Gizmag: Automotive

Youth Mobile 2030 - designers dream up hip cars for the kids of the future

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 22:25:58 -0600

Each year as part of the Design Los Angeles Conference held at the LA Auto Show, creative types from major car companies get to stare into their crystal balls and let their imaginations run wild in designing the car of the future. In 2007 the theme was the car 50 years from today, last year the challenge was to envision how motor-racing will look in 2025 and this time around, the brief is to look at what young people will be driving in the year 2030. ..

Tags: Audi, Concept, Design, GM, Honda, LA Auto Show, Mazda, Nissan, Toyota

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Nissan leases first fuel cell vehicle in North America

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 21:14:47 -0600

Following on from the successful use of its Fuel Cell Vehicles (FCVs) in demonstration fleets in Japan and California, Nissan has announced its first commercial FCV lease in North America to Sacramento Coca-Cola Bottling Co., Inc. In an advantageous brand tie-in the zero emissions X-TRAIL FCV will be used by the bottler for sales calls and public events in the Sacramento area in promotion of its Coca-Cola Zero soft drink...

Tags: California, Cars, Emissions, Fuel Cell, Hydrogen, Nissan, Vehicle

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Ford Flex 2010 to feature wheat-straw reinforced plastic

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 19:31:31 -0600

Ford is the first automaker to develop and implement environmentally-friendly wheat straw-reinforced plastic in a vehicle. Before you get carried away, the car itself, a Ford Flex, isn’t made of plastic, instead, it’s just the third-row interior storage bins made from the natural fiber-based plastic that contains 20 percent wheat straw bio-filler. Surprisingly though, Ford says this application alone reduces petroleum usage by some 20,000lbs per year, cuts CO2 emissions by 30,000lbs per year, and represents a smart, sustainable usage for wheat straw, the waste byproduct of wheat...

Tags: Car, Eco-friendly, Recycled, Sustainable, Vehicle, Wheat

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The ECOS Harbinger - an electric, Euro-styled supercar for under US$90,000

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 04:52:11 -0600

Building electric cars will come with its own set of challenges - but then, in other ways things are going to get a whole lot easier. With plenty of battery technology available pretty much off-the-shelf, and electric motors being incredibly simple compared with their combustion counterparts, there's not a lot stopping small, independent operators from building fun electrics and getting them to market as soon as they're approved for sale. And such is the case with the ECOS Harbinger - which truly could foretell a bit of a small-business revolution in electric sportscars. US$89,995 will buy you a 120mph, 150-mile per charge, 6 second electric supercar with Lambo-style looks and scissor doors to boot. Nice!..

Tags: Electric, green, Supercar

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Mercedes-Benz Citaro FuelCELL-Hybrid bus previews in Hamburg

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 22:14:27 -0600

The first of ten new Mercedes-Benz Citaro FuelCELL-Hybrid buses has appeared in Hamburg, Germany as part of a large-scale fleet trial taking place there and in other European cities. Two major features of this latest-generation fuel cell hybrid bus are that it emits no pollutants while in motion and is virtually silent, making it ideal for use in highly congested inner cities and metropolitan areas. From next year, ten of the 30 vehicles that Daimler Buses is producing for European transport operators are destined for the Hamburg transport authority. Hamburger Hochbahn will take delivery of the remaining 20 buses. ..

Tags: Hybrid, Mercedes, Mercedes-benz

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X Prize competition moves to next phase with 43 teams remaining

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:35:21 -0600

From more than 100 entrants, 43 teams and 53 vehicles have now advanced to the most important, and possibly exciting, stage of the $10 million Progressive Insurance Automotive X Prize – performance and safety testing. The 43 teams represent 10 countries, 18 U.S. states, and six fuel types and all have passed the fuel-efficiency competition’s Design Judging phase. Vehicles must be able to achieve more than 100mpg or energy equivalent (MPGe), as well as being vehicles that people want to buy, meeting market needs for price, size, capability, safety and performance. ..

Tags: Competition, Energy, Fuel, Fuel efficiency, Prize, Vehicle

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Citroen C-ZERO - no local emissions, no fuel consumption, no engine noise

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 21:41:56 -0600

After building more than 5,500 electric vehicles, Citroen is calling on its experience in the field to deliver a “triple zero” car - zero fuel consumption, zero CO2 emission at the tailpipe and zero engine noise. The C-ZERO (what else could they call it) is a full electric city car powered by a permanent magnet synchronous motor delivering 47kW or 64bhp EEC from 3,000 to 6,000rpm. Citroen says the automatic vehicle will have a top speed of 130kph (80mph), acceleration from 0-100kph (0-62mph) in 15 seconds and 60-90kph (37-56mph) in six seconds. Between charges, the vehicles is expected to achieve a range of around 130km (80 miles)...

Tags: Battery Electric Vehicle, Battery Electric Vehicles, C-zero, Citroen, Electric vehicle, Emissions, Energy, Lithium-ion

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Hands-free driving? EU set to trial multi-vehicle road trains

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 20:26:58 -0600

Is there anything more monotonous than being stuck in a long line of traffic when you still have miles to go before your reach your destination? Wouldn’t it be great if you could relax and let somebody else do all the hard work? Well if all goes well with a European research project, that possibility might just become a reality. The Safe Road Trains for the Environment (SARTRE) project will look at linking a series of vehicles in a road train, controlled by a lead vehicle, with communication occurring via wireless sensors. ..

Tags: Cars, Safety, Traffic, Vehicles

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Bentley's self-leveling wheel badges and other must-have accessories

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 22:02:40 -0600

If there’s one thing Bentley owners detest as much as fingerprints on their door openers it’s recalcitrant wheel badges that refuse to align when the marque has ceased its forward motion. Worse still, they become impossible to read at speed because of their inability to stop spinning with the wheels. Thankfully, Bentley Motors has listened to the anguished cries of its faithful car-owners and has released a range of accessories that include self-leveling wheel badges that right themselves when the vehicle is stopped and can remain upright at most driving speeds. Other accessories include bespoke child seats, embroidered car covers, vented wings and that much-warranted jeweled torch (which shines a “B” so your driver can signal your pilot to lower the stairs). ..

Tags: Accessory, Badges, Bentley, Vehicle

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Are EVs risking or saving the planet?

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 21:05:33 -0600

“Electric cars should be rewarded for their energy efficiency, not for moving emissions from exhaust pipes to powerstation chimneys” says the UK's Environmental Transport Association (ETA). In a report titled "How to avoid an electric shock - Electric cars: from hype to reality", the ETA has taken a close look at electric-powered vehicles (EVs) and their associated technologies. In what could be a shock to some commuters – and governments - the report states that EVs could potentially speed climate change, rather than reduce it, and might not be as good for the planet as some of the spin suggests. Simply put, it’s not necessarily the cars themselves that will cause the damage, but the way the electricity is generated to power them and how often we drive them. For instance, EVs powered by “green energy” - wind or solar - are obviously superior, but if the electricity comes from coal, hybrids perform better...

Tags: Climate Change, Electric, Electric vehicle, European Union, Global Warming, Greenhouse gas emissions, Hybrid, Plug-in, Renewable Energy, Transport

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Gordon Murray aims to create world's most efficient EV - the T.27

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:47:47 -0600

Radical UK-based Gordon Murray Design has branched out from “petrol-miser” vehicles like the T.25 to develop what it calls "the world’s most efficient electric car”. Joining forces with British engineering firm Zytek Automotive, the company has announced an all-electric three-seater city car known as the T.27 (27th design). Helped by a £4.5 million (US$7.5 million approx.) investment from the UK government-backed Technology Strategy Board, the new R&D project has a total of £9 million (US$15 million approx.) with which to develop four prototypes by February 2011...

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Hydrogen fuel cell buses trial set for China's streets

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 02:56:41 -0600

A team of researchers aims to educate people about the possibilities of hydrogen as a fuel by demonstrating the efficiency of fuel cells in two public transport buses that will operate in China’s North East. The University of Sunderland, UK, has joined forces with Shanghai’s Shen Li High Technology and local experts ComeSys Europe and AVID sustainable vehicles from Cramlington (Northumberland, England) to create ECO2Trans - the region’s first petrol-free passenger buses that will run on a fuel cell, battery and capacitor combination...

Tags: Buses, China, Fuel Cell, Hydrogen, Public Transport

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Renault announces production sites for Z.E. electric cars

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 01:35:49 -0600

Renault's Zero Emissions (Z.E.) range really captured our attention at this year's Frankfurt Motor Show and now the company has confirmed plans to unleash two of the radically designed EVs onto the streets from 2011...

Tags: Concept, Electric vehicle, Frankfurt Motor Show, Nissan, Renault

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Research reveals the most reliable vehicles

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 23:53:14 -0600

A large percentage of the cars on the road, up to half in some countries, are owned and maintained by fleet management groups rather than individuals. In recent times we’ve seen a number of fleet management companies begin producing statistics on the reliability of their often massive fleets to better inform the public on the reliability of current vehicles. Now U.K. publication Fleet News has conducted research across a number of the major British fleets to produce a reliability survey across more than a million late model vehicles to reveal that the Honda Civic is the UK’s most reliable car and the Ford Transit the most reliable van. Honda snagged three of the top four most reliable cars but got beaten as the most reliable manufacturer...

Tags: BMW, Fleet Management, Honda

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Boxster Spyder - 166mph Porsche roadster to debut in LA

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:44:37 -0600

Porsche will roll out a new incarnation of the Boxter Spyder at the Los Angeles auto show next month. The flagship mid-engined model is the lightest sporstcar in the company's range at 1,275kg and more powerful than the Boxster S, topping 235kW from its direct-injection 3.4-liter flat six-cylinder powerplant. All this adds up a hair-piece destroying top speed of 166mph (267kmh) with the roof open, making it Porsche's fastest Roadster...

Tags: LA Auto Show, Porsche, Roadster, Spyder

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Ford introduces inflatable seat belts

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 22:03:44 -0600

Most seat belts are designed to stretch during a crash to reduce the force of impact on the wearer while still preventing contact with the interior of the vehicle. Ford has gone one step further with plans to introduce inflatable seat belts designed to reduce the pressure on the chest and help control head and neck motion in rear seat passengers, spreading the crash force across five times more of the occupant’s torso than conventional seat belts...

Tags: Airbag, Crash, Ford, Impact, Inflatable, Safety, Vehicle

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Boat tail reduces truck fuel consumption by 7.5 percent

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 20:57:39 -0600

European tests have shown that a boat tail – a tapering protrusion mounted on the rear of a truck – leads to fuel savings of 7.5 percent. The fuel savings, which also means a cut in emissions, were realized by the boat tail dramatically reducing the drag caused by the lower-pressure effect that occurs in the wake of a vehicle...

Tags: Aerodynamic, Aerodynamics, Consumption, Emissions, Transport, Truck, Wind

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Subaru WRX STI TRAX hits the backcountry

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:57:00 -0600

We've seen this approach to Arctic off-roading at a concept level, but this snow-eating Subaru WRX STI is most definitely for real. The 400bhp TRAX was built by Subaru Rally Team USA's technical partner, Vermont SportsCar from a rally-prepared 2009 WRX ST. EXE-TC Group N competition rally dampers were added, the drivetrain lowered three inches and the wheels tossed in favor of a Mattracks rubber track system...

Tags: Concept, Off-road, Snowboard, Subaru

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599 Ferrari fetches $2 million - despite cracked paintwork

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:01:32 -0600

A buyer has paid US$2 million at a charity auction for a unique Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano painted by leading Chinese artist, Lu Hao. The Ferrari supercar is decorated with Song Dynasty Ge Kiln “cracked” glaze pattern. ..

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Ferrari theme park on track for 2010

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 18:21:22 -0600

Supercar aficionados will undoubtedly be salivating at the thought of a visit to Ferrari’s Theme Park. Now set to open in 2010 it will be home to a range of multi-sensory experiences ranging from rollercoasters to displays and driving experiences...

Tags: Ferrari, Racing, Simulator, Supercar

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Axon Automotive shows off lightweight plug-in hybrid

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 21:42:00 -0500

UK car manufacturer Axon Automotive has used the Milton Keynes Science Festival to preview its plug-in hybrid lightweight passenger car. The car combines carbon fiber composite construction with a full electric mode for short-run local travel and a petrol or bioethanol-powered engine for longer distances or highway travel. ..

Tags: Carbon fiber, Electric, Electric vehicle, Hybrid, Plug-in, Recycled

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EV record: Tesla Roadster travels 313 miles on a single charge

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 23:58:57 -0500

The Tesla Roadster has set a new distance record for a production electric vehicle by traveling 313 miles (501km) on a single charge. The milestone took place during the 2009 Global Green Challenge in Australia where eco-friendly vehicles have been battling it out over a formidable 1800 mile course. The distance achieved is well above the 244 mile range Tesla quotes in its specs... and on top of that, the electric sportscar reportedly had 3 miles worth of charge left in its batteries when it finished the record breaking run...

Tags: Battery Electric Vehicle, Electric vehicle, global green challenge, Roadster, Tesla

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California gets world first 'green' heavy duty truck - the zero emission Tyrano

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 22:38:37 -0500

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has introduced Vision Industries’ Tyrano semi truck – a hydrogen-powered zero emissions vehicle designed to replace diesel and LNG short haul trucks in California. Vision says the Tyrano is the world’s first “green” heavy duty class 8 truck with zero emissions (zero CO2, zero fossil fuels, zero noise pollution and a zero carbon footprint). What’s more, the company claims the Tyrano is twice as powerful as a conventional diesel-powered vehicle. ..

Tags: California, Greenhouse gas emissions, Hydrogen, Hydrogen-powered, Schwarzenegger, Truck, Vehicle

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The Lexus LFA supercar – the long awaited production version arrives

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:29:11 -0500

It’s been a long time coming. The Lexus LFA that first appeared as a concept car at the 2005 Detroit Auto Show is finally production ready. Lexus made the announcement at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show where a prototype of the production car was on display along with a full-scale see through model in the company's “art gallery” - and the stunning 202mph V10 supercar is indeed worthy of a place in an art gallery, although keen collectors will still have to endure a bit more of a wait since the car isn’t expected to reach garages until early 2011, with only 500 units being produced...

Tags: Automotive, Carbon fiber, Cars, Coupe, Lexus, Supercar, Tokyo Motor Show, Tokyo Motor Show 2009, Vehicle

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Inside the box: Daihatsu Concepts at the Tokyo Motor Show

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 11:37:24 -0500

Daihatsu's stand at the opening day of the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show featured six mini concept cars focused very much on practicality in an urban environment. Somewhat strangely, the company's concepts stood out because, unlike many other vehicles on the showfloor, none of the cars are electric or electric gasoline hybrid. Daihatsu has instead tried to refine existing technology both in lightweight manufacturing and engine efficiency to improve on fuel economy, but that's not to say the company isn't aiming for a zero-local emissions future - this is only the first step in its road map for powertrains that will culminate in a switch to a fuel cell based system...

Tags: Caravan, Cargo, Concept, Concept Cars, Fuel Cell, Fuel efficiency, Hydrogen

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