electric version of the Spark minicar for selected U.S. and global markets, including California," Jim Federico, Chevy's global vehicle chief engineer for electric vehicles, said at the company's Detroit headquarters on Wednesday.