Biofuel Skycar headed for production in 2010

Filed under: Coupes, Hybrids/Alternative, Etc., Special/Limited Editions

Earlier this year, the Parajet Skycar Expedition, featuring the “World’s First Bio-fuelled Flying Car,” flew from London, England to Timbuktu in Mali, Africa. If you lusted over something so incredibly cool – a car that can transform from ground to air mode in about three minutes and actually works in both areas, then we’ve got good news for you: Parajet International Ltd has struck a deal to produce road-legal SkyCars with Rage Motorsport Ltd.

Rage will build the vehicle and Parajet will add all the parts that make it fly. A mock-up of the vehicle is pictured here, but Parajet says a “totally new chassis is being designed for the SkyCar which accommodates the rear fan system into the tubular chassis work.” This will reduce weight by about 80 kg (176 lbs). Other changes are to include a re-positioned rear parachute, more legroom and a three-cylinder, 140 horsepower fuel-injected Yamaha engine. How long will you have to wait for one? Parajet says test flights of the skycar should happen this September and the release date could be early 2010.

Watch a CNN-produced video of the Skycar in action after the jump.

[Sources: Parajet Ltd; CNN.com]

Continue reading Biofuel Skycar headed for production in 2010

Biofuel Skycar headed for production in 2010 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 17 Apr 2009 13:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AutoblogGreen for 04.17.09

Filed under: Hybrids/Alternative, Green

	Greenlings: What is regenerative braking? A primer on just what happens when you pres the brakes on your hybrid or EV.		In Russia, public transportation goes to the dogs (literally) These pups are smart enough to take the subway into town for better begging.
	Chrysler’s first EV will likely be the Dodge Circuit With much of the work done out of house, it makes sense that the Circuit could be ready by 2010.	Other news: Obama outlines high-speed rail plan for U.S. Skycar update: production version coming in 2010 Jay Leno picks the future classics, includes first-gen hybrids

AutoblogGreen for 04.17.09 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 17 Apr 2009 06:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Family does its part with ‘green’ heat – Newburyport Daily News
NEWBURYPORT — For six years, Niall Robinson’s interest in climate change has driven him to join green energy groups throughout the city. He sits on Newburyport’s Energy Advisory Committee and is active in the Transition Town movement. Robinson’s

PUCO issues rules for renewable energy – The Columbus Dispatch
Utility regulators took a step toward implementing a new state energy law yesterday, issuing rules for renewable energy, energy efficiency and greenhouse-gas reporting. Advocacy groups had little immediate reaction as they sought to make sense of the

W2 Energy Enters Negotiations in Florida – Market Wire
TORONTO–(Marketwire – April 16, 2009) – W2 Energy Inc ( PINKSHEETS : WTWO ) a developer of green energy is pleased to announce that its joint venture partner R&J Howell is entering meetings to supply W2 Energy waste to energy plants to several

Ohio regulators approve renewable energy rules – Forbes
Ohio regulators unanimously approved rules for the production of renewable energy, ending a long wait among green energy companies contemplating doing business in the state. Wednesday’s decision by the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio came roughly

Green Energy Technology Certifies Applied Materials SunFab Line for – PR Inside
Green Energy Technology Inc., Ltd. (GET) has certified its SunFab Thin Film Line ™ , supplied by Applied Materials, Inc., for the production of Taiwan’s largest solar photovoltaic panels. The line, located in Tao Yuan, Taiwan, passed final

Biomass has potential but we must assess its full environmental impact – Guardian Unlimited
Despite all the media attention on wind, solar and even wave power as key sources of renewable energy , the UK’s largest green energy provider is biomass – using wood, annual crops or waste materials as fuel for heat and electricity. It now

PUCO issues rules for renewable energy – Columbus Dispatch
Utility regulators took a step toward implementing a new state energy law yesterday, issuing rules for renewable energy, energy efficiency and greenhouse-gas reporting. Advocacy groups had little immediate reaction as they sought to make sense of the

Sustainable Power Corp. to Provide Energy Resources for xStrata PLC’s – Market Wire
BAYTOWN, TX–(Marketwire – April 16, 2009) – Sustainable Power Corp. ( PINKSHEETS : SSTP ) announced today that it has completed its inspection of Falcondo (Falconbridge Dominicana C por. A, a division of xStrata plc) in connection with Mr. Octavio

Green Energy Technology Certifies Applied Materials SunFab Line for – PR Inside
Green Energy Technology Inc., Ltd. (GET) has certified its SunFab Thin Film Line ™ , supplied by Applied Materials, Inc., for the production of Taiwan’s largest solar photovoltaic panels. The line, located in Tao Yuan, Taiwan, passed final

Biomass has potential but we must assess its full environmental impact – Guardian Unlimited
Despite all the media attention on wind, solar and even wave power as key sources of renewable energy , the UK’s largest green energy provider is biomass – using wood, annual crops or waste materials as fuel for heat and electricity. It now

Yingli Green Energy Draws Down on Three-Year Loan Facility With ADM – StreetInsider.com
BAODING, China, April 16 /PRNewswire-Asia-FirstCall/ — Yingli Green Energy Holding Company Limited (NYSE: YGE ) (“Yingli Green Energy” or “the Company”), one of the world’s leading vertically integrated photovoltaic (“PV”) product manufacturers

SF Mayor Gavin Newsom: Power America With Ocean Energy – CNN Money
( gigaom.com ) — Today, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar will hold a high-profile public hearing in San Francisco about the future of offshore oil drilling along America’s coastlines. We have a choice. Invest in safe, renewable forms of

Municipal fears unfounded — Smitherman – North Bay Nugget
Energy and Infrastructure Minister George Smitherman downplayed concerns Wednesday municipalities will lose authority over planning applications for renewable energy projects under proposed new legislation. Smitherman, in North Bay to promote the

Grousing About Grouse: Green Hurdles to Clean Energy – Wall Street Journal
We spend a lot of time writing about the many obstacles facing renewable energy. Little did we know that one of the biggest obstacles wasn’t economic, technological, or even political—unless the lesser prairie chicken counts as a political

AutoblogGreen for 04.16.09

Filed under: Hybrids/Alternative, Green

	Dark Knight’s BatPod driven by the Tesla Roadster Did you feel the EV itch when you saw Batman race through Gotham? Here’s why.		Bill Gates files patent for electromagnetic generator, plasma injector Just how much power will Windows 7 require? (h/t to jpm100)
	Electric Aid challenges Bill O’Reilly to sign up for an electric car Bill made a claim last year, and the guys want to make sure he follows through.	Other news: Toyota claims 40,000 pre-orders for new Prius Pics Aplenty: Peapod Mobility neighborhood electric vehicle Loremo EV goes for its first drive

AutoblogGreen for 04.16.09 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 16 Apr 2009 06:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cash plan to promote electric cars – Ananova
Consumers could receive incentives of between £2,000 and £5,000 to buy an electric car from 2011, the Government has announced. Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon said the initiative – part of the Government’s low-carbon transport plan – would mean an

Public-private partnership to put electric-car stations in Valley – AZCentral.com
The resurgent electric-car industry plans to launch several new models in the United States next year, and Valley officials are paving the way for infrastructure to support them. The Maricopa Association of Governments will announce today that it is

5,000 incentive to buy electric cars – Belfast Telegraph
Consumers could receive incentives of between £2,000 and £5,000 to buy an electric car from 2011, the Government announced today. Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon said the initiative — part of the Government’s low-carbon transport plan — would

Government to offer £5,000 to boost green cars – Times Online
UK motorists are to be offered subsidies of up to £5,000 to purchase an electric car under Government plans to be unveiled today, as new figures suggest that scrappage incentive schemes are reversing the slump in car sales across Europe. The cash

Here’s 5,000 pounds – go and buy an electric car – Reuters UK
LONDON (Reuters Life!) – British motorists will soon be offered up to 5,000 pounds ($7,460) to encourage them to buy electric or hybrid cars under a new government plan. The plan also sets aside 20 million pounds for charging points and

Government grants for electric cars – BBC UK News
Motorists could get up to £5,000 in incentives if they buy an electric car, from 2011. It is part of a series of measures to encourage people to be greener and to help the struggling British motor industry

Electric car subsidies unveiled – BBC News
Motorists will be offered subsidies of up to £5,000 to encourage them to buy electric or plug-in hybrid cars under plans announced by the government. It is part of the government’s £250m plan to promote low carbon transport over the next five years

5,000 for drivers who go electric – This is Money
Motorists buying electric cars will be eligible for taxpayer-funded discounts of up to £5,000, ministers will announce today. The Government will hand out incentives worth a total of £250m to help make the least polluting vehicles more affordable

Toyota reportedly expects 40,000 pre-orders for new Prius

Filed under: Trends, Hybrids/Alternative, Green, Toyota

The well-publicized battle for hybrid sales supremacy between Honda and Toyota has taken yet another intriguing turn. According to Japan’s Nikkei newspaper, Toyota is saying that it expects to take 40,000 preorders in Japan for its new 2010 Prius hybrid ahead of its official rollout in May. For the sake of comparison, the Japanese automaker sold a total of 73,100 Prius hybrids in all of 2008.

More importantly, rival automaker Honda managed to sell about 18,000 copies of its latest Insight hybrid in its first month on sale. By all accounts, Honda was delighted to move that many Insights – the automaker had predicted that it would only sell about 5,000 units for the first month the hybrid was available in Japan.

A few months ago, Honda made a big splash by pricing the smaller, slightly less fuel efficient Insight a few million yen (or a few thousand dollars) below the starting price of the standard-setting Prius. In response, Toyota announced it would keep the previous generation Prius around for at least another year and dropped that model’s price to match the Insight.

But that wasn’t enough for Toyota – earlier this month, the automaker set the starting price for the new 2010 model at 2.05 million yen ($20,750), which is just about the same as the mid-level Insight. The next chapter: U.S. pricing for the 2010 Prius has yet to be announced. Let the games continue.

[Source: Reuters]

Toyota reportedly expects 40,000 pre-orders for new Prius originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 15 Apr 2009 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Symyx Awarded Grant From Department of Energy for Solar Thermal Energy – Market Wire
SUNNYVALE, CA–(Marketwire – April 15, 2009) – Symyx Technologies, Inc. ( NASDAQ : SMMX ) today announced it has been awarded a grant by the United States Department of Energy (DOE) to conduct research and development of advanced heat transfer fluids

Green Ink: Obama’s Economic Pillars and the Perils of Spam – Wall Street Journal
Crude oil futures jumped over $50 a barrel on the back of strong equity markets in Europe, but U.S. inventory data could still feed the bears today, Bloomberg reports . U.S. drivers will see only modest increases in gasoline prices this summer, the

Investors aim to capitalize on green-energy incentives – AZCentral.com
A Scottsdale-based investment fund is looking for mid-size renewable-energy projects in need of a loan, and is hoping to capitalize on incentives that utilities and the federal stimulus are pouring into such projects. The Ethos Fund is targeting all

Empire State Building going green – Associated Press
NEW YORK (AP) — The lights atop the Empire State Building already change colors. Now the building itself is getting a permanent green makeover. The goal is to cut energy use by 38 percent, saving $4.4 million a year in energy costs. Former President

Green energy plan could drive GE jobs – Greenville News
A federal proposal to require electric utilities to generate a certain percentage of their power without burning fossil fuels could re-ignite the U.S. wind energy industry and be a boon to wind turbine production at General Electric’s Greenville

BCC to plant roots for green degrees – North Adams Transcript
PITTSFIELD — A state grant will help fund a new program for an energy conservation certificate at Berkshire Community College, and school officials hope it will set the foundation for establishing a degree program in green energy. BCC received a

General Motors reportedly approves Cadillac Converj for production

Filed under: Concept Cars, Hybrids/Alternative, Green, Cadillac, GM

At the Detroit Auto Show in January, General Motors surprised the crowd with a concept coupe called the Cadillac Converj. Built on the same Voltec platform as the Chevrolet Volt, the Converj was seen as a way for GM to leverage the pricey ER-EV drivetrain in a vehicle that could sell at a premium price, recovering some of the development costs. According to Motor Trend, the Converj has been given the green light for production in 2011, a year after the Volt launches. When we talked to GM’s Bob Kruse at the Detroit show, he indicated a production Converj would likely use the same powertrain as the Volt, although it could have different calibrations to allow somewhat higher performance than the Chevrolet.

If the Converj does move forward, the proportions might have to change in order to use the same under-structure as the Volt. However, the larger stumbling block to building the Converj is money – or a lack thereof. Unless some kind of deal is struck between the Treasury and Energy Departments to allows GM to tap into ATVM loans, there won’t be enough cash in GM’s coffers to build the Converj.

[Source: Motor Trend]

General Motors reportedly approves Cadillac Converj for production originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 14 Apr 2009 20:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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General Motors reportedly approves Cadillac Converj for production

Filed under: Hybrids/Alternative, Green, Cadillac, GM

At the Detroit Auto Show in January, GM surprised the crowd with a concept coupe called the Cadillac Converj. Built on the same Voltec platform as the Chevy Volt, the Converj was seen as a way for GM to leverage the pricey ER-EV drivetrain in a vehicle that could sell at a premium price, recovering some of the development costs. According to Motor Trend, the Converj has been given the green light for production in 2011, a year after the Volt launches. When we talked to GM’s Bob Kruse at the Detroit show, he indicated a production Converj would likely use the same powertrain as the Volt, although it could have different calibrations to allow somewhat higher performance than the Chevrolet.

If the Converj does move forward, the proportions might have to change in order to use the same under-structure as the Volt. However, the larger stumbling block to building the Converj is money — or the lack of. Unless some kind of deal is struck between the Treasury and Energy departments to allows GM to tap into ATVM loans, there won’t be enough cash in GM’s coffers to build the Converj.

[Source: Motor Trend]

General Motors reportedly approves Cadillac Converj for production originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 14 Apr 2009 20:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mich. hopes battery tax breaks attract fed dollars – Merced Sun-Star
LANSING, Mich. — Fierce competition for advanced battery projects is sparking a new round of tax breaks in Michigan, which says the incentives for makers of electric and hybrid vehicle batteries will give it a leg up on other states. Tax credits

Johnson Controls to Make Electric-Car Batteries in Michigan – Wall Street Journal
Johnson Controls Inc. will begin producing lithium-ion hybrid battery cells in Michigan next year after winning $148.5 million in state tax incentives. The company, partnering with France’s Saft Groupe , said it will spend $220 million to renovate a

UPDATE 2-Johnson Controls, others plan U.S. battery plants – Forbes
South Korea’s LG Chem and a partnership between Johnson Controls Inc and France’s Saft said on Tuesday they will build their first U.S. plants in Michigan to supply lithium-ion battery cells for hybrids and electric vehicles. LG Chem, which plans to

Neil Young Thinks You Can Make A Better “Green Car” Music Video – Ecorazzi.com
April 14th 2009 Neil Young Thinks You Can Make A Better “Green Car” Music Video Than Him and he’s probably right. Filed under: cars-houses , transport , video , web — michael @ 3:14 pm With Neil Young’s new album Fork In The Road now

Michigan awards tax breaks to 3 car battery makers – Detroit News
Lansing — Michigan will lead the country in production of lithium ion batteries to power plug-in cars following today’s award of $300 million in tax credits for advanced battery manufacturing projects, Gov. Jennifer Granholm said this afternoon. The

Pent Up Demand for Electric Cars, Even in This Economy – Huffingtonpost.com
In about a week, Tesla Motors has taken 520 reservations for the Model S electric car (photos here, more technical details here, video of first test-drive here). In this economy, and for a car that won’t be available until 2011, that is pretty

A123Systems Awarded $100 Million in Refundable Tax Credits from – Businesswire.com
WATERTOWN, Mass.–( BUSINESS WIRE )–A123Systems announced today it has secured more than $100 million in refundable tax credits from the state of Michigan and has selected Livonia as one of the sites where it is planning to base new production

The great electric car race – CNN Money
The Volt is GM’s technology leader, but it will be years before the car – which cost $1 billion to develop – makes any profit for the nearly bankrupt company. Not by itself, but it helped. For several years GM has been touting the battery-powered

Neil Young Thinks You Can Make A Better “Green Car” Music Video – Ecorazzi.com
April 14th 2009 Neil Young Thinks You Can Make A Better “Green Car” Music Video Than Him and he’s probably right. Filed under: cars-houses , transport , video , web — michael @ 3:14 pm With Neil Young’s new album Fork In The Road now

Analysis: Michigan’s advanced vehicle battery sector accelerates – MLive.com
Michigan has vaulted to the front of the nation’s budding advanced automotive battery production sector as officials announced four battery plant investments worth $1.7 billion. But analysts say huge risks remain. The operations, led by heavy hitters

Fill ‘er right up – with electricity, please – CNN Money
At Better Place’s swapping station, an electric car (Renault-Nissan is building one with a removable battery) pulls into a bay. The bottom of the battery, which gets dirty through daily driving, is cleaned with a brush

Mitsubishi electric car in fast lane – Morning Sun
The race is on among the world’s automakers to develop their own electric vehicle. Although Mitsubishi Motors North America has halted operations at its factory in Normal until May 11, the company is not slowing down plans to be one of the first to

Michigan awards tax breaks to car battery makers – Charleston Daily Mail
LANSING, Mich. (AP) – Michigan has awarded tax credits so battery makers for electric and hybrid vehicles will open factories in the state. Four projects were approved Tuesday by the Michigan Economic Growth Authority. One is contingent on another

Salazar, Palin address development at haring – KTUU
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) – Interior Secretary Ken Salazar got a mostly friendly reception at a daylong public hearing on the federal government’s proposed 5-year oil and gas leasing program. Salazar opened the Tuesday hearing in Anchorage with his

The great electric car race – CNN Money
The Volt is GM’s technology leader, but it will be years before the car – which cost $1 billion to develop – makes any profit for the nearly bankrupt company. Not by itself, but it helped. For several years GM has been touting the battery-powered

UPDATE 2-Johnson Controls, others plan U.S. battery plants – CNBC
By Soyoung Kim DETROIT, April 14 (Reuters) – Major battery suppliers, including Johnson Controls, detailed plans to invest up to $1.7 billion in advanced battery plants in Michigan, taking advantage of tax credits intended to lure production of

A123Systems Awarded $100 Million in Refundable Tax Credits from – Businesswire.com
WATERTOWN, Mass.–( BUSINESS WIRE )–A123Systems announced today it has secured more than $100 million in refundable tax credits from the state of Michigan and has selected Livonia as one of the sites where it is planning to base new production

ANALYSIS-Bolivia holds key to lithium, the battery car metal – Forbes
Electric cars to fuel the increase in lithium By Michael Taylor LONDON, April 14 (Reuters) – Minor metal lithium is set to charge ahead to become the top material for batteries and vital for electric transport, but supplying any spike in demand could

Good Karma: Fisker investors reportedly bring in $85 million in capital

Filed under: Convertibles, Hybrids/Alternative, Sedans/Saloons, Sports/GTs, Earnings/Financials

Fisker Karma – Click above for a hi-res gallery

Hybrid propulsion or not, wunder-designer Henrik Fisker couldn’t have picked a worse time be to starting a new car company…especially in the United States. Fisker has been adamant that his company will get off the ground and begin production of its much-hyped Karma electric sedan and S convertible, but without the capital invested, speculation was that his efforts could run out of steam prematurely. However, Automotive News is reporting that the upstart automaker has received a healthy cash injection of $85 million to help get production started.

The funds come from two investors: Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, which was one of the first financial firms to invest in Fisker’s enterprise, and a new investor Eco-Drive Capital Partners LLC. Will it be enough to get the Karma out on the street? Eighty-five mil is a big hunk of cash, but as any Detroit veteran could tell you, big money has a habit of running out fast in this business, and it generally takes hundreds of millions of dollars to launch new models.

[Source: Automotive News - subs. req'd]

Good Karma: Fisker investors reportedly bring in $85 million in capital originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 13 Apr 2009 16:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cascadia Announces Landmark Financial Study Proving Viability of Ultra – PR Inside
A new study : finds that the most financially responsible design approach to new construction in the mid to long term is a “Living Building,” a building that generates its own power, as well as cleans and reuses its water. In fact, a building

World Energy Says “No!” to Rip-Offsets, Offers Better Way to Buy – StreetInsider.com
World Green Exchange Creates ‘Virtual Shopping Mall’ for Green Commodities, Puts Buyers in Control WORCESTER, MA, April 14 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ – Addressing the urgent need for more transparency in carbon commodities procurement, World Energy

thedailytimes.com : Your 24/7 news source – Daily Times
Students build a solar panel array during a class on solar panel installation, on March 28 at San Jose City College in San Jose, Calif. Students and colleges are betting that President Barack Obama’s campaign to promote alternative energy and combat

Communities eager to attract clean energy jobs – Mankato Free Press
A green energy venture near Rapidan started at Greg Hawkinson’s thermostat. More precisely, with the monthly heating bill he gets in the mail. His rural home, built in the cheap electricity days of the 1970s, is heated entirely with electricity

CSA and World Energy Collaborate to Offer Value-added Services to CSA – CNW Group
TORONTO and WORCESTER, MA, April 14 /CNW/ – Canadian Standards Association (CSA), a leading developer of standards and training services, and World Energy Solutions, Inc. (TSX: XWE), an operator of online exchanges for energy and environmental

NSP looks at ways to be green, save money – The Chronicle Herald
TALK ABOUT being in an awkward position — Nova Scotia Power Inc. is now in charge of a conservation program aimed at cutting the use of electricity in Nova Scotia. Considering that the Emera Inc. subsidiary makes its living by selling electricity

An older type of ‘green’ takes precedence – Las Vegas Sun
Among the report’s conclusions: Solar plants producing 2,000 megawatts of energy could replace the power generated by conventional plants emitting 4.6 million tons of carbon dioxide, 81 tons of methane and 26.5 tons of nitrous oxide — gases that

Jobless seek green skills – Reno Gazette
Students are learning how to install solar panels, repair wind turbines, produce biofuels and do other work related to renewable energy. “I think the opportunities in this field are going to be huge,” said Rudy Gastelo, a part-time handyman who left

Good Karma: Fisker investors reportedly bring in $85 million in capital

Filed under: Convertibles, Hybrids/Alternative, Sedans/Saloons, Sports/GTs, Earnings/Financials

Fisker Karma – Click above for a hi-res gallery

Hybrid propulsion or not, wunder-designer Henrik Fisker couldn’t have picked a worse time be to starting a new car company…especially in the United States. Fisker has been adamant that his company will get off the ground and begin production of its much-hyped Karma electric sedan and S convertible, but without the capital invested, speculation was that his efforts could run out of steam prematurely. However, Automotive News is reporting that the upstart automaker has received a healthy cash injection of $85 million to help get production started.

The funds come from two investors: Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, which was one of the first financial firms to invest in Fisker’s enterprise, and a new investor Eco-Drive Capital Partners LLC. Will it be enough to get the Karma out on the street? Eighty-five mil is a big hunk of cash, but as any Detroit veteran could tell you, big money has a habit of running out fast in this business, and it generally takes hundreds of millions of dollars to launch new models.

[Source: Automotive News - subs. req'd]

Good Karma: Fisker investors reportedly bring in $85 million in capital originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 13 Apr 2009 16:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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